Virtual Production: Redefining the Creative Process
Epic Games revolutionised digital content creation with the introduction of real-time ray tracing in Unreal Engine 4.22, unveiled in March 2019. This breakthrough brought unprecedented speeds to the industry, along with photorealistic renderings that were previously unimaginable. Exactly a year later, in March 2020, as we geared up to fully immerse ourselves in this transformative technology, the world unexpectedly went into lockdown. Looking back now, the timing feels almost surreal. Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, it's astonishing to see the progress we've achieved in such a remarkably short span of time.
Today, virtual production is experiencing a surge in popularity worldwide, offering classical VFX professionals the chance to play a central role in the creation process traditionally reserved for directors, cinematographers, and production designers. While the widespread enthusiasm in virtual production suggests limitless possibilities, this rings true with a few notable exceptions. At Media.Monks, New Delhi, we encountered two significant hurdles: hardware constraints (hardware import taxes are very high in India) and the necessity for an agile team comprising both technical and the ones with an eye.
Fast forward to 2022-23, with the support of Epic Games, MediaMonks became one of the first businesses in the country to have their very own LED stage. During that time, through an Open House event, we invited some of the best cinematographers, directors, and producers from across India. This required me to design an invitation that would capture their attention. The image above is a prototype of a slightly elaborate invite - a virtual production in a box. It offers a fantastical glimpse into the potential chaos, evoking the excitement of a Michael Bay film.
Implementing a Bootstrap Approach in Production
In late 2021, we established a small testing facility to familiarize ourselves with the tracking system and lens calibration, aiming for minimal post-production efforts. These were intense days dedicated to team building, with our pipeline evolving as we progressed. Embracing a bootstrap approach, I was tasked by the managing director to quickly implement necessary processes with Unreal Engine’s, Virtual Production Field Guide as our principle handbook. Despite limited hardware resources, our agile team proved exceptional.
Setting up this facility within a traditional production house—known for its high-end CG and live-action commercials—presented unique challenges. In the nascent stages, we recognized a stark contrast: India's advertising industry lacked the practice of technical visualisation and pre-visualization standard methods for pre-production, however these elements were foundational in virtual production. We strategized extensively on how to introduce this new technology to the market, recognizing that brands have relied on established practices that have served them well for years, which could make them resistant to change. Over time it fostered collaboration among departments, a departure from the typically siloed approach in advertising production
As a global production hub, the New Delhi office boasted some of India's top full-stack motion designers, showcased by talents like Mama Space. While we faced no challenge beyond our capabilities within the studio, we soon recognized a significant hurdle: hardware limitations. Achieving production-quality output required a top-notch, precision tracking system, which comes with a hefty price tag. This presented a notable barrier to entry in the high-quality virtual production business. Nonetheless, we remained inspired by the possibilities and persevered with the resources at our disposal.
We were fully aware that we weren't positioned as the cheaper option compared to traditional film production. Instead, our promise lay in offering an exhilarating crafted journey from concept to execution, all under one roof. There was significant post-production work required, we found that engaging in pre-production whenever possible yielded superior results.
Today, the original team that spearheaded the build is no longer intact, including individuals like Akshay Singh, , Nida Arshia, Sumit Das, Surjendu Das, Hasan Siddiqi, Shaahkar Siddiquee. It's likely only a matter of time before Unreal Engine establishes its own niche within the linear content creation world.
What we've certainly grasped, beyond technicalities and aesthetics, is the crucial role creative solutions play within the demands of a pipeline-based production. A pipeline that is nonlinear in nature, demanding a brand new kind of synergy.
As a creative generalist with a background in design facilitation and a deep understanding of CGI intricacies, I found myself assuming various roles during the virtual production (VP) build process. It all boiled down to team building, particularly when bridging the gap between the gaming and cinematic worlds. Our technical artists hailed from game studios, discussing terms like spawning and billboards, while we delved into multipass EXR sequences and match moving. Their expertise lay in blueprints and triggers, whereas we were well-versed in cached simulations and OpenColorIO but it all came down to optimizing for playback in real-time.
Our understanding of each other's nuances, both technical and visual, truly coalesced during the previsualization (PreViz) stage of the pipeline. PreViz served as a fertile ground for experimentation, allowing for mistakes to be made and lessons to be learned. Unreal Engine is known as a PreViz powerhouse, and to fully grasp its potential, a synergistic collaboration between artists was indispensable.
Another significant intervention I made was bringing Digbejoy Ghosh, a brilliant concept designer who now serves as a VAD (Virtual Art Department) supervisor, into the team. Concept art was familiar territory for both sets of artists, serving as a starting point that ensured we had a common goal and a clear direction to work towards. This gradually facilitated the development of a shared language that we all began to comprehend both visually and technically. Today, it's unimaginable to embark on a Virtual Production project without having a Virtual Art Department supervisor onboard.
Lastly, I was in charge of recruiting and mentorship. I established a robust mentorship program for all the young Unreal Engine generalists who joined the team. These were the early days, before tutorials on level design flooded platforms like YouTube. One of the key challenges we encountered was bridging the gap between the scale in the real world and that within Engine. Understanding the distinction between what makes something photorealistic versus game-like was essential, especially since we were operating within a game engine. Achieving the desired aesthetic required extensive training and experimentation, but I'm pleased to report that our efforts paid off.
By the end of this period, we found ourselves capable of designing levels within a matter of days. Moving from concept and references to visualising them in the volume became a more streamlined and deliberate process.
As we look towards the future, it's clear that Unreal Engine will continue to play a pivotal role in reshaping the content creation landscape. The synergy between technical and artistic minds, coupled with a dedication to innovation, will drive the evolution of virtual production, ensuring that it remains at the forefront of creative storytelling.