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www.postmagazine.com 5 POST SEPT/OCT 2023 BITS & PIECES PIER59 OPENS LARGE VIRTUAL PRODUCTION STAGE IN NYC NEW YORK CITY — Pier59 Studios (pier59.com) recently opened one of New York City's largest virtual production stages. Located at Manhattan's Chelsea Piers and known for its commercial photography and multimedia services, Pier59 is now home to a large LED volume based around a 65x18- foot curved LED wall. The space is designed to be flexible, with shoots for commercials, films and still-image advertising all taking advantage of its capabilities. HBO's Succession was one of the new stage's first clients, with the stu- dio hosting a series of post-credit interview segments titled Succession: Controlling the Narrative. The LED volume is powered by Unreal Engine and Disguise VX 4+ and RX II servers. "Pier59 Studios is proud to house the only LED volume of its kind on the island of Manhattan," says Federico Pignatelli, president and chairman of Pier59 Studios. "We give our clients confidence in knowing we operate our stage with top-of-market hardware and software." In addition to the LED wall, the studio is equipped with a fully-articulated 40-foot LED ceiling, four moveable walls, and Quasar lights that can project the same colors as the content on the LED background. "We are working closely with advertising and production companies to help them understand the benefits of virtual production, demonstrating how they can condense a multi-location shoot down to a few days while giving them the ability to control the time of day, the season and the weather, all from our studio in Chelsea Piers," says Steve Baum, chief innovation officer at Pier59 Studios. Post had a chance to see their presentation, which reflected what an adver- tiser might require for a commercial shoot. The test spot resembled that of a high-end cosmetic brand. In it, a model receives a mysterious message and then races through New York City on a motorcycle, traveling to a secluded beach house, where she is reunited with her love interest. The spot made use of stock imagery and newly-shot footage, which was projected on the LED volume while the model straddled a stationary motorcycle. Combined, the elements created the look of dynamic race through Manhattan. No streets had to be closed down for the shoot, and the beach house's interior was designed as visual effect, showcasing how versatile and efficient a virtual production can be for a commercial project. ARRI OPENS VIRTUAL PRODUCTION STUDIO NEW YORK CITY — Arri (www.arri.com) has opened a compact, multipurpose virtual production studio that will enable agencies, corporate customers and other creatives to craft content of high image quality. Located at Arri's premises in New York City, Arri Studio New York provides a cost-effective production infrastructure with access to the company's high-quality camera and lighting systems. The turnkey studio is configuration with space for a live audience, making it well suited for corporate videos, interview-style setups, town- hall presentations, educational & training clips, fashion shoots and music videos. Built around a curved LED wall with image-based lighting design, Arri Studio New York offers an efficient, user-friendly introduction to virtual production with in-house creative and technical support. The studio is operated by Arri, and clients will be able to tap into the technical insight from in-house support staff, including creative producer Luis Feliciano. Clients also have access to the full inventory of Arri Rental's professional camera and lighting equipment. "Arri has been at the forefront of virtual production innovation from its origins in high-end film and feature production," states Stephan Ukas-Bradley, VP solutions Arri Americas. "At Arri Studio New York, clients benefit from Arri's comprehensive knowledge and brand excellence, including high-quality camera and lighting technology, and work- flow integration. This means they can fully concentrate on their production and maximize their time on-set."