Sky Studios, Dimension and DNEG lead industry-first Virtual Production collaboration

Supported by events and broadcast technology company Creative Technology and leading designer and manufacturer of camera and lighting systems ARRI, the Virtual Production Innovation Project was filmed over two weeks in October 2021 at ARRI and Creative Technology’s mixed reality stage in Uxbridge, West London.

The project was designed to showcase the advantages and versatility of virtual production for capturing in-camera VFX and final pixel shots using an LED volume. Directed by two-time Oscar-winner and DNEG Creative Director Paul Franklin (Interstellar, Inception), the project also aims to provide virtual production insights and expertise to the wider creative community.

The project will be edited into a series of short films, each offering a deep dive into a specific scene and virtual production objective. Together, they will provide a comprehensive and insightful view of the state-of-the-art technology, techniques, achievements, and key learnings from the project and demonstrate the versatility of virtual production across a range of genres, for broadcast productions as well as feature films.

A trailer from the Virtual Production Innovation Project, featuring a selection of the scenes filmed, is available now and will be followed by the release of the short film series in early 2022.

Virtual production is revolutionising the screen industries – and supercharging the creative process – by allowing filmmakers to see visual effects in real-time as they shoot. This is achieved by combining cutting-edge games engine technology, like Epic Games' Unreal Engine, with large high-resolution LED screens, to create highly realistic 3D scenes live on set. This fusing of technology frees up elements of a traditionally linear production process (live production followed by visual effects) to work together in parallel, allowing for more collaborative and creative decision making between teams.

The results are game-changing: scenes can be filmed in-camera without the need for further VFX work in post-production; lighting from the scene can be used to authentically light the cast; scene changes and transformations can be made in real-time on set; and the cast can see and respond to the realistic virtual world around them, leading to better performances. Virtual production is also enabling the screen industries to reduce the carbon footprint of productions by limiting the need to travel to additional locations. Cast and crew are able to travel the world from one single site.

Directed by two-time Oscar-winner and DNEG Creative Director Paul Franklin (Interstellar, Inception) and lensed by DPs Dale Elena McCready and Robert Payton, the Innovation Project collaboration builds on the pioneering virtual production work that the project partners are already delivering across film, drama and broadcast. The photo-realistic, live 3D worlds created by Dimension in Unreal Engine are ideal for virtual production, enabling multiple environments and landscapes to be captured on a single stage, and offering new levels of creative freedom and efficiency at every stage of the process.