For decades, we’ve been shooting talent and products on green, and adding photo-realistic 3D graphics in post-production to finalize the shot. This is the foundation of a visual effects shot (VFX). It was (and still is) very much a two-stage process… Virtual production in most cases makes this a one-step process, by enabling the VFX shot to be captured on set, in camera, and in real-time. Virtual production saves time, money, and is much more efficient. But it does require more preparation.

The enablers…

The “enablers” for virtual production are real-time photo-realistic graphics engines (like Epic Games’ Unreal Engine, or Unity’s 3D engine) coupled with precision camera/lens tracking. Using these technologies means that we can put talent or products into any photo-realistic environment we like, whenever we like, and even change the environment at a push of a button.

How costs are cut.

Here’s the bottom line. Content Creators, both big and small, are always looking for ways to reduce cost and maximize efficiency.

Flying across the globe to different sets for numerous locations, and using crazy resources (as well as a large roster of talent) is no longer cutting it. Producers, kiss those days away. Seriously.

With Virtual Set tech, we’re now able to immerse talent in previously impossible environments or environments that would have been very expensive to build with physical sets. Now, we can achieve this in a highly seamless fashion, in a very cost effective way.

Bye-bye physics.

No longer tied to the laws of physics, you don’t have to chase that golden hour any longer… You can harness the golden hour all day long if you like. Ahhhhh… Yes, “weather days” are truly a thing of the past.

As the Coast Guard said to the ship’s Captain…
VADA A BORDO CAZZO!