Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1487667
56 PRODUCTION SOUND & VIDEO – Winter 2023 "No, we were still using laser projectors on that one," he clarified. "But we were still using Disguise servers on that one too. So there was a lot of overlap. The mapping is obviously different, but the playback part is pretty similar." "What were some of the big challenges on this one?" "Honestly, the biggest thing was COVID. Communication on set was very different. It was harder to troubleshoot issues, or bring on extra help because no one could come on set without being tested. But as dumb as this sounds, the hardest thing to deal with was the face shields. The way the plastic reflects light meant that there was always a glare right in my eyes and I'd have to crane my neck or look at the screen funny just to see what was right in front of my face. Pretty funny actually. But frustrating and a little time- consuming." "That's funny. How do you feel the film turned out?" "I think it looks great. We were really pleased with how everything came together." "You pick up any cool tricks for the next film?" "We're always refining the process and trying to improve it. What we learned on Star Wars helped us make Bullet Train better and what we did on Bullet Train just helped us make Black Adam better." When I asked Jason how an interested member might go about getting involved with virtual production, his advice was to get hands-on with the gear as quickly as possible. "This isn't something you can really learn online. You just need to get in front of the gear and start learning it," he told me. "As far as the software side of things, start learning Unreal. Learn how to run and manage media servers. Look at Disguise and Notch. These are the tools everyone is using and you'll have a better chance of standing out if you already have an idea of how those products work. I'd like to thank Jason for taking the time to sit down with me and share his experiences working on Bullet Train and in virtual production as a whole. This is a growing area within our Local and professionals like him and Zach Alexander are helping to blaze the trail that 695 members will walk for years to come. To see Jason's work for yourself, check out Bullet Train on Amazon or home media. Solo