ISE Expands Spark Event to Fira Montjuïc Targeting Virtual Production Growth

The move to a dedicated venue signals that virtual production has graduated from a technical niche to a core B2B infrastructure requirement. By integrating production technology earlier in the commissioning cycle, broadcasters and streamers can reduce physical set costs and post-production timelines. The expansion reflects a broader industry trend where hardware manufacturers like Samsung are pivoting from selling displays to providing end-to-end production environments. This shift pressures traditional production houses to adopt automated, cloud-enabled workflows to remain competitive. Watch for for additional major AV manufacturers to join the Spark footprint as the event moves toward a standalone format in 2027.

The expansion of Spark coincides with explosive growth in the virtual production market. Per Mordor Intelligence (January 2026), the global sector is estimated at USD 3.67 billion in 2026 and is projected to reach USD 7.75 billion by 2031, driven by a 31% compound annual growth rate in LED volume adoption. While major film studios currently capture nearly 38% of the market, advertising and marketing agencies are the fastest-growing segment as real-time rendering reduces the cost of localized commercial content.

Hardware innovation remains a primary driver, with Samsung's The Wall for Virtual Production (IVC Series) featuring a 12,288 Hz refresh rate and Black Seal Technology+ to eliminate camera flicker and enhance contrast. Recent collaborations have focused on lowering the barrier to entry; per industry reporting from April 2025, Samsung and ARRI launched a turnkey corporate broadcast bundle designed to simplify workflows and reduce staffing requirements for in-house studios.

Automation is also addressing the industry's critical skills gap. Mo-Sys, which recently received strategic seed investment from LG per company announcements, unveiled its 'Mostudio' platform to democratize complex tracking and framing tasks. By using single-technician tablet interfaces to control AR graphics and camera framing, these systems allow corporate and regional broadcasters to maintain high production values with minimal specialized labor. This automation trend is critical as industry studies from 2025 suggest that a shortage of skilled LED volume operators remains the primary bottleneck for widespread adoption.