Definition April 2025 - Web

Our latest issue takes you behind the scenes of the most talked about show of the moment, Adolescence, delving into the perseverance, technical ambition and blind faith that made this one-shot wonder a reality. We also chat to Severance DOP Jessica Lee Gagné, sit down with gaffer Harlon Haveland to discuss lighting Guy Ritchie’s MobLand, gather industry experts for a discussion of the latest innovation in battery tech and loads more. Enjoy!

APRIL 2025

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ADOLESCENCE & THE ART OF THE ONER FILMMAKERS ON THE ETHICS OF TRUE CRIME

Severance DOP Jessica Lee Gagné breaks down the show’s eerie aesthetic and paranoia IS EVERYWHERE IN THE visuals ” THIS IDEA OF surveillance

MPTS 2025 IN THE SPOTLIGHT

5G, 6G & BEYOND STORYTELLING IS ABOUT TO GET MORE IMMERSIVE, MOBILE & COLLABORATIVE

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WELCOME

EDITORIAL Editor in chief Nicola Foley nicolafoley@bright.uk.com Senior staff writer Katie Kasperson Features writer Oliver Webb Chief sub editor Matthew Winney Sub editors Zanna Buckland, Minhaj Zia Editorial director Roger Payne rogerpayne@bright.uk.com Contributors Barry Bassett, Adrian Pennington, Phil Rhodes ADVERTISING Sales director Sam Scott-Smith samscott-smith@bright.uk.com 01223 499457 Sales manager Emma Stevens emmastevens@bright.uk.com 01223 499462 | +447376665779 DESIGN Design director Andy Jennings Magazine design manager Lucy Woolcomb Senior designer Carl Golsby Junior designer Hedzlynn Kamaruzzaman Ad production and junior designer Holly May

ew shows manage to capture public attention and headlines like Adolescence has. What’s even rarer is that people aren’t just talking about the story, but the way it was made (music to our ears!). As you’ll know by now, each of the show’s four episodes was shot in a single, continuous take, giving the whole thing a relentless intensity that suits its narrative perfectly. Unsurprisingly, pulling it off was a massive challenge for the production team – and we couldn’t wait to catch up with rising star Matt Lewis, the series’ DOP, to hear how they did it. Turn to page 8 to read all about the perseverance, technical skill and blind faith that made Adolescence a reality. Another show I’ve been hooked on – along with most of the world – is Severance , Ben Stiller’s dystopian workplace drama. DOP (and occasional director) Jessica Lee Gagné walks us through building the innie and outie worlds, the show’s unique lighting design and everything else that went into crafting Severance ’s singular look over on page 40. Elsewhere in the issue, longtime collaborators Paul Dingwall and Alex Winckler reflect on the ‘unshakeable bond of trust’ that makes their relationship work, while gaffer Harlon Haveland breaks down his lighting approach on Guy Ritchie’s MobLand . In this month’s Fireside Chat (page 70), VMI’s Barry Bassett lays down some cold, hard truths about the state of the kit rental industry; and with true crime content topping the charts, we ask: what are the filmmaker’s responsibilities when real families are living with the impacts? An editor, cinematographer and director weigh in on the line between art and exploitation on page

PUBLISHING Managing directors Andy Brogden & Matt Pluck

46. I also caught up with Hillary Fyfe Spera, cinematographer on the latest addition to the MCU, Daredevil: Born Again ; she breaks down her two favourite shots on page 6. Enjoy the issue!

Bright Publishing LTD Bright House, 82 High Street, Sawston, Cambridgeshire, CB22 3HJ, UK Definition is published monthly by Bright Publishing Ltd, Bright House, 82 High Street, Sawston, Cambridge, CB22 3HJ. No part of this magazine can be used without prior written permission of Bright Publishing Ltd. Definition is a registered trademark of Bright Publishing Ltd. The advertisements published in Definition that have been written, designed or produced by employees of Bright Publishing Ltd remain the copyright of Bright Publishing Ltd and may not be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. The content of this publication does not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. Prices quoted in sterling, euros and US dollars are street prices, without tax, where available or converted using the exchange rate on the day the magazine went to press.

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CONTENTS

PRODUCTIONS 08 ADOLESCENCE

A teenage boy is accused of murdering a classmate in this headline-making one-shot drama 40 SEVERANCE Jessica Lee Gagné delves into creating the innie and outie worlds on the Apple TV+ smash hit 54 JOACHIM AND THE APOCALYPSE Delta Star Pictures deploys the Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro 12K for this biblical film 59 HEART EYES Romcom meets golden-era slasher in this jumpscare-riddled horror 63 MOBLAND Gaffer Harlon Haveland discusses his approach to the new Paramount+ series TECH 16 5 G, 6G AND THE FUTURE OF MEDIA PRODUCTION

The potential of 5G and 6G in real-time collaboration and immersive experiences 20 IRONING OUT THE WRINKLES IN VP A look at how VP’s uses and accessibility are evolving as the technology matures 24 ROUND TABLE Experts examine trends, challenges and innovations in the world of batteries DEFINITION RECOMMENDS… Editor Nicola falls for the charms of American Movie (1999) 32

ew films capture the sheer perseverance involved in independent filmmaking like American Movie . Released 26 years ago, this documentary follows Mark Borchardt, a fiercely determined, if hapless, filmmaker as he struggles to complete his low-budget horror short Coven . His relentless self- belief – bordering on delusion – drives the film, contrasted with the quiet doubts of those around him, from his long-suffering mother to his bemused yet devoted best

friend Mike Schank (who I am absolutely convinced was the inspiration for Silent Bob). Borchardt’s personal struggles – his strained relationship with the mother of his kids, his dying uncle and financial woes – add heartbreaking depth. Though Coven never became the hit Borchardt dreamed it would, American Movie did, winning the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance and proving that, sometimes, the story behind a piece of art is more compelling than the art itself.

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CONTENTS

32 TURN UP THE MUSIC We take a look at the cutting-edge production tech bringing live music experiences to the next level INTERVIEWS 06 BEHIND THE SHOT Hillary Fyfe Spera breaks down two parallel sequences in the pilot episode of Marvel’s Daredevil: Born Again 39 TRAILBLAZERS Katie Bignell, founder of Festival Formula, helps filmmakers prep for success on the festival circuit 46 TRUE CRIME ETHICS Audiences love true crime content, but filmmakers face ethical dilemmas – we learn more from a director, editor and DOP 60 DYNAMIC DUOS Director-editor team Alex Winckler and Paul Dingwall talk us through their collaborative journey INDUSTRY 66 MPTS PREVIEW We find out what’s in store for the London- based expo this May 70 EVOLVING TO SURVIVE Barry Bassett of VMI considers the future of production kit rental 72 INDUSTRY BRIEFINGS A large format short film contest, new VP studio in LA and host of kit launches

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Daredevil: Born Again cinematographer Hillary Fyfe Spera delves into the dichotomies of the series

B eginning several years after the events of the original Daredevil series (2015-2018), Disney+’s Daredevil: Born Again sees blind lawyer Matt Murdock hanging up his vigilante mask to fight for justice as a lawyer, facing off against crime boss Wilson Fisk. For lead cinematographer Hillary Fyfe Spera, two of the show’s most compelling shots happen in the final sequence of the pilot episode. “We have a juxtaposition of Murdock moving through a crowd and stopping as red light pulses on his face, intercut with Fisk standing on the balcony of the building in a pulsing white light. The two images are parallel to one another, showing both characters wrestling with their respective alternate identities of Daredevil and Kingpin,” she explains. At this point in the story, both characters are attempting to ‘go straight’ and suppress their dark sides. Murdock has vowed to leave Daredevil behind after losing his best friend, Foggy Nelson, while Fisk has just been elected mayor of New York City. “And yet, the reality of their other selves is always with them,” teases Spera. The creative vision was to set up two scenarios representing the characters and story arcs of Fisk and Murdock as WORDS NICOLA FOLEY IMAGES MARVEL

they start to re-engage with their alter egos. “Both men are walking towards edges, alone – one on a balcony that overlooks the city and the other at the edge of a street looking out through the crowd – each finding themselves there.” Fisk’s scene was shot on the balcony of a Manhattan hotel penthouse using a jib from more than 40 storeys below, while Murdock’s was captured at street level with a 50ft Technocrane, moving through a crowd – all shot on location in New York. “Shooting in NYC is always an interesting challenge for logistics and access – and being privy to the elements – but both went extremely smoothly, all thanks to our incredible and dedicated crew,” remembers Spera. The team used ARRI ALEXA 35 cameras paired with Panavision G Series anamorphic primes, choosing a Libra head for the crane, and lighting played a key role in determining the look. Fisk’s frame is bathed in hard white light in a deliberate nod to Frank Miller’s iconic comic imagery: sharp contrast, stark angles and that unmistakable white suit. “Fisk steps into the klieg lights like he’s claiming the city,” Spera affirms. “Even though he’s mayor now, the Kingpin is always there, pulsing under the surface.”

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BEHIND THE SHOT

FACE TO FACE Hillary Fyfe Spera (above, left) was keen to explore the visual routes she could take with the characters of Murdock and Fisk

Murdock, meanwhile, walks through a crowd of people celebrating Fisk’s victory at street level. “As he walks through the mayhem, a pulsing red light grows on his face as he’s backlit, signifying the inevitable return to his fate as Daredevil. “The duality of both these characters is what interested me so much about the visual opportunities; their humanity, haunted identities and the pasts we can’t escape from,“ Spera explains. The scenes were storyboarded in great detail and brought to life by gaffer Charlie Grubbs, key grip Matt Staples and A camera operator Tom Schnaidt. Spera believes they anchor the visual language of the whole show. “They express the identities of Kingpin and Daredevil using their signature colours, foreshadowing what’s to come in their stories,” she says. “Fisk is usually shot from below with a wide-angle lens to emphasise his stature and oppressive size, but Murdock’s world is often shot handheld, more naturalistic and at street level, with a warmer lighting palette and intentional use of red. “Both shots were well planned and executed – fairly seamlessly,” she shares. “That said, using smoke or haze is always a wild card. But when it cooperated, it helped the lighting nicely hold colour.”

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PRODUCTION ADOLESCENCE

ONE SHOT WONDER IMAGES BEN BLACKALL/NETFLIX

Nicola Foley sits down with Adolescence DOP Matt Lewis to get the inside scoop on the one-take show everyone is talking about

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ADOLESCENCE PRODUCTION

PERFORMANCE OF A LIFETIME Young Owen Cooper and veteran Stephen Graham were pushed to their thespian limits under the constraints of the show’s single-shot takes

WATCH THE TRAILER

W hen a seemingly sweet 13-year-old boy is accused of murdering a girl he goes to school with, his family and the police in charge of the investigation are left grappling for answers. While unravelling what really happened, new Netflix drama Adolescence plunges us into a world of toxic masculinity, cyberbullying, incel culture and the rise of odious online figures like Andrew Tate. With the latter’s name recently cited in the chilling crossbow killer case, this shattering show feels more urgent than ever, tapping into the insidious impact of social media on young minds and giving parents everywhere a horrifying glimpse of what their kids might be up to online. Created by Jack Thorne and Stephen Graham, and directed by Philip Barantini with Matt Lewis as DOP, it’s been nothing short of a global phenomenon. It’s rare for a show to become a genuine water- cooler topic these days, but Adolescence has done exactly that – as much for its filmmaking approach as its content. It made ratings history as the first UK streaming series to top the weekly British TV chart (with nearly 6.5 million viewers tuning in for the first episode alone), and it’s sparked a global conversation, been dissected in Parliament, on podcasts and in papers, as well as receiving pretty much unanimous praise from critics and viewers (at time of writing it’s sitting at a holy grail 100% on Rotten Tomatoes). Adolescence isn’t just emotionally devastating, it’s also technically

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PRODUCTION ADOLESCENCE

incredible. As is well documented, each one of the show’s four episodes was shot as a single, continuous take: no cuts, no stitching scenes in post – and one hell of a challenge for the people making it. SERVING THE STORY There’s always a danger that a technique like this will hog focus, or worse, feel like a gimmick; a chance to show off skills without adding much worth for the audience. But for DOP Matt Lewis (and almost everyone else seems to agree), the one-shot approach was exactly right for Adolescence ’s unflinching storytelling. “It doesn’t work in every scenario, and I never want to force a one-shot because it limits you massively,” he begins. “Not just in geography and time – and lack of editing – but the way the camera moves, you can really only see one person at a time during a conversation, so you need to be sure it’s going to work. But what it does super well is create a slow cranking of tension. It has this relentlessness. “Ultimately, if you remove the action from a one-shot,” he continues, “it starts to become unsettling. It’s bubbling all the time. You don’t get a break, you’re always holding your breath.” Unlike in traditional filmmaking, where a scene might cut to a wide establisher to provide a moment of relief, the one- shot never allows the viewer to fully relax: “It works well when you want this unsettled feeling, but you couldn’t apply it to a light-hearted scenario because you can’t uncrank it once you’re in it. In a one- shot, even the act of moving backwards feels like the end of the show. You can

only spiral in until the blocking changes; it was a big challenge.” Adolescence was conceived of as a one-shot piece, so the approach was baked into the structure of the storytelling right from the start. Writer Jack Thorne describes it as an ‘unblinking eye’ that forces the audience directly into the world of the characters, and it’s extremely effective in this context, giving a feeling of real-time immersion in the drama.

It’s impossible not to marvel at some of the feats the team pulled off, like the opening sequence, which takes us through the arrest, bashing down the door to teenage Jamie’s home at dawn, ripping him out of bed, bundling him into the police car and driving to the station where he’s questioned. Or in episode 2, when the camera goes straight from the ground to airborne, transitioning seamlessly into a drone shot – achieved with the help of The Helicopter Girls – to float the viewer from the school to the harrowing crime scene, swooping back down to ground level to show Jamie’s dad (Stephen Graham) laying flowers. BACKBREAKING CHALLENGES While it makes for incredible telly, the mind-blowing ambition of the one-take formula presented ongoing challenges during production. The team battled with signal issues, technical failures and the relentless physical toll of capturing the performances playing out in full each take. The process was one of continual problem-solving, says Lewis, and there were many moments when he wasn’t sure they could pull it off. One memory

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ADOLESCENCE PRODUCTION

confident we’d be able to work through it all. We knew we were doing something ridiculously ambitious, so we expected problems. It sort of fortified us.” One thing that made the process exponentially smoother was the fact that Thorne, Barantini, Graham and Lewis had worked closely together on Boiling Point , a feature-length one-shot film, in 2021. Ever since they made that, Graham had his eye on doing another oner-based project, eventually reaching out to Thorne in autumn 2022 with an idea. Inspired by a series of real-life reports of young boys in the UK being involved in knife crime, Graham wanted to zone in on the topic – and he wanted to get the Boiling Point band back together. “I think I was always the person they wanted to do Adolescence , so I didn’t have to do much pitching myself,” recalls Lewis. “I’d done a few ‘normal’ jobs for TV since Boiling Point , but I was so happy to jump back into the one-shot format because it’s just really exciting – when He was brought on ‘exceptionally early’ for an intense prep phase, involving close collaboration with the director and art department from the get-go. “Normally, the location, director and art team are the first to start, but I started with them,” Lewis explains. Since the one-shot format made camera movements so integral, it had to be considered from the very beginning: “If we were looking at a location that wouldn’t work technically, we had to know about it,” he says. To plan out the complex camera paths, he created top-down drawings of each location on his iPad, using Shot Designer, animating the movement of both the camera and the actors. “It’s essentially a map,” he explains, “so you can see where everyone is and how they will interact – you can’t do a written shot list for this kind of thing.” This phase was both collaborative and iterative. Lewis and the team broke down each episode into sections – the raid, the convoy, the police station – and meticulously plotted them out. it’s not really stressful that is…” LAYING THE GROUNDWORK “We’d be there in the spaces, walking up and down, working out the beats,” he explains. The blocking constantly evolved, especially for delicate sequences

NAILING THE ONERS Episode 3 (above and right) proved not just technically, but also physically demanding for DOP Lewis, who used all manner of accessories and rigging (left) to make sure the camera caught the right angles

sticks out in particular: “In episode 3, I was the sole camera operator because there was no place to easily transfer the camera. I wanted it to be extremely steady. The only way to do that on our camera (the DJI Ronin 4D-6K) was with a steady arm, which is tricky to dismantle and transfer to somebody else. Shooting that for me was physically awful – it felt like my spinal column was collapsing in on itself. I thought I might faint at times.”

So many things could go wrong and kill a given take, meaning everyone would have to go back to square one. If the focus puller couldn’t pull focus it was game over, if the AD couldn’t perfectly cue the SAs or coordinate the cast around corners, the shot would fall apart. But through constant troubleshooting, ‘we made it work’, grins Lewis. “There was a bit of blind faith in thinking we’d find a way. We had such a good team that I was

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PRODUCTION ADOLESCENCE

I WAS SO HAPPY TO jump back into the one-shot format BECAUSE IT’S JUST REALLY EXCITING – when it’s not really stressful that is... ”

like the security office in episode 3. “We changed the blocking so many times until it felt super smooth,” he says. “It was really important to have the camera movements be motivated by the actors. The second I started panning around or walking off by myself, it was in danger of looking like a documentary. It had to feel floaty and blend in – you were never supposed to think about the camera as actually being there.” Rehearsals were equally rigorous. Each episode was allotted two weeks of rehearsals followed by a week of shooting. The first week was dedicated mainly to blocking without much camera work, instead focusing on mapping out the performances. “We had lots of beat sheets and I was constantly rejigging the way people moved,” Lewis explains. The second week became more technical, incorporating the camera and refining the flow. “By the end of that week, you want to be able to get full takes in, even if you have to stop and start.” Once they began filming, they aimed for two full takes a day, allowing time for resets and review. “We were relentlessly working stuff out during rehearsals but, weirdly, once we got into the week of shooting things slowed down a bit. There was time for reviewing and refinement.” The question on every filmmaker’s mind: is Adolescence truly a oner? Is each episode genuinely a seamless, uninterrupted shot from start to finish, or are there any subtle stitches or sneaky transitions tucked discreetly into the slick choreography? According to Lewis, the answer is a firm no. “There were moments I wished we had!” he admits – especially during the gruelling episode 3 shoot. “I was thinking, surely we should just split this into two sections and wipe

past a wall for a nice little transition!” But everyone on-set had bought into the goal of getting what they needed in a single, uninterrupted take. Though he had certain backup plans in his head – moments where the camera’s speed, angle or a convenient vertical line might have allowed for a seamless cut – he never voiced them. “Once you start to say these things out loud, everyone’s like, ‘maybe we should do that to make it easier’ – and then you’ve sort of lost.”

THE BIG SWITCH Mounting the camera onto a drone while it was still recording was one of the crew’s most impressive manoeuvres

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ADOLESCENCE PRODUCTION

One of the most technically demanding and intensely choreographed sequences appears at the start of episode 1, showing a convoy raid leading into the arrest of teenager Jamie (played by Owen Cooper). It began with DOP Matt Lewis starting close on DI Luke Bascombe (Ashley Walters) with the DJI Ronin 4D-6K handheld, before smoothly mounting it onto an arm attached to a tracking vehicle. From there, Lewis jumped into a separate vehicle and raced ahead to the house, arriving before the convoy. The tracking vehicle, with operator Lee Brown on the wheels, led the convoy, with the camera arm swinging, dodging all manner of lamp posts and obstacles as it tracked the vehicles. Timing was crucial, with the police van pulling up just as Lewis discreetly took over the camera, hidden behind a fence. As the firearms unit stormed the house, Lewis switched to handheld mode, using the Ronin’s sport mode. “There’s a button you can hold down to lock the gimbal,” he explains. “It levels the horizon while keeping everything else handheld, so you don’t get that wobbly nausea.” Inside the house, the tight space also created a challenge. With the tiny staircases and narrow halls, every movement had to be flawless: “Stephen had to be flat to the wall, the police officer with the gunman BREAKING DOWN *THAT* OPENING SEQUENCE!

had to hug the left-hand side – everything had to be perfect,” Lewis recalls. Even a minor misstep could ruin a take – forcing everyone back to the start for another run-through. “I once clipped the gimbal against a wall by a millimetre – it threw the whole thing off. It tried to reset quickly, but the take was unsalvageable. The entire episode was gone,” recalls Lewis. The precision handovers continued as the team exited the house, with Lewis carefully timing the transition from handheld back to gimbal, releasing it at just the right moment to blend the two seamlessly. He then passed it through the window of a police van, where Brown was waiting, ready to take over. With the camera now stable, they raced off towards the police station, completing the sequence in one fluid shot. Impressive stuff!

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ADOLESCENCE PRODUCTION

THE CAMERA THAT SAVED THE DAY Finding a kit set-up that was compact, versatile and completely reliable was another challenge. After a lot of testing, Lewis chose DJI’s Ronin 4D system, paired with Cooke’s 32mm SP3 lens. Sitting at the prosumer end of the market, the Ronin might seem a surprising choice for such a high-profile project, but he’s full of praise for how it performed. “I didn’t want it to be handheld; four nauseating episodes of me bumbling around!” he laughs. “It needed to have a gimbal, and this had everything; it’s a tiny camera we could easily pass between people or move through a window. We ran with it at full sprint and it stayed perfectly steady. We mounted it onto a steady arm, put it on a drone. With everything it had to be able to do, there’s no other system we could have used. “A traditional gimbal of any sort would have had to be strapped to one operator the whole time – then you’re limited by physically carrying something for that long,” he continues. “There were limitations – like retaining information in the shadows – that we had to be aware of, but once we knew what they were and came up with strategies to counter them, the pros strongly outweighed the cons.” The camera also allowed the use of variable ND filter, which made exposure control more manageable during the continuous takes, as they didn’t have to pull iris all the way through. The camera loader essentially became the exposure controller, following the operators around.

THOUGH HE HAD backup plans in his head, HE NEVER VOICED THEM”

“The focus puller and loader moved around together – each with a monitor. One was controlling focus, while the other was riding the variable ND, correcting for exposure differences as we moved in and out of spaces.” This real-time exposure management was especially vital in episode 4, when the crew had to navigate shifting lighting conditions. Thanks to the variable ND and close monitoring, they could retain shadow detail and smooth out the transitions in post. “It was quite a long grade because it needed it,” Lewis says, “but it meant all the information was there, so we could make adjustments if necessary.” ONER TO REMEMBER Despite all the challenges faced, Lewis is open to another oner-based show or film. “I’d never say never,” he laughs. “My brain works well with this format; it just clicks for some reason, so I think I’ll keep doing them as long as I keep enjoying it and they’re being made for the right reason, with the right script. “I don’t want to do one that’s just using it for the sake of it,” he continues. “You

never want it to be about the showiness of the one-shot; it’s a mechanism for creating a feeling. I do think there’s all sorts of stories that could be told with a one-shot though; anything real time, anything with that tension, anything with that underlying nervousness.” His biggest takeaway among ‘tons of micro lessons’, he shares, was how little you actually need to make something look good from a lighting perspective. “We didn’t have many options, but we could still shape it and be clever about blocking. So much of what you can do just comes from the world around you, practical and natural light – even just closing the curtains! “It also reminded me how insanely important it is to have a good team around you. If we weren’t such a tight- knit group, when we’d had all these curveballs thrown at us we would have wondered why we were doing it. But everyone was so in love with the idea and so excited and invested – it was because everyone was so valued. If you show people how valued they are, you’ll get the best out of them.”

DREAM TEAM Stephen Graham and Christine Tremarco (left) as Jamie’s parents; Barantini with Cooper, Walters and Graham (above)

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TECH 5G AND 6G NETWORKS

“5G AND 6G SUPPORT MORE IMMERSIVE, MOBILE AND COLLABORATIVE STORYTELLING FORMATS: BRING IT ON” Adrian Pennington explores what 5G and 6G might mean for the future of media production A couple of years ago, a short film

stage, which involves 5G and cloud- based remote collaboration. “We’re interested in how cloud tech and telecoms can support functionality of studios and interoperability across a wider network,” explains Abertay University’s Professor Gregor White, lead of CoSTAR Realtime Lab.

was made by shooting scenes in real time with actors who were 280 miles apart. The experiment – a first for the UK – demonstrated the possibilities of virtual production over 5G, and those behind the project are now advancing to the next

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5G AND 6G NETWORKS TECH

CoSTAR is a £75.6 million government- funded programme of five interlinked UK labs, fusing the film and TV industry and the latest VP equipment with academic research into AI, video gaming, robotics and immersive sound. Four labs have already opened, with one in Pinewood launching in 2026. “Our focus is on how real-time technologies can be built into production processes and pipelines,” reveals White. “There’s still quite a lot of soldering and sellotape involved in making volume stage work. We’re looking to plug that gap with software, so you don’t need an army of programmers to be able to implement your creative vision.” The Realtime Lab based in Dundee was behind the original VP over 5G proof of concept. It draws on Scotland’s world- leading expertise in gaming ( Minecraft mobile developer 4J Studios is based in Dundee), linked to Abertay University motion-capture studios and Edinburgh University studios, Water’s Edge Studio, Scottish Enterprise and more. Now it’s working with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to build the Cloud Lab, “which will be a virtual doppelgänger of the physical studio,” White explains. “We could then extend across the CoSTAR network (of studios in Yorkshire, Belfast and London) and facilitate people from anywhere in the world to come in and collaborate virtually.” The proof of concept in 2023 demonstrated that 5G could reduce latency between locations, so that actors could perform scenes ‘naturally’. “That was the penny-drop moment for me, in terms of what CoSTAR Realtime Lab could do. We proved that we could send camera telemetry back and forth over the network, but it was also a very static scene. Now we’re asking how we can extend that functionality so that somebody in LA could be acting with someone in London for a virtual scene in a way that looks naturalistic in terms of performance, as well as coherent in terms of colour, lighting values and dynamic lighting effects.”

CLOSING THE GAP 5G media production solutions like Riedel’s (left) allow film crews to shoot with actors in different countries

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TECH 5G AND 6G NETWORKS

expandability with additional base stations. “Unlike traditional carrier- grade systems, Easy5G allows general IT personnel to deploy and operate the network via a simple web interface. It runs on standard IT networks – no dark fibre required – and is cost-effective,” explains Voß. For music and performance arts, high-bandwidth, low-latency wireless telecoms enable untethered audio and video transmission. “It’s ideal for interactive or remote collaborations. Artists who are based in different locations can perform together in real time,” continues Voß. “In narrative and virtual productions, 5G enables mobile and immersive camera systems, AR integrations and live audience interaction. It also allows for new kinds of immersive audience experiences, such as fancam feeds and real-time mobile content streaming within venues.” While 6G is still a few years away, it’s expected to bring transformative capabilities for content creation and distribution. Expect even faster data speeds, ultra-low latency and enhanced integration with AI and edge computing. “For creators, this could unlock near-instant cloud rendering and fully immersive virtual experiences,” Voß says. “Global real-time collaboration with almost no delay becomes possible.” Riedel’s Easy5G is built on standardised technology, and it’s been designed to evolve alongside future 3GPP releases, meaning that, as 6G becomes viable, Easy5G can adapt, ‘minimising disruption and maximising long-term value’. CoSTAR also has its eye on how next-gen tech like AI-powered 6G will change how content is consumed. “Can these kinds of immersive environments be distributed the same way TV is broadcast now?” White poses. “Experiences like ABBA Voyage are currently dependent on physical location, but will you soon be able to experience something similar in your living room? In terms of narrative and performance, the next gen of production, distribution and display tech promises richer, more emotional and compelling experiences than anything we’ve achieved up until now.” In short, 5G and 6G support more immersive, mobile and collaborative storytelling formats: bring it on.

There are knock-on benefits in terms of energy use and carbon footprint, “particularly if you’re not flying people around the world for 20 seconds of work.” The CoSTAR National Lab at Royal Holloway is a partner in the concept with AWS, and AIX Live which is based at Media City. “One of the challenges of managing distributed live events is that video moves slower than data. We are working with them to build a technology that allows us to synchronise video and data streams.” BT is another partner; it’s putting in a 5G network at each CoSTAR site and advising on the next generation: 6G. “Once you get into moving large volumes of data around at the resolution required for high-end production, it’s going to be a challenge for network technology,” White says. “We’re working to increase capacity and connectivity between the labs. The laws of physics won’t change with the next generation of telecoms (the speed of light will remain the same) so there are some immovable objects in the system, but the richness of data we’ll be able to transfer and quality of content created will be enhanced by the increased capacity and functionality of 6G.” Several high-profile live events have already demonstrated the power of 5G

production workflows, including the BBC and ITV for coverage of the crowning of King Charles in 2023 and following the Olympic torch relay around France. Routing signals over bonded cellular transmitters enables remote camera control, a reduction in on-site staff and lower overall production costs. 5G FOR LIVE AND REAL-TIME COLLABORATION TODAY Despite its potential, 5G adoption has been slow, largely due to a few key challenges. Public 5G networks are often optimised for downlink-heavy use cases (like video consumption), making them poorly suited to the high-uplink demands of live broadcasting. Traditional private 5G solutions also tend to be complex and costly, requiring specialised knowledge and infrastructure like dark fibre connections, according to Jacky Voß, executive director strategy & innovation for Riedel Communications. “These barriers have made it difficult for many organisations to adopt 5G for professional media production.” Riedel says its private 5G solution, Easy5G, will make ‘enterprise-grade 5G’ available to media productions and live events. Other features include network slicing, SIM-based secure access and

A BRIGHT FUTURE CoSTAR Realtime Lab’s sites are researching the potential of live feeds in film

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TECH VIRTUAL PRODUCTION

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 ”

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VIRTUAL PRODUCTION TECH

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

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TECH VIRTUAL PRODUCTION

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.

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ROUND TABLE

Experts from IDX, Hawk-Woods and NXTGENbps discuss industry trends and challenges, emerging technologies and the next big disrupter

DEF: WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES FACING BATTERY MANUFACTURERS RIGHT NOW WHEN IT COMES TO MEETING THE DEMANDS OF FILM AND TELEVISION PRODUCTION? KOJI TSUKADA: Compared to previous years, the cameras, monitors and lighting equipment used in film and TV production have become much more diverse, and product cycles have become much faster. We’re required to respond to the growing demand for high-capacity, highly durable batteries in line with the increase of high-power equipment that also demands support for long hours of shooting, as well as environmental impact, cost and safety aspects. IDX has a long track record in the global market, and is developing batteries that meet the needs of the field, comply with strict safety regulations from the industry and are manufactured under a rigorous quality control system. JAMES DENYER: As everything in our industry becomes more digitally advanced and intelligent, the battery market has seen significant changes

LESLEY MARR: The industry is now warming to the obvious benefits of more consistent, cheaper, cleaner, quieter power supplies – but location hire companies and studios face a major challenge. The initial investment, while existing fossil fuel stock is still functional, leads to a current lack of demand. This is despite battery generators being far cheaper to run and maintain than petrol or diesel ones. Manufacturers and distributors face a conservative attitude toward integrating new technology into familiar workflows – perhaps more so than in other industries. Some operators are also reluctant to move to lower-power-consuming kit (lighting is a good example) instead of the higher-draw equipment they’re used to. Lower-power kit enables more efficient battery use and reduces the production’s carbon output. Safety concerns, often due to uncertified batteries – like e-bike cells – have given batteries bad press. Li-ion types can pose risks if damaged or mishandled. At NXTGENbps, our use of LiFePO4 and solid-state chemistries helps reduce this risk. All our batteries carry CE certification and markings – it’s a costly process for

in a short period of time. While the benefits of these innovations on-set are fantastic, they place a burden on battery manufacturers to cater to increasingly power-hungry equipment. This means all our designs must focus on the amperage demands and how we can provide that efficiently, within typical set constraints. It’s been a great challenge, which has pushed us to get more creative, not just within the batteries themselves but also with accessories like plates and cables.

ON THE MOVE NXTGENbps’ Goat (above) and an IDX B-Mount unit (top right) on location

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ROUND TABLE

James Denyer Key account manager, Hawk-Woods Ltd

Lesley Marr Director of sustainability & business development, NXTGENbps

Koji Tsukada Director, IDX Europe

LM: The use of high-kilowatt-output tungsten lighting draws more power than similar LED lights, and a common DOP creative debate is whether the look of tungsten can be matched with LEDs. But trends are changing, and DOPs with sustainability ethics are moving towards LEDs, which have reduced power draws and therefore enable smaller batteries to be deployed – reducing the use of large diesel or HVO generators. Battery manufacturers have listened to the production community, bringing out mobile units with power levels in the sweet spots of 3, 5, 10 and 15kWh. These are more desirable and affordable for rental companies than larger, non-mobile options, and can be daisy-chained to create bigger power banks. It just requires more planning and monitoring, which is a shift from the one- size-fits-all generator typically used. DEF: WHAT STRIDES ARE BEING MADE IN BATTERY TECH AND MANUFACTURING TO REDUCE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT? KT: Reducing environmental impact is a crucial issue for the industry as

manufacturers but essential to reassure users. There’s also the logistics challenge as, instead of one large diesel generator, crews might need to move multiple batteries. Balancing portability, power and weight is crucial – but using the right batteries can reduce cabling and carbon output and improve crew wellbeing. DEF: HOW ARE EVOLVING CAMERA AND LIGHTING TECHNOLOGIES INFLUENCING THE DESIGN AND PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS OF BATTERIES? JD: The rapid evolution of camera and lighting technologies is significantly affecting battery design. As new kinds of equipment demand more power, we’re constantly exploring how to meet that need within the environmental and spatial constraints of a set. Batteries now have to deliver more efficient power at higher capacities, and we’re also working closely with accessory manufacturers to support these technologies. KT: The latest cinema cameras and LED light sources are becoming more powerful and more efficient. As a result,

batteries need to supply higher currents and operate for longer periods. In particular, the spread of 48v LED lighting and 28v cameras means that a more diverse product range is required. IDX recognises that higher-voltage and higher-capacity solutions are essential for improving convenience in film and TV production, so it has introduced 28v solutions as well as taking steps to develop products that can keep up with the ever-changing technical landscape. MOBILE BATTERIES with solar compatibility ARE MORE cost-effective ”

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ROUND TABLE

a whole, and IDX is actively promoting the refurbishment and recycling of disused Li-ion batteries in the Japanese market. As further battery regulations are also due to come into force in Europe, we intend to actively promote and implement it within this region as well. In terms of our products, some models include a function that monitors battery degradation in real time, notifying the user of the degree of degradation and thereby preventing premature disposal. The manufacturing process is also becoming more efficient to reduce the environmental impact. Specifically, we’re working to reduce the use of rare metals and – in future – we plan to use next-gen technology to produce batteries with a lower environmental impact. JD: The global demand for lithium is rising, largely driven by the EV industry. As it’s a limited resource, we’re committed to ensuring that lithium doesn’t end up in landfill. There have been great strides in lithium recycling, and Hawk-Woods, in partnership with our group UPERGY, has collaborated with global specialists to reclaim and reintroduce lithium into the market, reducing the need for new mining. To encourage the return of old batteries, Hawk-Woods has also introduced a trade-in scheme, offering discounts on replacement batteries. Our goal is to remove excess old Li-ion batteries from the industry and ensure they’re properly recycled. LM: Working with truly recyclable cell types, such as lithium iron phosphate, is a huge step forward. Ensuring the battery generator can accept solar charging and has a long working lifetime also genuinely makes the product better for the environment. Unfortunately, many cheaper consumer batteries still use non-recyclable lithium, have short lifespans and require non-renewable charging – these often end up in landfill far sooner than expected. Sodium-ion is gaining attention as an alternative, since sodium is more plentiful and less toxic. However, Na-ion batteries have lower energy density and shorter life cycles – and are generally better suited to stationary applications. Solid- state batteries are more promising; they use solid electrolytes instead of liquid,

READY FOR THE FUTURE The NXTGENbps Goat battery generator (above) is a mobile, sturdy power solution for crews that need to travel, as is the new first-of-its-kind flight-safe NMC Swift battery

reducing the use of harmful solvents. Our new Swift battery, which will become available this summer, is flight-safe – one of the first of its kind. Battery recycling – reclaiming nickel, lithium, cobalt and graphite from old batteries – also continues to improve. Some EV batteries are now being reused in stationary energy systems, giving them a second life before disposal to reduce their environmental impact. Our NXTGENbps batteries are upwards of 95% recyclable – a key factor we look at when deciding which products to stock. DEF: WHAT EMERGING BATTERY TECHNOLOGIES DO YOU THINK WILL HAVE THE MOST PRACTICAL IMPACT ON FILM PRODUCTION IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS? ARE THERE SPECIFIC BREAKTHROUGHS ON THE HORIZON THAT FILMMAKERS SHOULD BE EXCITED ABOUT? JD: Much of the development in this area is currently being driven by the EV industry, rather than directly by film production. Currently, lithium-ion remains the best option in terms of its power output and capacity, with newer cells still not able to match its performance. However, we’re seeing improvements in Li-ion technology, with smaller and more powerful cells being developed.

As the EV industry continues to innovate, we can expect these advancements to eventually be adopted by the film industry too. LM: At NXTGENbps, we’ve just launched the world’s first nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) solid-state battery – the Swift. This type is both extremely lightweight and extremely stable, which allows it to be flight-safe. It will have a big impact on productions that travel to remote and harsh locations to film. Our batteries are IP67-rated and fully weatherproof, so can be transported to and used even in the harshest environments. From years of working with film and TV crews, we know only the most robust kit survives, as equipment is constantly moving. That’s why casing and material choices are so important. I don’t believe sodium or hydrogen are currently suitable enough for TV and film use. Small and mid-sized mobile batteries with solar compatibility are much more cost-effective and flexible. Since more equipment now includes wireless control, smart battery tech is also becoming relevant. Our Swift battery, for example, has built-in communication capabilities and connects to an app that allows users to monitor charge status, battery health and power levels remotely. This supports power planning and on-set

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