Virtual Production Reel 2020 By The Other End

Virtual Production Reel 2020 By The Other End

In August 2020, The Other End tested the future of film at Pinewood Studios in Toronto. Creating immersive virtual environments, we established a bespoke virtual production workflow and are eager to continue pushing the envelope of independent film making, music videos, and commercial production both locally and internationally.

Virtual production is one of the boldest disruptors of traditional production techniques that blends live footage capture, special effects, and pre-built realistic 3D environments in real-time, on set.

It combines computer-aided production and visualization filmmaking methods to blend multiple realities, CGI, and game-engine technologies to inform real-time creative decisions through seamless interactivity between the virtual environment, the real-world production set, the talent, and the filmmaker. Along with its many benefits, virtual production yields the ability to create and control multiple settings from one studio at any time.

While virtual production falls under a wide umbrella of technologies and practices that have been used for a few years now, it’s limited use within film & media production has mainly been observed on blockbuster sets to create futuristic or post-apocalyptic worlds, such as in Avatar,

The Mandalorian, and The Lion King. While the technologies continue to evolve, its use has yet to become majorly commercialized within the Canadian landscape, and has yet to be tested on independent film and tv projects, music videos, and commercial projects that are contained to hyper-realistic environments. Seeing opportunity,

The Other End teamed up with the Sheridan Screen Industries Research & Training Centre (SIRT), APG Media, and William F. White’s Inc. to demonstrate the relevance of virtual production workflows in providing solutions to productions seeking real-world environments. After months of in-depth research and the retraining of employees as a final push to redefine their services,

The Other End arrived at Pinewood Studios in early August for the first virtual production pilot shoot. Working with a 340-panel LED volume, five virtual locations, three talent, and over a dozen action-packed scenes, the shoot was the first of its scale and caliber in Toronto. Simulated locations ranged from the inside of a loft apartment to a subway station to the depths of a dense forest.

Over the course of four days, actors sat in cars, on motorcycles, and toyed with a selection of weapons – all sequences that were designed to showcase the unprecedented interactivity between the LED video wall, the virtual environments created in Unreal Engine, the real-world lighting and production setup, and among the talent and creatives.

In carrying out the proof of concept, The Other End developed a tested virtual production workflow for film and television productions, music videos, and commercial projects, as well as demonstrated the ability to apply virtual production techniques to hyperrealistic and everyday settings. In addition to examining its technological relevance,

the proof of concept demonstrated how smaller teams on a more minimal budget are able to benefit from the flexibility and creative freedom associated with the virtual production workflow.

In the short term, The Other End aims to offer virtual production workflow expertise as a service to other productions striving to jump-start productions in the midst of the pandemic.

Outside of lending the specialized knowledge and technical teams needed to carry out a project from start to finish, The Other End is able to tailor services to meet the needs of each individual client. In the long term, The Other End aspires to establish itself as a solutions provider for executing all virtual production needs. The future of the film is here. For more on how to re-awaken your production needs today, visit www.theotherend

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