Finding Efficiencies

I’ve worked in production for years.  Managing budgets up to $3 million as a production manager and producer.  And always looking for efficiencies and a better workflow to save time and money. 

PRE-PRODUCTION

Once a concept has been decided for the project, we can figure out the best plan of action to make it a reality using previsualization tools.  Should it be a plate shot from stock images or actually go in the field and shoot footage for the plate?  Or go xR and create an environment that’s more representative of the vision?  But if you go the plate route, by using LED displays, you’re not fighting green screens by trying to even the light or get wrinkles out of it.

I will say, though, most of the work is in pre-production especially with creating environments, ingesting and rendering images.  Depending on how many and big the files are, the rendering could take a little time. But, then, with Unreal Engine, you can figure out lighting and camera positions prior to shoot day.  Through a non-linear, collaborative process, virtual production empowers you to discuss with department heads the visual details in the moment, so not to defer decisions to post.  You really see the efficiencies when the talent is there and doesn’t have to wait around for setups keeping them no longer than necessary.

PRODUCTION

The whole “fix it in post” is not an issue anymore. Being able to see and make changes in real-time allows for fixes to be made during shooting which saves time in post-production. Composting and visual effects are easily integrated reducing fixes and saving time in edit. 

You know you always need content for social media.  So, what I’d do to save time and money is shoot a variety of content in one shoot day to maximize the studio, gear and crew.  You can produce content like live sessions, behind the scenes  and interviews or “fun-fact” questions.  Diversifying the content helps build a well-rounded narrative around any concept or product.

LED walls in virtual production allows you to future-proof your content to scale as technology progresses by adapting to how people consume media. This includes creating content for virtual and augmented reality or other emerging platforms where high-quality content is in more demand.

So, knowing, at some point in the game, you were going to have to incorporate VR into my digital marketing strategy just to compete in the market, generate revenue and give audiences more ways to engage, I would try to, at least partly, noodle around and brainstorm ideas.  As digital marketing strategies evolve, companies who invest in owning their audiences - not just reaching one - will be the ones who build longevity.

POST-PRODUCTION

Virtual production allows for the integration of post-production processes into the production workflow. For example, virtual sets can be created with post-production in mind, allowing for easier compositing and visual effects work. This can save time and make the post-production process more efficient.