VIRTUAL PRODUCTION LOCATION SCOUTING
site and fly my drone over it to create an up-to-date orthomosaic map and a 3D model. This gives the production a current, detailed location view. I often upload these maps to Google Earth so that various departments can implement them to plan logistics and take accurate measurements.” Digital libraries are great for quickly prototyping and testing concepts, but often lack the creative depth directors need to fully realise their vision, Quemore says. Directors usually prefer to shoot their own footage or use assets from digital libraries as a foundation to bring their ideas to life. You also need permits to scan and create a digital twin of the site. Many property owners are hesitant to allow this, as physical location filming is a significant source of revenue. Once a 3D copy of a location is made, studios can potentially reuse it indefinitely, which threatens the location’s revenue stream. “When locations do allow it, strict agreements are typically put in place to limit use of the digital model to the current project, with additional compensation for future use,” Quemore advises. “Additionally, if the film alters the model – such as destroying it on-screen or making changes to key features – the location owner, architect or other stakeholders must approve those modifications.” IMAGINED ENVIRONMENTS If an environment is mostly imagined – perhaps a futuristic cityscape or a fantasy world – the scout’s role shifts from finding a complete, existing location to finding elements that can be combined and built into the final environment. This is what Quemore considers asset-based scouting. “This might involve locating specific, unique features like landscape elements, geological formations or architectural details that can be used as building blocks for a virtual world. A scout might also look for natural environments that could be enhanced or altered in post- production to fit into the director’s vision.”
Virtual scouting S couting using VR can be immensely useful, regardless of whether your location is entirely virtual or not. Framestore’s VP supervisor, Connor Ling, explains: “Let’s say your budget is low, but you want your HODs to be able to scout an environment. It’s a complex environment that will need time spent there to work out exactly which parts will be set pieces and which need to be virtual set extensions. You could send a LiDAR/photogrammetry team to capture the environment and have this converted into a 3D level that your HODs are able to pop onto a VR headset – either in a group or individually – and have those conversations in context, without the need to be shipping all the HODs out to the location. “Alternatively, you might not be able to scout an entirely CG environment as you traditionally would to get a sense of scale and allow your DOP to think through shoot logistics, etc. Enabling VR scouting for this scenario is immensely useful, as you’re then able to take the information you’ve learnt from scouting the environment into the practical shoot (which might be against blue/green) and think about how it should be shot with that in mind.” More directors, showrunners and HODs are engaging with aspects of Framestore’s VP toolkit Farsight. This is a suite of interconnected tech that extends beyond LED work, encompassing virtual camera, scouting, art departments and the mobile visualisation system Farsight Go. These tools have been used on shows like Loki and The Last of Us .
EAGLE-EYED Quemore and his fellow location managers are crucial to production success
COSTS AND PROCESSING While VP opens up more possibilities, the process of capturing places and preparing them for the LED wall is time- consuming and costly. This is where location managers’ expertise becomes crucial – to advise productions on the most suitable locations for virtual filming. After securing permission (usually for a fee), a team is sent to capture the site, which incurs additional costs. Once that data has been collected, another team processes it for use on the volume, which can take days or even weeks. Quemore notes that optimal lighting conditions are critical, as assets must undergo de-lighting. The process entails stripping the captured model of existing lighting data, including shadows and highlights, so it can be relit according to the production’s needs. “Poor lighting conditions can hinder this. Overcast days or early mornings are ideal, when shadows are soft and minimal, but this adds complexity by limiting when and how you can capture a location.” Given the high cost and effort involved in productions, they need to carefully weigh what offers more value and control: filming on a real location or opting for virtual production.
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