Foundry has introduced Nuke Stage, a standalone software application designed specifically for virtual production and in-camera visual effects (ICVFX). The new tool offers end-to-end creative control, supporting real-time workflows from pre-production through final delivery.

The platform supports standard file formats including OpenUSD, OpenEXR and OpenColorIO, and offers a node-based compositing environment consistent with the rest of the Nuke family. Foundry says the tool gives artists full creative control across the entire production process, from layout to post.

Nuke Stage is hardware-agnostic and does not require game engines, specialist media servers or bespoke equipment. It allows productions to use preferred hardware and synchronize across render node clusters to support stages of any size.

Key features include:

• Real-time playback of 2D, 2.5D and 3D environments
• Live compositing tools for blending physical and virtual sets
• A linear color workspace with full OpenColorIO and HDR support
• A familiar UI and node graph interface tailored to Nuke users

By unifying the production pipeline, Nuke Stage enables VFX teams to maintain creative continuity from on-set iteration to post-production — reducing rework and streamlining collaboration across departments.