LED screens are rapidly changing the way we get information and interact with a range of environments, from shopping centres to schools and transport hubs. They are also transforming the world of film production, and in particular virtual production studios. Here’s a look at what these involve and how the screens are used.
What are virtual film production studios?
A virtual production studio is essentially the same as a regular film studio apart from one key difference: instead of physical sets or static backdrops, the stages are surrounded by LED video walls. The screens display a virtual backdrop for the particular scene that is being recorded.
This function was once solely provided by green screens, and indeed these are still used today. However, increasingly, the film industry is switching to virtual systems as the technology improves. Green screens are effective at providing a blank canvas for the visual post-production team to work on, but they have some drawbacks and limitations.
Furthermore, it takes a lot of time and highly trained post-production designers to produce professional and convincing results when working with green screens. The use of virtual LED backdrops is a real game changer in this regard, because much less work is required to make them blend seamlessly with the foreground actors.
More immersive and interactive sets
Another advantage of virtual film production is that the actors can perform the scene against the relevant backdrop, rather than a blank screen. This helps them to connect more deeply and directly with their performance, from an emotional and intellectual point of view, and also practically, because they can see any visual elements that they are interacting with.
High quality LED screens can display bright high resolution images that can be synced to the movement of the camera, creating an immersive environment that allows actors to be fully authentic and more natural.
Cost efficiencies
The cost of installing LED video walls may soon be outweighed by the savings made during post-production costs. The time and labour involved in keying out green screens and adding special effects can be considerable, even for modest productions. LED production techniques are much less intensive, and the technology is improving all the time.
This means that smaller budget productions can achieve better quality results in less time, while bigger budget productions have the option of investing more money or time into other aspects of production.
Furthermore, the need to travel to physical locations to film scenes or to build physical sets can be substantially reduced. This saves a lot of money and time, and is also a more sustainable and environmentally friendly option.
Wider creative scope
Virtual film sets are widening the creative possibilities for filmmakers, and also for producers of smaller budget TV shows. Just 20 years ago for example, ambitious historical or fantasy-based films such as the Lord of the Rings trilogy were for the biggest Hollywood studios only.
Now, it’s much easier to produce convincing visuals for all manner of films and TV shows, from documentaries to science fiction or children’s fantasy series.
Dynamic integration with game engines
LED screens are increasingly popular in video game engines, because of their unrivalled ability to create hyper realistic and dynamic backgrounds that make the games all the more immersive and engaging to play.
Superior lighting techniques
A major issue with using greenscreens is the problem of lighting. The lighting set up has to be very carefully staged to avoid shadows and reflections falling on the set and performers. Furthermore, to make the scene look convincing, the shadows and reflections that would be naturally expected have to be added during the post-production process.
LED screens avoid this problem to a large extent, because they emit a more consistent light and this creates a lot less post-production editing.