VFX and Virtual Production

Jul 9, 2024

TL;DR

Cybever is revolutionizing VFX and virtual production with innovative tools that create large-scale 3D environments in minutes. These advancements enhance collaboration, reduce costs, and streamline workflows, addressing industry challenges like high expenses and actor performance issues with green screens. As we prepare for a closed beta, we invite industry professionals to join us in shaping the future of VFX production.

Estimated Read Time: 5 minutes

The Future of VFX and Virtual Production: A Sneak Peek into Cybever’s Innovations

The world of VFX and virtual production is on the brink of a revolution, and Cybever is at the forefront, pioneering new technologies that promise to transform the industry. Over the past few weeks, we have explored the groundbreaking tools developed at Cybever, which enable the creation of large-scale 3D environments in mere minutes from text, maps and storyboards. These advancements are set to redefine virtual production, bringing an unprecedented level of realism and efficiency to the process.

Why the Film Industry?

The cinema industry is currently facing significant profitability challenges. In 2023, global box office revenues were down by 20% compared to pre-pandemic levels, while production costs have continued to rise. Visual effects (VFX) now account for up to 30% of the total production budget of blockbuster films. As audiences demand more visually stunning experiences, the cost of creating these effects has soared.

When audiences watch movies, they experience a story, emotions, characters, scripts, and cinematography. Amid these elements, 3D visual effects stand out as an area where cost reduction and efficiency improvements can have the most substantial impact. This is where Cybever's approach becomes particularly crucial. In Hollywood, there is an increasing demand for 100% original and high-quality machine-made visuals, making Cybever’s innovative solutions indispensable as we enter the entertainment industry.

LED and Green Screen Walls in Virtual Production

Virtual production technology, utilizing LED and green screen walls, has dramatically altered the landscape of VFX-heavy productions. These tools allow for real-time construction of virtual sets that adapt instantly to camera movements and perspective changes. Displayed on massive LED screens, these environments offer a tangible reference for actors, unlike traditional green screens where actors must imagine their surroundings. Notable examples of productions utilizing LED screen technology include "The Mandalorian," which used Industrial Light & Magic's "Stagecraft" technology, "The Batman," which created immersive Gotham City backgrounds, "Obi-Wan Kenobi," employing similar "Volume" technology, and "Dune" (2021), which used LED screens to create its expansive desert landscapes. However, these setups come with significant costs and challenges. The expenses associated with LED and green screen technologies are extremely high, and actors often struggle to perform without a concrete visual reference.

The Evolution of Virtual Production

Virtual Production has blurred the traditional distinctions between pre-production, principal photography, and post-production. Technologies like Unreal Engine facilitate real-time digital sets, providing a dynamic environment where directors and VFX artists can make instantaneous adjustments. These innovations enhance collaboration and streamline workflows, but they also introduce new hurdles, such as production delays and cross-compatibility issues.

Empowering Creators with Real-Time Digital Sets

Real-time digital sets and LED volume stages offer creators unparalleled capabilities, though they also introduce new challenges. Cybever's mission is to empower creators by addressing these challenges with innovative solutions. By collaborating closely with renowned directors, producers, VFX supervisors, and studio heads, we have gained valuable insights into the practical applications of virtual production across various media, including films, television, music videos, trailers, and commercials.

Advantages of Cybever’s Tech

• Enhanced Collaboration: Shifting creative work traditionally done in post-production to pre-production fosters greater collaboration and reduces siloed workflows.
• Pre-Visualization: Directors, producers, VFX artists, and clients can visualize more of the project during pre-visualization, enabling informed decision-making and approval of key elements before principal photography begins.
• Dynamic Lighting: LED screens provide active lighting, eliminating the need for traditional lighting setups. Correct environmental colors are reflected on actors and surfaces, enhancing the overall realism.
• Actor Interaction: Actors can see and interact with their environment, rather than imagining their surroundings against a green screen.
• Cost Reduction: Utilizing virtual production can significantly cut down costs by streamlining the creative process and reducing the need for extensive physical sets and on-location shoots.

Cybever’s Next Steps: Innovating for the Future

The invaluable feedback from our early partners has been instrumental in shaping the next steps of Cybever’s product journey. As we prepare for a closed beta of our 3D world-building creative suite, we are focused on integrating recent learnings and prioritizing features that will enhance the utility of virtual productions. Key features include:

• Scalable Level of Detail: Creating virtual worlds and 3D sets with varying levels of detail and different styles to prioritize speed and optimization over photo-realism when necessary.
• Single Object Customization: Allowing directors and VFX supervisors to make precise adjustments to individual elements on the virtual stage.
• Tool Aggregation: Consolidating as much functionality as possible into a single platform to minimize time-consuming export-import processes and compatibility issues.

Join the Revolution

We are thrilled to announce that exciting news about creative collaborations is on the horizon. If you work in 3D art, VFX, game development, or virtual production and are interested in joining Cybever’s closed beta program for our innovative creative suite, we invite you to reach out. Together, we can shape the future of VFX and virtual production.