Chongqing - In the heart of Yongchuan District, Chongqing, a new kind of movie magic is taking shape. The Yongchuan Sci-Tech Film Studio, the largest and most technologically advanced film production base in western China, is redefining how films are made by merging virtual production, artificial intelligence, and real-time rendering to bring imagination to life.

On October 15, 2025, a new commercial for an energy vehicle was being filmed inside Studio No. 1 at Yongchuan Sci-Tech Film Studio. (Photo/Li Yuheng)

A Technological Leap in Filmmaking

The studio’s first and second phases, launched in May 2023 and April 2025, respectively, span more than 50,000 square meters of shooting space. Unlike traditional studios, Yongchuan’s production model centers on virtual shooting technology, which can reduce costs for large-scale sci-fi scenes by up to 90 percent and increase efficiency by 55 percent. Built to Hollywood standards, the studio has already hosted over 50 film and TV projects.

One recent shoot captured the illusion perfectly: a new-energy car racing along a seaside highway suddenly appeared to be crossing Chongqing’s bustling Caiyuanba Yangtze River Bridge. In reality, the car never moved—only the LED background did. To onlookers, it felt like stepping into a futuristic dream factory where the line between reality and virtuality disappears.

That scene was filmed inside Studio No. 1, a 3,000 square-meter space housing a 42-meter-long, 7-meter-high curved LED screen—once the largest of its kind in Asia. Earlier this year, about 30 percent of the Cannes-awarded film “Resurrection”, directed by Bi Gan and starring Jackson Yee and Shu Qi, was shot there in just one month.

A staff member adjusts filming equipment inside the studio. (Photo/Li Yuheng)

“Virtual production combines AI with real-time rendering, motion capture, and digital-human technologies to create realistic effects while reducing time and cost,” explained Chen Liang, vice president of Dawa Future (Chongqing) Imaging Technology Co., Ltd., the studio’s operator.

Instead of expensive on-location shoots or cumbersome green-screen effects, virtual sets can reproduce detailed landscapes directly on LED screens, eliminating the need for cumbersome green-screen effects. “We film the car against a pre-rendered scene, and the footage is ready immediately—no complicated post-production,” Chen said.

From Start-Up to Industry Leader

Dawa Technology, once a small start-up specializing in simulation systems for the 70th National Day military parade, relocated its headquarters to Yongchuan in 2022. The move aligned with the district’s focus on strategic emerging industries. Since then, its virtual production technology has reached domestic top-tier levels, rivaling Hollywood standards and allowing China’s film industry to achieve what Chen calls “a technological leap in the global digital race.”

Efficiency drives the studio’s design. With just a button press, the massive central stage platform can rise, slide outward, and roll along tracks into the neighboring studio—switching entire sets within 40 minutes. “While one stage films, the other prepares the next scene, enabling seamless transitions,” the staff explained.

“This is what we call 'industrial set design', inspired by Chongqing’s manufacturing heritage,” Chen added.

The results speak for themselves. After using virtual production for a recent movie, director Li Zhiwen cut his planned 15-day shoot to just four and a half days, despite weather disruptions. Pleased with the outcome, he has already booked three new projects.

“The international recognition of 'Resurrection' at Cannes shows our technology has gained professional credibility,” Chen said.

Driving “Shot in Chongqing” to “Chongqing Shoots”

With virtual production accelerating workflows by more than half, Yongchuan Sci-Tech Film Studio is shifting the city’s image from a backdrop for other productions to a national center for film creation.

Bookings now extend through the first quarter of next year, prompting rapid expansion. The second phase—featuring three new high-tech studios—officially debuted during the 2025 SCO Film Festival, hosting both opening and closing ceremonies. Its upgraded 3,000 square-meter virtual studio boasts a mobile extension screen for more complex setups and improved rendering precision.

The closing and award ceremony of the 2025 SCO Film Festival takes place at the second phase of the Yongchuan Sci-Tech Film Studio. (Photo/Long Fan)

Within just two years, the studio’s utilization rate has exceeded 90 percent, propelling Chongqing’s film industry to new heights. Once nicknamed China’s “8D cyberpunk city” for its dramatic topography and neon skyline, Chongqing is now equally famous for its digital production capabilities.

Looking ahead, Chen revealed that Phase III of the studio is already in planning and expected to open by late 2026 or early 2027. “We’ll introduce even more groundbreaking technologies,” he said. “The future of filmmaking in Chongqing is just beginning.”