of Virtual Production

Explaining ‘Brain Bar’ and other heady virtual production terms.

BY VICTORIA AHEARN

Bake

Light baking is the process of rendering or pre-computing the desired lighting of the virtual environment. Light bakes ensure that the lighting looks and behaves as realistically as possible and is the basis of a performant environment.

Real-world impact: speed up processing and reduce lag during filming.

Blend/Integration

The process where the VP operating team rebalances and tweaks the virtual environment to match the physical set, using virtual lights, specularity, textures, and colour rebalancing.

Real-world impact: merging the virtual and physical worlds into one seamless environment.

Brain Bar

The team of artists and engineers, a.k.a. volume control, operating the equipment that drives a smart stage or any space used for virtual production. Areas of responsibility include content distribution, image manipulation, camera tracking, recording, and creative visualization of data.

Real-world impact: like a mission control (as Brain Bar is also called).

ICVFX

(In-Camera VFX)

The process of capturing visual effects live and in-camera on set, such as within an LED volume.

Real-world impact: increases the chance of capturing “final pixel” in camera and confidence in what your project will look like as you’re making it.

LIDAR Scanning

Plates

Footage intended as an element in a composited visual effects shot. Plates often consist of location or sets for use as backgrounds or other elements as needed.

Real-world impact: essentially rear-projection on steroids.

Tech-Visualization

The use of 3D assets to perform technical analysis on scenes: determine camera type, lenses, rigging, portions of sets which need to be physically built vs. virtual, stunts, etc.

Real-world impact: learning what tools you need before filming.

A survey method that illuminates a target with laser and measures the reflected light via infrared sensors to derive a point cloud; useful as part of asset creation and to capture real-world locations. Real-world impact: take your location with you.

Pre-Visualization

A collaborative process that generates preliminary versions of shots or sequences using a virtual environment. It enables filmmakers to visually explore creative ideas, plan technical solutions, and communicate a shared vision for efficient production. Also known as previs.

Real-world impact: a leg up on what you’re getting into before filming it.

Volume (a.k.a Shooting on Volume)

The physical space in which performance capture is recorded. Also refers to a nearly enclosed LED stage in which a volume of light is emitted, or a display surface for projected content.

Real-world impact: where the magic happens.