Virtual Studio production: realistic lighting on subject and background

Here we see how effective lighting and a giant LED screen are used in a virtual studio to create realistic results of subject against background.

This method of production offers several advantages:

  • No need for complex post production to achieve realistic looking results
  • You see the complete result as you film it: what see is what you get
  • Allows for real-time changes to lighting and other details in the scene
  • Incredibly realistic results

Featured in the movie above is a demonstration of the dedolight Lightstream system, used to create realistic looking daylight while matching the character of the light on the subject to that of the background, at the same time creating the illusion of light coming from a far distance. Crucial to this is the dedolight PB70, a parallel beam light which provides tremendous output, while consuming only 1200W of power.

Owner of Kropac Media & cinematographer, Berti Kropac, surmises working with virtual studio production and the benefits this provides:

“What we do here is something which was invented years ago; even in the times of black and white film they worked with rear projection, and what we’re doing now were doing in colour, we’re working digitally and its not rear projection, its an LED wall. And now we’ve got smart lights with multiple colour lights. With this solution what you see is what you get: you can smoke inside the car, you can have sunglasses which are half transparent, you can have fine hair, all things we would normally avoid with green screen. You don’t have to take care of this because you can film it in-camera and that’s so satisfying to me. Also with green screen it depends always on the post production budget you have, it is looking good or not. With this system. In my opinion, you get superior results.”

Thanks to Berti Kropac and all the team at Kropac Media, based in Reichertshofen, Germany, for making this filming possible!