Forge Virtual Studios officially celebrated the opening of its new Hanover Park facility on June 5, welcoming filmmakers, agency partners, production professionals and invited guests for an evening showcasing one of the Chicago area’s newest virtual production resources.”
Guests arrived on a red carpet before touring the 30,000 square foot facility, enjoying catered hospitality and getting an up close look at the studio’s LED volume stages and production technology. The event offered attendees the opportunity to experience the space firsthand while connecting with members of Chicago’s growing film and production community.
For Co-founder / CEO Drew English, the evening represented far more than opening the doors to a new facility.
“Seeing the local Chicagoland community, as well as folks from across the country, come out to support and celebrate Forge was unforgettable. This was more than just a grand opening. It was an evening of connection, creativity, and togetherness, and we’re proud to officially open the doors to our virtual production studio in service of the Chicago film community.”
The celebration marked an important milestone for Forge, which was created to make advanced virtual production technology more accessible to filmmakers, agencies, brands and corporate producers throughout the Midwest.
As Reel Chicago previously reported, the facility features two dedicated virtual production stages. Studio A is anchored by an 82 foot by 16 foot LED volume complete with ceiling and additional LED wall capabilities for large scale commercial, narrative and branded productions. Studio B offers a more compact environment designed for interviews, corporate content, social media productions and other streamlined workflows. The studio also supports productions with Unreal Engine based virtual environments, real time camera tracking and an extensive library of digital backgrounds.
Co-founder and President Connor Rowan said one of the most rewarding moments of the evening was watching visitors begin imagining what the technology makes possible.
“It’s amazing bringing great people into our space and seeing in real time as the gears start turning, thinking of all things possible that weren’t before.”
The grand opening also left a strong impression on Studio Manager Maddi Vilminot, who recently joined the Forge team.
“As a newcomer to the community myself, it was so encouraging to see the warmth, collaboration, and welcoming spirit of the Chicagoland film community. There’s a bright future ahead for film in Chicago and Illinois at large, and it is a thrilling time to be on the cutting edge of that with a facility like Forge.”
Located at 1555 Hunter Road in Hanover Park, Forge was intentionally developed outside downtown Chicago, providing convenient access to O’Hare International Airport, hotels, parking and production support while remaining close to the city’s creative community. The founders envision the studio as both a production resource and a collaborative hub where filmmakers can learn, experiment and embrace the rapidly evolving world of virtual production.
Illinois continues to experience significant growth in film and television production, and facilities like Forge represent another investment in the state’s expanding production infrastructure. By combining high end technology with a Midwest location, the studio hopes to give agencies, production companies and content creators another reason to keep projects in Illinois.
For veteran Chicago producer Angie Gaffney, now Executive Producer at Charter, Forge’s sister production company, the evening was both a celebration of the team’s work and the beginning of a new chapter.
“What a joyous party! Thank you to everyone who celebrated with us. This event was the culmination of an incredible amount of hard work from our team. I’m so grateful to be working with each of them. And to the greater filmmaking community, we are honored and excited to bring your stories to life.”
With its official grand opening complete, Forge Virtual Studios now turns its attention toward welcoming productions of every size while helping shape the future of virtual production in the Chicago market.
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