BATON ROUGE, La. (WNTZ) – Louisiana State University’s Digital Art Department is pushing the boundaries of virtual filmmaking with the state’s first LED volume wall, housed inside its XR Studio on the Baton Rouge campus.

The cutting-edge facility allows students to design immersive digital environments using video game software, which can then be projected onto the LED wall-creating any setting imaginable for film production.

Alongside the wall, the studio features industry-standard cameras, microphones, and motion-capture systems, giving students hands-on experience with professional-grade tools and production workflows.

“To encourage students to balance their creative voice with the technical aspects of filmmaking, we emphasize both specialization and collaboration,” said Christine Bruening, professor in the College of Art and Design.

During the recent Topics in Art: XR Horror Production course, students used the XR Studio to create an original short film from concept to completion. Working in teams, they pitched story ideas, wrote scripts, acted, and managed the full production process themselves.

“We stepped back and mainly served as guides and IT support,” Bruening said. “The students did everything else themselves.”

The course builds on previous projects that used the XR Studio’s LED wall, including LSU’s Digital Twinning collaboration with NASA and interactive art experiences tied to electronic music.

Bruening said the collaborative format gives students a rare chance to blend creativity with technical skill while preparing them for careers in film, gaming, and visual effects.

“It’s extremely rewarding to see how students grow – individually and collectively; into a cohesive team as they work toward a shared creative outcome,” she said.

Despite the challenge of balancing creative ambition with semester deadlines, Bruening said the horror film project exemplifies the department’s mission to give students real-world, portfolio-quality production experience in one of Louisiana’s most advanced digital studios.