University of Bristol Partners with Lux Machina to Bring Cutting-Edge Virtual Production Technology to New Creative Facility

How does a virtual production stage work?

Virtual production stages, or LED volumes or virtual sets, represent a significant advancement in film and television production technology. By combining large LED screens, real-time rendering engines, and camera tracking systems, virtual production stages allow filmmakers to create immersive, photorealistic environments seamlessly blending practical and digital elements. This article provides a technical overview of virtual production stages and their applications for undergraduate students in film, media, and related fields.

Components of a Virtual Production Stage

A typical virtual production stage consists of several key components:

1. LED Screens: The primary visual element of a virtual production stage is a large, high-resolution LED screen or a series of connected screens forming a curved or angled wall. These screens display real-time rendered environments, visual effects, or pre-rendered content. Common LED panel types used in virtual production include:
   • ROE Visual Diamond Series (2.6mm pitch)
   • ROE Visual Carbon Series (5.7mm pitch)
   • Absen Aries Series (2.9mm pitch)
2. LED Processors: LED processors, such as those manufactured by Brompton Technology, handle the LED screens’ video processing and colour management. These processors ensure accurate colour reproduction, low latency, and smooth playback of high-resolution content.
3. Real-time Rendering Engines: Virtual production stages rely on powerful real-time rendering engines, such as Unreal Engine or Unity, to generate and display photorealistic environments on the LED screens. These engines allow for the creation of complex 3D scenes, lighting, and visual effects that respond to camera position and movement changes.
4. Camera Tracking Systems: To maintain the illusion of a seamless virtual environment, the camera’s position and movement must be precisely tracked and synchronized with the rendered content on the LED screens. Camera tracking systems, such as those developed by Mo-Sys, Ncam, or Stype, use a combination of optical sensors, inertial measurement units (IMUs), and encoders to capture the camera’s six degrees of freedom (6DOF) data in real time.
5. Workflow Integration: Virtual production stages require a tight integration of various software and hardware components to ensure a smooth and efficient workflow. This may include:
   • Virtual production control software (e.g., disguise, Pixera)
   • Real-time compositing and colour grading tools (e.g., Unreal Engine Composure, Pomfort Livegrade)
   • On-set previsualization and virtual scouting tools (e.g., Unreal Engine display, Unity MARS)

Virtual production stages offer numerous benefits and applications for film and television production:

1. Increased Creative Control: Virtual production stages enable greater creative control over the final image by allowing filmmakers to visualize and interact with digital environments in real-time. Directors, cinematographers, and VFX supervisors can immediately adjust the virtual set, lighting, and camera angles without extensive post-production work.
2. Enhanced Performances: Actors can perform within a more immersive and interactive environment, as they can see and respond to the virtual elements surrounding them. This can lead to more natural and authentic performances instead of acting against a green screen.
3. Cost and Time Savings: Virtual production stages can reduce the need for location shoots, set construction, and extensive post-production visual effects work. By digitally creating photorealistic environments, productions can save on travel, lodging, and other associated costs while streamlining the production timeline.
4. Improved Collaboration: Virtual production stages foster closer collaboration between different departments, including direction, cinematography, production design, and visual effects. Working together in a shared virtual space allows creative teams to make informed decisions and solve problems more efficiently.
5. Sustainability: By reducing the need for physical set construction and location travel, virtual production stages can contribute to more environmentally friendly and sustainable production practices.

Several high-profile film and television productions have successfully utilized virtual production stages, demonstrating the technology’s potential:

1. The Mandalorian (Disney+): This Star Wars series extensively used a large LED volume powered by Unreal Engine to create photorealistic alien landscapes and environments.
2. The Batman (2022): The film employed a virtual production stage to create Gotham City environments and enhance the film’s visual style.
3. The Lion King (2019): While not using an LED volume, the film’s production heavily relied on virtual production techniques, with the entire film being shot in a VR environment using Unity engine.
4. Westworld (HBO): The series used a virtual production stage to create complex, immersive environments that blended practical and digital elements seamlessly.

Virtual production stages represent a significant shift in the way films and television shows are produced, offering filmmakers unprecedented creative control, flexibility, and efficiency. As the technology continues to evolve and become more accessible, it is likely that virtual production will become an increasingly essential tool for the next generation of filmmakers and content creators. By understanding the technical foundations and applications of virtual production stages, undergraduate students can position themselves at the forefront of this exciting and transformative field.