VPFG2023 / Vol.05
Virtual Production is very prohibitive for the smaller company, with larger broadcasting giants only able to afford the installation of Virtual Production studio, or to even afford to rent one of the larger spaces. This episode explores the more middle-of-the-road options for virtual production.
TSP Filming Center
- Tokyo Sound Production
- Kitasando ASTRAY Studio
- Panda Studio Odaiba
- Wrap Up
Many people think that virtual production using LED walls is only possible for high-end content production because the devices used such as LED displays, media servers and trackers are expensive. It’s true that just building a system would cost millions of dollars, so the studio usage fee would be a considerable amount. However, there are some teams and studios that are creating a system that can deal with middle-range production costs to throw a stone in such a situation.
Tokyo Sound Production
First on this list is Tokyo Sound Production, and their 4 affiliates. Along with TSP, the availability of Visual Graphics, Bridgelink, and Digidelic are combined in a virtual production business trip package. Tokyo Sound Production will handle the filming technology, Visual Graphics will handle the UE related systems, Bridge Link will handle the LED display, and Digidelic will handle the background CG assets.
Originally, the four companies had a virtual production demo room at Tokyo Sound Production’s Shibaura Kaigan R&D studio. This is a service that allows you to bring the entire system to a desired location, set it up, and start recording. This is a project realized by the mobility of Bridge Link, which has a proven track record in rental LEDs, and the visual graphics camera tracking system “LinkBox”.
The difficulty with virtual production is that production companies do not yet have much experience and it is difficult to calculate production costs. It is a package plan that includes Digidelic’s pre-prepared template-like assets, TSP’s technical team familiar with shooting, shooting & lighting equipment, and from 2.98 million yen including installation to removal. One of the strengths of virtual production is the ability to instantly create various locations. It is reassuring to know that it will come in its entirety.
Kitasando ASTRAY Studio
The ASTRAY studio, which opened in June 2023, is in a very efficient location right above Kitasando subway station, just north of Shibuya and Harajuku in Tokyo. The studio, which is 3.5m long and has a permanent 1.8mm pitch LED wall covering three sides in a U-shape, is small but equipped with stYpe’s RedSpy for tracking, enabling precise synchronization with cameras. With the concept of a studio where you can come empty-handed, we have shooting, lighting equipment, background assets, and staff.
Unlike green screens, post-production work proceeds like a normal location shoot, and with pre-prepared assets, scheduling is compact. Considering the favorable location, it will be effective for filming between busy performers.
Panda Studio Odaiba
Odaiba is also considered an advantageous location in the center of Tokyo. Therefore, it is no surprise that Panda Studio, which has many studios in Nihonbashi Hamacho, Akasaka, Ginza, Akihabara, and Osaka, opened a photography studio on the 6th floor of Aqua City in Odaiba on January 20, 2023.
There are 4 studios, but the one with permanent LED lights is the 2nd studio. Until now, there were LED studios in Nihonbashi Hamacho and Akasaka, but not from the perspective of in-camera VFX, but from the perspective of art. I was under the impression that it had an LED display. After coming here, a studio with a height of 3m and a width of 6m, which can be called an LED wall, was finally born. When you enter the studio lobby, you will be greeted by a 4-meter-high LED wall that stretches to the ceiling.
However, Panda Studio itself does not have an in-camera VFX system. Therefore, we are trying to introduce an in-camera VFX system in cooperation with STUDIO TECH, which handles Aximmetry. Aximmetry’s selling point is that it can handle everything from green screens to LEDs, which is a virtual production solution that is expanding its share in Asia, at low cost. As mentioned in this special feature, tracking functions are not necessary for screen processing, but they are essential for in-camera VFX.
Panda Studio Odaiba also sets the studio price to include equipment such as LEDs and cameras. However, if you are concerned about LED moire because the LED has a pitch of 2.6mm, prepare a full-size camera instead of the built-in micro4/3 camera, and the distance to the LED will increase.
In the future, this kind of all-in-one provision of staff, equipment, and systems may become the norm. In particular, virtual productions can also include the provision of location here. Until now, video production was always a made-to-order industry. With the advent of virtual production, I feel that we have entered an era where semi-order video production is possible. There is a sad side for the author as a photographer, but for those who use it, we here at PRONEWS think it will be welcomed as one of the options.
Wrap Up
As mentioned in the beginning, virtual production systems tend to be expensive. The studios introduced this time have also achieved cost reductions through various efforts. For that reason, it is inevitable that there will be areas where you are good at and areas where you are not good at. I hope that you will take on the challenge of new technology while seeing this with your own eyes and ascertaining whether it is suitable for your intended use.
