Starting Pixel Live 24’s Demo Jam session delivers a whirlwind of innovation, with four companies showcasing their latest technologies for virtual production in bursts of eight-minute presentations. Featuring solutions from tracking cameras in massive arenas to creating depth of field for 2D content, the session offered both technical wizardry and behind-the-scenes insights.
stYpe: Camera Tracking, Everywhere
Kristijan Sekulic, the stYpe specialist, led a demonstration of the stYpe virtual production solutions, highlighting “RedSpy” as a crowning achievement in camera tracking. Designed for precision, RedSpy has tackled everything from tracking complex camera movements in extreme weather conditions to operating seamlessly in sports arenas. Sekulic described a recent challenge at an open-air water dam with ever-changing lighting, where the RedSpy system excelled, demonstrating the flexibility of its visual-based tracking.
Sekulic wrapped up with another stYpe innovation, “Follower,” which can track multiple elements at once, even moving LED panels, making it a versatile choice for film and TV productions.
stYpe can be found here: stype.tv/
Stage Precision: Wrangling Complexity in Virtual Production
Michael Giegerrich from Stage Precision brought a tale of resilience and learning to his demo, sharing his company’s journey from a challenging virtual production project to developing the multi-functional “SP” platform. “SP” provides a centralized system for virtual production, managing data from tracking, lighting, and camera feeds in a 3D environment. Giegerrich emphasized how this tool has evolved to support complex projects, such as managing numerous Unreal Engine servers and track cameras for the Super Bowl.
Stage Precision’s SP platform also played a crucial role in the Fallout series for Amazon Prime, integrating Stype tracking data with hydraulic set movements for precise virtual shots. With SP, Giegerrich demonstrated how an idea born from technical setbacks grew into a sophisticated tool that now coordinates complex projects.
Stage Precision can be found here www.stageprecision.com
Disguise: Bringing Depth of Field to 2D Content
Disguise’s Milo showcased a creative solution for depth of field in 2D content, addressing an often overlooked challenge: how to achieve realistic focus when working with flat video plates. By using AI tools to generate depth maps, Disguise’s approach enables real-time depth manipulation, providing enhanced realism for virtual backdrops.
While challenges remain, such as processing limitations and the need for high-resolution depth maps, Disguise’s progress demonstrates how machine learning can expand the creative options for virtual sets. Milo noted that this approach has already been used in high-profile productions, and is especially valuable for scenes where LED walls are used as windows to the outside world.
Disguise can be found here: www.disguise.one
Brompton: Frame Interleaving for Multi-Camera Setups
Patrick from Brompton Technology closed the session with an engaging introduction to their LED processing technology. Brompton’s system enables frame interleaving, where two scenes are displayed in rapid alternation on an LED wall, allowing different perspectives to be captured by two cameras simultaneously. This means, for example, that a single LED wall can be used to shoot two different scenes, each appearing distinct on its respective camera.
In addition to multi-camera capture, Brompton’s technology supports “invisible markers,” allowing tracking or other elements to be shown on stage but remain unseen by the camera. This opens up a new level of flexibility for productions needing subtle guidance cues or multi-perspective captures, useful for both virtual production and more corporate stage environments.
Brompton can be found here: www.bromptontech.com
Conclusion: A Snapshot of Virtual Production Innovation
Starting Pixel Live 24’s Demo Jam packed a lot of tech into a short span, showcasing the sheer diversity and potential in virtual production technology. From high-tech camera tracking and depth mapping to clever LED processing solutions, the session offered attendees a glimpse into the future of immersive media production. As virtual production continues to evolve, innovations like these will undoubtedly redefine what’s possible on set, bringing new efficiencies and creative options to the industry.
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