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Vehicle process, perfected We’re shining a spotlight on the V Studio, Film Soho’s newly unveiled virtual production stage that excels in vehicle shoots V ehicle shooting was built into the V Studio’s DNA – at least, that’s how Kate Phibbs, head of studio, sees it. Opening its doors in May 2025, Film Soho’s latest
virtual production facility is the largest in central London, with a 4.5m motorised turntable, drive-in access and a dream virtual production toolbox that includes a bespoke Image Based Lighting set-up and a super-high-resolution LED wall – invaluable assets for filming car scenes. Designed to accommodate shoots for high-end TV series, indie and big- budget films, music videos, commercials, interviews and podcasts, the V Studio falls under the Film Soho umbrella – a production ecosystem that incorporates the volume stage, post-production and ADR. With an on-site crew that bridges technical knowledge with creative prowess and virtual supervisory skills, productions are in safe hands. The studio prides itself on being production-friendly, Phibbs tells us, offering visitors powerful yet easy-to- use technology that can adapt to their needs. “Rather than sit at the forefront, the VP technology we run is designed to bubble away in the background, quietly empowering the creative process,” she says. This includes Unreal Engine, Motion Impossible’s AGITO, Kino Flo’s MIMIK models, Assimilate Live FX and Disguise media servers, Brompton processors and plates from various providers. The entire image-based lighting system, provided by Cirro Lite, functions as one. “Designed as a compact, high-tech car stage,” adds Chris Bouchard, VP supervisor in residence at the V Studio,
NO REST The V Studio team are constantly trying to make workflows even better, tackling lighting problems as they arise
Purposefully pixel-free Ceiling panels are key in vehicle shoots, keeping reflections consistent across every surface – but sometimes they can be fussy. Due to the studio’s particular architecture, “we needed a bespoke solution to achieve reflection perfection,” says Phibbs. “Our R&D process yielded a new workflow, supplementing ultra high-resolution LED side panels with a tilting, positionable reflective top screen that produces pixel-free images in the windshield, side windows and bodywork from all typical camera angles. “Productions need to source the digital driving plate for the LED wall,”
the (relatively) small but mighty space can handle “close-ups, mid-shots and typical in-vehicle dialogue scenes for high-end film and TV, using tried-and- tested virtual production processes.” A 1.5mm pitch curved LED wall wraps the circular stage, displaying virtual backdrops in 8K. The studio is excited to roll out the next phase in its technical development plan, which addresses common pain points that arise when working with reflective surfaces. “Our studio configuration called for a bespoke workflow that matched our approach to lighting vehicles,” says Phibbs. Enter a hybrid solution.
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