Virtual Production: Reality Transformed by Technology

A bit of history about virtual production

Almost four decades ago, in 1982, Tron, a film directed by Steven Lisberger and produced by Disney, was released. It was a landmark film that featured an entire 15-minute sequence generated by computer-generated graphics (CGI). Preceding today’s green-background chroma key technique, Tron filmed scenes in empty spaces painted black and white, with the special effects added in post-production. It was a revolutionary and visionary film, a precursor to the digitalisation of cinema and ahead of its time even in its plot, anticipating concepts such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, cyberspace and the metaverse.

Despite its avant-garde nature, Tron was not well received by the public or the industry, as the use of computers in the production was perceived as “cheating”. This is unthinkable today, when the development of computers and the evolution of the computer industry have been fundamental to today’s major film productions.

You can watch the trailer of the film at the following link: Tron Trailer

Today, virtual production has become an indispensable tool in the audiovisual industry. Whether in major film productions or in TV series and programmes, this technology is transforming the way the images we see on screen are created.

What exactly is Virtual Reality?

Types of virtual production systems

The main difference between film and television in virtual production lies in the finishing touches. Film, thanks to longer post-production time and more meticulous work, achieves more realistic and photographic images. Television, on the other hand, because of its faster production nature, due to the demands of live production, tends to have a less polished finish. However, advances in virtual technology are increasingly blurring this boundary, making it harder and harder to distinguish between the two worlds.

On the other hand, what is the difference between a virtual studio and the traditional chroma key technique?

While traditional chroma key has been the dominant technique for decades for creating virtual backgrounds in audiovisual production – we all remember the traditional “weatherman” on television – virtual studios, and extended reality (XR) applications offer a number of advantages that make them an ideal alternative today. The main difference lies in the dynamics of the scenes: chroma key is limited to static backgrounds or pre-recorded videos, while virtual studios allow the creation of dynamic, 3D scenarios.

Virtual studios offer greater flexibility and realism, as the camera can move freely in the virtual space, allowing for more creative image composition. In addition, real-time rendering speeds up the production process, so while virtual studios may be more expensive initially, in the long run they can save money on projects with complex scenarios or frequent changes.

Thus, as discussed so far, VR systems fall into three main categories according to specific production needs:

• Pre-production: They use static chroma key for the planning and visualisation of scenes.
• Real-time production: Create virtual backgrounds during filming, allowing live interaction with the virtual environment. It is mainly used in live television programmes.
• Post-production: Insert pre-recorded scenes into a computer-generated virtual environment, achieving greater realism. It is ideal for films and fiction series.

Where can we find virtual production?

Virtual production is in a state of constant expansion, present in a wide variety of sectors and accessible to an ever wider audience. So much so that it has become a ubiquitous tool in the audiovisual industry. While Hollywood blockbusters such as “Titanic” (1997) -a pioneer in the use of innovative techniques for its time-, “The Lord of the Rings” (1999-2001) -one of the first to use CGI extensively-, “Avatar” (2009), Gravity (2013) or Dune (2021) are well-known examples of its use, its application goes much further.

OTT platforms such as Movistar+, Disney+, Netflix, HBO and Amazon Prime are also betting on virtual production to create high quality content, both for film and television. Some examples can be found in successful fiction series such as “Stranger Things” (Netflix), “The Witcher” (Netflix), “Westworld” (HBO) or the revolutionary “The Mandalorian” (Disney+), which we will talk about later.

Moreover, in recent years, the use of virtual reality has experienced a notable increase, especially due to the new communication demands that have arisen in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. This phenomenon has facilitated access to this technology, democratising its use and allowing both small companies and individuals to create high quality virtual content.

Its application has been extended to other areas such as corporate events, advertising, online training, the corporate world (banking, energy sector, pharmaceuticals, automotive, etc.) and even personal projects, such as influencers who create content from their homes.

So much so that, today, it is possible to create a virtual studio with a relatively low investment, using affordable items such as a green screen, camera, microphone and appropriate software.

Extended reality (XR), which encompasses virtual reality (VR) as well as augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR), has become a ubiquitous tool in the audiovisual industry, present in a wide range of applications:

• Major blockbusters: Movies like “Titanic“, “Lord of the Rings” or “Avatar” use virtual production to create fantastic and realistic worlds.
• OTT platforms: Movistar+, Disney+, Netflix, HBO and Amazon Prime are committed to virtual production to create high quality content for their platforms.
• Corporate events: Used to create immersive virtual scenarios for events, conferences and presentations.
• Influencers: Influencers use virtual production to create engaging and original content from anywhere.
• Education: Enables the creation of immersive and personalised learning experiences.
• Online training: Used to create interactive and engaging courses and training materials.
• Marketing and advertising: Companies use virtual production to create more impactful advertisements and marketing campaigns.
• Video games: Virtual production is used to create more realistic and immersive virtual worlds for video games.
• Medical: Used to create realistic simulations for medical training and procedure planning.
• Rehabilitation: Used to create virtual environments for physical and mental rehabilitation.

What is LED Virtual Production?: The Immersive Revolution in Audiovisual Creation

LED virtual production is an innovative technique in the audiovisual industry that uses high-resolution LED screens to create dynamic backgrounds and immersive environments in real time. These screens replace traditional chroma key technology by projecting computer-generated images or videos (CGI) or real recordings that interact with camera movements, thanks to tracking systems and real-time rendering engines like Unreal Engine.

This technology is a revolutionary tool that redefines the landscape of audiovisual creation and radically transforms the way in which film and television projects are conceived and executed.

Its ability to create immersive worlds combined with its flexibility and efficiency make it an indispensable technology for the future of virtual production.

Its concept is based on replacing physical sets with photorealistic virtual sets displayed on large LED screens. A change that allows the creation of a completely immersive and dynamic workspace, where sets are generated in real time, adjusting to the demands of the production and generating a series of unprecedented benefits:

• Significant savings in post-production: The virtual stage integrated into the recording eliminates the need for extensive special effects work and digital retouching.
• Unmatched flexibility in filming: Scenarios can be modified instantly, allowing quick and efficient adaptation to changes in production.
• Spatial accuracy and realism: The integration of the virtual scenography into the real scenery facilitates the spatial location of the actors and the natural interaction with the virtual elements.
• Naturalistic lighting: LED screens emit realistic ambient light, enhancing the lighting of actors and objects on set.

As a result, studios and production companies around the world are integrating LED virtual production into their projects. Its creative potential and its benefits in terms of efficiency and quality position it as a technology with a promising future.

Successful examples of the use of this technology include fictional productions, such as the series “The Mandalorian” or the film “The Batman“, with stunning results for audiences that have demonstrated the power of virtual LED production to create immersive and realistic scenarios. Actors and crew can interact with the virtual environments in a natural way, allowing for a more authentic performance and an unprecedented visual experience.

Unreal Engine: The graphics engine conquering the audiovisual world

If we are talking about the graphics engine recently used by most virtual production systems, we are talking about the Unreal Engine. Its ease of use, versatility and power make it an ideal tool for all kinds of audiovisual projects.

Unreal Engine, born in the world of video games, has burst onto the audiovisual scene, revolutionising the market with its ability to create photorealistic scenarios in real time.

Developed by Epic Games, this graphics engine debuted in 1998 with the Unreal and Unreal Tournament games. Since then, its easy integration, its accessible price (free or at low cost for scenery creation) and its power have made it an indispensable tool in all virtual production systems:

• Cinema: Movies like “Dune” or “The Batman” have used Unreal Engine to create their impressive worlds.
• Television: Series such as “The Mandalorian” and “Westworld” have also used this graphics engine to bring their scenarios to life.
• Advertising: Advertisements for brands such as Nike, Coca-Cola or Samsung have been created with Unreal Engine.
• Architecture: Used to create photorealistic visualisations of architectural projects prior to construction.
• Video games: It continues to be one of the most widely used graphics engines in the video game industry, with titles such as Fortnite, Gears of War and PUBG.

In addition, Unreal Engine is not only a tool for creating photorealistic scenarios, but also allows 3D character and object design, animations, special effects, and virtual and augmented reality.

Unity: The Versatile Graphics Engine for Virtual Production

Another widely used graphics engine in virtual production is Unity. Known for its flexibility and ease of use, Unity has established itself as an essential tool not only in the video game industry, but also in the creation of audiovisual content.

Unity enables the development of highly detailed and realistic virtual scenarios, as well as the integration of 3D elements and complex animations. Its ability to render in real time and its compatibility with a wide range of platforms make Unity a preferred choice for studios looking for innovation and efficiency in their projects.

Some examples where we can see the result that this graphics engine offers are:

• Short Films and Animation: Unity has been used in short films such as “Sherman“, “The Heretic“, the “ADAM” series and Disney Television Animation’s “Baymax Dreams” animated short film series.
• Augmented and Virtual Reality applications: Unity is a popular tool for creating AR/VR applications due to its versatility and ability to render in real time.

With Unity, creators can experiment and make changes in real time, enhancing interaction and immersion in virtual environments.

In short, virtual production is not just a passing fad, but a reality that is becoming increasingly consolidated in all areas. Its accessibility and capacity to offer high quality results have made it an indispensable tool for audiovisual production.

The advantages are obvious:

Savings:

• Virtual scenery: eliminates the need to build physical sets.
• Special effects: reduces production costs.
• Logistics: reduce travel and permit costs.

Flexibility:

• Real-time changes: allows you to modify scenarios and effects.
• Control of the environment: allows control of climatic conditions.
• Testing and visualisation: facilitates pre-production.

Efficiency:

• Speeding up filming: allows scenes to be shot more quickly.
• Simultaneity: allows different tasks to be carried out at the same time.
• Simplified post-production: facilitates the post-production

Creativity:

• Unlimited possibilities: it allows you to create scenarios and effects that are impossible with traditional methods.
• Experimentation: facilitates experimentation with different techniques.
• Immersion: create more immersive experiences for the audience.

Sustainability:

• Reduced carbon footprint: reduces the need to transport equipment and people.
• Efficient use of resources: optimises the use of resources such as energy and water.
• Waste minimisation: reduces the amount of waste generated.

The future of virtual production looks absolutely bright, with new technologies constantly emerging and the ability to transform the way we create and consume content.

Lights, cameras and action, let the magic begin!

Do you want to become a pioneer in virtual production? Contact Telefónica Servicios Audiovisuales without obligation and discover how this revolutionary technology can transform your business.

Join the virtual production revolution!