36 TVBEurope ForumVirtual Sets James Eddershaw, Shotoku UK
install and configure. Lenses, for example, need to be configured specifically to each manufacturer’s specification, which can be time and labour intensive. The same flexibility is needed when integrating with AR/VR providers, as there are subtle differences between systems. This means every installation is different so it’s imperative to work closely with providers and system integrators in each instance. Eddershaw: Overcoming old
pre-conceptions of VR as something from the mid-1990s with super-computers! Today’s VR solutions are very different — they’re considerably simpler to implement, and can be used more subtly without overwhelming the creative process or getting in the way of traditional production values. Harrison: Finding designers
that understand realtime remains a challenge. While there is a glut of skilled 3D designers in the industry, they do not always have enough experience of realtime delivery. But perhaps the biggest challenge is moving to photorealism, which is still beyond many VR systems — despite the massive increase in render capabilities over the last five years or so. Sets rendered in post for film, or even games can look fantastic, but maintaining this at frame rate is still a challenge.
Luke Harrison, RT Software
What has been the most significant development in virtual production technology in recent years?
Benovici: In many ways, virtual production has transformed in recent years from a tool which, in some cases, was perceived as a gimmick, to a day-to-day production device. Its ROI has always been unbeatable, you can simply produce so many more shows in the same physical space, but there was always the issue of how ‘real’ it looks on air. With the improvement of computing power, we are now able to generate sets that the average user at home can’t tell are virtual. We invested a lot of effort in creating tools that enhance the level of photorealism. A good example is our depth of field shader that imitates the depth of field effect of a camera zooming in on talent in a real
environment. Another example is a rich library of material shaders that helps designers create sets with realistic materials like glass, metal, wood and so on. Yet another good example is casting realtime shadows of virtual objects — which again elevate the level of photo realism. The other focus area is to integrate the virtual studio into the standard workflow environment. For example integrating it into NRCS systems and thus allowing the journalists to control the editorial content of the virtual studio background. Lastly, we are investing major effort in
rooms, or even worlds, all with photoreal materials, surfaces and textures, and import the model as a set. In either case, it puts the tools into the hands of creative and technical people who don’t have enormous budgets. Churruca: Apart from the
continuous increase in processing power and image quality, possibly one of the most significant developments was the introduction of EasySet 3D, that started the segment of real 3D trackless, cost-effective and easy- to-use virtual set solutions. This product made VR technology accessible to a wider range of
the continuing development of high-precision, simple to use encoder tracking systems for heads, pedestals and cranes. Harrison: The advent of GPU
processing has greatly increased the ability to provide more sophisticated keying, rendering and tracking. In the application of sports VR, the more sophisticated keying allows our tOG Sports system to respond in realtime to the lighting environment, while image-based tracking recognises camera movement. Both are crucial to provide a realistic result for virtual advertising. The move to
“Finding designers that understand realtime remains a challenge. While there is a glut of skilled 3D designers in the industry, they do not always have enough experience of realtime delivery”
Luke Harrison, RT Software
integrating all the virtual studio elements together, allowing a full blown virtual studio production to be run by a single operator — without compromising the production quality. Camloh: Immersion rather than superimposition is what has most significantly propelled realism, coupled with broader tool access for virtual studios that don’t have the budget for highly specialised VR systems. The introduction of 360° photorealistic virtual sets, known as Holographic LiveSets, into the TriCaster multi-camera production system helps break down those barriers. People can use a device as simple as their smartphone to capture a panoramic vista of a location. They import it into Virtual Set Editor, and the presenter then appears in that 360° environment, transported into a seamless, immersive virtual scene. Or artists can use a prevalent 3D platform like LightWave to model props,
medium and smaller broadcasters, who saw the opening of a new range of possibilities that previously had only been achievable by large stations. Eddershaw: Probably the single most significant development would be the widespread availability of affordable, powerful, PC-based graphics processing computers. This has greatly reduced the capital investment and technical complexity of VR production. In terms of tracking, it would be
www.tvbeurope.com April 2014
Ellen Camloh, NewTek
Stype Grips data-encoded crane gave movement to Fox Sports’ Australian Football virtual sets
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