Definition July 2024 - Newsletter

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Driving virtual production Eben Bolter, BSC delivers a crash course on lighting car scenes in VP environments – using Aputure fixtures to create naturalism and eliminate post-production requirements V irtual production is taking the world by storm, from Hollywood films to small-scale video

Stacking plates With a set of road scenes shot and displayed on the LED volume, Bolter’s first step was to build upon them with small lighting cues. For this, he looked to a set of Aputure INFINIBAR PB6 LEDs. “I want to bring a lot of the flaws – things which we would experience on location that would be perceived as problems – and introduce them to the studio environment,” Bolter states in Aputure’s video. The PB6s were rigged above the car covering its full length. Joined end to end, there were no visible gaps between the individual two-foot RGBWW bars thanks to one of a few innovative connectivity options. For varied arrays and on- camera use, the INFINIBAR family also offers ten splicing connectors to build unique custom structures. Facilitated by the LEDs’ 24 RGB light engines per foot, Bolter programmed the PB6s to run in a chase sequence, to appear as if the car were moving under static spots of light. Throughout, the bars’ CRI 96 accuracy gave him the assurance that he was creating true-to-life results.

techniques in just a few short years. Today, both in and out of the LED stage, he has accrued some notable credits including The Last of Us , Secret Invasion and Avenue 5 . One such subject is a car, with its reflective surfaces, varied angles of coverage and interior shots. Thankfully, Bolter recently delivered expert insight for Aputure’s popular education series on YouTube. Here’s how he approached the shoot, using a suite of Aputure fixtures for three interlinked lighting set-ups.

advertising. It brings with it solutions to countless problems encountered when filming in the real world – as well as a demand for all-new skills. Some subjects are more challenging than others when shot in a VP volume – a fact that Eben Bolter, BSC knows all too well. The cinematographer was an early adopter of this burgeoning technology, and has honed the necessary lighting

Interior beauty To light the pair of actors inside the car, Bolter knew a flattering look would be

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