In this episode of the Unofficial Unreal Engine Podcast, host Alex talks with Tom Wexler of 59 Productions about bringing Stranger Things: The First Shadow to life on stage. They explore how Unreal Engine powered stunning flyovers of Hawkins and enabled rapid iteration for a groundbreaking theatrical experience. Tom shares insights into his journey from live music visuals to cutting-edge VR tools for previsualization and stage design. Learn how the team balanced ambitious real-time tech with rock-solid reliability for a show that feels both cinematic and theatrical. Plus, behind-the-scenes stories from their Royal Shakespeare Company collaboration and why liveness in theater still matters in a digital age.

StrangerThingsOnStage.com

https://59.studio/

https://www.tomwexler.com

#UnrealEngine #VirtualProduction #StrangerThingsTheFirstShadow #UnrealPodcast #TheaterTech #VRDesign #59Productions #StageDesign #Previs #RoyalShakespeareCompany #UE5 #LivePerformance #VolumetricCapture #ImmersiveTheater

Alex takes you on a literal walkthrough of the facilities, useful tips for Unreal Fest 2025 and talks with guest Filip Iliescu about current projects.

Filip Iliescu

https://github.com/Ancient23

https://x.com/firechant

https://www.ayadog.com/

Catch the latest Unreal Engine news with Alex Coulomb!

This episode covers:

🌎 Unreal Fest 2025 – From Orlando to Stockholm and beyond!

🔥 FAB integration updates in Unreal Engine 5.5.

📚 Unreal Engine training resources & classes.

👁️ Unreal Engine VR blink detection improvements.

💡 Tips & insights for Unreal developers.

Subscribe & Follow: [YouTube.com/IBUs]

Unreal Engine Training - www.alexcoulombepresents.com

Matt Workman's 'This Week in Unreal' - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWNOQikrjUk&list=PLlzGoJuY2GCqYDDPVnSCNArVeG_d7c7tM

Epic Games at GDC - https://www.unrealengine.com/en-US/events/gdc-2025

Unreal Fests - https://www.unrealengine.com/en-US/news/unreal-fest-2025-is-coming-to-a-city-near-you

Fab - www.fab.com

Connect on Socials: Alex Garland Presents Hashtags: #UnrealEngine, #UnrealFest, #GameDevelopment, #UE5, #VirtualReality, #UnrealEngineTraining, #FABUpdate, #GameDesign, #UnrealCommunity,