Demystifying Virtual Production: A Case Study of ASC Masterclass with Narwhal Studios and Epic Games
Introduction
Introducing ASC Masterclass, Narwhal Studios and Epic Games
Seeking to demystify Virtual Production processes and workflows, Epic Games, Narwhal Studios, Pixomondo, and other notable creatives collaborated in Master Class for Masters: Virtual Production (2022) for the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC). Shot at Nant Studios, and led by industry leaders Baz Idoine (The Mandalorian), Noah Kadner, and Todd Cherniawsky (Obi-Wan Kenobi), this highly-exclusive demonstration was designed to educate ASC members on the cutting-edge technology and techniques used in virtual production and the impact it has on key creatives in the filmmaking process.
As part of the masterclass, our team at Narwhal Studios art directed a western interior environment and utilized the Multi-user Virtual Location Scout process to bring it to life. Led by our VAD Art Director, Meats Meier, we provided valuable guidance to the Production Designer and Cinematographer in the virtual review sessions.
The ASC response was overwhelmingly positive, with attendees impressed and fascinated by the behind-the-scenes look at the virtual production process and the collaboration between key creatives. The conversations during the session were similar to those in physical production, showing the potential of virtual production in the filmmaking industry. ASC, home to renowned film professionals, including Greig Fraser, Baz Idoine, and Matthew Jensen, continues to recognize the value and importance of virtual production in the future of filmmaking.
Our Experience in Virtual Production
Narwhal Studios specializes in creating real-time worlds and characters in pre-production. We collaborate with many directors, producers, cinematographers, production designers, and VFX supervisors, acting as the creative liaison between key creatives and production, to help bring the vision of their projects to life with a Virtual Art Department. Our virtual review process and suite of proprietary tools allows for streamlined communication between key creatives and the opportunity to see the real-time interaction between the physical and virtual elements.
This case study showcases the benefits of this new technology and how our team of experts is dedicated to helping all studios and productions embrace the future of filmmaking.
Virtual Production Processes and Workflows
Narwhal leads the Virtual Review Process - A Key Element of Virtual Production
One of the key elements of virtual production is the virtual location scouting process, which allows the key creatives to explore the virtual and physical environments created by the production designer, cinematographer, and VFX supervisor. Narwhal Studios leads the virtual location scouting process and assists in the real-time environment build for the LED Volume.
Collaboration Between Key Creatives in the Virtual Review Process.
The collaboration between the director, producer, cinematographer, production designer, and VFX supervisor in the virtual review process is essential to ensure the design aligns with vision and story while staying within the budget. In the ASC Masterclass these creatives worked together to make important decisions about the composition, placement of characters and objects, and the overall look and feel of the set. The virtual review process allows the key creatives to see the interaction between the physical and virtual elements, while making adjustments on the fly to explore new ideas.
The Director of Photography in Virtual Production
Revolutionizing the Role of the Cinematographer
Virtual production has revolutionized the role of the cinematographer. Using virtual cameras to frame shots while manipulating the virtual lighting and ultimately allowing them to make developmental decisions early on in pre-production. Defining the hero shots in pre, cuts down on the amount of construction required in the physical and virtual worlds throughout the production. This opportunity for early involvement also means the cinematographer has the chance to apply their creative expertise to the VFX sets that will be created in post-production.
Collaboration between Baz Idoine and Narwhal Studios on The Mandalorian
It's always great to work with someone you have a history with, and for us at Narwhal that was the case with Cinematographer, Baz Idoine. Meeting him during production of Season 1 of The Mandalorian (2019), our team guided Baz through the virtual art department process, enabling him to maintain his creative vision throughout the production. Then in Season 2 of The Mandalorian we tailored our processes to his needs and even developed new tools and workflows to enhance his creativity as we collaborated on more projects.
Empowering Cinematographers to Make Early Developmental Decisions with Narwhal VP Tools
During the ASC Masterclass, we led the demonstration of how the Cinematographer and Production Designer determine the creative intent for the sets and shots. Baz Idoine and Todd Cherniawsky worked collaboratively in the virtual sets and were able to modify various elements of set decoration in real-time to find the best setup in the LED Volume. A virtual prelight was set up to understand the lighting direction for the scene based on the story beats from the script. Our VAD Supervisor Meats Meier, was able to manipulate the lighting in real time to align with Baz’s vision. All final lighting in UE5 was presented to Baz and Todd for approval. Gathering any last minute notes, the approved set was turned over to the LED Volume content team for final assets build-out.
The Production Designer in Virtual Production
The Importance of Planning out the Story and Sets in Virtual Production.
Production Designers and Art Directors collaborate to breathe life into physical sets, and now with virtual production the addition of a VAD Art Director continues the conversation into the virtual set extensions. Virtual reality empowers creatives with a sense of scale and process similar to how they would work on a physical set. However, with in-camera VFX, they need to be even more aware of where the physical set transitions into the virtual one, especially with the use of LED screens. The story and settings need to be fleshed out and planned ahead of time so that they are ready to be brought to life on the day of the shoot.
Collaboration between Todd Cherniawsky and Narwhal Studios in Obi-Wan Kenobi and the ASC Masterclass demonstration.
Todd Cherniawsky was the production designer for the hit series, Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022). During that project, Narwhal Studios had the pleasure of working with Todd, who already had a keen interest in the virtual production process. We showcased much of what Todd experienced on Obi-Wan Kenobi during the ASC virtual location scouts, which involved scheduling the virtual stage walks, visualizing the set build as it relates to the virtual set extension, highlighting physical requirements in the virtual environment to plan out cost and logistics.
How Virtual Reality Empowers Production Designers with a Sense of Scale and Connectivity.
Understanding the scale and connectivity of the physical and virtual sets is key for developing film sets. Virtual reality enables production designers to see how the set and lighting will look on the day of the shoot, and make any necessary adjustments before shoot day. Not only a valuable tool for planning, Virtual Reality provides the opportunity to explore the artistic potential of production design with low-risk, aiding in the creation of immersive and visually-stunning sets that enhance storytelling and captivate audiences.
Conclusion
The ASC Masterclass showcased how virtual production can revolutionize filmmaking. It was a true collaborative effort, and we were proud to be part of it. Embracing virtual production can streamline production, reduce costs, and create visually stunning sets. Contact us today to start or scale your virtual production journey and sign up for Narwhal Studios Newsletter to keep up to date.
