*This article was originally posted on COVER’s note on May 11, 2023.

Hello to all of our note readers out there!
This is Kuwae, manager of Human Resources and Recruitment & Public Relations here at COVER Corporation.

And having taken a tour of the interior, we would like to provide a more in-depth look at what the studio has to offer! Equipment, facilities, and even more mysteries – all shrouded in secret... until now! Let’s take a look!

■A New Foundation

In an effort to continue providing high-quality content and entertainment, COVER Corp. has taken great strides in investing in new facilities and taking on new challenges in cutting-edge fields.

And for this particular project, we haven’t held back: 800 million yen (appx. USD 5.3 million*) for construction and 1.9 billion yen (appx. USD 12.6 million*) for equipment – a grand total of a 2.7 billion yen (appx. USD 17.9 million*) investment in setting up a spacious new studio.
* As of February 2024

Our goal is to provide an environment for our talents to show off what makes them special, putting on even more 3D performances and projects with even larger numbers of people than ever before, all in real-time.

With the establishment of this new studio, we expect to see an improvement in both speed and freedom of development. An evolution towards more elaborate expression and challenging undertaking starts here.

■Multifunctional Facilities

Boasting specialized studios for motion capture, chroma key compositing, and voice recording, this new facility is full of bells and whistles – all on one floor, to boot! Each individual studio comes with control rooms, waiting areas, and much more.

Our overall number of motion capture studios will also be increasing, allowing us to quickly respond to rapidly growing demands, such as: augmented reality (AR) and short videos to expand towards new horizons; motion capture recording for our metaverse holoEarth (currently in development); virtual live performance; and much more.

Established in an undisclosed location in Tokyo, with a total of four motion capture systems, is one of the largest of its kind in Japan, estimated to be bigger than ten tennis courts in size.

■State-of-the-Art Motion Capture Studio

– Motion Capture Studio

Some of our studios have more than 100 of the latest VICON cameras, the VALKYRIE (VK-26), with a total of over 200 VALKYRIE (VK-26) installed throughout all of the facilities. 

A technological powerhouse of this magnitude will improve the accuracy of motion capturing, allowing for more delicate motions, such as finger movement, to be accurately recorded, leading to greatly enhanced expressiveness. In addition, with such precise calculations now being achievable even with multiple people involved, we will thrive in this new environment – one where verification processes of the largest scale nationwide are performed, and physical challenges that were once difficult and demanding will instead become opportunities.

These state-of-the-art cameras, laid out in a 23 m x 14 m x 3.2 m space, have made it possible to capture motion more reliably than ever before, solidifying this environment as a breeding ground for a wide variety of exciting content. 

– Control Rooms

Installed within the control rooms of each studio is the latest switcher system, KAIROS.

With KAIROS, we will be able to handle more layers than ever before, adding more strength to our arsenal as we aim our sights higher and higher. Although the number of companies utilizing KAIROS is indeed increasing, we are still among the few to engage with this boon through which the gates of technological advancement have opened.

We hope to use this studio to confront and overcome obstacles which have proven difficult in the past and sew the seeds of more bountiful content.

– Dedicated Server Room

To effectively dissipate heat loads, special rooms installed with cooling equipment will be set up along with each control room. We have also prepared a dedicated server room for the studio’s network – the bedrock upon which our content is built.

One special feature of this project is IP-based video transmission. It should go without saying that a neat and tidy interior is essential for smooth sailing.

– Chroma Key Studio

And speaking of smooth performance, our motion capture studio also comes with an accompanying chroma key studio, making for a perfect composition where each step of the process, including AR and live-action compositing, can go as smoothly as possible.

■Dual Recording Studios

Our recording studio was designed and supervised by a company that has a history in the music industry and worked alongside major corporations!
Some of our clients have voiced a desire to make in-house recordings in a manner that has been handled externally until now, and this recording studio is our response to those requests.

Previously, moving around and about to other floors or locations for separate studios was par for the course, but with a recording studio on the same floor, physical distance will no longer be a hurdle for production. CD sound sourcing, voice recording, and other tasks can be quickly completed.

■Productivity Without Pressure

Work moves quickly here at COVER Corp. Content is produced and delivered in a timely manner, and parties, both internal and external, need a place to discuss important matters, not to mention a safe space for a quick breather, and we’ve made sure to accommodate with meeting rooms and powder rooms in each studio.

A studio of uncompromised hospitality is our aim. Stress need not accompany work, after all, and we hope this studio will serve to foster a creative atmosphere of productivity without strain, further nurturing our content as it grows in quality.
^{※ The Japanese version first appeared on May 11, 2023.}