LOCATION SCOUTING VIRTUAL PRODUCTION
dialogue – was not an issue. Plate units are less disruptive, so obtaining permission to shoot in sensitive locations like national parks is much easier than when operating with full film units.” In these cases, a VFX unit might only need one location professional to manage the shoot. Sometimes the plate units – in driving scenes for example – can require just as much effort and location support as a full film shoot. “For instance, The Fabelmans filmed a driving scene with the cast in the car on the volume stage ‘driving through a tornado on a downtown street’,” explains Emmert. “We had to find a location, conduct lots of scouts, do location agreements and obtain permits to close several city blocks so that we could place period cars and extras in costume for stunt driving through town. We even used an exploding transformer to mimic a lightning strike.” Google Maps and Earth are both essential scouting tools. They save a tremendous amount of time by allowing virtual exploration, but beware since this can quickly become outdated. “That’s why I’ve integrated drone mapping into my workflow,” Quemore says. “Once I’ve identified a potential location within Google Maps, I visit the
Comprehensive data collection R eturning to a location is expensive and ensuring you capture a high
quality and quantity of data the first time round means taking into account angles, the weather and light. CineArray utilises all the available tools, from aerial and ground-based LiDAR, photogrammetry, single-camera tiling and multicamera array systems to ensure the entire environment is captured, not only for the planned action, but also for any potential creative changes which might take place while a shoot is in progress. “When creating digital environments, changing to new unplanned angles on volume stages is possible during the creative process. It’s essential to ensure there’s a catalogue of imagery at hand,” says Dani Rose, director of CineArray. Another tool by CineArray that’s now being used with great success for remote scouting and data capture is its LiveStitch system. The system is capable of taking any camera feed from a multi- array platform on the ground or in the air and stitching the images together in
A STITCH IN TIME CineArray’s LiveStitch is a boon for scouting and data collection
near real time. The stitched image can be transmitted live, either to a team on the ground or anywhere globally to the director, DOP, VFX supervisor or anyone else in production. “This unique technology allows directors, DOPs and VFX supervisors to view and give feedback in real time, to not only review the suitability of a location but to see how the final footage will look. This removes any uncertainty, saving both time and money,” reveals Rose.
AERIAL SHOTS Leann Emmert location scouting in New Zealand
29
definitionmags
Powered by FlippingBook