NAB 2023: Arri targets virtual production with new Solutions unit

Arri is making a major investment in virtual production following the launch of a new business unit, Arri Solutions.

David Bermbach, who has been in a number of senior technical positions at Arri since arriving in 2006, and Kevin Schwutke, who joins from ClimatePartner - where he spent two years followin 13 at Porsche, will lead Solutions. There are already over 30 people in the unit, with the aim to eventually reach parity with the other pillars of Arri’s business, such as camera systems.

Bermback leads on the technology, while Schwutke focuses on the strategic and commercial direction. Solutions designs, engineers, builds, and operates virtual production environments of all sizes, along with delivering integrated systems and workflows for corporations, broadcasters, and studios. It hopes to build off Arri’s hardware that is used in the sector, but is also open to working with kit from other suppliers, and will make use of Arri’s mixed reality studio in London.

Dr. Matthias Erb, chairman of the executive board at Arri, comments, “We are seeing great demand from our customers for our expertise in developing and delivering advanced, highly integrated solutions that ensure production value at the highest level. The appointment of Kevin Schwutke and David Bermbach to lead Arri Solutions will position this business unit alongside Camera Systems, Lighting, and Rental as a fundamental pillar of Arri’s long-term strategy.”

Schwutke, senior vice president & head of business unit Solutions at Arri, added: “Arri already has a showcase of pioneering virtual production and broadcast studio projects all over the world. Establishing Arri Solutions as a business unit means we can expand our capabilities together with our partner network, ensuring we can not only meet, but exceed our customers’ expectations for efficient, effective, and state-of-the-art studio and production environments.”

Bermbach, vice president & technical head of business unit Solutions at Arri, added: “Arri’s heritage for quality and delivering the most authentic images is unparalleled in the industry. This deep understanding and expertise provide the foundation for our development of cutting-edge software, tools, and workflows, specifically designed for virtual production and ultra-modern studios.”