Virtual Production Fundamentals

Virtual production is evolving into the industry standard for producing content at all budget levels and genres. A report in the Wall Street Journal estimates productions can save up to 40% of their budget using virtual production.There are initial costs and time associated with system set up, but once your virtual production workflow is established, opportunities to stretch your budget and shorten production times immediately become available.

The rapid development of technology is enabling smaller production studios to take advantage of the workflow for higher productivities and to create new value drivers.

What is Virtual Production?

Imagine you’re making a movie or a video. Traditionally, you’d build physical sets, travel to different locations, and use green screens to add special effects later.

Virtual production changes this by using advanced technology to create realistic environments and effects on a computer. These digital sets can be displayed on large LED screens behind the actors, making it look like they’re in a different place without actually being there, or by filming actors in front of a green screen and instantly replace the green background with a digital environment using special software. This process is called live compositing.

One of the coolest aspects of virtual production is that it can happen in real-time. This means you can see the final look of a scene while you’re filming it.

Why is Virtual Production Valuable?

Here are some key benefits of virtual production:

- Cost Savings: You can save money on building physical sets, traveling to locations, and other logistical expenses. Everything can be created digitally, which can be more cost-effective.

- Flexibility and Control: You can make changes to the set, lighting, and effects in real-time. This means you can experiment and adjust things on the fly without having to wait for post-production.

- Time Efficiency: Since you can see the final look of a scene while filming, you can make quicker decisions and reduce the time spent in post-production. Green screen virtual production also allows for quick changes to backgrounds and environments.

- Enhanced Creativity: Virtual production allows you to create environments and effects that might be impossible or too expensive to achieve in the real world. This opens up new creative possibilities. Green screen technology further expands these possibilities by enabling seamless integration of actors into any digital environment.

- Revenue Opportunities: By reducing costs and speeding up production, you can produce more content in less time. This can lead to more projects and, ultimately, more revenue.

Why Add Virtual Production to Your Pipeline?

- Competitive Edge: Adopting cutting-edge technology can set you apart from competitors and attract clients looking for innovative solutions.

- Scalability: Virtual production can be scaled to fit projects of any size, from small videos to large-scale films.

- Future-Proofing: As the industry moves towards more digital solutions, integrating virtual production ensures you’re keeping up with the latest trends and technologies.

01 - Choose Your Stage Setup

Let’s break down the advantages of both LED stages and green screen stages:

Advantages of LED Stages

Real-Time Visuals:

  • What It Is: LED stages use large screens to display digital backgrounds in real-time.

  • Why It Matters: You can see the final look of a scene while you’re filming it. This means you can make adjustments on the spot, saving time and ensuring everything looks perfect.

Immersive Experience:

  • What It Is: Actors perform in front of realistic digital environments displayed on LED screens.

  • Why It Matters: This helps actors feel more immersed in the scene, leading to better performances. It also means you don’t have to imagine the background; you can see it right there.

Natural Lighting:

  • What It Is: The LED screens emit light that matches the digital environment.

  • Why It Matters: This creates natural reflections and lighting on the actors and props, making the scene look more realistic without the need for extensive post-production work.

Flexibility:

  • What It Is: You can change the background, weather, and lighting with just a few clicks.

  • Why It Matters: This allows for quick changes and experimentation, giving you more creative control.

Advantages of Green Screen Stages

Cost-Effective:

  • What It Is: Green screens are large green backdrops that can be replaced with any digital background during post-production.

  • Why It Matters: Setting up a green screen is relatively inexpensive compared to building physical sets or using LED stages.

Versatility:

  • What It Is: You can film in front of a green screen and replace the background with any environment you want later.

  • Why It Matters: This gives you the flexibility to create any setting without needing to travel or build elaborate sets.

Established Workflow:

  • What It Is: Green screen technology has been used for a long time and is well-understood by filmmakers.

  • Why It Matters: Many production teams are already familiar with the process, making it easier to integrate into existing workflows.

Post-Production Control:

  • What It Is: You can fine-tune the background and effects during post-production.

  • Why It Matters: This allows for precise control over the final look of the scene, especially useful for complex visual effects.

Which One to Choose?

  • LED Stages: Great for real-time adjustments, natural lighting, and immersive experiences. Ideal if you want to see the final look while filming and make quick changes.

  • Green Screen Stages: Cost-effective and versatile, with a well-established workflow. Perfect if you’re looking for flexibility in post-production and have a tighter budget.

LED Stage

Greenscreen Stage

02 - Choose Camera Tracking System

What is Camera Tracking?

Camera tracking is a technology used in filmmaking and virtual production to track the position and movement of a camera in real-time. Think of it as a way to know exactly where the camera is and how it’s moving at all times. This information is crucial because it allows the virtual environment to move and change perspective in sync with the camera, making everything look realistic.

How Does Camera Tracking Work?

Here’s a basic rundown of how camera tracking works:
1. Tracking Markers: Small reflective markers or sensors are placed on the camera or around the set. These markers help the tracking system know the exact position and orientation of the camera.

2. Tracking System: There are different types of tracking systems, but they all serve the same purpose. Some use optical sensors (cameras that see the markers), while others use mechanical sensors (like motors and gyroscopes) to track the camera’s movements.

3. Data Processing: The tracking system sends the camera’s position and movement data to a computer. This computer uses special software to process the data and match it with the virtual environment.

4. Real-Time Rendering: The computer then adjusts the virtual environment in real-time to match the camera’s movements. This means that as the camera moves, the virtual background moves in sync, creating a seamless and realistic effect.

Camera Tracking & Virtual Production:

In a virtual production stage, camera tracking is used to combine live-action footage with digital environments. Here’s how it all comes together:

1. Setup: The camera is equipped with tracking markers or sensors. The virtual environment is created using software like Unreal Engine.

2. Filming: As the camera moves around the set, the tracking system continuously sends data about its position and movement to the computer.

3. Live Compositing: The computer uses this data to adjust the virtual environment in real-time. If you’re using a green screen, the computer replaces the green background with the digital environment instantly. This process is called live compositing.

4. Real-Time Preview: The director and crew can see the final shot, with the live-action footage and virtual environment combined, on a monitor while filming. This allows them to make adjustments on the fly and ensures everything looks perfect.

Here are some of the popular tracking options available:

03 - Choose Render Engine

What is a Render Engine?

A render engine is a software tool that takes 3D models and scenes and converts them into high-quality images or animations. It handles the complex calculations needed to simulate lighting, shadows, textures, and other visual effects to create realistic or stylized visuals.

How Does a Render Engine Work in Real-Time?

  1. Input Data: The render engine starts with various inputs, including:

    • 3D Models: These are the objects and characters created by artists.

    • Textures: These are the surface details applied to the 3D models to give them color and detail.

    • Lighting Information: This includes the position, intensity, and color of light sources in the scene.

    • Camera Settings: This defines the perspective from which the scene is viewed.

  2. Real-Time Rendering: The render engine processes all this data in real-time to generate the final images. It calculates how light interacts with surfaces, how shadows are cast, and how textures appear under different lighting conditions. This real-time capability is crucial for live-to-tape production, where the final visuals need to be ready immediately with minimal post-production.

  3. Output: The result is a series of high-quality images or frames that can be used directly in the final production.

How Does a Render Engine Work with LED Stages?

  1. Setup: Large LED screens are set up around the stage to display digital backgrounds.

  2. Real-Time Integration: The render engine generates the digital backgrounds in real-time, matching the camera’s movements and perspective.

  3. Live Preview: As the actors perform, the director and crew can see the final combined shot (live-action footage with digital backgrounds) on monitors. This allows for immediate adjustments and ensures everything looks perfect without needing extensive post-production.

How Does a Render Engine Work with Green Screen Live Compositing?

  1. Setup: Actors perform in front of a green screen.

  2. Real-Time Compositing: The render engine replaces the green background with the digital environment in real-time. This process is known as live compositing.

  3. Live Preview: Similar to LED stages, the director and crew can see the final combined shot on monitors as it is being filmed. This allows for immediate adjustments and ensures the scene looks as intended without needing extensive post-production.

How to Choose the Right Render Engine?

There are several areas to be considered:

  1. Stage Compatibility: Depending on your stage setup, some software work better with a XR workflow and some software performs better with a green screen.

  2. Output Quality: Each software has added features for scene integration such as shadow and reflections, as well as color tuning and artifact removal mechanisms.  

  3. Overall Cost: Most of these software uses a subscription based pricing model, and require specific hardware to perform properly. Some require leasing custom hardware directly from the providers. Most will require special video card with genlock and other necessary production functions.

  4. Ease of Use: Some render engines have a steeper learning curve than others. Consider the time and resources required to train your team. A user-friendly interface can significantly improve productivity and reduce the time spent on routine tasks.

  5. Versatility: Some of these software can handle all 3 major categories of virtual production: virtual set (VS), augmented graphics (AR), and extended LED wall (XR) productions. When selecting the software, you should consider both your current needs and future expansions.

Here are some of the popular tracking options available:

04 - Build Your VP Workflow

With the setup in place, it is time to put the system to work. To ensure successful productions, here are the key areas of focus:

1. Content Creation Team

  • Expertise in Real-Time Graphics: To leverage the limitless creative freedom of real-time virtual production, the content team needs to have an expert understanding of how real-time graphics can be utilized by the render engine. FPS (Frames Per Second) is crucial. If the render cannot run smoothly at the targeted FPS, it will instantly be a show killer.

2. Technical Artist

  • Interactive Events: To utilize the advantages of using a real-time game engine such as Unreal Engine, an experienced technical artist can set up various interactive events that can transform your linear programming into something more immersive and interactive.

  • Live Data Connections: Knowledge of creating live data connections and building user-friendly control interfaces for operators is also required.

3. On-Staff Engineering Team & Operators

  • System Maintenance and Operation: It is essential to have knowledgeable staff who can maintain, QC (Quality Control) the system, and operate it during on-air time or shoots.

  • Technical Understanding: The engineer should have a thorough understanding of tracking, signal, timecode, and other data transmission-related workflows to ensure the system works smoothly.

  • Operational Knowledge: The operator will need to have solid knowledge of the workflow and how to control the graphics, as well as any type of interactivities that need to be triggered during on-air time.

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