Virtual production (VP) can streamline and revolutionize your shoot, and a studio tour lets you see exactly how. A good virtual production studio tour gives you insight into five things:
- How well the space fits your project
- The level of support you receive
- What the content and playback workflow look like
- How the space treats your team and clients
- The pricing structure
Studio tours are about more than walking through the facility and seeing the technology up close. Instead, they often act as working meetings that can help you plan for every step of your production.
Before You Book the Tour: Know Your Project's Shape
Going into your tour without a clear vision for your project in mind won't help anyone. Before visiting or choosing a virtual production studio, take the time to lay out a clear project outline, including your budget, audience, and creative vision. This will help you define your unique production needs and how the right studio can support your goals.
Here are a few things to consider before your virtual production studio tour:
- Format and deliverables: With effective planning, you can rework a single production shoot into multiple deliverables. Consider the types of videos you're planning on producing, whether that's a single, long-form film, multiple brand videos across a campaign, or live event coverage.
- Rough timeline: Define any fixed dates of your timeline, such as the specific days you have everyone you'll need to interview or the deadline for your film's completion. Your potential studio partner can show exactly how virtual production can streamline your post-production process for faster distribution. However, many studios have a two- to three-week booking window for supported shoots.
- 2D plates vs. full 3D environments: Consider which type of LED volume stage to use for your unique project. 2D plates with pre-rendered backgrounds are ideal for fast production days with multiple deliverables. Meanwhile, 3D LED stages with virtual environments respond in real time to camera tracking systems for more immersive, engaging visuals.
On the Stage: What to Look At, Not Just Look For
Touring a virtual studio gives you an opportunity to look past the specs and see what the LED volume can truly do. This often requires you to make sense of numbers, such as pixel pitch and volume size.
Key details to pay attention to include:
- Wall size and ceiling coverage: See how far the LED volume stretches across its wall, floor, and ceiling panels. Additionally, look for gaps or stitch lines between the floor, ceiling, and walls that could hinder the volume's immersion. Some LED stages are built for seamless wide shots, while others need precise camera angles and set dressing to avoid stitch lines.
- Floor space: Beyond the volume, the virtual studio should leave enough space for camera and lighting equipment and movement. The right studio facilities support easy flow for the crew to avoid setbacks or accidents.
- Pixel pitch: Pixel pitch defines the distance between the center of each pixel on the LED volume, which dictates the minimum distance between the camera and the volume. Seeing how much space this leaves you on set can help you determine whether a specific studio can accommodate your concept.
Questions About Support and Crew
Your virtual production studio tour should answer every question you have about your potential production process — which means coming in with a few questions. Be prepared to ask anything the planned tour doesn't already answer.
Asking questions about the studio's crew and support can reveal more about their service model, which is often where studios differ the most. Virtual production relies on different types of advanced film technology, which can be challenging for new crews to operate (especially with good results). Your on-set crew should be able to efficiently operate the LED volume stage and other VP hardware so you can maximize your shoot and focus on your creative vision.
Consider asking the following crew and support questions on your studio tour:
- Who runs the volume? Dedicated LED volume operators and VP supervisors should control and manage the LED panels across the volume's walls while maintaining real-time parallax with the camera. They maximize visual quality and ensure small errors don't turn into actual production setbacks. So, this shouldn't be a passive role or something left to your crew.
- Is an Unreal Engine or playback operator included, or is this an added cost? Separate crew members often manage the LED panels' visuals using all pre-prepared assets. Unreal Engine operators and other specialists are especially important for productions that use 3D plates with real-time rendering.
- Is the LED volume stage studio-handled, and how much of my own crew should I bring? Depending on your circumstances, you may already have a full production crew ready to step into the virtual studio — or you may need your studio partner to provide most of your team. Some studios only have skeleton crews for essential VP roles, while others have access to full production teams to assist with every step.
Questions About Content, Playback, and Prep
Virtual production can help you achieve cinematic feats that may have seemed previously impossible, but not every LED volume is the same. Understanding what goes into the VP process and what you can actually achieve can help you find the right fit for your current (and future) projects.
Keep these content, playback, and prep questions on standby during your studio tour:
- Where do virtual environments come from? Studios often use multiple sources to craft their digital backgrounds, including content libraries, internally created assets, and any assets your team provides. Studios with on-staff digital artists and access to large content libraries usually offer more creative possibilities.
- How do plates and Unreal scenes get tested pre-shoot? Test shoots, pre-visualization, and virtual walkthroughs let VP teams identify and correct any potential errors before production, ensuring a minor issue doesn't turn into a day-long setback. Pre-visualization also allows you and other creative decision-makers to see how your digital environment will look on-camera before filming.
- What do pre-production and prep look like? What happens before the shoot predicts the shoot. The best virtual production studios carve out plenty of time for pre-production, handling the logistics and minimizing setbacks to streamline your big production day.
Questions About Pricing Structure — Not Just the Number
The costs of studio rentals, equipment rentals, and on-set support can make virtual production challenging to budget for, and you need transparent pricing information. Your tour is your opportunity to get specific numbers and rates to understand what studio time costs.
Of course, you should also be prepared to answer questions about your project to help set honest expectations on both sides. Reputable studios will take the time to understand your project's scope before giving you a quote.
Consider asking the following pricing questions:
- How is pricing structured? Different studios may charge day rates or charge based on your project's unique demands. Recognizing how each studio structures its pricing early on can help you plan and compare your budget accurately.
- Are costs bundled or itemized? Some studios bundle all services into a single project cost, while others itemize costs. Sometimes, line item costs help make sure you only pay for services and gear you use. Sometimes, you may pay a basic bundle cost with the option to add on additional itemized services. No pricing structure is inherently better than another as long as you know what you're paying for.
- How are prep days and strike days billed? Preparing and taking down equipment around the LED volume stage takes extra time, which some studios charge separately. Additionally, many studios bill more if your production's strike goes past your allotted film studio rental time.
The Factors People Forget To Check
Many teams overlook the hospitality dimension and other variables when touring virtual production studios. These factors can often make or break your decision, yet they're rarely on tour checklists.
Here are the details you shouldn't overlook:
- Parking: Ensure the studio offers ample space for yourself, crew, talent, and any guests to park, ideally not too far from the facility.
- Load-in: Consider how much external equipment or set pieces your production will need and how you will load that into the building. Look for parking near the door if you have a lot of equipment and large garage or bay doors if you are hauling in large items, such as vehicles.
- Power: LED volumes require a lot of power, which may not leave much extra power or space for any additional electrical needs you may have.
- Climate control: Comfort is essential for creative spaces. Ask about the facility's climate control capabilities and how the space feels when the lights are on and the studio is full of people.
- Client and talent spaces: Look for green rooms, client lounges, break rooms, and other spaces outside the studio stage. These areas can give clients, actors, and other guests a place to rest and prepare for their scenes.
- Monitor stations: Consider what options your studio space offers for clients to sit and watch what's happening on-screen. Some studios feature fully dedicated virtual control rooms, while others have monitors and screens around the studio floor.
After the Tour: How to Compare What You Saw
Even if a studio encourages you to decide on your way out the door, you should still take time to consider what you saw. Compare each studio tour across different metrics and priorities to determine which production partner is best for your project.
Consider the following factors when comparing studios:
- Score fit: Look back at the production needs you had in mind before you toured a single facility. Use these criteria to score and rank each studio based on how well it meets your explicit project needs.
- Support: Note the level of support each studio provides, whether they offer a full crew or only fill essential VP roles. Then, compare this to the gaps in your current production crew and what you'll need for this specific shoot.
- Transparency: The best studios are transparent and honest about pricing, scheduling, and expectations, making it easy to plan for every aspect of your production. Prioritize these studios over production companies that are vague about their offerings and costs.
- Experience: Weight the overall feeling you get from the studio space and production team, and consider how your clients, talent, or other guests may feel in this same space. The right studio will offer a positive experience that fosters creativity, collaboration, and safety.
Book the Walkthrough
LED volumes can revolutionize your next film, and a virtual production studio tour is your chance to see exactly how. Before you go in, you must have a clear idea of what your project needs and how a studio can potentially help.
Forge Virtual Studios features multiple studio spaces suited to different projects' needs, whether you're interested in immersive 3D environments or filling out a brand campaign in a single shoot.
Get in touch to book a studio tour or a personalized virtual walkthrough.