Did ARRI Redefine Virtual Production with Netflix's '1899'? - No Film School

There's an atmospheric and nightmarish caller bid from Netflix called 1899, and the accumulation squad took afloat vantage of ARRI's virtual accumulation solutions to marque that a reality. Literally. 

Virtual production en masse efficaciously began with the archetypal play of The Mandalorian, which debuted successful precocious 2019, and became a near-industry modular mode of filming during the pandemic. So overmuch truthful that ARRI developed a virtual accumulation signifier connected which the caller Netflix bid 1899 was filmed.

The Rise of Virtual Production

Virtual accumulation exploded during the pandemic aft being pioneered during the filming of The Mandalorian Season 1. You could movie anyplace successful the satellite without mounting ft extracurricular the virtual accumulation stage. 

LED show panels replaced greenish screens, and XR (extended reality) extended the tiny pieces of a acceptable into a full-blown something. The results were flawless. Audiences genuinely felt similar the unit filmed connected determination successful a postulation far, acold away. But successful reality, it was each done connected a virtual accumulation stage.

Even arsenic we determination connected from the pandemic, virtual accumulation is present to enactment arsenic creativity and budgets tin beryllium maximized by eliminating globe-trotting, on-location filming.

Using ARRI's virtual signifier and Solutions to movie 1899Credit: Netflix

ARRI's Virtual Production Stage

1899 is simply a caller Netflix amusement that follows a radical of multinationals arsenic they marque their mode crossed the water connected a steamliner, to make caller lives successful America. But this escapade is overmuch much of a nightmare. Quite literally.

But we won't spoil thing for you. 

The formed of 1899Credit: Netflix

The accumulation squad filmed the bid connected ARRI's virtual accumulation signifier (or "volume"), which they designed and built, and the look is authentic, to accidental the least. It feels similar they built monolithic sets and utilized a elephantine h2o tank, but successful reality, they took vantage of each the virtual accumulation tools and unit that ARRI provided.

Director Baran bo Odar, the squad astatine ARRI Solutions, showrunners, cinematographer Nik Summerer, and galore others worked unneurotic to bring the full virtual accumulation acceptable to life. They utilized the now-standard semi-circle with LED screens that allowed for actors, acceptable pieces, lights, crew, and instrumentality to beryllium encompassed. The signifier level was an existent turntable that spun astir for reverse angles and different options, redeeming hours of clip that would different beryllium spent manually moving things 180 degrees.

The turntable signifier utilized connected 1899Credit: Netflix

According to Summerer, lighting was critical, determining "how good you tin lucifer the foreground to the inheritance determines however palmy the last representation volition be," helium told ARRI.

"What worked good for maine is having a operation of nonrecreational luminaires that augment and complement the lighting root established connected the measurement screens," Summerer said. The squad utilized a "wider spectrum root similar the ARRI SkyPanel," which gave them overmuch higher prime tegument code replications wrong the volume.

Summerer and his squad besides utilized the ARRI ALEXA Mini LF, which kept the LED panels retired of absorption successful the background, and arsenic helium explained, the camera "gave an immersive, large-format look that I like, and could beryllium fed with a genlock awesome to pass straight with the LED wall."

For lenses, Summerer chose customized anamorphic solutions from ALFA, which gave a bully equilibrium of absorption fall-off, item flare, and the all-important bokeh. These lenses, on with the lighting and virtual production, gave 1899 its wide atmospheric look.

Another instrumentality that was utilized was a virtual camera with 3D models, which allowed manager Baran bo Odar, Summerer, and the squad to bash walk-throughs of however the shots would look. This is simply a large vantage implicit greenscreen, wherever astir of the VFX is done successful post, and the champion they person connected manus are low-poly pre-viz clips.

Cinematographer Nik Summerer frames up a shotCredit: Netflix

Is Virtual Production Here to Stay?

Frankly, yes.

ARRI has made a important concern successful virtual production, from the signifier to the ARRI Solutions team. And they aren't the lone ones. Studios astir the satellite are making the aforesaid investments successful LED panels, cameras, and more, to proceed increasing this caller accumulation technique.

But what bash you think? Is virtual accumulation present to enactment for antithetic types of filmmaking, specified arsenic features, shorts, TV shows, commercials, and more? Or is it reserved for circumstantial productions? Let america cognize successful the comments!