Virtual production: learning the trade at the National Film and Television School

The use of CGI in film and television production has moved from being a long, slow process undertaken in the postproduction stage involving shooting in greenscreen studios and actors emoting to a ‘tennis ball on a stick’ to an interactive environment that allows performers, directors, and cinematographers to see and move through computer generated environments in real-time. Alan Thorn, a video games industry veteran runs the Virtual Production Course at the National Film and Television School (NFTS) in the UK. The course offers the industry’s first dedicated certificate in Virtual Production. 

Virtual production (VP) merges real-time CGI with traditional filmmaking techniques using giant LED walls and systems originally designed for use in video games such as Unreal Engine, to create immersive environments that seamlessly blend the physical and digital worlds. As Thorn explains, the industry is in need of professionals who can navigate this complex, hybrid landscape...