Orange County Welcomes New Digital Entertainment Studio to Full Sail University

Business

Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs recently joined state and local officials at Full Sail University to cut the ribbon on the new headquarters for REBL HQ, a digital entertainment studio created in collaboration with California-based Maker Studios.

“In creating the partnership with Maker Studios, Full Sail is once again delivering a whole new level of excellence,” Mayor Jacobs told ceremony attendees. “Today’s ribbon cutting is so significant, and represents an expansion of our higher-education capabilities, as well as our high-tech industry and digital media cluster. And of course, today’s announcement represents creativity, economic development, and, ultimately, jobs.”

Mayor Jacobs said the sophisticated new soundstage and high-tech production space will open up a whole range of opportunities, with cutting-edge amenities and equipment available for students, artists, actors, and other creative professionals. Besides Mayor Jacobs, ribbon-cutting attendees included Florida Gov. Rick Scott, actress Gianna Simone and Full Sail President Garry Jones.

Maker Studios, a producer of short-form video and the largest content network on YouTube, will work with REBL HQ to create relevant content that embraces the online video generation. REBL HQ will also serve as an innovation hub for the evolving world of online video delivery systems, production techniques and storytelling.

Orlando has gained global recognition as a creative hub for digital media, simulation and entertainment technologies. As a champion of this vital technology economic sector, Orange County created the Technology and Social Media Workgroup, which operates as a think-tank to advance new technologies, social media and mobile applications used and developed by Orange County Government. The workgroup also collaborates on how to best support the growing technology and digital community in our region.

Workgroup member David Glass, publisher of the Florida Technology Journal, organized Digital Orlando last year to educate the region on what Central Florida needs to be fully integrated in the technology sector. In October, digital innovators from around the globe will convene at Full Sail for the inaugural festival Orlando iX, founded by Glass.

“Orlando iX is exactly the caliber of annual festival that Orlando needs – it will highlight the creative advances being made in the $14 billion technology industry sector in Central Florida while inviting potential talent to become engaged in our community,” Glass said. “In today’s digital marketplace, Orlando is a shining star. We want to share that with the world and provide a setting to promote collaboration and growth within the industry.”

Twenty-seven Full Sail University graduates worked on nine Oscar-winning films this year, including this year’s best picture, “Birdman.”

“Full Sail consistently works alongside entertainment industry leaders to create, mold and evolve pioneering curriculum and opportunities for our students,” Jones said.

A collection of photos from the Rebel HQ ribbon cutting are available for use by the media and are located on Flickr.

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