Brompton LED Processing Transforms Education at Detroit Country Day School

	The installation came with comprehensive support from Brompton Technology, including on-site calibration and training.

Brompton Technology's LED processing solutions are at the heart of a virtual production studio recently installed at Detroit Country Day School, believed to be the first professional-grade VP and VFX studio in any PreK-12 educational institution in the US.

Detroit Country Day School, a private, independent, co-educational school in Michigan, is known for its approach to liberal arts education, including an award-winning film program.

Thanks to a gift from DCDS trustee Danialle Karmanos and her husband Peter, the new facility features a rack-mounted 4K Tessera SX40 LED video processor and two Tessera XD 10G data distribution units, powering an impressive 26' by 8' INFiLED DBmk2 1.9mm pixel pitch LED volume. The system runs at a 4K resolution (3,840 x 2,160) and is already transforming educational experiences across grade levels.

"When we started researching the leaders in LED technology, Brompton rose to the top," explains Mike Medvinsky, creative technologist at Detroit Country Day School. "All the major concerts and video production studios are run through Brompton, so they were our first choice."

The xR Studio is part of a larger complex called "The Studios" which includes a vodcasting studio and VR lab. The donor-led project represents a significant advancement in PreK-12 educational technology and creates opportunities for students to engage with professional-level production tools.

"This is new territory not only for us to learn the technology, but for us to create the curriculum and experiences to engage students and help them become more engaging storytellers. That's what 'The Studios' are designed for," says Medvinsky.

The Brompton Tessera LED processing platform offers critical features that have proven invaluable to the school's workflow. "One thing we use often is the color shaping in the Tessera software, fine-tuning the color in the studios with the colour through the in-camera lighting," notes Medvinsky. "It really helps when we can fine-tune the saturation or the gamma using the curves in the software itself to match what's in the studio."

Medvinsky also highlights other Tessera features that enhance their production capabilities: "The OSCA (on-screen color adjustment) feature in the software is fantastic when we're trying to edit something in real time, and being able to adjust the nits in the software is also useful. We're really trying to match the analog colour with the digital color, and the Tessera software has really helped fine-tune those capabilities."

The installation came with comprehensive support from Brompton Technology, including on-site calibration and training. "Webster [Moyle, technical sales manager at Brompton] came by to see the space and help me learn more about the Tessera software, as well as how the LED technology works," Medvinsky continues. "Once the INFiLED tiles were in, we had Jason Tennstedt (senior field application engineer) come in to do the calibration, along with another three days of training."

The studio's technical infrastructure, designed in collaboration with 4Wall Entertainment as the integration partner, includes a RED camera with Mo-Sys tracking system and Disguise media servers that work seamlessly with the Brompton LED processors.

The impact on image quality has been remarkable. "When the 1.9mm pixel pitch INFiLED tiles were installed, there was an instant difference in the quality of the LED assets that we were putting on the volume. Firstly, through the eye, and then through the camera. It made such a difference," exclaims Medvinsky.

The xR Studio is already being utilised across the curriculum, with students as young as prekindergarten creating content while learning about virtual production workflows. In one recent project, an 11th-grade student created a documentary about the Detroit riots of the late 1960s using the studio's virtual production capabilities.

"The overall goal for 'The Studios' is to create a space where students' creativity meets technology - and they have a space to create, seek, and tell their stories," Medvinsky states. "We are designing ways to use the studio spaces, not only as a film and content capture environment, but also as a place-based teaching destination, where students and teachers can come to our xR Studio as their classroom and bring a location to them."

Looking ahead, the school plans to further expand the system's potential, and is considering adding an LED floor within the next year or so to take full advantage of the space's xR capabilities.

The school's ongoing relationship with Brompton Technology remains a crucial component of their success. "We're continuing to learn the system and the technology as we go along, but we've had a really great start from Webster and Jason," Medvinsky reflects. "The customer service has been excellent."

Will Jennings, senior project manager, who led both the design and installation on behalf of 4Wall, reflects on the system's versatility.

"The INFiLED tile with Brompton LED processing is a dynamic combination, creating gorgeous visuals in person, but more importantly, looks incredible on camera," he says. "During the design process, we focused not only on how the tools will go together, but how to put full control in the hands of the volume operators. Brompton's reliability and advanced feature set make it as obvious a choice in classrooms as it is on the set of a feature film."

Sharing his perspective on the broader impact of the technology, INFiLED's senior field applications engineer Jason Tennstedt adds: "With cutting-edge LED technology from Brompton and INFiLED, education and production environments achieve unparalleled clarity, efficiency, and creativity -- transforming learning and workflow into dynamic, high-impact experiences. LED technology revolutionizes learning spaces and production environments by enhancing visibility, reducing energy costs, and promoting sustainability -- brightening minds and workflows alike."

"We are incredibly proud to see our Tessera LED processing technology, alongside INFiLED's display innovations and 4Wall's expert integration, enabling the next generation of visual storytellers at Detroit Country Day School," concludes Moyle. "This installation represents exactly the kind of forward-thinking application of our technology that we love to support. Seeing students as young as prekindergarten engaging with professional-grade virtual production tools that are identical to those used in major Hollywood productions and concert tours is truly inspiring. We're committed to continuing our support of educational initiatives like this, that bridge the gap between classroom learning and industry-standard technology."