Virtual Set, Green Screen and XR Studio
Virtual Set, Green Screen, and XR Studio: the future of audiovisual production
In this article we will explore how virtual set, green screen studios and XR studios, are reshaping the film, advertising and television industries. We will delve into the distinctions between physical and virtual set, work practices, and the advantages offered by each technology. Understanding how these innovations shape the future of audiovisual production.
Virtual Set: the revolution of virtual production
In today’s digital age, virtual production has proven to be a fundamental catalyst for the evolution of the film and television industry. Among the most groundbreaking innovations are virtual sets. They have radically transformed the way visual productions are created. Not only in cinema but also in television formats, music videos, events, and advertising productions. But what exactly is a virtual set, and how does it differ from a traditional physical set?
Innovation at the heart of production
Virtual set represent a new chapter in audiovisual production. It allows directors to create immersive and incredibly realistic worlds without having to build a complex physical set. A physical set requires costly setups and considerable logistical efforts to reproduce specific environments. Alternatively, a virtual set harnesses the power of computer-generated imagery (CGI) to bring detailed and interactive scenarios to life.
To fully grasp the gap between a physical and a virtual set, let’s consider the example of a film production set in an ancient Roman city. In a physical set, it would be necessary to reconstruct a city on a smaller scale, requiring significant investments and physical space. Conversely, with a virtual set, it is possible to create an equally detailed setting with significantly lower cost and effort.
Green Screen Studio: transforming the Image with the power of green
A crucial element in visual effects-based audiovisual production is the green screen studio.
The green screen, also known as chroma key, consists of a large panel of green fabric or paper used as a background during filming. This specific color is chosen because it is distinct from human skin tones and many common objects, making it easily isolatable and replaceable with other digital backgrounds during post-production.
In a green screen studio, actors perform in front of a green screen, while special effects and backgrounds are added later during the post-production phase. This allows artists to be placed in imaginary environments, creating limitless fantastical worlds and adventures.
Proper lighting of the green screen is crucial to avoid unwanted shadows and ensure effective chroma keying during the editing phase.
Production on a green screen set requires careful planning to ensure that actors interact naturally with the imaginary environment, as the absence of real elements can pose a challenge for acting.
XR Studio: the pinnacle of immersiveness
Through the innovative integration of virtual production with Unreal Engine, it is now possible to experience the creation of 3D scenes in real time. This technology allows you to animate and combine real cameras and lights with digital ones. It also permits you make changes and additions to props and effortlessly introduce virtual characters, maintaining the extraordinary fidelity of photorealistic resolutions.
A distinctive aspect of this technology is the possibility of freely navigating within the virtual scene through real-time monitoring of movements in the real environment. Unlike a traditional virtual set, where static images are integrated into the production software at fixed angles, this solution allows massive adjustments and changes to the scene, offering an unprecedented level of depth, interactivity and realism.
An XR studio represents the pinnacle of immersive visual production because it allows actors to interact with virtual environments and objects in real time. Actors can be placed within complex virtual worlds through an immersive setup with led wall technology, interacting with objects and characters that seem to physically exist in space, enabling greater flexibility and deeper engagement.
Ultimately, an XR studio blends elements of the real world with virtual ones, allowing directors to create incredibly realistic and engaging experiences, offering producers a wide spectrum of creative possibilities.
The Advantages of an XR Studio – Extended Reality
Commercial brands, musicians, television formats, and film productions can embrace the next-generation technology of Extended Reality (XR). This technology offers a range of advantages.
Greater realism
It allows replicating a perfectly realistic lighting of the set, something that would not be possible on a green screen, achieving the utmost realism in the final scene. It blends elements of the real world with virtual ones, enabling directors to create incredibly realistic experiences.
A faster return on investment
Post-production times are drastically reduced, entering the market sooner and achieving a faster return on investment.
An improved artistic outcome
The director gains immediate awareness of the final result; it’s possible to view the final scene in real-time with all virtual elements and potentially redo it for an even better outcome.
Actors do not perform/present in a green limbo but are immersed in the virtual environment, allowing them to be more psychologically engaged, as if they were truly in that specific context.
In conclusion, while physical sets possess their charm and utility, virtual sets, green screen and XR studios, have revolutionized the audiovisual industry, enabling more efficient, creative, and engaging production. The ongoing evolution of these technologies promises to open new doors to a world of limitless imagination and visual possibilities never seen before. It’s no coincidence that Disney has chosen to employ XR technology for its new productions. The image depicts a snippet of The Mandalorian’s filming within an XR virtual set.
Fields of application for a virtual set
In the cinematic or advertising industry, virtual sets could be utilized to create costly and challenging scenarios to construct physically, such as ancient Roman cities, futuristic landscapes, or the summit of a snow-covered mountain, without facing the logistical and budgetary challenges associated with building physical sets.
Within the realm of advertising, producers could leverage virtual sets to craft engaging and imaginative settings, providing brands the opportunity to showcase their products in unique and captivating contexts. This flexibility allows for easy adaptation of the environment to the brand narrative, ensuring a more impactful impression on consumers.
In television formats and digital events, the use of virtual sets could enable the creation of complex scenarios and dynamic settings that would otherwise be challenging to realize. Organizing a television format or event traditionally involves allocating a significant portion of the budget for the physical construction of the set. However, once the set is built, making further modifications becomes challenging in terms of time and cost. Creating a virtual set, on the other hand, means no limits to creativity anymore and to have the ability to design any scenery with significantly lower costs, as well as the flexibility to make changes on the fly.
In music videos, virtual sets provide artists with the opportunity to express their creativity in innovative ways, allowing for the creation of unique and engaging environments that seamlessly integrate with the music and visual narrative. This transforms songs into unforgettable visual experiences for viewers, fostering a deeper connection with the audience.
CGI Studio and virtual production | Officina Kreativa
If you wish to delve further into the topic of virtual production, I invite you to read the related article that you can find at the following link: CGI guide: discover the meaning of visual effects (VFX) and 3D animation
Officina Kreativa provides virtual production services in major Italian and international cities.
Our marketing and sales management is based in Barcelona, and we also have offices in Milano. The studios where post-productions come to life are located in southern Italy, in Crotone.
Our portfolio includes significant national and international clients.
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