Our Field Trip to Mo-Sys!

Our field trip to Mo-Sys.

After our production job in Los Angeles.

In case you aren’t familiar… Mo-Sys is an award-winning, world-renowned manufacturer of virtual production solutions. We’ve been watching them VERY closely, and have been headed down the virtual path with them for a while now (wink wink). We met with the Mo-Sys guys at NAB and Cinegear; but then, we really decided to take the bull by the horns, and meet with them at their own laboratory after producing our verite commercial spots in Los Angeles.

Our visit to the Mo-Sys facilities did not disappoint. We were greeted with an impressive assortment of high-end gear. The future of filmmaking was paraded right out in front of us. The Mo-Sys demonstrations were eye opening, and while we’ve known that tech like this has been around for a while now, to see ONE state of the art system work for both a green-screen AND an LED application was pretty darn cool…

The hardware.

The Mo-Sys virtual production system was exactly what we’d hoped it would be. The design and form factor was tidy and impressive; the operating system was extremely well designed; and in most cases, it obviated the need for the sometimes problematic ‘Brain Bar’.

Their VSet solution enables a wide range of implementation options, from simple camera tracking metadata to be used in post, to full up ‘final pixel’ 4K composites, and everything else in between. You really can’t ask for more than that. It was impressive to see, to feel, to know that this technology not only exists but is, in fact, now the Industry standard. The world of filmmaking is exploding into the virtual realm, and our one-on-one with Mo-Sys seriously confirmed it. Thank you, Andrew, Vanesa, and Allen!!

The future of film is virtual.

Clearly, Mo-Sys is riding our kind of wave! Their vision is bold and exciting, and their VSet solution would easily complement our full suite of services at Cobalt. Hmmmm….. Imagine being able to composite your high res 4K Live Action into dynamic, photorealistic Unreal environments with precision camera tracking, while shooting. It’s an end-to-end virtual production solution that can combine pre-viz, production, and post. Now clients can choose the workflow that’s perfect for their virtual project. Yes, color correction and compositing can be done onset while shooting. If this is the future, then sign us up.

Keep a firm eye on this space. The sky is virtually the limit. I think we will have more to say very soon.

Mo-Sys has our undivided attention.

Learn about Virtual Production
and how to use it?

Cobalt’s got you covered. As the first company to offer Virtual Sets on the East Coast, we have the experience to guide you. Let’s have some fun 😉

ASK US ABOUT VIRTUAL

Need Basic Production
solutions and support?

THAT'S EASY - CALL US

Cobalt + Khaite = 2022 Fashion Show

It's kind of a big deal.

Science in the Service of Art.

And when we bring our laboratory to you…this is what it looks like. Our digital, mechanical, hydraulic and robotic production capabilities extend far beyond any we’ve encountered before. With our decades of experience to guide you and our comprehensive inventory of tools and technology, we can help produce for practically any purpose. From a simple product display to programmable robotics, we’re here to help you, quite simply, elevate your image 😉

On Location with Khaite.

Big challenges are usually pretty obvious—but small challenges tend to emerge at the last moment. Cobalt layers in safety nets to ensure that doesn’t happen to you. When you work with us, we ask lots of follow up questions about your production needs because we have the experience to anticipate some of the problems before they happen. Then, when you’re on set, we have a wealth of rigging tools, so if a problem emerges, there’s often a solution, just waiting to be assembled. For example, just 2 weeks ago… The Khaite runway project asked us to program the articulation of a 120LB light, in sync with music cues and other lighting effects. For the 14 minute long move, along a 60 foot track, our Gazelle did a little diddy while the infamous Khaite and 50 of her top-model peers purposed around it.

On Location with Khaite.

Whether it’s getting the camera precisely perpendicular to a product, or keeping an outdoor motion control rig from sinking into the sod, working with us enables your one-of-a-kind production problems to be solved faster, cheaper, easier and better. We’ve invested heavily in versatile, professional rigging gear. For instance, the Berkey system… an erector set for rig building… With our extensive Berkey inventory at Cobalt, you can custom-configure rigs on the fly to create your ideal solution quickly. But that’s not all. In addition to having great rigging gear to support your production needs, we also stock generous quantities of expendables—the tape, the plexiglass and all the odds and ends that, with some ingenuity, can get your production back on track without wasting time.

Speaking of time...

When we talk about motion control and rigging, you might picture a robotic camera crane. Well, that’s part of it… but, in precision camera work, your frame-accurate timing is just as essential as your camera movement. One shoot’s concept: a model walking onstage with the camera following her, and while she walks, her wardrobe changes—feels conceptually simple, right? Tape marked the floor so she knew where to step, but that only solved for space, not time. So how do you ensure that your talent is in the right place at the right time?? In this scenario, we offered a solution through our motion control operating system. It was a bell, rigged to a digital/ analog converter, programmed to ring at ½ second intervals that enabled the model to replicate the identical cadence. The effect was a success. We have a number of interfaces that enable synchronicity. So, go ahead and choreograph a chorus line of runway models! We’re well-equipped to help you work your magic.

Learn about Virtual Production
and how to use it?

Cobalt’s got you covered. As the first company to offer Virtual Sets on the East Coast, we have the experience to guide you. Let’s have some fun 😉

ASK US ABOUT VIRTUAL

Need Basic Production
solutions and support?

THAT'S EASY - CALL US

Cobalt at Cinegear 2022

CINEGEAR: Robots, Good Friends and Virtual Production.

The Cinegear Expo stepped out from NAB’s shadow this year with an amazing display of developing and evolving production tech. Again, Team Cobalt was close by and thought to drop in, and again, we were just blown away by it all! So much is happening and all at once. Where to start?

Robots! Robots! Robots!

There seemed to be as many robots at the expo as there were people. All of the robo-tech companies had amazing new interfaces to the point where the overarching design concept seemed to be the ability to put the controls into the hands of the completely uninitiated AND to have it work fluidly. Yes, there are always trade-offs, but motion control has been hamstrung with the complexity of the interfaces and a multitude of complex function for some time now… The best operating systems were always about increasing functionality and adding advanced features. Today, the calling card is SIMPLICITY – using AR and AI to aid in writing the moves.

All of the interfaces were new custom apps. Some featured a ‘mimic’ mode where the camera op could use their iPhone, or articulate a pendant to create the move gesture, and the robot would glide over to the start position, figure out where the robot base would need to be, and run the move.

Friends: Joe Lewis, Mo-sys, and Rocket Lab

We also stopped by to visit our friend Joe Lewis at General Lift who showed us some of his latest motion control developments, including an articulating chair to critically (and quickly) position subjects for scanning. Joe also showed us his personally-designed, beautiful sub-miniature 3 axis head which he wryly calls the ‘Knucklehead’. Quintessential Joe…! ?Alex says, “Think DykstraFlex addressing the modern camera ‘form factor’ of this digital century.”

Then, we were off to see our friends at Mo-Sys to get a deep dive hands-on experience of their fully integrated Virtual Production solution. It’s arguably the best tracker around that’s integrated to be a complete production solution suitable for shooting either on traditional green screen or in an LED volume.

Also, our friends at Rocket Lab not only had an amazing Staubli based robot, but also breakthrough software AND a cable cam system that can span up to 3 football fields.

For Team Cobalt, it’s been an eye-opening year. Our Airstream tour has taken us from Coast to Coast, from Expo to Expo, and we couldn’t be more thrilled by it all. We love what we have been doing for almost 30 years, what we are doing now, and what we will achieve for our clients in the years ahead. It’s such a remarkable time to be riding the wave.

Stay tuned. More waves to ride! (cue the Beach Boys) ?

Learn about Virtual Production
and how to use it?

Cobalt’s got you covered. As the first company to offer Virtual Sets on the East Coast, we have the experience to guide you. Let’s have some fun 😉

ASK US ABOUT VIRTUAL

Need Basic Production
solutions and support?

THAT'S EASY - CALL US

Cobalt’s Production solutions: From verite to virtual.

iPhone = Collapsing the barrier between cast and crew.

Following our weekend at NAB in Vegas, we put our focus on the task at hand: location shooting on the West Coast, and can you believe it, on four iPhone 13 Pros. Our clients wanted authentic, veritas-style spots capturing the essence of a Carne Asada celebration, and we were dealing with a very non-traditional cast… To the point, the content featured actual families of untrained actors.

From verite to virtual.

Serious challenges were anticipated because of what we believed to be very real limitations. However, those supposed limitations were not limiting at all. In fact, we were more than a bit wowed at how easily and comfortably our talent opened up before the iPhone screen.

As it turns out, the iPhone is truly a magical portal, one that quickly lends itself to organic storytelling. With the removal of heavy, professional camera gear and huge crews, the set felt less like a production, more personal, more intimate. In other words, our cast came to life before the iPhone in ways that just could not have been anticipated.

Barriers collapsed. Real life emerged. Suddenly, it wasn’t a director yelling action, but crazy Aunt Kara and Uncle Alex in the park with family and friends… The results were immediate and remarkable. Our martini shot came and went with the blink of an eye.

Cobalt Productions emerges.

While Team Cobalt and Variety Magazine together celebrate our state-of-the-art Virtual Backlot, with a long list of satisfied clients, we were thrilled to discover that we are more than the sum of our parts. Yes, our stage will be back online shortly. And yet, we could not be more pleased for the chance to adapt and move forward into a bold new space, a simple degree away from our agnostic approach to always find the best way to service our clients.

The recent success of our LA shoots have assured us that now is the time for Cobalt Productions to emerge and compliment our family of professional services to our good friends and clients in the filmmaking community.

Keep a sharp eye on this space. So many exciting details to come!

Learn about Virtual Production
and how to use it?

Cobalt’s got you covered. As the first company to offer Virtual Sets on the East Coast, we have the experience to guide you. Let’s have some fun 😉

ASK US ABOUT VIRTUAL

Need Basic Production
solutions and support?

THAT'S EASY - CALL US

Cobalt embraces the curve.

For years now, Team Cobalt has stayed well ahead of the curve with Virtual Production techniques and capabilities. Our recent spotlight in Variety Magazine is a testament to our growth. No matter the many hurdles and challenges come our way, we have adapted. Remember the Darwin quote about “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent. It is the one that is most adaptable to change?”

And who knew that the curve would become so cool!?!

 

Virtual set technology is hot.

When Industry bigs like Kathleen Kennedy and John Favreau talk, the Industry lends a pretty big ear! And the two had quite a lot to say about their production of ‘The Mandalorian’… In fact, this acclaimed series was the first to ever use Volume technology. Though green and blue screen tech serve as more cost-effective alternatives, LED volumes are impressive and appropriate in certain applications.

The merging of rock-solid camera tracking and final pixel real-time compositing has created new ways of image crafting. These ‘new ways’ are clearly past their birthing stages and are now one of the fastest growing and easily adaptable technologies. Period. We’re proud to say that Cobalt, along with our fast-forward peers, has absolutely disrupted filmmaking and production, along with the entertainment Industry as a whole.

Advancements in film production, postproduction, gaming and even VR (remote) viewership are breaking almost monthly. Filmmakers and audiences alike are adapting on the fly. It’s a remarkable time to be in the biz, to grab the reins and bring storytelling to such new and daring levels.

On that note, we’re sharing the full post here for your enjoyment!

VIEW FULL POST

Ready to learn more about Virtual Sets and how to use them?

Cobalt’s got you covered. As the first studio to offer Virtual Sets publicly on the East Coast, we have the experience to guide you. Let’s have some fun 😉

TALK ABOUT VIRTUAL PRODUCTION

Shoot with Cobalt and take advantage of the New Jersey Tax Credit

CALL US TO FIND OUT MORE

Variety Sends a Wink and a Nod to Cobalt’s ‘Hollywood on the Hudson’

Cobalt has proudly served the a Northeast film community since 1995. In the past 27 years, we have set high standards and created new opportunities for filmmakers and storytellers by way of our innovative turnkey production facility and virtual set campus. We are Hollywood on the Hudson.

And now, after decades of success, we have been blessed with a quick nod from the crown of all things precious in our beloved industry, Variety. Yep, there we are, headlining their article with an in-studio shot of our very own VR stage. Our baby is all grown up and we could not be more proud.

“A turnkey production facility and virtual set campus, Cobalt Stages brings Hollywood to the Hudson.”

What’s next for Cobalt? Well, we are not one for sitting on our literal laurels. Cobalt is breaking new ground, taking on new challenges with our Mobile Virtual Production experience which can, literally, happen any place, anytime, and anywhere. It’s a mobile plug & play solution that we can’t wait to tell you more about 🙂

With our bread-and-butter VFX & motion control experience, coupled with Virtual Production prowess, we are now fully invested in expanding our ability to provide for client needs across the board, across the borders and across the country. As Garrison Wynn once said, “Action and adaptability create opportunity”. And believe me when I say, opportunity is knocking like never before! So, watch this Cobalt space. State of the art is no longer defined by the span of so many years. It’s happening today. And then it’s happening again next week. We’ll see you then!

READ THE VARIETY ARTICLE

Ready to learn more about Virtual Sets and how to use them?

Cobalt’s got you covered. As the first studio to offer Virtual Sets publicly on the East Coast, we have the experience to guide you. Let’s have some fun 😉

TALK ABOUT VIRTUAL PRODUCTION

Shoot with Cobalt and take advantage of the New Jersey Tax Credit

CALL US TO FIND OUT MORE

NAB 2022 - What happens in Vegas, isn't staying in Vegas...

We're bringing home all sorts of Virtual Production goodness!

Cobalt Stages has reached a milestone in our road trip. Our beloved Airstream has arrived at the desert of deserts to attend the premier event for media, technology, and entertainment. Of course, we’re talking about the 2022 National Association of Broadcaster’s big showdown in Vegas! And this time, what happens in Vegas most certainly is NOT staying in Vegas ;)

We are here to embrace and explore the future… VSET is where its at baby..! Did I say, “Virtual Production, here we come???” If not, let me say it again! From advancements in AI to mixed realities… and from VSets to new postproduction techniques… The Industry is clearly on the verge of unprecedented change. So, stay tuned for our report and Insights! Viva Las Vegas and the NAB! Boooyyahhhhh


Unleash your imagination... And save time, money and the planet by doing it!

Virtual Set is trending and it’s no surprise.
Virtual Set is an invaluable production tool offering camera tracking, keying and live compositing of computer-generated environments with live action green screen contents for a fraction of the time, cost, and environmental impact of “practical” sets. We put together this quick guide to help inspire and educate everyone who might be interested in exploring this useful and simple-to-use technology. So without further ado...

Here’s a five-part breakdown of what happens when you take advantage of Cobalt's Virtual Production capabilities on a project:

Phase 1: Unleash your imagination.
Practical set building usually limits creativity because your budget and real-life parameters dictate what can and can’t be done. On the contrary, with Virtual Sets you can shoot a scene in any environment you can imagine. Recently, a client came to us with a challenge… They needed to shoot an actor in a massive, spotlessly-clean warehouse, and as we all know, “pristine warehouse” is an oxymoron!

Very few productions have the budget to build such an impractical set. With Cobalt’s Virtual Backlot, the challenge was easily met. This impractical, nonexistent space could be created virtually—for less money than feeding your crew bagels on location. Even better, instead of lighting an entire 300-foot deep, 100-foot tall warehouse, they only had to light the live action talent—a major time saver. With Virtual Sets, you’re finally free to create without limits. If you can dream it, you can have it.

Phase 2: Design your environment.
Now that Virtual Set technology is ubiquitous in Hollywood and popular worldwide, AND with the impact of Unreal Engine 5, there’s no shortage of great 3D artists who can create or customize environments for any concept you can dream. Unbound by traditional budgetary or logistical concerns, we will point you towards a range of trusted CGI providers who can create beautiful and efficient 3D solutions for you.

Phase 3: Combine your “practical” set elements into your CG.
Say you plan to shoot in a virtual log cabin where people are sitting around a table. While the whole “world” of your production can be CG, you’ll want the table and chairs to be “practical” set pieces, so your cast is sitting on real chairs—at a real table. It’s always a good idea, whenever possible, to have your talent connect with live props. Also, grounding your actors to a practical floor saves time with matte cleanups and shadow restoration. Now, you’re ready to roll!

Phase 4: Shoot in your Virtual Set.
Like a practical set, you and your cast can walk through your 3D world and see your composite IN REAL TIME. With real-time compositing, actors, directors, and DPs experience the seamless merge of both worlds. This is such an extraordinary time-saver! It’s also one of many ways that Virtual Sets can make your life easier and more productive. Instead of struggling to try to fit your story into a budget challenged 2-wall set, why not have an entire villa/ castle/ Mars/ or the Moon??… to tell your story?

Phase 5: and Walk away Happy!
Our new V Set capability enables you to actually finish your project (FINAL PIXEL) right then and there, or take the elements into post and do a more traditional finish. Either way you’re benefitting from amazing production value without breaking the bank.

For all you techies…. we’re talking Unreal engine power (UE5), THE state-of-the-art graphics engine, the ability to shoot either against a traditional green scene, or within an LED volume, a 4k finish, (with camera raw files in 6k and Leica Summicron optics), Ultimatte keyer, live switcher (in multi camera applications), and “Beam-In” capability (to include a remote feed as part of the final scene). And for hyper techies…Ray Tracing (for hyper realistic reflections), Occlusion Handling (enabling live action to be nested within a Virtual Environment), Soft Shadows, Depth of Field, and Reflection Mapping.

 

Set yourself free!
Let’s talk


Virtual Production: A New Era of Filmmaking

Virtual Production:
A New Era of Filmmaking

If you haven’t heard about Virtual…
there’s a lot to catch up on.

Let's Talk.

The Mandalorian’s interplanetary odyssey, shot on a soundstage using Virtual Set technology.

Virtual Set is the Next Normal

Virtual Set is the Next Normal.

Productions like The Mandalorian are changing the game for how episodics are being created.

The Mandalorian’s interplanetary odyssey is shot on a soundstage using Virtual Set technology.

We can all see that digital transformation isn’t slowing down. To ensure that our Industry keeps pace, everyone needs to make friends with modern digital tools like Virtual Sets. Fortunately, for the East Coast, Cobalt’s got it.

 

Digital Transformation for productions.
Think of the transition from film to video—we couldn’t imagine handy cams taking over, but here we are. We’re great believers in the tried-and-true, BUT there does come a time when NOT innovating becomes the bigger risk than sticking with what you know…

 

Science in the Service of Art.
With location travel largely off-limits, productions are seeing the silver lining: with our incredible virtual technology, your production can take place anywhere in the universe—past, present, or future. Virtual Sets practically eliminate set costs; they’re environmentally-friendly; and they’ve been around since 1994. So, for early adopters like us, they’re already tried and true. Virtual Sets are already “normal” for audiences. From “Black Panther” to “The Mandalorian”, anywhere you’re seeing imaginative, incredible backgrounds, you’re seeing Virtual Sets in action. And the fact that you haven’t actually “seen” them PROVES how seamless and photorealistic they are. Virtual Set is everywhere, and you don’t even realize it… That’s the whole point 😉

 

Experience practical, creative solutions.
We’ve been the 1st to offer Virtual Production to the film community on the East Coast. While most experts in the field hold their technical expertise close to the vest, we share it openly. Let us show you what’s possible, and answer all your questions. Invest an hour of your time; get up to speed; and walk away with a whole new production toolkit in your repertoire.