Working with a small crew on a borrowed stage, we set out to try something new. Our approach was rudimentary, just stock footage on an LED screen (or “volume,” as it’s called.) It turned out to be a great introduction: slightly more successful than not, and just enough practical experience to leave us wanting more
the r&d of it
Black Pearl panels // 2.8 pixel pitch // Sony Venice // Zeiss Supremes
We intentionally framed a shot to see where the volume met the floor—something you’d usually want to avoid—to see just how bad it would look and to explore solutions for hiding or minimizing the seam in post.
Cinema cameras can capture far more color information than LED panels are capable of reproducing, which can result in black levels on the volume not matching those of what’s placed in front. The stock footage created more issues, with varying grain structures and blacks. To better understand the discrepancies, we projected our footage in a theater where we figured out that bumping the gamma way up allowed us to see just how far off we were.
(On the next one we did this trick on set, adjusting the black levels of the projected image, then pushing the gamma of the overall image on the monitors, then readjusting black levels on the projected image, and back and forth until there was no discernible difference on the monitor between the two worlds.)
Director/producer Russ Lamoureux
cinematographer Darran Tiernan
1st AC Peter Geraghty
DIT/colorist Spencer Shwetz
Gaffer Ross Dunkerley
Gaffer Buzzy Burwell
Key Grip Bud Scott
Dolly Grip Eric Zucker
VFX Supervisor Matthew Kemper
Line Producer James Portolese
Producer Rebecca West
Producer lauren bratman
Produced by Guy Botham/vitality vfx
music courtesy wolf at the door