“I always had faith that this would work because of the team we put together.”

Bill Bracken, Supervising Producer

Parades, fireworks, Christmas specials – Bill Bracken eats live holiday chaos for breakfast and never breaks a candy cane. So we asked him to reminisce about cramming all 12 Days of Christmas into a 72-hour ‘final pixel’ shoot for Jimmy Fallon and NBC.

“Alex wasn’t sure we could pull it off, because The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon’s shooting schedule left only three days for us to shoot this,” recounted Bill Bracken, the Supervising Producer on Jimmy Fallon’s Holiday Seasoning Spectacular. “But I knew Alex likes to work fast. I knew our director, who used to direct SNL, likes to work fast, she knows Fallon, and she has the skills to capture the comedy and the action on three cameras.”

Bill explained, “You couldn’t have too many cameras with this technology. We did it with three cameras and did multiple passes. So once we established that Cobalt could bring their technology down to Manhattan, we knew we could put this all together.”

“Also from SNL and very creative, our production designer was also used to working quickly. The writers kept refining the material right up until the end, which meant we had to stay nimble,” Bill noted, continuing, “Scheduling Jimmy Fallon’s celebrity guests was another challenge. We got in on Thursday, set up on Friday, looked at cameras on Saturday, rehearsed on Sunday, and shot on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.”  The schedule unfolded like a shaken snow globe. Weird Al only had Monday. The Roots only had Monday – and a cast of child actors to boot. 

“Having such a strong collaboration made that possible. We pulled together the right team and everyone contributed.” By the time Mariah Carey floated in like a perfectly timed snowflake, we knew this was one of those productions that reminds you, this is why we do this.

“It really was the people,” Bracken affirmed.

Stay tuned for the full Reel Histories: Jimmy Fallon’s Virtual Wonderland — 12 Sets, 3 Cameras, No Do-Overs. Premieres Sept. 15.

“Jimmy and his team would love to have 1000 chipmunks on the set.” – Bill Bracken, Supervising Producer

On paper, it seemed impossible: an NBC holiday spectacular, with a dozen celebrity appearances, a dozen unique environments, and just three days to shoot it on three synchronized, tracked cameras. The production became a master class in high-stakes collaboration and choosing creative freedom over fear.

Stay tuned!

Reel Histories kicks off Monday, September 1st, with “Jimmy Fallon’s Virtual Wonderland: 12 Sets, 3 Cameras, No Do-Overs.”

FAQs about “Cobalt on the Road” MOBILE Virtual Production.

Welcome to Cobalt Stages, where we redefine image quality and elevate your creative vision to new heights. Are you ready to take your productions from standard to stunning? 

Look no further. We’re as passionate about image crafting as you are.

To inspire creativity at the highest level, we make some of our most cutting-edge equipment available to you when you rent our world-class soundstages.

Introducing our arsenal of high-end production tools designed to transform your projects!!!

Mo-Sys? Like that guy with the beard?

We hear it all the time. Moses this, Moses that. Why are we always talking about Moses?

The Mo-Sys VP Pro VFX is a complete solution for our Virtual Production needs. It comes with a full suite of creative tools that will embed directly in the Unreal Engine for augmented graphics, virtual sets, and overall mixed reality.

In our Mo-Sys Production Suite, we offer:

High-Quality Camera Tracking

The StarTracker optical tracking system is called that because it looks at ‘Stars’ on the ceiling. These are small, retro-reflective stickers, randomly applied to the studio ceiling or onto the floor. 

The StarTracker’s LED sensor (mounted on the studio camera) then shines infrared light at the stars. In turn, the system remembers the ‘StarMap’. StarTracker reports the position and orientation of the studio camera in real time to the rendering engine.

Absolute Tracking

The StarTracker system does not drift, unlike mechanical encoded pedestals that work on dead-reckoning and accumulate error with distance traveled. Since StarTracker is always referencing itself to its star map, its position is absolute and drift-free.

Freedom of Movement

StarTracker has unlimited freedom of movement and gives accurate position, rotation and lens data in real-time.

This makes the StarTracker system ideal for Steadicam and handheld. You can rotate the studio camera 360 degrees, and move it to any position in the studio, even right to the edge, as long as enough “stars” are in sight of the tracking camera. 

Whereas other systems are often restricted in their tracking volume, StarTracker works in studios between 9 to 60 ft in height.

Post-Production

While the StarTracker enables on-set visualization in real-time, as well as scene blocking in virtual worlds, it will also provide timecode synchronization and an FBX export.

This captured data allows you to efficiently drop the recorded data and footage into post-production software.

Cobalt combines state-of-the-art stages and savvy production solutions – a true all-in-one answer. Decades of firsthand experience showed us the value of a fully equipped, turnkey production campus, so we created Cobalt to encompass our values of hospitality, superior support, innovative technology and unprecedented accessibility. 

Cobalt was the first to offer Virtual Production to the East Coast film community in 2015. We are woman owned and led. 

Take advantage of our amazing inventory of production tools and elevate your image for your next project with us!

Let’s Talk.

A Dive into Virtual Production Technology

Exploring the Cinematic Revolution

Why move your production to Italy, when you can recreate the entire experience in a studio? In today’s economy, it just makes sense to explore the advantages of virtual reality. It’s a technology that helps filmmakers create entirely new worlds in which to tell their stories, while being mindful of budget constraints.

The global Virtual Production market size is expected to grow at an annual rate (CAGR) of 14.80% during 2025-2032.  This new technology continues to evolve due to the escalating demand for high-quality content, an increasing number of streaming brands, and the expansion of “over-the-top” (OTT) platforms.

All of these factors continue to drive the market and feed the curiosity for virtual technology. In this blog, we take a short journey through the evolution of Virtual Production (VP) including what it is, how it’s used, and future trends that will put your production ahead of the curve.

Virtual Production in a Nutshell

To succinctly describe this technology, Virtual Production refers to a filmmaking technique that combines traditional filmmaking with the use of computer-generated elements in real-time.

This strategy involves the integration of physical set elements and actors with virtual environments and effects. These experiences are often facilitated by advanced technologies like motion capture and real-time rendering engines.

Key components of Virtual Production include:

• Virtual Sets: Digital environments and backgrounds that are created and manipulated in real-time. This allows filmmakers to shoot scenes in fantastical or challenging locations without having to leave the studio.
• Real-time Rendering Engines: Advanced computer graphics systems that generate high-quality visuals in real-time. This enables filmmakers to view virtual elements on set as they shoot and live composite.
• Motion Capture: Recording the movement of actors or objects to animate digital characters or enhance the movements of virtual elements.
• Virtual Tracking Cameras: Cameras are equipped with tracking tech that deliver camera position and orientation to the host computer in real-time. This move metadata drives all CG assets, then allowing for the completely rock-solid integration of the virtual and practical worlds.
• LED Walls: Large LED screens are sometimes used as both photographic backplates and lighting sources. This technology is best used when your shoot has a need for interactive lighting and reflections. You’ve seen them used in shows like “The Mandalorian”.
• Green Screen: A proven cost effective technology while enabling the same live action compositing as LED Walls at a much lower price point and enables easy post-production CG modifications, if needed. You’ve seen it used in movies like “Thor: Love and Thunder”.

Where Did Virtual Production Come From?

Australian film director, Clayton Jacobson, first had the idea of building upon existing green screen technology while filming a TV commercial for detergent in 2003. Watching his son play 3D video games inspired him to develop tools for Virtual Production.

Eventually, in 2016, Jacobson and his son made one of the first prototypes for a Virtual Production stage in their shed using a set of LED screens.

Also in 2016, Dir/DP Alex Fernbach and Kara Vedder President of Cobalt Stages were the first to bring the Lightcraft VP technology to their soundstage in Hoboken, NJ.

Virtual Production in Action

The technology didn’t really catch on until 2018. It was then that an Australian cinematographer, Greig Fraser, used the technology to film the Star Wars franchise spin-off series, “The Mandalorian”.

The Star Wars team installed huge LED walls linked to powerful computers that ran Unreal Engine gaming software (used for video games like Fortnite) combining production with post-production.

They called this soundstage “The Volume”.

Technically Speaking

Virtual Production merges the practical world with computer generated environments. Behind this technology are machines that render real-time composites on-set. This type of process enables filmmakers to see virtual elements integrated with live-action. Established brands like Mo-Sys offer Virtual Production solutions, VP training, camera tracking, robotics, motion capture, and remote production technology. Cobalt Stages uses the integrated Mo-Sys system for both LED and green screen VP methodologies by combining:

• Mo-sys Star Tracker
• Black Magic 4K recorders
• Ultimatte 12 Keyer
• And 2 ThreadRipper PCs hosting both UE 4.7 and 5.3

The Step-by-Step Process of Virtual Production

1. Pre-visualization: Scenes are planned and visualized digitally prior to shooting. This enables filmmakers to make creative decisions regarding framing, lighting, and camera movement. This also reduces the fumbling often experienced during a typical production.
2. Real-Time Production: Using green screens and/or LED walls, actors can be placed within these pre-designed environments in real-time.
3. Capture in Camera: The live composited scenes are then captured in-camera reducing the need for extensive, post-production work.

Who’s Using Virtual Production?

The more appropriate question these days is, “Who isn’t?” Virtual Production is normal.

Here are a few examples of productions where VP has been a huge success:

Television

• Fallout
• 1899
• The Mandalorian
• House of the Dragon
• Silo

Feature Films

• Superman
• Dune: Part Two
• Barbie
• The Irishman
• Bullet Train

The Top Benefits of Virtual Production

Virtual Production combines your physical world with intuitive graphics and imaginative design. However, it’s also incredibly cost-effective and efficient, saving production companies valuable time and money. It even cuts back on waste.

In large productions, hundreds of thousands can be spent on set fabrication, and demolished sets produce significant waste. When using Virtual Production, sets are confined to a 3D virtual space, keeping unnecessary waste away from Mother Earth.

Click here for an explainer video on Virtual Production.

Today, Virtual Production is a critical tool to cut costs, inspire ingenuity, and streamline the very nature of traditional filmmaking. VP brings about enhanced creative control while reducing logistical constraints.

Are you ready to get started shooting with Virtual?

Lets talk.

As fireworks light up the sky this week, we’re taking a moment to appreciate the freedom we have to create, collaborate, and tell meaningful stories.

Whether you’re on set, off the grid, or just enjoying a well-earned break, we hope this Fourth of July brings a little extra inspiration—and a lot of good company.

Thanks for being part of the Cobalt community. We’re grateful for the chance to support your work and vision!

Happy Fourth!!! 🇺🇸

—Team Cobalt

Want to learn more about Virtual Production and how to use it?

Let’s talk.

FAQs about “Cobalt on the Road” MOBILE Virtual Production.

Ulster County already sounds great, but wait, wait there’s more!

The Hudson Valley, and Ulster County in particular, is home to jaw dropping nature, gram-worthy shopping, vibrant communities, and countless restaurants with farm-fresh food and cozy and exciting spaces.

We’re fond of a little town called Woodstock. Maybe you’ve heard of it?

Called the “Most Famous Small Town in the World,” Woodstock, New York is where the 1969 music festival famously took place. Say “Woodstock” and the legendary Summer of Love concert immediately springs to mind.

The nation’s oldest arts and crafts colony, Byrdcliffe, which dates back to 1903 is in Woodstock. While you can still get Woodstock-era beads, tie-dye, and glitter, these days you’re more likely to find modern art, jewelry, and clothing in the Village Green, at the center of town, as well as restaurants and plenty of live music venues that keep the scene thriving.

Want to pamper yourself a bit between days on location or after your production (or during)? Woodstock has you covered all the way from cute BnBs to the Tibetan Buddhist monastery that is next to our Overlook Mountain trailhead ✨. Anyway, there’s something for everyone in your cast and crew (and YOU of course).

If you’re looking for a snack or a drink, pop into Good Night— one of our favorites and the best in the area. The vibe is après ski lodge meets gin joint lounge (the couches are to die for). We recommend the East Coast oysters for a real taste of old New York in the Hudson Valley, (our personal fav is the Crispy Shrimp with Shishito Peppers).

Let’s talk soon about Ulster County!

A New Hybrid Virtual Production Workflow

At Cobalt, you know we’re always trying to figure out next-level cost-effective efficiencies 😉  We feel a “Hybrid” Virtual Production workflow, which combines different production methods, may be the answer. Small to medium budget projects and corporate content producers are under increasing pressure to create more-for-less with the current state of the film industry and economic issues, at large.

The origin of hybrid Virtual Production lies in the need to blend traditional and modern techniques to maximize efficiency and creativity.

Here’s the thing… Many people mistakenly use Virtual Production as a synonym for LED wall filming. In reality, Virtual Production can cover everything from LED walls to green screen, blue screen and much more.

So, when talking about Virtual Production, there is a misconception that its rise in popularity will mean that LED walls are going to take over from green screen production. Not true at all. They believe that huge LED volumes will be required to film what they need, when in fact, if you MIX smaller LED walls with green screen, then you don’t need a huge volume to shoot big projects, at all. With a Hybrid Virtual Production workflow, it can all be achieved within a relatively small space, without splashing out on big expensive volumes.

Hybrid Virtual Production Workflow

Virtual Production for small and mid-range budgets has been somewhat neglected in all the LED Virtual Production hype, yet these are the types of projects that would benefit the most from what it has to offer by increasing production value within the same budget. Virtual Production thrives on constraints. The moment you’re limited by budget or location, VP kicks in – and that’s where it gets highly efficient. It is a powerful tool which can enable production in seemingly far away and exotic locations, which would break most budgets.

For example, when filming with LED volumes, you need to bring set builders in to create a seamless joint between the real-world studio and virtual scene displayed on the LED wall, and then you can’t have natural shadows… That means your digital advantage of switching from one scene to the next for super fast production is now out the window. You have to build the floor for every different scene, which complicates things and is the opposite of what people expect with LED wall filming, which has a reputation for being more efficient.

This is why a lot of LED wall demos are actually done with sand as you can pour it out and move it quickly for easy set building. But we can’t just keep filming on beaches and deserts or far away planets… When people look back on work filmed in Virtual Production, I’ll bet they’ll know it was shot between 2021-2022 just by noting the sand used for the floor!

With green screen, on the other hand, you can film the floor as it’s part of the scene you want, along with the shadows cast, making it look more realistic. Easy freakin’ peasy.

Looking at the advantages and disadvantages of both styles of filming, it would make sense to use each for its benefits. That’s why we tend to like a Hybrid Virtual Production workflow which combines the two – filming on green screen for wide shots where you’ll need to film the floor, and then switching to LED volumes in the same studio for mid and close-up shots 🙂

LED walls work really well for this, particularly if your actor is wearing glasses or something reflective, which in green screen causes a green colour spill, (this can be removed by the more experienced Director of Photography like what our Alex Fernbach did for our latest NBC project). Green spill is much more forgiving in wide shots where you’re further away from the actors. In LED, it just reflects the scene spill around them which is more realistic.

So your actors are shooting on green screen, and once they move over to the LED wall in the same studio, someone can prepare the green screen and its foreground props for the next scene. It all just creates further efficiency on set and throughout production.

All these misconceptions and misunderstandings mean that there is some further education needed within this space. And that’s not surprising seeing as this is a fairly new way of filming. Not only that, it’s a completely new workflow, which through preparation and pre-production, drastically reduces post production and filming time.  In fact, much of what has historically been considered “post work” is now done in PRE production and finished during actual production shoot days.

Want to learn more about Virtual Production and how to use it?

Let’s talk.

FAQs about “Cobalt on the Road” MOBILE Virtual Production.

New York Doubles Down on Film & TV Production — and We’re Ready to Roll

It’s official: New York just made the best film tax incentive in the country even better.

With the signing of the FY2026 State Budget, NY State just gave a big greenlight to a stronger, smarter, and more competitive NYS Film Tax Credit Program. From faster payouts and new indie support to expanded VFX, scoring, and post-production benefits, these updates are a massive win for productions across the board.

Here’s what’s new and worth celebrating:

Quick Highlights:

    · New Indie Support: The Empire State Independent Production Program brings a dedicated $100M fund with faster credit access for indie filmmakers.

        · Production+: A first-in-the-nation incentive giving recurring productions an extra 10% back—if you spend $100M+ across multiple projects in NY.

        · Musical Scoring Bonus: Record with five or more musicians in NY? That’s another 10% back.

        · Post & VFX Perks: New thresholds make it easier to qualify for post, VFX, and animation incentives—spend just $500K or 10%.

       · Above-the-Line Boost: NY removed the per-person cap on ATL expenses, giving you more flexibility without blowing past 40% of total costs.

And yes—it all adds up to more projects, more jobs, and more reasons to shoot in New York.

Lights, Camera, Empire State

Film and TV production is already back in action across the state:

· Hallmark and the NFL are teaming up in NY.

· Only Murders in the Building is back at it.

· Apple TV’s Your Friends and Neighbors, Netflix’s Zero Day, and The Penguin all wrapped major projects across the boroughs and beyond—bringing hundreds of millions into local economies.

Our Take:  They know what’s up.

FAQs About Cobalt Tech

Summer’s Heating Up in Ulster County—and We’re Loving It

Here in Ulster County, the days are getting longer, the greens are getting greener, and the energy? It’s dialed all the way up. Whether you’re basking in the golden-hour light of the Shawangunks or vibing out at a local festival, this corner of the Hudson Valley is summer’s secret sauce.

We’re lucky enough to call this place home, and it never stops inspiring us—from the moss-covered boulders of the Mohonk Preserve to the creative pulse running through every corner of Kingston and Woodstock.

Nature’s Calling, Loud and Clear

There’s something kind of cinematic about Ulster County. Maybe it’s the way the sun filters through the trees on the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail, or the sheer drama of the cliffs at Minnewaska. Sam’s Point? Otherworldly. The Gunks? A rock climber’s paradise. It’s no wonder more and more productions are heading north for a backdrop that practically directs itself.

But even if you’re not scouting locations, the outdoors here offer plenty of action—hike it, bike it, paint it, shoot it. Just don’t forget your bug spray (we keep it classy, but we keep it real).

So, What’s Happening This Season?

Whether you’re local or just passing through, Ulster County’s summer calendar is stacked. Here are a few events we’re marking on our calendars:

Phoenicia Festival of the Voice – Aug 1–3

Opera, gospel, and musical theater under the stars? Yes, please. This tiny town gets loud (in the best way).

Ulster County Fair – July 29–Aug 3

A classic with carnival rides, agricultural shows, and deep-fried everything. Held in New Paltz, it’s fun for the whole crew.

Food Truck Fiesta – Monthly on May 20, June 17, July 15, Aug 19 & Sept 16

Live music, cold drinks, and your pick of food trucks. It’s the chillest way to spend a Thursday night in Bloomington.

Good Life Market + Party – July 26

A one-day event packed with local makers, music, and sunshine at the Griffin House. Come for the vibe, stay for the vintage finds.

Still Dreaming?

We get it. With this much natural beauty and creative fuel in the air, it’s hard not to get swept up. Whether you’re storyboarding your next shoot, location scouting, or just looking for a fresh weekend escape, Ulster County’s got you.

And hey—if you need a base camp, Cobalt is just around the corner.

FAQs About Cobalt Tech

Cobalt’s balance.

Yin and Yang ~

And why it matters to your production

Symmetry in Studio Life

In the Eastern tradition, harmony happens when opposite forces are in balance—yin and yang, dark and light, hot and cold, productivity and creativity. To make the Cobalt experience as harmonious as possible for everyone who works here, we try to strike the ideal balance of yin and yang elements. For example, while our turnkey soundstage is keenly focused on hardware and technology, we balance those aspects with a layer of warm hospitality, comfort, and calm.

It’s a Yang Thang

We offer so many tools that we’ve been compared to a Swiss Army Knife—think networked monitors, motion control rigs, and grip gear for days… even a scissor lift and wood shop! If it’s solid and hard-edged, we’ve got you covered. Whether it’s mechanical, like our MoCo tools, or digital, like our amazing Virtual Production System—it’s here at Cobalt. So, how do we balance out the industrial feel of our technical toolbox?

The Yin Within

The essence of any production is people, so we include amenities that make the space feel human. Throughout the studio, essential oil diffusers remind everyone to breathe and be mindful—an effortless way to boost creativity and productivity on set. Lavender for heart-opening and anti-anxiety… Lemon for a little pep in your step. You get to choose! To bring out the best in your talent, Cobalt’s hair, makeup, and wardrobe area has salon-quality styling tools, as well as robes & slippers for a spa-like vibe. Last but not least, Cobalt’s client suite is a comfortable, private oasis with chill leather couches and a networked Video Village for optimal connectivity. There’s even a massage chair! When ordering lighting and grip supplementals before your shoot, why not order a supplemental massage and show your clients how much they matter?

Self-Care to Go

Kara also has a degree in Health Sciences and has launched a USDA Certified Organic skincare brand, Kara Care Skin Food, which has earned multiple awards and has been featured in Elle, Redbook, and Organic Authority. Kara’s passion for holistic therapies was a driving force behind Cobalt’s transformation into a green facility.

Don’t forget to ask Kara for a sample of her Skin Food!

Let’s talk.