>> Through exciting advancements in technology,
virtual production is changing the way we tell stories.
This relatively new process in filmmaking
has actually been evolving for some time now.
With advances in real-time development platforms
like Unreal Engine and with modern graphics
processing technology with the latest in GPU architecture,
we are able to tell stories in a much more organic and creative
manner.
A film set utilizing virtual production with Unreal Engine
is able to take advantage of advanced interaction,
new levels of realistic lighting scenarios,
machine learning, artificial intelligence,
and real-time visual effects.
All of this allows for real actors with live action
feeds to mix with CG elements directly onstage
in the midst of production.
This allows for live, real-time decision making on set.
So what exactly is virtual production?
Well, virtual production is the process
of creating digital worlds that starts
at the inception of the film and ends
with real-time visual effects.
All of this is centered around real-time interaction on stage.
This enables production crews to see
their scenes unfold as they are composed and captured on set.
Therefore, in summary, virtual production
is where the physical and digital worlds meet.
The traditional movie-making process
locks in people and ideas early on,
whereas virtual production allows
for early interaction of all major components
into a more immersive practice that
brings the art and visual effects process
into the heart of the action.
By combining real world actors with CG props and environments
live from Unreal Engine, it is possible to achieve
final shots live on set.
This is possible by using LED walls to display an Unreal
Engine scene or a digital green screen
for real-time in-Engine compositing.
Significantly accelerating overall production times,
this enables real world actors and props
to receive interactive lighting and reflections
from the CG environment.
And in some cases , eliminates post-production workflows.
As the camera is moved, the Unreal Engine camera
moves with it in the 3D world, producing realistic parallax
through the lens.
This is possible by utilizing Live Link technology, which
lets you connect a stream of real-time data
to Unreal Engine, including cameras, lights,
and other production roles.
Changes can be made in Unreal Engine live on set, enabling
scenes to be edited in ways that would traditionally
be extremely difficult, time-consuming
or downright impossible.
Changing positions of props for a particular camera
angle or shot, for example involves interactively
picking it up and moving it.
Scouting digital environments for shot placement
is possible using virtual reality
to explore and review scenes.
Filmmakers can place themselves in a virtually accurate
representation of the filming location
to make better creative decisions.
With the use of VR tools, including intuitive navigation
and a virtual viewfinder, filmmakers
can determine scene blocking, and compose shots
by taking screen grabs of the scene.
VR scouting can also be used in conjunction
with multi-user editing for powerful collaborative creative
sessions.
Using fingertip gestures, cinematographers and gaffers
can dynamically control the lighting of a scene
on set, both within the CG environment
and on the real world actors and props.
This is possible via a rest-style remote control
API, which enables front-end web designers to build custom tools
and interfaces to control Unreal Engine via remote procedure
calls commands.
Therefore, lighting can be adjusted
from a device such as an iPad.
This allows production teams to see an accurate representation
of the final product early on in the creative process.
This also allows for a very realistic collaborative
approach to filmmakers by immersing them
into the story they're trying to tell.
The development team on Unreal Engine
is constantly working to advance the tool
sets of virtual production.
If you want to learn more about how Unreal Engine can help
your production, be sure to check out
the Virtual Production with Unreal Engine website, where
you can find podcasts and spotlights on productions
utilizing the latest in virtual production technology.
Also be sure to download the free Virtual Production Field
Guide developed by Epic Games.
The Marketplace is always adding content and samples
that you can download and use to learn and build with.
Finally, be sure to check out the Online Learning
Library for Unreal Engine.
Through a complex toolset, Unreal Engine
provides the technology for creators
to take full advantage of the latest
in cutting-edge virtual production.
Scalable from professionals to independent artists,
Unreal Engine is continuously under development
to provide the best real-time production tools for large film
sets, television productions, and smaller independent content
creators.
Whether you're using the output from the virtual set
as final pixels or as an intermediate stage in film
production, the power of the virtual production tool
set in Unreal Engine is clear.