Tyler Perry Studios adds virtual production stage in Atlanta
Tyler Perry Studios and Synapse plan a new LED-volume soundstage on Perry’s 365-acre Atlanta campus, with an opening targeted for late 2026.
By Bianca Rossi · Entertainment Editor
3 min read
Tyler Perry Studios is bringing LED-volume filmmaking to its Atlanta lot through a multi-year partnership with Synapse Virtual Production, Deadline reported.
The companies are converting one of the existing soundstages on the 365-acre Tyler Perry Studios campus into a virtual production facility, with operations expected to begin by the end of 2026, according to the report.
The stage will use LED volume technology, real-time digital environments, advanced camera tracking and real-time 3D engines including Unreal Engine, Deadline reported. The setup is meant to let productions shoot digital locations indoors and capture exterior-style scenes without being at the mercy of weather.
A new tool for Perry’s Atlanta production push
Deadline reported that the facility is designed for a broad slate of work, from feature films and TV series to commercials, music videos, livestreams, immersive projects and newer digital media formats.
Synapse already operates a virtual production stage at LA Center Studios in downtown Los Angeles, according to the report. The company uses AI-supported tools for look development, asset changes and environment capture.
Tyler Perry Studios said the new stage is intended to give filmmakers more flexibility, speed up production and help lower costs, Deadline reported. The studio also stressed that crews will remain central to the work and said the facility fits its commitment to production jobs.
As with other Tyler Perry Studios facilities, the Synapse soundstage will be open to outside productions, according to Deadline. The move comes as Perry looks to draw more filming to Atlanta after production in the city has declined over the past couple of years, the report said.
“I’m paying close attention to what these tools can do, and I’m also thinking about the people who make this industry work,” Perry said, according to Deadline. “This collaboration is about moving forward in a way that keeps crews working and traditional production jobs intact while also allowing creatives new ways to build worlds and tell stories for the big and small screens.”
AI concerns shaped Perry’s earlier expansion plans
Deadline reported that Perry has taken a cautious approach to new production technology, especially artificial intelligence. In 2024, he paused an $800 million expansion plan for Tyler Perry Studios that would have added 12 soundstages, after industry concern around OpenAI’s now-defunct text-to-video model Sora.
That expansion remains on hold, according to the report. Perry has instead shifted to other construction efforts, including an entertainment district in Southwest Atlanta.
Synapse CEO Justin Diener said in a statement reported by Deadline that the partnership is meant to help creators use real-time tools for larger stories and immersive screen experiences.
Synapse’s services and technology have been used on film and TV projects including Artists Equity’s The Rip and The Accountant 2, with Synapse serving as a production service partner on the latter, Deadline reported. The company’s next virtual production facility is planned for New York.
Producer Beau Flynn, who serves on Synapse’s advisory board, said the collaboration strengthens Atlanta as a base for filmmakers and producers while keeping production “human and crew-led,” according to Deadline.
This story draws on original reporting from Deadline.