{"id":22626,"date":"2024-09-18T12:08:44","date_gmt":"2024-09-18T17:08:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pvfa.tamu.edu\/?p=22626"},"modified":"2024-10-14T09:34:33","modified_gmt":"2024-10-14T14:34:33","slug":"visualization-students-gain-real-world-experience-in-virtual-production-through-summer-industry-course","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pvfa.tamu.edu\/news\/2024\/09\/18\/visualization-students-gain-real-world-experience-in-virtual-production-through-summer-industry-course\/","title":{"rendered":"Visualization Students Gain Real-World Experience In Virtual Production Through Summer Industry Course"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Note: This story has been updated with the completed short films embedded.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Visualization<\/a> students took a deep dive into virtual production during the annual Summer Industry Course.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sixteen students created three short films on a virtual production stage at Stray Vista Studios<\/a> in Dripping Springs, supported by the Virtual Production Institute<\/a>, which is part of the Texas A&M College of Performance, Visualization and Fine Arts<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The student films will premiere on Friday at 11 a.m. at the Black Box Theater in the Liberal Arts and Arts and Humanities Building. Students will also show their films during a joint Viz Industry Partners and Performance Industry Partners Equivalent event on Nov. 22 in Fort Worth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Virtual production stages incorporate large LED walls that display computer-generated imagery. These digital environments are created using real-time game engines. In-camera visual effects allow an integrated view of onstage actors and set pieces with the environment on the screen, thus eliminating the need for green screens. An early virtual production landmark was the 2019 Lucasfilm streaming series \u201cThe Mandalorian.\u201d A minor in virtual production<\/a> debuted this semester in the Visualization program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mayet Andreassen<\/a>, co-instructor for the course, instructional assistant professor and associate program director for the Bachelor of Science degree in Visualization, said she is eager to share the students’ productions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI am really excited about promoting the films they created,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd getting the word out that Texas A&M has this amazing program. Look at what our students can do, because this is a big deal and it gets us on the map.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"A
Mayet Andreassen, co-instructor for the course; Hayden Hanna; Genevieve Schulz; and Ace Patel from Stray VIsta Studios watch the action on the virtual production stage in Dripping Springs. Photo by Jais George.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Taking The Stage<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Seven undergraduate and nine graduate students split into three groups to produce the 2-minute films with 16 to 20 camera shots. The production process began with writing a storyline concept, developing a film script, and then building their production designs in Unreal Engine<\/a>, a game engine owned by Epic Games<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Students had several Zoom classes with Stray Vista mentors, then went to Dripping Springs to film over two weeks. Students cast the actors and collected props, costumes and any other materials needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Stray Vista, the environments students made in Unreal Engine were projected onto the large, curved LED wall, while students and mentors worked together in front of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe students can essentially make any type of environment they want using Unreal, and it is projected onto the wall to make it look like the actor is on set in a different location,\u201d said Caleb Kicklighter<\/a>, instructional associate professor and co-instructor for the course. \u201cNormally, filming a new scene would require the crew to find a place on Earth that matches that part of the story, and then film there. This can be very expensive and logistically challenging. But with virtual production technology, we can visually simulate those places onto a wall on set without having to leave the studio.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the Stray Vista stage, the students worked with cutting-edge equipment including two cinema cameras and various lenses from Sony<\/a>, which also made a $5,000 contribution toward student tuition for the course. A robotic camera arm was loaned by SISU Cinema Robotics<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like a professional film production crew, students had specific roles within their group. Each crew had a director, assistant director, production designer, cinematographer and virtual operator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aaron Mouer, studio director for Stray Vista, said the students received real-world experience by solving problems that professionals face in the industry today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe will have some of the largest clients as far as commercial work that have stepped foot in here, and even those creative agencies and production companies are asking the same questions that the students are asking,\u201d Mouer said. \u201cBecause this is such a new field and a new way of making movies and commercials.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mouer said this was the first time his team worked with students at this level, and they were impressed with the students\u2019 work ethic and professionalism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis can be a very stressful job, and there is external pressure, especially when you are learning something new,\u201d he said. \u201cBut the way they communicate with each other, they are still interacting with a total gentleness.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though many of the students weren\u2019t familiar with the intricacies of virtual production prior to the course, all were eager to start filming, Andreassen said. She commended students on their willingness to learn something new.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEspecially when they got to the LED wall, their excitement level went up exponentially,\u201d Andreassen said. \u201cI\u2019ve been really proud of the students. They have been professional throughout the entire course. They take feedback really well and take it to heart, and then they implement those changes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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