A year on from our last deep dive into the world of virtual production, and the Virtual Frontier is back with Volume II. As the technology matures, we've seen new processes, innovations and challenges emerge, all of which are captured in this issue. Highlights include a look behind the scenes of an epic Amazon Prime series, an exploration of how education is adapting to meet the growing demand for VP skills, and our VP Gamechanger Awards – celebrating the most outstanding contributions to virtual production we’ve seen over the past 12 months.
LEARNING CURVE SIGN OF THE TIMES The VP awards return to crown this year’s Game Changers! UPPING THE VOLUME TRIED AND TRUE
THE STUDIOS AND UNIS ADDRESSING VP’S MOST PRESSING SKILLS GAPS
PROS WEIGH IN ON THE FUTURE OF FILMMAKING AND VP’S PLACE IN IT FOR OUR ROUND TABLE
REAL-LIFE EXAMPLES THAT SHOWCASE WHAT’S POSSIBLE WITH A VIRTUAL SET
© Disguise
DEFINITION THE VIRTUAL FRONTIER
elcome to the second edition of The Virtual Frontier , brought to you by Definition magazine. One year on from our first deep dive into the world of virtual production and a lot has changed, as we
chronicle in the pages ahead. As the technology matures, we’ve seen new processes, innovations and challenges emerge, all of which are captured in this issue. Highlights include a feature on the role of virtual projection (page 8), a look behind the scenes of an epic Amazon Prime series (page 12) and an exploration of how education is adapting to meet the growing demand for VP skills (page 14). Plus, don’t miss our VP Game Changer Awards (page 24), which celebrate the most outstanding contributions to virtual production we’ve seen over the past 12 months. We’ve also gathered top experts for a special round table to discuss the future of VP, including AI, accessibility and more – check it out on page 30. Enjoy the issue!
04
Editor in chief
@definitionmagazine
@definitionmags
08 12
14
02
DEFINITIONMAGAZINE.COM
WELCOME & CONTENTS
04 IRONING OUT THE WRINKLES IN VP Phil Rhodes considers how VP is evolving as the technology matures – and the role Zoe Saldaña’s nose plays 08 SEEING DOUBLE Chris Barnett, sales manager at Christie, talks us through virtual projection – a new-wave VP process which blends the flexibility of a green screen with the immersion of an LED volume 12 THOSE ABOUT TO DIE A spotlight on the VP extravaganza that brought ancient Rome As VP advances, is education able to keep pace? We find out about initiatives bridging the skills gap, including Mo-Sys Academy, MetFilm School, MARS Academy boot camps and Disguise’s Virtual Production Accelerator 21 BEING GREEN As more brands turn to high-end, cinematic content, Masterwork Films shows what it can achieve with green-screen VP 24 AND THE WINNERS ARE… The results are in! Dive in to see who we’ve crowned the winners in the second edition of our VP awards 30 ROUND TABLE to vivid life for this Amazon Prime series 14 TRAINING & EDUCATION VP experts consider AI, accessibility to tech, addressing the demand for up-to-date skills and other hot-button topics 38 TOMORROW’S VP CREATORS SCAN’s Adam Vann takes on how to give next-generation VP whizzes a leg up in the field
21
24 30
38
03
DEFINITIONMAGS
DEFINITION THE VIRTUAL FRONTIER
Phil Rhodes considers how VP is evolving – and the role Zoe Saldaña’s nose plays “ TIME AND EXPERIENCE HAVE SMOOTHED OUT EARLY WRINKLES IN VIRTUAL PRODUCTION ”
04
DEFINITIONMAGAZINE.COM
VIRTUAL PRODUCTION
DRIVING CREATIVITY MARS Volume makes the most of virtual production for in-car scenes in Season 2 of Gangs of London, blending reality with the digital world
be seen before dissolving into dots or shimmering interference patterns. Some displays have more resolution than the images displayed on them, just to avoid moiré. Displays need calibrating so the panels don’t look like a chequerboard of almost-matching images; processor manufacturers such as Brompton provide devices to handle that. If we want the on-screen image to react to camera position, we need to involve camera tracking – whether that means markers on the main camera with tracking cameras around the studio, or the reverse. The GhostFrame system cleverly displays tracking markers (or other data) on the screen when the camera’s shutter is closed. Cranes can also be fitted with encoders to relay position data. Completely markerless systems provide convenience, though they might struggle in a particularly featureless corner. With or without tracking, genlocking the display and camera might still involve a cable even now – it took the world a long time to work out wireless genlock. For more than one camera, sequential exposure systems are an option, but since these displays rely on pulse-width control, adding more cameras reduces the pulses per frame, ultimately leading to compromises in brightness control. Lenses may also need encoding for focus, iris and zoom. Some lenses have this built in (with at least two existing systems), while various bolt-on solutions are available.
scenes against a background image, but whatever we call it, ICVFX benefits the director, the actors and the people who no longer have to draw around Zoe Saldaña’s nose several thousand times. Don’t laugh – Dan Shor, who played the character Ram in TRON, reports having been accosted on the street by someone who had spent many months doing the same for him. The thing is, all those benefits have long been a hallmark of back projection, a technique that first earned Oscars in – wait for it – 1930. In fact, there are back-projected scenes in Aliens that still withstand modern scrutiny. Now, Cameron’s classic may be a touchstone of the real-world, practical-effects filmmaking that audiences value, but comparing it to modern VP might seem just a bit far-fetched. Today’s set-ups might involve camera tracking, real-time rendering of custom-built virtual worlds, 5000 DMX channels of image-based lighting and a dozen other refinements that certainly didn’t exist in 1985. What matters, perhaps, is that many of those technologies are also omitted from set-ups of today, and that’s okay. A full-capability VP stage involves a lot of complexity. The video wall is a multi-ton, multimillion-pound piece of hardware comprising display panels, receiver cards, processors and a small town’s worth of power and data cables. Equipment choices influence brightness, colour, frame rate and resolution, which in turn influence how closely it can
CHARIOTS OF FIRE Dimension brings ancient Rome back to life in Those About to Die
A s new ideas evolve into producers out in a nasty rash. Virtual production has been around for long enough to enter that phase, and it is certainly saving people both time and money. Whether it has become any easier, though, depends on what virtual means to any particular production. If that sounds like a redundant question, bear in mind that live broadcast often treats terms like virtual production and virtual studio as interchangeable. If we’re broadcasting the Olympics and ask the presenters not to wear green, that’s fine. However, for single-camera drama, especially when shooting something like Guardians of the Galaxy, with characters who are both blue and green (and pink, yellow, white and furry) all in the same frame, it becomes much more complex. In-camera VFX has become a catch- all term for photographing live-action established practices, they often become simpler, more affordable and less likely to bring cautious
05
DEFINITIONMAGS
DEFINITION THE VIRTUAL FRONTIER
The most complex way to get an image onto a screen involves a full 3D graphic design effort. Since Unreal Engine isn’t ideal for modelling, assets are often created in software like Maya before being textured and lit to balance visual fidelity with server performance limits. Lighting the real space to match might require tools like Assimilate’s Live FX, which turns video images into lighting control data, then rigging lighting devices to suit. Calibrating lighting to match the screen image is another process that may still be somewhat manual. That description is inevitably incomplete, and it still sounds like a lot (because it is). VP facilities are built from a disparate stack of equipment mostly inherited from other industries. PlayStations and Xboxes have created a vast market for 3D rendering devices, but the appetite for VP studios is probably too small for anyone to pay for the R&D on a convenient, single-purpose box which does it all – even if such a thing were possible to imagine. This all sounds a bit grim, but we also know that a lot of productions are having a wonderful time shooting car interiors against LED video walls. Clearly, not every episode of this season’s new police procedural is shouldering the VFX workload of a nine-figure superhero movie. How do we wrangle such a pile of equipment on a smaller show? Well, to a great extent, we don’t because the world is realising that many applications of ICVFX only need a subset of the full arsenal. Aliens didn’t use camera tracking, 3D rendering or even real-time colour correction. Interactive lighting involved waving flags in front of lights. Screen content came from a model unit on the adjacent stage, working under the gun
FROM A TO B Signiant Media Shuttle (above) has portals for accessing and transferring large files
to create backdrops around the main unit’s schedule (which makes it difficult to complain about the pre-production workload of preparing material for an LED wall). Better yet, LED walls wouldn’t exist for decades after Aliens, so it relied on 35mm projection. Black picture areas were still a white screen, so the slightest stray light would destroy contrast (that’s what compromises the least-successful shots). It was in-camera compositing on hard mode, and it worked. That’s not to propose classic back projection as the right solution for 2025, but between those two extremes lies a huge range of options. Using a live-action plate rather than real-time rendering is standard procedure when it comes to convenient car interiors. A couple of early ICVFX experiments utilised video walls rented from live- events companies, and without even synchronising the screen to the camera. That demands a crew who knows what they’re doing, to put it mildly. Fortunately, such crews are readily available.
Even at the high end, time and experience have smoothed out some of the early wrinkles. Particularly, all that equipment is separate, but that makes it highly configurable. High-contrast LED walls will always be easier to light around than a white back projection screen. Hybrid approaches such as 2.5D backdrops – where flat images are projected onto approximate geometry – can save time. There will always be skills to learn – shooting good plates is an art form of its own – and experienced professionals will concede that most set-ups rely on at least some form of manual adjustments. Things may still change. AI promises to do some of the content-generation work, as it has promised so much (and sometimes delivered). What matters, though, is that the range of options which make ICVFX complex also make it flexible enough to cover many different scenarios. It’s probably that realisation, as much as any technology, which has made VP so much more approachable.
06
DEFINITIONMAGAZINE.COM
DEFINITION THE VIRTUAL FRONTIER
Chris Barnett, sales manager at Christie, talks us through virtual projection – a new-wave VP process that splits frames in two, blending green screens’ flexibility with LED volumes’ immersion. Invisible to the eye, this happens in camera; we see a projection, while the camera sees a blank green screen and the image, so filmmakers aren’t forced to choose between achieving final pixel in production vs fixing in post
INTERVIEW KATIE KASPERSON
08
DEFINITIONMAGAZINE.COM
VIRTUAL PROJECTION Q&A
DEFINITION: WHY DID CHRISTIE CREATE ITS
the whole take has to be perfect. It was so expensive to maintain the LEDs. The electrical costs were enormous just to keep them in standby. Because if you turn them off, you have to recalibrate – and that’s laborious, so people are incentivised to keep them rolling. In order to get final pixel on-set, it’s stressful and time-consuming. If somebody wants to change their mind, that will mean changing your virtual environment in order to match the flow of the scene. And in the motion picture business, time is money. Christie Virtual Projection solves all of these problems by essentially allowing cameras to have the understanding that they’re in a green-screen environment, while the crew and the talent are in an immersive environment. You’re giving the crew and talent essentially what LED walls were giving people, which is an immersive experience. With that, you’re not limited by having to capture what the eye can see. You now have the ability to, as I like to say, ‘have your cake and eat it too’.
VIRTUAL PROJECTION SOLUTION? WHAT PROBLEMS OR PAIN POINTS DOES IT ADDRESS? CHRIS BARNETT: Virtual production has been around for a while. It started with The Mandalorian – that was the breakout case study, with these huge LED walls, and it was this immersive experience. What they didn’t tell everyone was that the method was actually very difficult to achieve. Inevitably, time bore truths, and the truth of the matter is that trying to get in- camera VFX, or final pixel, accomplished on-set is challenging. Your assets have to be perfect, the wall has to be perfect,
YOU HAVE AN in-camera capture AND, AT THE SAME TIME, THIS chroma capture – IT GIVES TWO OUTPUTS” image-based relighting – these types of workflow come at a button click now. It’s all hyper-efficient. It’s now possible to take your footage and then, in post, very quickly and very inexpensively change how it’s perceived. You can even change the frame rate and shutter angle so that your motion blur will look exactly the way you want it to. When you have all that power in post, the idea of doing it all in pre-production just seems silly. DEF: TALK ME THROUGH VIRTUAL PROJECTION. HOW DOES IT WORK? CB: It’s a high-frame-rate VP system with a projector (and a green screen) instead of an LED wall. What’s seen in the room is only for the talent and crew, but you’re actually
DEF: WHY DO YOU BELIEVE GREEN SCREENS ARE STILL
THE SUPERIOR CHOICE?
CB: Using a green screen environment is so much more
flexible. You can have multiple cameras. You can composite things and do AR. There aren’t all these pain points. Now, doing VFX in post is more efficient than trying to do in-camera VFX because you can put footage through a machine-learning or AI-based process and make it automatic. The hard parts of compositing – like removing the green or
LAYERED IMAGES Christie Virtual Projection involves a high-frame-rate VP system, projector and green screen (left); magenta lighting counteracts green from the green screen (above)
09
DEFINITIONMAGS
DEFINITION THE VIRTUAL FRONTIER
pulling a key. You have an in-camera capture and, at the same time, this chroma capture. It gives two outputs. Cameras have been developed based around this concept over the past few years. RED Digital has some incredible cameras – their KOMODO-X and V-RAPTOR both possess a feature called Phantom Track. They’re the only cinematic cameras I’m aware of that are capable of internally overcranking. Grass Valley and Sony have both developed the ability to do this deinterleaving process internally, in their cameras. Any global shutter camera can see the green screen, but they’re not going to be capturing the in-camera VFX and the green at the same time, which is what makes it so valuable. It’s nice to be able to cater to both methods simultaneously. DEF: IMAGE-BASED LIGHTING IS A CRUCIAL ASPECT OF VP – AND OFTEN LACKS WHEN USING A GREEN SCREEN. HOW DOES CHRISTIE’S SOLUTION GET AROUND THIS? CB: The Kino Flo MIMIK light systems really make the process sing because we’re able to subliminally paint the foreground magenta and have the camera capture that, without making the talent look like purple monsters. The green colouring (from the green screen) disappears to the eye when it is combined with magenta. It cancels that out. That’s how we’re able to hide those colours so that viewers don’t perceive them, but they are still there. Cameras don’t have the limitations of the brain. It looks perfect in the production monitor.
A NEW EVOLUTION Virtual projection allows talent and crew to visualise VFX while on camera
CB: The complaint has been, and always will be, ‘I can’t perform in this green-screen environment. I don’t know what I’m looking at.’ But now, with a projection budget, you can create an immersive experience. The attention has been overwhelming. Every major motion picture studio under the sun has reached out, so that’s really exciting. And every broadcaster is saying, ‘Finally, this solves our problems – and we can afford it’. DEF: HOW DO YOU EXPECT VIRTUAL PROJECTION MIGHT
IMPACT THE VP LANDSCAPE MORE BROADLY?
CB: It’s a continuing revolution. You don’t have to worry so much any more about getting things exactly right in camera. People can focus fully on the arts of acting, performing and storytelling. That’s the most beautiful part for me, as I can tell people: ‘just focus on your craft’. ‘Fix it in post’ used to be a hated phrase, but there’s no end to what AI and machine learning can do now in terms of taking a fundamental capture and building on it, fixing it and getting it exactly how you want it to be. There are virtually infinite possibilities. In my opinion, this is going to change everyone’s approach to content creation. It’s crazy to say something like that, but this is a moment in time where all these technologies are converging into an accessible workflow. There’s no creative limit on what can be accomplished.
DEF: WHAT FEEDBACK HAS THE SOLUTION RECEIVED?
IT’S A continuing revolution – YOU DON’T HAVE TO WORRY SO MUCH ANY MORE ABOUT getting things exactly right IN CAMERA”
christiedigital.com/solutions/virtual-production
10
DEFINITIONMAGAZINE.COM
ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE
A message that matters Created in conjunction with Disguise Services’ Virtual Art Department, a public service announcement (PSA) on veterans’ mental health presented the perfect opportunity to employ VP A lot can be said in 30 seconds. For the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), PSAs often only last that long. Developed by The Audio\Visual
Crew, in collaboration with Disguise’s in-house Virtual Art Department (VAD) – part of the Disguise Services offering – Flicker of Time is a commercial created for the VA encouraging veterans to seek the mental health support they need. Headed by Andy Vallentine, a director and executive producer at The Audio\ Visual Crew, Flicker of Time features five distinct virtual backgrounds, all meant to authentically reflect daily life as a veteran. “The creative team wanted a visually compelling way to tell the story of veterans’ experiences, and VP offered an innovative way to do that,” Vallentine begins. “It felt like the perfect opportunity to push the storytelling in a cinematic and emotionally grounded way.” This wasn’t Vallentine’s first rodeo with VP, nor was it his first time working with the VA. “When this campaign came up, I was excited to be part of it,” he admits. To devise the virtual backdrops, he and his team at The Audio\Visual Crew went to Disguise Services’ VAD, and together they ‘identified key locations that would resonate’, including a battleground, a backyard birthday party and a group counselling session. “From there,” he states, “we worked closely with both the virtual and physical art departments to refine the details, making sure every element supported the storytelling.” The VAD designed each environment in Unreal Engine, while The Audio\Visual Crew “paid close attention to lighting and depth, ensuring the virtual worlds felt as real as any practical set,” describes Vallentine. “We used foreground props – furniture, trees, textured surfaces – to
in-house creative and technical teams, we can test content the week after meeting with clients – we know exactly how it performs and how to optimise it.” By using VP rather than shooting on location, The Audio\Visual Crew were guaranteed lower costs and fewer production restrictions. “We could shoot every environment in a single controlled space,” reveals Vallentine, giving them complete command over lighting and weather conditions. Shot on an LED volume at Los Angeles’ XR Stage, the PSA took only 12 hours to film in its entirety. Although VP is renowned for its efficiency, Vallentine sees it as something bigger. “VP isn’t just about cool visuals – it’s creating an environment where actors can deliver their best performances and stories can be told in ways that otherwise wouldn’t be possible. This project was a great example of how VP can enhance storytelling in a meaningful way.”
SETTING THE STAGES Several different virtual sets represented real scenarios for veterans
bridge the digital and physical worlds,” with production designer Brendan O’Connor and DOP Oren Soffer, ensuring each element matched its respective LED backdrop. “The goal was to create a world where the audience wouldn’t question what was real and what was digital – it all had to feel cohesive.” Carlos Perez, VP specialist at Disguise, noted “To ensure the content works efficiently with the wall on the day of a shoot, we test as early as possible. With
Visit va.gov for more information about veterans’ mental health services and support
11
DEFINITIONMAGS
DEFINITION THE VIRTUAL FRONTIER
ROMAN’S REVENGE CASE STUDY Ancient Roman epic Those About to Die brought the Colosseum and chariot racing to an LED stage. We hear from Dimension about how it was done
WORDS KATIE KASPERSON IMAGES PEACOCK/AMAZON PRIME VIDEO
R ome wasn’t built in a day – but on Those About to Die , it didn’t take too much longer than that. With VP handled by Dimension Studio and DNEG 360, Roland Emmerich and Marco Kreuzpaintner’s TV epic travelled back to ancient times without leaving the comfort of an LED volume. Starring Sir Anthony Hopkins, Those About to Die is an adapted historical drama set amid the construction of the Colosseum. Of course, the real Colosseum, as it stands today, is
dilapidated yet finished, making on- location filming almost impossible. To jump this hurdle, Dimension’s VP supervisor James Franklin oversaw the production of various virtual backgrounds, which ultimately served the series in more ways than one. MAGIC HOURS Partially filmed on an LED volume at Rome’s Cinecittà Studios , Those About to Die had the benefit of being filmed at magic hour – all day. “Emmerich
knew he wanted to shoot a lot of this at magic hour or with interesting lighting that would flatter his actors,” begins Steve Jelley, co-founder and managing director at Dimension. “He knew he couldn’t achieve that practically – it’s very difficult to achieve with blue screen and VFX,” Jelley explains. “He was drawn to the lighting that VP gave him.” One scene features a four-minute shot, set at magic hour and captured in one take via a camera on a crane. “Imagine trying to do that in real life,”
SEE THE BTS
12
DEFINITIONMAGAZINE.COM
THOSE ABOUT TO DIE
REPRODUCING ROME Using LED volumes allowed the team on Those About to Die to create the entire world of ancient Rome
horses got to experience the LED volume alongside the actors – a novel challenge that was handled with care. “We spent a long time acclimatising them to being on-set,” Franklin says. “We’d bring them onto the set with the wall turned off and then slowly bring up the image on the wall. They think it’s real, just as we do. But if anything moves too quickly, or they are spooked in any way, suddenly you’ve got horses running through your LED walls,” he warns, explaining that if a particular horse ever became uncomfortable, it was replaced with a stand-in. The stage also held elephants, giraffes and other animals, but some still needed to be added digitally, either in camera or in post. “The white lion – that’s a VFX shot,” Jelley states. “Those were largely shot practically against the backdrop, then the white lion was added to them. That’s a classic VFX treatment.” COME TOGETHER Dimension’s LED wall – formed of ROE Visual Black Pearl BP2V2 panels – is 8m high and 24m in diameter, giving the camera crew a wide frame of view to work within. “Everybody likes working on a volume because it’s just there – it’s more immersive,” Jelley claims. “You get more into the shots and it’s cheaper, faster, better. There are always parts of the script where we’ll go, ‘No, we don’t advise that to be shot in a volume,’” he admits, “but when you do decide to, there are very few limitations these days.” “The technology has come a long way in a few years,” suggests Franklin. “What was great on Those About to Die was having everybody on board. If you have that top-down approach, it’s a very efficient way to work,” he claims, before adding, “but communication is vital.” Unlike the silos created by markedly distinct prep, production and post pipelines, VP adds a real-time element, which encourages each department to watch their work – in this case, ancient Rome – come to life in camera. Those About to Die is available for streaming on Peacock in the US and Amazon Prime Video internationally
urges Franklin. “Something will always go wrong.” VP eliminates uncontrollable variables, creating a much smoother and more streamlined experience. On virtual shoots, “most of the lighting was coming from our LED wall,” Franklin continues, which then illuminated any physical sets in the foreground. “These interiors – mostly hard, marble surfaces – are reflective. If you are getting some bounce light from the wall, you get this beautiful, natural-looking lighting.” While there were a few practical lights, the VP team ensured these colour-matched the virtual backdrop. “A lot of work in colour science has been open source,” states Jelley. “It’s built on the shoulders of giants, but we have an amazing colour pipeline that allows us to create a neutral LUT between the camera, screen, render heads and the rest of the tool chain. We can ensure colour accuracy as a baseline,” he
clarifies, “and we have the show LUT coming from the camera, which then gets applied.” The result is a series in which the VP is ‘invisible’ and the story feels all the more real for it. ANIMAL KINGDOM By and large, using VP on Those About to Die “ allowed us to go back in time,” says Jelley. “I mean, this is Hollywood, so we did do a few things that weren’t completely time-accurate,” he laughs, “but most of it’s pretty faithful.” The crew combined photographic skies with pre-recorded videos and virtual locations created in Unreal Engine. “The great thing is you can put it all together, then light it as one integrated scene. There’s a lot of interplay between the real and the digital – the ‘Unreal’, if you like.” Much of the plot centres around chariot racing in Rome’s Circus Maximus, so having live horses was a must. These
13
DEFINITIONMAGS
DEFINITION THE VIRTUAL FRONTIER
GETTING STUCK IN VP is fairly new and rapidly evolving, so organised training courses help filmmakers stay afloat
WORDS KATIE KASPERSON
A sword is only as good as the one who wields it, and virtual production technology is no different. Arguably no longer in its infancy, VP is a field that balances creative and technical expertise, brings VFX processes forward in the production pipeline and saves time and money on location scouting, stunts and the like. Touted for their efficiency, VP tools like LED volumes and Unreal Engine are making their mark, but few in the industry have truly mastered them. A balancing act between camera, lighting and VFX teams, a basic understanding of VP can benefit any filmmaker, whether they’re fresh out of film school or a long-standing pro. To avoid creating a chasm between those trained and untrained in VP, several organisations have launched educational programmes, offering hands-on studio experience, crash courses in content engines and more. Like any new tech, it pays to learn early – it could mean the difference between getting on board or being left behind. BARRIERS TO ENTRY While there are technical barriers to working with VP, the main obstacle is psychological – even veteran filmmakers can find the process daunting. There’s a fear of the unknown at play, as well
as a resistance to change, and until filmmakers experience a virtual set first hand those doubts will only persist. That’s why it’s crucial to receive hands-on training, even if brief. While some courses – like MetFilm School’s BA in digital film practice – are full-on university degrees, many are designed to accommodate working professionals. Disguise, for instance, offers the VP Accelerator programme, available around the globe. Mo-Sys Academy runs three- and five-day introductory sessions as well as the more comprehensive ten- day foundational course. “The use of VP is booming in film, broadcast and beyond,” begins Florian Gallier, strategic partnerships manager at Mo-Sys. “It’s essential to experiment with all of these technologies. Everyone involved in the filming process must engage in testing, trials and learning,” argues Gallier, from ‘emerging talents’ to ‘established crews’. Mo-Sys Academy “provides a comprehensive understanding of VP tech from planning to implementation,” Gallier continues, “ensuring the best outcomes. Hands-on training is crucial for upskilling talent in this rapidly growing field.” THE NITTY-GRITTY Once filmmakers get a taste for VP, the real challenge begins: learning the ins
and outs of the hardware and software present on a virtual set. Courses such as ROE Visual’s ROE Academy and Disguise’s Masterclass series focus on specific elements of VP, like LEDs, volume calibration, colour charts, compositing and so on. While these classes might not provide as thorough an overview of the entire production pipeline, they dig deep into a single area, suiting professionals who’ve already claimed a speciality. What makes VP unique – and potentially intimidating – is its highly technical nature. Programming lighting cues, calibrating a camera or developing 3D objects in Unreal Engine don’t tend to appear in most filmmakers’ everyday skill sets. Those with backgrounds in animation and VFX might feel more at home than folks who aren’t as comfortable with computers.
14
DEFINITIONMAGAZINE.COM
TRAINING & EDUCATION
CLOSING THE GAP Facilities like the NYU Tisch Martin Scorsese VPC (above) let industry pros get hands-on practice with the latest VP tech
Yet mastering VP requires more than just practical knowledge – it’s also about working well with others. As jobs like VP supervisor or VP director continue to crop up, it’s essential to grasp which soft skills are needed, such as communication, organisation and team management. For those seeking a long-term career in VP, MARS Academy’s Introduction to Becoming a Virtual Production Supervisor will be right up their street. BACK TO SCHOOL While VP expertise holds value for everyone, it’s ideally something that should be learnt as early as possible – like in film school. “It’s becoming increasingly valuable to know about VP as an industry professional – the
use cases, how to light for it and what it means to budget for a production that includes this new technology,” begins Kasey O’Brien, programme administrator at the NYU Tisch Martin Scorsese Virtual Production Center (VPC). “With popular media turning towards this technology to expand the possibilities of visual storytelling, we feel it’s crucial to train young professionals for real-time advancements in the field.” NYU now offers a master’s degree in VP, ‘aimed at professionals who’ve had some industry experience and want to get an edge’, according to O’Brien. Much like the courses offered by studios, ‘the focus of the programme is how to integrate visual storytelling with the latest technology through hands-on learning’.
At MetFilm School – which offers a VP specialisation pathway within the BA digital film practice – it’s largely the same. “Story is at the heart of everything we do at MetFilm School, and we saw an evolving industry need for a course that teaches these technical skills in combination with the narrative, business and industry education which we know we do better than most,” claims Jonny Persey, director at MetFilm School. The VP programme addresses skills gaps that exist ‘not just in the UK but also beyond’. No matter their experience or specific role on-set, everyone should learn the essentials of VP, whether to change paths or simply get familiar with cutting-edge tech. Sign up today and take the industry one step closer to closing the skills gap.
15
DEFINITIONMAGS
DEFINITION THE VIRTUAL FRONTIER
T he best collaborations are greater than the sum of their parts. That much is true for the new Virtual Production Skills Bootcamps: a collective effort from MARS Academy by MARS Volume, University of Bristol, MyWorld and Gritty Talent. “We’re all passionate about diversifying the film and TV sector,” remarks Kirsten Cater, University of Bristol professor. It’s a key element of the inaugural programme. Funded by the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority, these
boot camps target local creative professionals looking to upskill or ‘reskill’, according to Cater. “It’s an investment in local people,” she stresses – particularly those with diverse backgrounds and experiences. Delivered over 16 weeks, the programme was split into two 28-person cohorts: one focusing on Unreal Engine, the other on the Sony VENICE 2. While the programme took place at the University of Bristol’s state-of-the-art MyWorld facility, MARS Volume provided its fair share of industry expertise.
GET YOUR HANDS DIRTY Practice makes perfect; MARS Academy is the place for it
16
DEFINITIONMAGAZINE.COM
TRAINING & EDUCATION
MARS Academy’s new VP boot camps allow pros to learn better with hands-on experience in VP studios
WORDS KATIE KASPERSON
Regularly delivering courses through its MARS Academy, the VP studio offers ‘targeted vocational training’, according to chief commercial officer Joanna Alpe. “We’re trying to distil all of that experience,” she says. “While we’re based in London, it’s been firmly on our agenda to take MARS Academy out of the M25 and as far across the country as we can. “The University of Bristol is a great example of a forward-thinking university, so for us to partner with them made total sense,” Alpe continues. “Coming together
and fusing this partnership… I think this is one of the best educational offerings that professionals can access. The immediacy is there,” she concludes. The boot camps were highly practical, offering hands-on training that mirrored what life is like on a virtual set. “There’s only so far that theory, online sessions or watching videos can take you,” Cater argues. “A lot of knowledge is gained in having a go yourself.” Speaking about the entire cohort, “everyone brought something to the
table,” Cater suggests. Each learner walked away with sharpened skills and a new network, and many have already found related work. After a successful first run, the programme is due for renewal, with Alpe hinting at the collective hosting more topical deep dives and masterclass- style courses. “Watch this space!” The next courses will be held in June and July 2025. Email MyWorld at info@myworld-creates.com to register your interest and receive the application link as soon as it goes live
17
DEFINITIONMAGS
TRAINING & EDUCATION
OLD DOG, NEW TRICKS Disguise’s global head of training Alex Lapthorne discusses the VP Accelerator and why VP education is increasingly essential
WORDS KATIE KASPERSON
A n industry leader in virtual Virtual Production Accelerator (VPA) and additional related courses. Led by global head of training Alex Lapthorne, the VPA is “an entryway into the evolving and exciting world of VP – a technique that’s changing the way films and TV are made and offering more tools for filmmakers to bring their visions to life,” he defines. “We’re proud to play a leading role in shaping this technology,” he adds, with training a crucial element of advancing it. While VP isn’t altogether new – green production, Disguise Services is developing the next generation of tech-savvy filmmakers through its screens have been used for years – it’s a rapidly expanding area thanks to ‘recent technological advancements in areas such as graphics rendering, LEDs and platforms – including from Disguise’. According to Lapthorne: “We are now entering a phase where improvements in usability, flexibility, speed, power and cost are genuinely transformational,” and although a growing number of projects are incorporating VP, the industry is only scratching the surface of its benefits. “Despite its proliferation,” Lapthorne clarifies, “we’ve seen that a key factor holding this technology back is a lack of understanding among filmmakers – both at a technical and production level – of how, when and why this process could be used. For example, VP might suit some projects or scenes more than others,” he explains. “In today’s world, no filmmaker should remain unfamiliar with the process and its capabilities,” especially those with smaller budgets, who could capitalise on a single-location shoot. This is where Disguise comes in, with several courses that target distinct sub- disciplines in VP. “Our VPA course aims
SPEAKING VOLUMES Having a firm grasp on the tools and processes of VP is crucial to achieve smooth workflows
to bridge knowledge gaps, introducing filmmakers at all levels to VP workflows by diving into the essentials, incorporating practical, interactive demonstrations and allowing them to experience the tech first-hand,” Lapthorne describes. “Participants can learn 2D, 2.5D and 3D production workflows and develop an understanding of other elements within the VP pipeline, as well as where they can direct their efforts to build a career in the industry,” he says, as roles such as VP supervisor continue to open up. “Disguise is constantly adapting its VP training courses to cater to participants looking for more compact or tailored learning experiences,” Lapthorne states. These include one-day immersion courses and lengthier technical deep dives. “Our Virtual Production Primer is a streamlined walkthrough,” he continues, “designed to provide insight into a live VP shoot in a convenient single-day course – great for those who want to experience a VP shoot but don’t require a complete
technical understanding. At the other end of the spectrum,” he adds, “we have our ICVFX workflows course,” which is aimed at camera operators and covers topics like framing and colour accuracy. As the industry evolves, so too does Disguise. The company is in the middle of developing a Virtual Art Department (VAD) course ‘which will highlight the creative capabilities of VP’, according to Lapthorne. “This is aimed at teaching filmmakers how best to support the VAD on a shoot and optimise content creation for creative teams.” With the VPA available around the world, including in LA, Barcelona, Brazil, New York, Canada, China and Korea, “Disguise’s courses have emerged as a globally recognised training opportunity,” Lapthorne states, “perfectly suited to those looking to advance their understanding and get a hands-on introduction to the technology.”
Book your spot today at disguise.one
19
DEFINITIONMAGS
ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE
Read about how SCAN’s 3XS Systems division developed a new VP workflow for Final Pixel and are backing the next gen of filmmakers Education in effects
V irtual production has been life requires specialised expertise and top-tier hardware. That’s why Final Pixel, a creative innovation agency with offices in London and New York, turned to SCAN’s 3XS Systems to build a cutting-edge workflow for VP. Final Pixel Academy provides courses in VP techniques for the next generation of filmmakers, including the Virtual Production Fellowship course. This is a nine-month training program for mid- to senior-level crew across film, TV, games, broadcasting and live events who wish to upskill and learn core VP competencies, including both the creative and technical skills required to work in these high- pressure environments. Following months of research and proofs of concept, the final studio configuration comprises multiple systems powered by NVIDIA RTX 6000 revolutionising filmmaking, but bringing a high-tech studio to
Ada GPUs, custom designed and built by SCAN’s 3XS Systems division. Final Pixel CEO Michael McKenna said: “The SCAN 3XS Systems we’ve used in Final Pixel have been fundamental for a lot of the world building and testing we do before we get on the volume. The systems have high-quality graphics cards in them, which allows us to get through and optimise the virtual environments in no time. They’re incredible.” Dr Jodi Nelson-Tabor, head of Final Pixel Academy, said: “What underlies all this training is to fill skill gaps and to evangelise VP, getting filmmakers excited about this bleeding-edge technology, because this is definitely the way the industry is going. More digital literacy and technical capabilities will open the doors to better sustainability and innovation; that’s what we want to be part of.”
Contact SCAN to see how we can help you with every aspect of filmmaking and virtual production
CICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE
20
DEFINITIONMAGAZINE.COM
GREEN SCREEN
B ursting onto the scene in 2024, Masterwork Films is one of the few UK green-screen virtual production studios operating outside London. Based in Brighton and Hove, the company grew from a passion for documentary storytelling, though today it specialises in branded content with a narrative edge, offering endless production possibilities to a range of commercial clientele. While LED volumes have been all the rage as of late, green screens are still a solid choice for VP pipelines. Boasting lower production costs, Masterwork’s virtual studio operates high-end, cinema-grade technology – such as Unreal Engine 5, AJA ColorBox and Blackmagic Design Ultimatte systems – offering real-time keying, compositing and colour grading. The green-screen area itself – painted with ChromaLight, now available from CVP, for precise digital keying and seamless post- production – measures a sizeable 602 sq ft, with acoustically treated walls and DMX-controlled stage lights for exceptional audio-visual output. Like other leading studios, Masterwork Films takes a flexible approach to its production, providing in-house expertise, As more brands are turning to high-end, cinematic content, Masterwork Films shows just what it can do with green-screen virtual production BEING GREEN WORDS KATIE KASPERSON
kit hire and bespoke virtual backgrounds when requested – and staying on the sidelines if not. The team offers two camera packages – Film, for a cinematic look, or Creator, which is more suited to web-based content – depending on each client’s ambitions. Led by CEO Biro Florin, Masterwork addresses today’s most-pressing production needs – efficiency chief among them. By bridging green-screen VFX technology with the live element of VP, the studio bides time for its clients, who are often working to tight deadlines. Masterwork also recognises that branded content is becoming more filmic than ever, and therefore supports multicam switching, ultra-high-res recording and colour-accurate lighting in both the foreground and background. “We’re focused on the narrative side of filmmaking,” stresses Florin. “We do commercial projects as well as passion and indie stuff, but they all have one core component: a strong story.” Masterwork Films’ existing catalogue spans various types of commercial content, including an informational brand video created for social enterprise Intheflow. The video promotes the organisation’s Period Positive Employer campaign, urging
THE GREEN SOLUTION Masterwork’s virtual production packages range from use of the facilities to full-fledged production guidance
To learn more, visit masterwork.film or follow @MasterworkFilms on YouTube. Explore virtual production possibilities at cvp.com include ProductLed’s masterclass and Noise to Signal , a short film that showcases the company’s creative and technical prowess. “I decided to merge these two worlds,” explains Florin, combining traditional filmmaking with branded storytelling, all under the umbrella of virtual production. companies to prioritise menstrual health and remove gender-based barriers from the workplace. Other notable Masterwork projects
21
DEFINITIONMAGS
ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE
Taking the market by STORM Benjamin Dynice guides us through Aputure’s latest LED, which is perfectly primed for the world of virtual production W ith its extensive range of professional cinema lighting and control, Aputure
“The BLAIR engine and white light creation are crucial for achieving high-fidelity output for exceptional accuracy,” says Benjamin Dynice, director of product (UX/ UI) at Aputure. ”Traditional daylight and tungsten sources have an indigo range, which the BLAIR system replicates with an indigo emitter to create a brilliant white light. This full spectrum of the light results in a more natural, brilliant appearance.” Dynice believes that when it comes to Aputure fitting into the virtual production world in the long run, it all comes down to priorities. “We’re trying to put out the right tools and toolsets for users to ensure that you have what you need, like x/y control in the XT52 and accurate DMX profiles. With the STORM series and VP-focused DMX profiles in BLAIR-CG fixtures, we’re providing that solution for the end user.” In VP, the goal of lighting is to seamlessly integrate the actor into the virtual environment, and make the
audience believe they share the same space. “One way to achieve this is through image-based lighting – direct mapping of the virtual environment’s colours onto the lights,” explains Dynice. “To ensure accuracy, the Aputure STORM’s full-colour fixtures feature a specialised DMX profile series called VRGB, designed specifically for pixel- mapping. These profiles allow users to select the appropriate colour space for the incoming RGB signal, ensuring the light output precisely matches the virtual environment’s colours. This reduces discrepancies, enhances realism and ensures a cohesive look between physical and virtual elements. “Traditional lights often fail to match the incoming signal’s colour intensity because they’re not set in a colour space, but the VRGB profiles adjust the output to match. This is something that’s available in STORM C (colour) lights, allowing you to get more accurate colours, which makes trying to match the light to the volume much simpler.” The STORM series features expanded diode sets (blue, lime, amber, indigo and red, with additional cyan and green for the 80c and 1000c), offering more colour possibilities and aiding in colour matching, which is essential for VP. With some of the best colour spectrums covering 70% of Rec. 709, tunability and adjustability on the market, the XT52 is the brightest point source LED in the industry, with the lowest dimming. It also features new cooling and control systems. Aputure previewed the STORM XT52 at stand 209 of London’s BSC Expo in February.
has introduced the STORM XT52 as the latest flagship in its point source line of LED lights. Making waves in the lighting market, the STORM XT52 is the brightest COB light in the industry, with an unprecedented output rivalling some 6000W HMIs. It features Aputure’s new BLAIR light engine that offers an unparalleled tunable white light colour spectrum, with an expansive CCT range, +/- green adjustability and colour-tunable x- and y-coordinates. Aputure’s advanced structural design achieves all this performance in a lamp head. Combined with Aputure’s industry- leading BLAIR-CG colour engine, which provides ultra-precise spectral control and exceptional colour fidelity for its full-colour line-up, STORM lights offer unparalleled accuracy and consistency.
APUTURE STRIKES AGAIN The STORM XT52 is top of the league of lighting solutions for VP
23
DEFINITIONMAGS
DEFINITION THE VIRTUAL FRONTIER
W elcome to the second edition of our virtual evolve and the industry adapts and expands, this time we’re focusing our celebration on the companies standing out in the crowd. We’re shining a light on the trailblazing businesses pushing boundaries, solving the toughest challenges and elevating the craft of virtual production to new heights. Hand-selected by our panel, these choice brands have been shaping the future of the field and redefining the limits of what’s possible for those using the technology. Whether it’s refining colour accuracy, perfecting in-camera VFX or making VP workflows more production awards! As the world of VP continues to accessible and collaborative, their impact is undeniable. Dive into our coverage to discover the extraordinary contributions and groundbreaking achievements of our amazing 2025 Game Changers!
24
DEFINITIONMAGAZINE.COM
GAME CHANGER AWARDS
APUTURE Advancing colour science in virtual production THE AWARD WINNERS
Aputure designs its products with virtual production in mind. The BLAIR-CG engine, for instance, has a VP-orientated DMX profile series called WRGB that allows end users to colour-match precisely between pixels and practical sets. Achieving a truly seamless blend between the real and the virtual has, up until now, been one of the biggest hurdles in virtual production, but thanks to years of R&D behind the scenes, Aputure makes it look easy. Aputure’s outstanding work in colour science is what makes it one of our VP Game Changers – and a filmmaking force to be reckoned with. Used on projects like Europa and Sympathy for the Devil (in partnership with Vū Studios), the company’s lights have been touted for their high fidelity, exceptional brightness and ability to be remote-controlled via Aputure’s wireless Sidus Link Pro application. With a team of engineers that really understand how to balance art and science, we expect Aputure will continue to shape the world of LEDs and image- based lighting in the years to come.
THESE ARE THE trailblazing businesses PUSHING BOUNDARIES”
An industry leader in lighting, Aputure’s products incorporate the brand’s best- in-class colour technology, ensuring filmmakers have full control over how their subjects look on-set and in camera. This remains true on virtual sets, which require exceptional attention to detail when it comes to lighting and colour. Its latest white light engines, the BLAIR and BLAIR-CG, inch the industry ever closer to complete colour accuracy with their impressively wide spectrums, +/- green adjustability and tunable x- and y-coordinates. These engines are available in Aputure’s latest STORM LED lamp heads, including the STORM XT52, which also happens to be the brightest COB light on the market. Always looking ahead, and a key innovator in image-based lighting,
BRAINSTORM Pioneering real-time virtual studios For over three decades, Brainstorm has been at the forefront of virtual sets and studios, paving the way in camera tracking and other VP technology. With the creation of eStudio – its own 3D graphics and virtual studio engine, which pairs with essentially any tracking system on the market – Brainstorm powers productions through in-house expertise and real-time solutions. Wholly committed to continuous innovation, Brainstorm allocates one quarter of its annual income to R&D and participates regularly in European Commission projects that deal with virtual and augmented reality. A key theme at Brainstorm is social responsibility, with the company taking other steps alongside these to ensure that its technology is used for good. Inside the virtual studios, filmmakers can access the company’s renowned InfinitySet, a virtual set and augmented reality solution, and its patented
25
DEFINITIONMAGS
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40Powered by FlippingBook