Virtual Production Camera Question

[rob norton]

Interesting points, Rob.

The limitations of XR do exist. It's not right for everything, in the same way that shooting everything green screen isn't right for everything. It's really just a better way to shoot greenscreen, with more interactivity especially on the lighting end (car shoots in particular).

There are notably cheaper stages out there in LA, a swarm of lower end spots with humble screen arrays. Most are $10K all in, I've worked on some that are $4K.

Lol well those prices let the tech be part of the conversation, especially since shooting scenes with vehicles in LA would also have to have its own set of hurdles.

That's a helpful perspective and nice extended reality check to be thinking in terms of better green screen rather than "we don't need to leave the studio for anything anymore"!

I was exaggerating in my post. I don't know if things will actually get boring and of course we don't know what the ceiling will be, or if we'll be laughing even had their own phase if something else comes along. I believe in the tech but think the on-paper freedom is being pushed too hard.

The video game argument was that since a huge majority of games get made with unreal engine, many of them feel the same, despite completely different stories and worlds. People defending Unreal Engine say that it's essentially a blank canvas that can go in absolutely any direction and it's down to lazy development rather than a limitation of UE. Maybe the non high-end film production equivalent is that despite the background having potential to go in any direction, the format might still draw attention to itself with a glut of digital crash zooms, no shots of feet or the ground and camera moves designed to work in an XR studio. I guess compromises already exist with green screen but if XR becomes standard then perhaps we'll notice it more.

Or is this clutching at straws!? Poor steadicam ops too, with part of their expertise assessing and navigating various environments, masterful stair climbs, 360 orbits around talent being replaced with a stationary camera, spinning talent on turntable and a changing background!

 

[CharlesPapert]

Poor steadicam ops too, with part of their expertise assessing and navigating various environments, masterful stair climbs, 360 orbits around talent being replaced with a stationary camera, spinning talent on turntable and a changing background!

I had my fair share of virtual set type experiences as a Steadicam op going back to the early 90's when I was brought in on a corporate piece to do flybys of a stationary object (can't remember what it was) against green screen, to simulate it flying through space! Think of of the effects shot done with the model ships on Star Trek and Star Wars back in the day, same idea except I was playing the part of the motion control Vistavision camera.

Then there was the opening of the HBO series "Big Love". A wraparound green screen stage with a surreal landscape and simulated iced-over pond. The opening shot required me to step off a crane and continue the move. I had broken and sprained my ankle very badly that year, and this was my first gig back in the rig after 5 months of recovery. And of course it had to be a crane stepoff onto ice?! I was overly cautious and that resulted in a little wobble as I dismounted the crane on the keeper take. But because it was green screen, I begged the director to have the shot stabilized before it was comped. Of course that didn't happen. My girlfriend loved that show and everytime it was on, I gritted my teeth when that wobble came on screen in the opening credits. But anyway, yes it was an interesting shoot and I think a pretty brilliant opening sequence. I've added some BTS footage to the end of the clip so you can see me clamber around on my "stabilicers" (special cleated attachments that strap onto one's shoes)

 

[rob norton]

That's a cool story! I didn't notice the wobble at all and can barely see it now but can understand the concern. Fair enough re ankle injury, ankles can take a really long time to heal, if at all, before even thinking about adding a large steadicam rig. Looks like you did well in the stabilicers.

 

[CharlesPapert]

That's a cool story! I didn't notice the wobble at all and can barely see it now but can understand the concern. Fair enough re ankle injury, ankles can take a really long time to heal, if at all, before even thinking about adding a large steadicam rig. Looks like you did well in the stabilicers.

That was a year or two after I installed an 8' projector screen in the living room, so seeing it that way, everything stood out (and it was quite critical of my own work too).

It was a hell of an injury, yes--doctor actually gave it a 30% chance of necrosis which was pretty terrifying. A pretty rare type of break nicknamed Aviator's Ankle. It doesn't bother me, but I wasn't convinced my footwork ever came fully back to where it was before the injury, and that was the beginning of my thinking about moving onwards and upwards from Steadicam.

It's interesting to see how high I have the rig boomed up, but of course everyone I was shooting was on ice skates so that's a few inches of blade, plus I'm sure I had to avoid the lighting grid.