Earlier this month, I had the privilege of attending the official grand opening for a Co-Production house, a state-of-the-art virtual production studio located in South Austin. It wasn’t the first time that I’d been out to the site. My initial visit had been back in April of 2021 during their “phase one” efforts. Back then, the studio only featured a singular LED wall. But even then, I could already see the potential of what CPH was bringing to the film industry here in Central Texas.
The Advantages of Virtual Production
Traditional greenscreen photography certainly accomplishes a great deal. But there was always the arduous task of compositing in post. You have to film or create your background plate separately. Then you have to painstakingly insert that background plate into your shot using rotoscoping and compositing techniques. That process is often costly and time consuming. You also have to find creative ways to match movement, color correct and adjust lighting to fully realize a shot. It’s a process that can take weeks and even months to complete.
LED virtual production eliminates the tedious and expensive headaches that come with traditional greenscreen production. Your background is captured live along with the performance of your actors. Plus, you also get the added benefit of natural lighting and reflections adding depth and realism to your shot. Intuitive camera windows also allow you to move your camera anywhere in virtual space. All while mirroring the same laws and dynamics that you come to expect from shooting in an actual physical space. This method is not only faster but is far more ideal in terms of quality and cost.
Phase Two
Co-Production House has proudly unveiled “phase two” of their vision with the expansion of their LED wall which now allows for even more range of motion. The addition of a robot camera system also allows for smooth camera movements within any projected environment, essentially replacing dollies, sliders, and jibs. Basically, you can accomplish all the expensive and dynamic shots within a single setting that would otherwise take hours to set up on location or within a practical set.
CPH also incorporates Unreal Engine into the mix which empowers you to add photo-realistic environments into any shot. Animation and visual effects can also be layered into the background plate allowing you to virtually capture everything you need in-camera. And because it’s all virtual, you can easily switch to a new environment in minutes.
What This Means For Templar: The Last Remnant
While my recent efforts for Templar: The Last Remnant have been centered around getting my novel edited and published, I am naturally looking forward to the production phase of this project. My goal has always been to release a trailer for the book that would not only give audiences a preview of the immersive world and characters within the Templar universe but would also serve as a proof of concept for a feature film. It has been a dream and a vision that I’ve had for well over a decade. And seeing the potential of a studio like Co-Production House makes me realize that it isn’t outside the realm of possibility.
I’d like to congratulate Justin Kirchoff, Kristina Smith, and the rest of the Co-Production House team on all that they’ve accomplished over the last year. This new phase is clearly a result of your passion and of your commitment to seeing your dreams come true.
For more info on Co-Production House check out www.co-productionhouse.com
and follow them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/coproductionhouse
Until next time!
Rene Hinojosa
