Uppercut Studios: building the future of virtual production in South Estonia
Tartu Centre for Creative Industries sat down with Indrek Saarmets, Creative Producer at Uppercut Studios, to explore how one of South Estonia’s most innovative production teams is reshaping the way films, animations, and virtual environments come together.
At sTARTUp Day, their film-themed demo area will become an interactive playground powered by Uppercut’s technology, and on 29 January, they will host the session What It Really Takes to Build a Virtual Production Studio. This interview takes a look into their origin story, their vision for the industry, and the mindset behind bringing world-class motion capture and virtual production capabilities closer to home.
What was the spark that led to the creation of Uppercut Studios?
After years in the creative field making commercials and animations, I always had this itch to have a studio where we could do everything local budgets can’t really pull off in the real world. It all started taking shape during a music video shoot when our bulky mocap setup and cramped room lit a spark in Elijah as well, since we were producing the video together. We dug into the different mocap providers and systems, and that’s how things got rolling.
What gap in the Estonian or international production landscape did you feel Uppercut could fill?
We’re definitely filling the gap in Estonia for high-quality motion-capture recording. Until now, the closest places were Lithuania or the Nordic countries, but now locals can get it done much closer to home. Virtual production options are growing in Estonia, so in this area, we’re simply the first ones in South Estonia. And yes, we’ve heard the stories of Estonian animators and music-video creators who’ve had to look abroad for solutions. We’ll do everything we can so they don’t have to go that far next time!
How would you describe Uppercut’s business model to someone in the startup world?
Uppercut was born mostly out of enthusiasm, which is pretty normal for a startup. On the funding side, it’s fully privately financed, so we skipped the whole investor-round routine. The initial plan is to bring together professionals in the field, and since the studio itself is basically a tool, it gives all of us the chance to learn to use it as part of our daily workflow. It’s got a bit of a community vibe here.
What types of projects excite you the most creatively — and why?
Sometimes it’s very grounding to do purely technical work. The client comes with a final idea, and our job is to shape it into form. But the most engaging part is still working on our own content. Right now, that’s a loss-making activity, because the more freedom you have, the less money there usually is. But that’s the direction we’re aiming for, since the whole pipeline is finally coming together.
When new clients come to you, what do you wish they understood about the production process?
There are two options. If a client comes only with an idea, they should expect that adding nuance to that idea costs extra because it takes more time to implement it. If a client comes only to produce, meaning the plans are already set and they just need the recording, then they simply choose the recording package they want. Not every package includes us supporting them with both guidance and hands-on help.
What does an ideal collaboration look like for you — from the first meeting to final delivery?
When a client wants to create a specific output that serves a clear goal, the first step is to lock down the facts: the key messages the end viewer must remember. After that, we confirm the moodboard and storyboard, choose the actors, and so on. From there, we take responsibility for carrying the project through in a way that meets all the original goals and matches the style defined in the moodboard.
It’s basically the same as building a house. The client gets a visual idea of the final result and no longer needs to be present at every stage. The next time we usually meet is at the private premiere for the client. That’s the point where we get the most direct emotional feedback on the work. So perfect collaboration comes down to being on the same level with the client. On the production side the key word is “trust”.
How do you balance artistic freedom with client expectations?
If the client’s expectations don’t call for creativity, which is rare, then there’s nothing to balance. Good taste is usually what lets us keep most projects creative and enjoyable. Sometimes the budget is the thing that creates the creative limits. Or at least forces us to hold that line.
The production industry changes fast. How do you evaluate which technologies are worth adopting from a business perspective?
The world is changing fast and almost every day there’s news about new tools that make the work easier and less technical. We try to account for these solutions and adapt to them when they seem worth it. One thing is clear: in this period, it’s basically impossible to mark anything as ‘finished’ for the long term. That’s especially true in virtual production. Motion capture is evolving too, but real-time markerless capture is still too inaccurate to rely on.
In what ways is Uppercut Studios pushing the boundaries of production innovation?
We’ve always wanted to remove the barrier between the real world and the virtual one. To make connecting the two as simple as possible and put that option into the mind of every director who has so far seen the combination of real and virtual scenes as too complex and too expensive.
What entrepreneurial lesson would you give to someone who wants to start a creative business in Estonia or abroad?
First, the initial enthusiasm always runs out, and by that time, you need a very clear plan for how to move forward if things don’t play out the way they first seemed. Otherwise, the exciting company-building phase is followed by a heavy crash. That’s the moment when you need people who feel the spark specifically in that next phase and who actually enjoy doing that part.
Second, even if things don’t go as planned, the setback is usually temporary. Every path has an endpoint if you’ve defined that endpoint for yourself. Getting there always includes setbacks, so remind yourself of the goal from time to time. It clears the head again.
What is the long-term vision for Uppercut Studios — and what does growth look like in the next 5–10 years?
Technological development is a constant race against time and requires heavy investment, which at today’s pace may never pay itself back because the tech becomes outdated faster than it can earn a return. So we aim for creative freedom instead. One foot in the world of animation and film and inside the global VFX and animation pipeline. Another foot in the games world, recording mocap and creating cinematic scenes for games. And a third foot in our own creative work, which brings all of this together and is likely the part that gives us the most enjoyment.
After years in the creative field making commercials and animations, I always had this itch to have a studio where we could do everything local budgets can’t really pull off in the real world. It all started taking shape during a music video shoot when our bulky mocap setup and cramped room lit a spark in Elijah as well, since we were producing the video together. We dug into the different mocap providers and systems, and that’s how things got rolling.
What gap in the Estonian or international production landscape did you feel Uppercut could fill?
We’re definitely filling the gap in Estonia for high-quality motion-capture recording. Until now, the closest places were Lithuania or the Nordic countries, but now locals can get it done much closer to home. Virtual production options are growing in Estonia, so in this area, we’re simply the first ones in South Estonia. And yes, we’ve heard the stories of Estonian animators and music-video creators who’ve had to look abroad for solutions. We’ll do everything we can so they don’t have to go that far next time!
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How would you describe Uppercut’s business model to someone in the startup world?
Uppercut was born mostly out of enthusiasm, which is pretty normal for a startup. On the funding side, it’s fully privately financed, so we skipped the whole investor-round routine. The initial plan is to bring together professionals in the field, and since the studio itself is basically a tool, it gives all of us the chance to learn to use it as part of our daily workflow. It’s got a bit of a community vibe here.
What types of projects excite you the most creatively — and why?
Sometimes it’s very grounding to do purely technical work. The client comes with a final idea, and our job is to shape it into form. But the most engaging part is still working on our own content. Right now, that’s a loss-making activity, because the more freedom you have, the less money there usually is. But that’s the direction we’re aiming for, since the whole pipeline is finally coming together.
When new clients come to you, what do you wish they understood about the production process?
There are two options. If a client comes only with an idea, they should expect that adding nuance to that idea costs extra because it takes more time to implement it. If a client comes only to produce, meaning the plans are already set and they just need the recording, then they simply choose the recording package they want. Not every package includes us supporting them with both guidance and hands-on help.
.jpg)
What does an ideal collaboration look like for you — from the first meeting to final delivery?
When a client wants to create a specific output that serves a clear goal, the first step is to lock down the facts: the key messages the end viewer must remember. After that, we confirm the moodboard and storyboard, choose the actors, and so on. From there, we take responsibility for carrying the project through in a way that meets all the original goals and matches the style defined in the moodboard.
It’s basically the same as building a house. The client gets a visual idea of the final result and no longer needs to be present at every stage. The next time we usually meet is at the private premiere for the client. That’s the point where we get the most direct emotional feedback on the work. So perfect collaboration comes down to being on the same level with the client. On the production side the key word is “trust”.
How do you balance artistic freedom with client expectations?
If the client’s expectations don’t call for creativity, which is rare, then there’s nothing to balance. Good taste is usually what lets us keep most projects creative and enjoyable. Sometimes the budget is the thing that creates the creative limits. Or at least forces us to hold that line.
The production industry changes fast. How do you evaluate which technologies are worth adopting from a business perspective?
The world is changing fast and almost every day there’s news about new tools that make the work easier and less technical. We try to account for these solutions and adapt to them when they seem worth it. One thing is clear: in this period, it’s basically impossible to mark anything as ‘finished’ for the long term. That’s especially true in virtual production. Motion capture is evolving too, but real-time markerless capture is still too inaccurate to rely on.
In what ways is Uppercut Studios pushing the boundaries of production innovation?
We’ve always wanted to remove the barrier between the real world and the virtual one. To make connecting the two as simple as possible and put that option into the mind of every director who has so far seen the combination of real and virtual scenes as too complex and too expensive.
.jpg)
What entrepreneurial lesson would you give to someone who wants to start a creative business in Estonia or abroad?
First, the initial enthusiasm always runs out, and by that time, you need a very clear plan for how to move forward if things don’t play out the way they first seemed. Otherwise, the exciting company-building phase is followed by a heavy crash. That’s the moment when you need people who feel the spark specifically in that next phase and who actually enjoy doing that part.
Second, even if things don’t go as planned, the setback is usually temporary. Every path has an endpoint if you’ve defined that endpoint for yourself. Getting there always includes setbacks, so remind yourself of the goal from time to time. It clears the head again.
What is the long-term vision for Uppercut Studios — and what does growth look like in the next 5–10 years?
Technological development is a constant race against time and requires heavy investment, which at today’s pace may never pay itself back because the tech becomes outdated faster than it can earn a return. So we aim for creative freedom instead. One foot in the world of animation and film and inside the global VFX and animation pipeline. Another foot in the games world, recording mocap and creating cinematic scenes for games. And a third foot in our own creative work, which brings all of this together and is likely the part that gives us the most enjoyment.
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