Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1521956
T E C H 40 C I N E M O N T A G E By Jennifer Walden T hinking about learning Unreal En- gine 5 (UE5) for f ilmmaking, but aren't sure if it's worth the time and effort? Or, not sure how to start learn- ing UE5 for f ilmmaking? CineMontage spoke with Virtual Production Supervisor Joshua Toonen to get some considerations f o r t h a t j o u r n e y i n t o v i r t u a l p ro d u c - tion using a game engine to enhance and streamline filmmaking. Since the groundbreaking use of Epic G a m e s' Un re a l E n g i n e fo r p ro d u c t i o n on Disney+ series "The Mandalorian," virtual production has become a global mul- tibillion-dollar industry with LED Volume (stages) being built the world over, from Canada to Australia. The largest one in the US – Amazon Studios Virtual Production's Stage 15 in Culver City, Calif. – just opened JUST UNREAL HOW VIRTUAL PRODUCTION IS UPENDING FILMMAKING – AND OPENING UP NEW CREATIVE VISTAS in December. An LED Volume is like a typical sound- stage, but instead of green screen behind the actors, a system of linked LED wall (and ceiling) panels display real-time comput- er-generated backgrounds. Unreal Engine is used to create, manipulate, and display those virtual backgrounds. Virtual produc- tion combines physical set structures and live actors with that virtual set extension. Light from the LED panels bounces off the physical objects on set, creating a natural, realistic look. The physical foreground ele- ments and the virtual background are both captured directly in-camera, along with any lens distortion, depth of field effects, bokeh, and lens flares that will ultimately add a sense of "realness" to the image. Additionally, virtual cameras inside Unreal Engine can be synced to the camera on-set, so the background can change to match the camera movement. Toonen worked as the Unreal Operator on the set of Netflix's "Avatar: The Last Joshua Toonen.