Virtual Production at Garden Studios is now fully operational. Our team has been running tests at Ealing Studios since November before moving the rig to Garden Studios in 2021. We are now ready to embrace clients and accommodate all virtual production bookings. Our doors are open.
Our Virtual Production soundstage makes your creativity a reality. 3D CGI modelling and precision camera tracking allow productions to film live-action subjects and computer graphics all in real-time. Rather than applying computer-generated imagery in post-production, Virtual Production allows filmmakers to shoot live-action footage within a previsualized virtual world. Whether you’re shooting a feature film, short-form promo, commercial or music video, virtual production can deliver for your project.
Our research and development phase has progressed steadily, and with excellent results. One of the first tasks was to calibrate our MoSys tracking system to allow for seamless camera tracking within the Unreal Engine. The benefits of using MoSys over other tracking providers are extensive; not only does MoSys work in low light, but the tracker does not require frequent recalibration.
We’ve run many test shoots which have allowed us to experiment with different lighting setups, lenses and set dressing. One particularly interesting find is that lenses above 40mm work best on our stage. We’re delighted to have learnt so much about the technology and are committed to using this knowledge to optimise workflows for all.
We are currently using the Unreal Web Remote API to control the display via an iPad. This allows us to make lighting and colour grading changes instantaneously, as well as triggering different events or animations within the scene.
The next step is to add that remote control functionality to our source control. This will radically improve the system’s stability while remaining flexible and user-friendly. Soon, we will add DMX controls and camera FBX recording to give clients maximum autonomy and creative control.
Over the next few months, we will introduce our roster of studio spaces. Here is our first iteration – Stage 1.
The three sound-stages at Garden Studios are 23,350 sq.ft, 11,745 sq.ft and 5,230 sq.ft. These will be operational from May onwards. Workshops and offices are available from the end of March, with other smaller spaces available sooner. We are excited to welcome our first clients very soon.
Research and development collaborations -through March and April- will help us to improve our workflows, and therefore, outcomes for all. What we learn, we will share. Notably, we are contributing to ScreenSkills’ Virtual Production initiative. Any working professionals -from directors and DOPs to designers and VFX artists- who want to join the effort on a shared learning principle are most welcome. We may not have all the answers but, step by step, we are building the knowledge, along with a network of people, to master this medium.
In line with the government’s guidance on Covid Compliance, our campus has ample space to allow for social distancing. The safety of our clients and employees is our first priority. To ensure this, we have a full-time health & safety officer on-site. From temperature checks, to track and trace and covid risk assessments, we have taken strict measures to enforce health & safety protocols. Furthermore, we have implemented increased cleaning to maintain high levels of hygiene across our campus.
