Our VP Showcase and Winter Reception was a thrill a second

We produced and executed a live stunt sequence on a high-speed moving train with 3D digital art and practical effects.

The team spent several days expanding the size of our permanent LED volume wall from 19m wide to 21m wide and from 4m high all around to an additional 5m of height along the sides. The set was built to look like the tops of two train cars and the stunt rehearsals took place over 3 days.

(We’ll share more photos next week!)

On the day before the event, the entire team did a full run-through and used that to edit together the video posted here in under 3 hours. In our updated post we’ll include a final, director’s cut of the sequence to showcase the best takes and optimal outcome. (Ready next week!)

Some of the key objectives we had in putting on this event were to demonstrate the versatility of a VP environment and the speed and safety that can come from choosing a VP shoot over a traditional location shoot.

The Garden Studios team created a custom, automated workflow that had the lighting from the LED track with the position of the moving train so that the sunlight and shadows always lined up correctly with the take. The realistic directional sunlight was programmed into unreal engine and the lighting rig to make this work.

Another important feature for the audience was in seeing how much flexiblity the director had to make creative decisions on the spot and have those changes happen within minutes. As well as how many scenes can be shot in a matter of minutes or hours compared to a location shoot.

Finally, often VP is the best solution for a scene because it is the safest for everyone involved, especially the talent and crew. Whether it’s the use of practical effects, like squibs, or stunt scenes on a moving train, the controlled environment of the studio keeps everyone safe – which is priceless.

DIRECTOR: Phil Hawkins
VP SUPERVISOR: Mark Pilborough-Skinner
SENIOR VP TECH: Mara Rosianu
LEAD TECHNICAL: ARTIST Liam Wedge
TECHNICAL ARTIST: Callum Henry
PM: Lucy Percival

DOP: Sam Kemp
FOCUS PULLER: James Furr
GRIP: Dominic Howlett
CLAPPER LOADER: Elena Carciog
BTS: George Booker

GAFFER: Josh Stone
SPARK: Will Jensen

DIT: Ricardo Battaglia
ON-SET EDITOR: James Haslam
VISION MIXER: Lou Robinson
SOUND MIXER: Byron Tennyson

VP COORDINATOR: Zoe Jones
H&MU: Katherine Thomas

AGENT 1: Luke Aquilina
AGENT 2: Liza Mircheva
GUARD: Sam Billy Lyon-Behan

Camera and lighting equipment provided by PANAVISION / PANALUX

Practical effects provided by MACHINE SHOP

Camera tracking provided by MO-SYS

Technocrane provided SUPERTECHNO

Additional crew and filming provided by WINDOW ZEBRA