Virtual Production Explained - Is This The End of the Green Screen?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 16 มิ.ย. 2024
- What is Virtual Production - an introduction to the latest filmmaking technology, including how virtual production works, the pros and cons, and why it may be here to stay.
What is a Virtual Production? ►► bit.ly/wi-vp
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Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction to Virtual Production
01:03 - History of Virtual Production
03:46 - Chapter 1: How It Works
06:42 - Chapter 2: Built-In Lighting
09:50 - Chapter 3: Flexible Locations
13:46 - Takeaways
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VIRTUAL PRODUCTION EXPLAINED
If you’ve been paying attention to current filmmaking technology and techniques, you’ve likely heard of virtual production. On shows like The Mandalorian and films like The Batman, virtual production seems to be the next big thing in how projects are shot. But how does virtual production work, and is it really the wave of the future or just another Hollywood tech fad? In this video, we will dive into these topics as we explore the pros and cons of virtual production in film and TV.
WHAT IS VIRTUAL PRODUCTION
In short, virtual production is a broad term in which live-action and virtual elements are captured simultaneously. To explain how virtual production works, we need a quick lesson in film history. For decades, filmmakers have “cheated” backgrounds with techniques like rear and front projection. Then green and blue screen technology became the dominant way to composite real foregrounds with fake backgrounds in a process called “keying.”
But all of those technologies have drawbacks. Virtual production is something of a hybrid between the projection and keying systems of the past, with improvements in both. Let’s discuss how virtual production works.
HOW VIRTUAL PRODUCTION WORKS
The most common virtual production setup these days is a set surrounded and covered by LED walls. On these screens, any background can be shown. Usually, these are CG backgrounds created by software like Unreal Engine, mostly known for creating video game environments. One thing missing from the original rear- and front-projection systems was something called parallax - when background elements move according to the camera's movement. But in a virtual production setup, the camera has trackers that connect its position to the background software, effectively eliminating this parallax problem.
THE PROS AND CONS OF VIRTUAL PRODUCTION
Virtual production benefits film and TV productions in a few ways. The lighting emitted from the LED walls matches the scenes exactly. The production can switch “locations” easily. The actors have an environment around them instead of a blank green void. Atmospherics like rain or smoke can be captured live on set. And as mentioned, it solves the parallax issue.
But there are drawbacks to virtual production as well. To shoot on a soundstage with a full virtual production setup like The Mandalorian is highly expensive. Low-budget alternatives are emerging, however. Even though realistic parallax is possible, the camera movement is still limited to the confines of the set. At the moment, direct hard sunlight is hard to capture realistically, which limits most exterior settings to darker or overcast conditions.
So, that is a quick introduction to how virtual production works. It solves a lot of problems in film and TV production, but it doesn’t solve them all.
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![Film Production Explained - Each Step of the Production Process [Stages of Filmmaking, Ep 3]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/puF9CkvmJt0/mqdefault.jpg)
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Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction to Virtual Production
01:03 - History of Virtual Production
03:46 - Chapter 1: How It Works
06:42 - Chapter 2: Built-In Lighting
09:50 - Chapter 3: Flexible Locations
13:46 - Takeaways
I studied filmmaking in a university, but I learn filmmaking from StudioBinder.
🔥🔥
Did you find university worth the investment?
@@chrisdickersonfilms The first year, yes. The rest? Not so much...
As an actor/writer/director myself, I love the real location more than anything just because it's an adventure in itself to engage with the real environment.
For sure, after all VP is great because it gets us closer to the real environment
That's awesome! How many movies have you made?
True. But sometimes, when a real location isn't an option, this looks like a great alternative.
Thank you for saying this. As an amateur photographer and very new to filmmaking, I love being in a location. It's a character in itself
At the end of the day, this tech are just another tool to get the job done.
I'd say if flim making wasn't mostly about making money and it was just for pure creative art, real location sets would be the go to for the most part.
Unfortunately, we live in a world where everyone has to get paid for their time and make a living off of from flim making. Lol.
The natural lights and reflections from the led screens are really nice, also how the environment can be updated in real time.
*LED*
so helpful to filmmakers
Absolutely. Seems to take the guess work out of lighting which seems more efficient, cost effective, and promotes better time management.
I think Virtual Production will lead to better stories too. It requires much more pre-production work, which means directors must have clear intention BEFORE they start filming.
So many of today's films are shot on a green screen without a clear idea of what the scene is going to look like. "Doesn't matter. We'll fix it in Post." CGI artists and editors are left polishing a turd; the former often getting blamed for a movie's failure at the box-office.
Good point!
Thats not at all how it works. Green screen is planned to absolute details. They have a pre viz so detailed that it could stand as an animation on its own. Vfx supervisors are also on set to make sure everything is set up propperly.
Hahahaha polishing a turd 😂😂😂
Unfortunately a hefty amount of the time we still have to change the background in virtual production situations. LED screens have made it a lot more difficult and time consuming in that regard. Especially with edge corrections.
Are CGI artists required to adjust the imagery on set while shooting ?@@hglankshear
My favorite new invention in film production, it’s really exciting to be around in such a important change to the whole industry.
truly a game-changer!
The Footage, the production, the montage, the topics... BREATHTAKING! Thank you very much dear Studiobinder Team for constantly providing us with such detailed and high qualitative content! Keep up the good work! Much love to you all and everyone reading this comment. May you achieve anything you envision!
Thanks for watching!
StudioBinder is literally like Film school except in forms of informative videos that go really in-depth and show the process of filmmaking!!
That's the idea!
this Virtual Production is absolutely going to lead to some huge revolutions in filmmaking and I'm excited to see how it develops. Definitely not the end of the green screen, since it has the lighting and flexibility of post-production issues, but certainly a powerful tool in the right film crew's hands.
Can't wait to see what more filmmakers will do with it
The Mandolorian’s epic set pieces are really a step forward in immersive sci-fi
Hopefully more shows will follow
The mandalorian was the first series at least to ever use back ground TV led screens than green, and it was absolutely game changing
one of many great things about the show
@@StudioBinder yup it was revolutionary for the time
The main problem is the space constraints. The volume, as they call it, will probably never replace a well done and lit blue/green screen. The sets in the Mandalorian feel fake, restricted and flat. Everything is at ground level. When you get accustomed to it you can clearly see the rounded background wall.
@@rafaelc.c. Agreed, also films like 300 or Sin City could never be made like that, only by blue/green screen.
I know from a reliable source that every single VP shot on the mandalorian was rotoscoped and replaced with CGI backgrounds.
If I"m gasping it's because this just took my breath away. Oh the possibilities. Bravo StudioBinder! With love from Atlanta.
Really really excited to see where it goes. Only 10 years and it's already staggeringly marvelous.
Loved how they used a clip from 'Thor: Love and Thunder' - I was on that set! Seeing the background shift to create parallax was trippy! 😂
Amazing!
Been waiting for this. Thank you for the awesome explanation.
Thanks for watching!
I always learn so much from StudioBinder videos. Thank you so much!
What I like about virtual production is the realism it brings whenever the audience is watching and that it feels like the actors are actually in a setting when in reality they are on a stage!!
Cool!
This channel is my film school! So insightful and covers everything you need to know. Thank you StudioBinder
Thanks for watching!
My husband recently did a virtual production project. I don’t know a ton about it but I do know he REALLY enjoyed working on it. Can’t wait for it to be released!
Congrats!
Virtual production is basically a combination of practical effects and special effects. I love how they came up with this idea. The scenes looks more realistic. With this innovation, the actors are not anymore limited as to what colors they should wear or not, which is a major problem in using a green screen/blue screen/chroma keying.
That tech is outstanding. It's so much more realistic. The old rear projection looked bad on our old CRT TV screen when I was a kid, eh hem years ago lol, and it's just as bad on my small tablet screen. But the new tech - wow!
Thank you for explaining it so well. I'd heard bits about it but now I feel more like I can thoroughly appreciate it.
Happy to :)
Spectacular!
Thank you StudioBinder for this Inspiring video.
Glad you liked it!
This actually reminds me of the screen they put up in MIssion Impossible 4 in the hallway in Russia. That idea was ahead of its time.
Great point!
This is the best explanation of the virtual LED wall I've seen yet. Thanks.
Absolutely BRILLIANT explanatory video! WELL DONE!!
The possibilities and the time and money savings are huge! You don't have to get a location permit, stop or monitor traffic, deal with delays due to wrong weather conditions. The list goes on and on😉
Hopefully it'll promote more mid-budget films
Sounds cool for the future! Currently for most productions LED screen virtual production is more expensive than other methods, but with wider adoption I'm sure this will change! Though if you have to film with children or in many different changing environments there are situations where it becomes cheaper! Crazy world we live in
James Cameron has a history of innovation and development that places him at the forefront of people who have pushed the industry forward. He has never allowed himself to be constrained by existing technology. It will be, perhaps, his greatest legacy.
Agreed!
This is indeed the future. Thank you always studiobinder
Absolutely Fantastic! Verily the future of filmmaking. My producer sent me this video, and I'm definitely in.
Thank you very much for all the explanation. I had to read on Virtual pRoduction in Production Pipeline Fundamentals and I had a hard time visualizing what it really was.
Very good video and informations on the subject
Personally, I love the idea of vp. As an amateur filmmaker with a rediculously low budget, I really like the idea of framing an lcd screen for a window shot.
It would be a worthwhile investment
Such a clear explanation. Great job. Also, a cheaper alternative is rear projection instead of led screens but its dimmer with lesser light falloff.
This is very interesting and the editing makes it more enjoying! Great job!
Glad you liked it!
Honestly, this sounds like a blast to use. I'd just be stoked to stand in the middle of one of these sets.
It's awesome!
The O.G voice is back!!!!🔥
👍👍
VP is an amazing tool for filmmakers to create an environment that's hard to find or go irl. For eg, I have to find a certain apartment that has 2 blocks facing each other with a certain kind of color in a certain kind of place or hue or whatever, VP will make this process faster by removing the process of location scouting and helps us to save our time and money. There's so much more VP provides like it removes the unnecessary noises that you can find when you are shooting outdoors like the cars and whatever since you are shooting on set. I wish this technology will be more accessible for all filmmakers cuz it helps so much
all great points!
Very interesting as always. Thank you StudioBinder : )
Cheers!
This is one of the best channels ever .
Pretty impressive that turn-key virtual sets for amateur filmmakers are available (starting at) under $10,000. Pretty cool. I heard that the "Volume" used by Lucasfilm costed about 20 million dollars to create...
Will love to see what indie filmmakers produce with this tech in their hands
@@StudioBinder Indeed!
Amazing video, thank you for putting it all together. I would be lying if I didn't mention its a bit overwhelming. Its so difficult to keep up with everything changing in the world of filmmaking.
I think when it comes to stylized or what would be insane budget locations, VP is an amazing tool for allowing the cast and crew to visualize the scene, rather than having to imagine it. Though, I also believe that shooting in actual locations are the most realistic option if available. Plus, it's always fun to scout out locations.
VP has arrived at the right time to meet the insatiable appetite for streaming content.
This is a great video! I learnt a lot of things! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for watching!
Glad to have our suave Englishman back for the voiceover.
✔✔
Studio Binder never misses 🙌
Cheers!
Very well explained topic with clear concept 👏👌👍
You guys are the best !!
This was very informative. I think it’s a great new discovery. As an actor that would help me greatly so I would have to use my imagination to see what’s going on, but I could see where I am and what I’m looking at would make it easier to let go and let my emotions flow easier. This is fascinating and I think it’s something that’s not gonna take over completely meaning we will still use locations and we would use this new technique. It’s wonderful that we can combine do with old. Again, thank you for this informative video.
Welcome back!! Not saying the other voice over guy was bad, but just missed the accent!
We work with multiple narrators!
Definitely the future of film making. Challenges that need to overcome are the ability of the camera movements and creating realistic imagery that can look very real. One step and technical advancement at a time.
Excited for the future
Another great video. Thx.
Seeing these compilations makes the limitations more apparent. Lots of closer shots, and like they mentioned, limited movement. Feels like a set, moves like a set, is a set.
I love the voice behind this video
Amazing.. recently was read the article of Media Monk agency regarding this subject
LOved watching this!
Great to hear!
now i understand why those high priced screens are for, love every episode of "what is" ♥
Thanks for watching!
I made it mom ! I'm in the video ❤
Very instructive. Thanks! 👍
Cheers!
We are working with VP a lot now in natural history shoots, it's been fantastic and is becoming quite the norm now, both with LED screens but also by using the unreal on a Terrace high res tv screen. Definitely feel that this is the future or at least another tool for us to use.
This the new one invention and I have already loved it
It's making waves for sure!
Superb video 👍
Great video as always 💚 please Focus on writing Topics
This was my thesis topic thanks a lot helped me very much .😎💯👽⚔️⚔️⚔️
Green screen isn't going to end, but will probably used for smaller productions and some specific kind of scenes.
Time will tell!
A film like 300 could never be made without green screen, neither Speed Racer or Sin City.
Definitely! One of the main issues is that LED walls only look convincing in certain lighting situations. We currently have no proposed solution to a variety of lighting situations like having large light sources like the sun look as realistic on an LED stage as opposed to other filming conditions.
@@hglankshear Yes, and nobody is talking about it! No high speed shots also. LED entry level price tag is 100% more vs green screen. Background always has to be out of focus. You cannot pull the focus on the LED wall itself. No post prod is true, but time required to prepare the environments is quite substantial.... Not to mention that you can catch moire effect and then post production is required...
I actually use Unity engine to create a virtual set, where I place my actors from 2D planes. One issue in the mentioned LED screens is that is more expensive to get than a huge green screen room, but later you pay it on the post compositing. All of this is quite fascinating. Just remember that in most big budget films, like DUNE they construct real sets for a lot of scenes. One huge difference on having a surrounding huge LED screen is that the reflections are cast on the actor, while in mine, its limited as it is a 2D plane. My actor do cast shadow and reflection, but its a plane, it lacks the volume.
I can’t wait to get into Hollywood film production
This tech is probably best advancement for many flim makers and especially, actors who just don't like green or blue screen acting.
Virtual production is the future of shooting a film and the use of it will revolutionize the way we make films thanks to constant technological updates and innovations!!
We'll see!
Yes! Pretty cool!!!!
Great video
It must be amazing to work with led screens, but is important that directors don't get too accommodated with that like some did with green screen, because although is more realistic most of the time, the limitations like space and sunlight can still ruin a good scene. Not to say you need to plan everything very carefully cause is harder to "fix in post" if necessary. Also, filming in the real world and with real built sets might be a lot more expensive and bureaucratic, but is always more fun and adventurous.
lol I loved the Dirk Diggler scene at the end.
This is very interesting and an improvement on green screen but location films are still much more interesting.
Saw it utilized in The Batman, it was handy during COVID quarantine
Very cool!
🙏🙏
Awesome Stuff
😊
THANK YOU
Wait, do a video on the availability of virtual production sets made to order, that sounded amazing.
Do you know how much I have waited for this episode
Hope it was worth the wait!
I was not prepared for that opening
😅
Spectacular
❤❤
"Live-keying" is also a type of virtual production. You don't always need LED walls to create a live recording with a final output, while LED walls make the image look better because of the lighting it's still a lot more expensive than a simple green screen. The cheapest virtual production method is live-keying, using softwares like Aximmetry will give you a really good key as well.
It looks like a very valuable tool with significant plusses. But I don't see it completely replacing outdoor shots (at least for awhile), for some of the reasons mentioned (difficulty emulating direct sunlight, limited space on a soundstage, limited camera movement, etc). Still, there's no reason you couldn't mix and match to get whatever your production needs. I'd love to play with it... :)
It'll never replace real locations, we were comparing it to other techniques that simulate environments like green screen
@@StudioBinder Right, that was the feeling I got. It certainly has its place, and the tech will only get better. It's a cool option to have... :)
I think the biggest strength of VP is the fix of eye line problem, you're supposed to look at "something" on green screen so.. where is it?
Also I think it's good for a natural low-light scene, since you have limited time to shoot at dawn/dusk or difficult lighting in low light area in real location.
I am eagerly waiting this to arrive in Indian Film Industry. So, we can experience it.
Excited to see what you guys do with it!
I can’t believe you guys used “The Room” in this edit 😂
Had to use a classic
Lubezki used a less sophisticated Volume in Gravity, 'The Light Box', to match the lighting from the cgi sun and stars in the actors faces
It was well done!
Amazing
:)
Crazy that the Wizard of Oz tornado scene is not mentioned despite being just that! Most realistic tornado shots in movie history!
Virtually the best channel on TH-cam 😏😏😏😏😏
Virtually and practically we hope haha
So cool
It is!
I love when they use The Room as an example 😂
It's a classic
The first time someone put up a green screen and said, "We'll add that part in post," it completely changed film production. We've been living in that world for over 40 years, an entire career for some our colleagues in this industry. The interesting part in the craft of virtual production is that it's conceptually a return to Old Hollywood shooting, where all shots just had to be planned out with creative solutions beforehand and then entirely and practically actualized on set. Then we just edit, color, sound and deliver. With tools like simulcam, LEDs, XR, etc., we are conceptually moving more towards WYSIWYG shooting, so workflow stages like digital assets need to shift way earlier while previz and techviz need to be far more rigorous and accurate.
It seems appropriate that the most notable VP example is still a Star Wars series, considering the original three movies pushed practical effects to new frontiers in the 70's and 80's, while the prequels did the same for green screen in the 00's.
i want to be a part of the film industry! i’d love working on a set. even if i was just doing mindless physical work not making much i’d still be happy
I love this Voice :)
The Mandalorian really changed the game for the movie and tv shows going forward! This is the way.
We are creating a kind of hybrid VP technique. The lighting and reflections of LED walls but it appears three dimensional to everyone on set yet has the flexibility of relighting and comp, if need be in post.
VP, as it is done now, will evolve to not require as much preproduction time. It will need to in order to become more widely used.
Can't wait!
unreal is mindblowing
I think this is the future of filmaking
It'll definitely be a part of it!
This is the way
This is the way