Can Virtual Production Drive Inclusion in TV & Film?
If you’ve seen shows like ‘House of the Dragon’, ‘Fallout’ or ‘The Mandalorian’; or films like ‘Barbie’, ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ or ‘Poor Things’ then you’ve seen Virtual Production (VP) in action.
This emerging filmmaking tool is one you might call a ‘game changer’ - making the seemingly impossible, visually possible and challenging the traditional ways we schedule, budget and deliver productions. Like other smart technology tools, such as generative AI, VP is only just beginning to reveal its true potential… with the on-screen visuals being just one of its impacts.
Deployed the right way, we think VP could also be a catalyst for a new level of inclusion and accessibility in TV and film production - and we’re going to explore how. But before we go into that, let’s quickly get our heads wrapped around what VP is and how it works.
What is Virtual Production?
Virtual Production (VP) is a filmmaking technique that combines traditional live-action filming with computer-generated imagery (CGI) in real-time to create a seamless and immersive production experience. This allows filmmakers to visualise and manipulate virtual environments and effects during the actual filming process.
It’s estimated that there’s over 40 VP studios operating in the UK, including Mars Volume facility in Ruislip, which was recently visited by Gritty Creative Director Vicki Lines-Gibbs, as well as Distortion Studios in our hometown of Bristol.
How does virtual production work?
At the heart of the VP process are LED ‘volume stages’ - large, high-resolution screens arranged in semi-circular or fully enclosed sets that display realistic CGI backgrounds in real-time. These setups are powered by real-time rendering engines like Unreal Engine and used in conjunction with motion capture technology, camera tracking systems, as well augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR) technologies to create highly realistic and dynamic cinematic experiences.
Fancy learning a bit more? Then this next bit might be for you…
Gritty Talent is partnering with the University of Bristol to deliver a free virtual production-focused Skills Bootcamp (for people aged 19+). The Skills Bootcamp will consist of 100 hours of learning on VP and using Unreal Engine, along with career development workshops and mentoring for all successful applicants. Applications open mid-September, so keep an eye on our socials or sign up to our newsletter here to stay in the loop!
Why choose Virtual Production?
There are some significant reasons why a production company might start to use VP as an alternative to traditional on-location shooting, or green screen-enabled CGI, including:
Saving time (and carbon footprint) travelling to locations; waiting for the right conditions; doing reshoots etc
Saving money by limiting variable factors that could affect spending over budget
Providing total design, lighting and environmental control
Giving actors a more natural performance space, as opposed to green screens
Seeing the results of CGI in real-time, avoiding complicated a post-production process
All fantastic benefits, I’m sure you’ll agree, but this wouldn’t be a Gritty Talent blog if we didn’t explore the implications on the sector’s talent and ongoing efforts to create a more inclusive, representative and accessible industry…
How can Virtual Production support inclusion in TV and Film?
By removing physical travel and other barriers to getting to remote and difficult locations, teams can potentially access high quality production environments and bring environments from around the world to life - making immersive storytelling more inclusive of those who have been unable to take up these types of roles in the past. This potentially allows people from less privileged socioeconomic backgrounds; with carer responsibilities; geographical barriers and/or access barriers to learn and practise their craft in local environments.
With many tutorials and learning materials available for free online, talent can learn in their own time and in their own way.
The process also allows for a more flexible work situation where talent may be able work remotely - supporting those unable to commute or relocate. It also limits the need for the sort of physical exertion that may be required for a traditional shoot, making roles in virtual production more accessible to talent with physical disabilities and long term health conditions.
Let’s not forget the stories that virtual production allows us to tell, either. There’s now unprecedented scope to produce more diverse settings than ever before, which means more diverse storytelling. This creates a need to hire writers, crews and casts that can accurately and faithfully tell these stories in ways that translate well to audiences.
It’s also arguable that these emerging tech-based processes will also attract new talent to the sector, and make it a more attractive industry for young people to consider. Technologies such as motion capture, real-time rendering, and virtual set design are relatively niche or new areas of expertise, and will lend themselves towards tech-savvy, post-grad, emerging talent.
All of this helps widen the talent pool, allowing employers to focus on skills, talent and passion rather than proximity to production locations. This leads to a positive cycle of increased visibility, promoting a more inclusive industry standard - encouraging further representation both on and off our screens.
The next steps for the industry
As with many industry innovations, it relies on those with decision making power and financial resources to spot the opportunities for investment in skills/technology and drive us forward. The current (relatively) high costs of studio hire and skills acquisition may be a reason for decision makers holding back. But as we know from previous game-changing technologies and practices - be it the fixed rig format or the adoption of drone technology - it takes a leap of faith and pioneering spirit to demonstrate the value and potential.
We believe that the combined gains in both production output and inclusivity are worth the punt.
We’re also at a pivotal point whereby many of the previous commissioning slates and funding models are changing, and in the bid to create ‘bigger, fewer, better’, harnessing technology and the best talent could be the key to achieving the next groundbreaking series.
So much of the groundwork has already been laid to enable great inclusion in the screen sector. New technology offers us a chance to not only produce high quality, world class content, but to super-charge our efforts in welcoming, nurturing and driving fantastic talent from all backgrounds into outstanding careers in our sector.
