First Australian feature film shot entirely in VP is released

The first Australian feature film to be entirely shot using virtual production has premiered.

The in-car and certain outdoor scenes for Mercy Road were shot using the LED volume stage at the purpose-built TDC Studios in Sydney.

TDC supplied and engineered the bespoke virtual set with kit including ROE Black Pearl BP2 LED screens, RedSpy by StYpe wireless optical motion tracking and a vx 2 disguise media server. The main LED screen measured 11m by 4m, while the LED ceiling was also utilised.

The team deployed the disguise XR workflow using RX II nodes to render out Unreal Engine scene work live. “Utilising XR for scenes like this becomes efficient, as production staff are quickly able to change out the desired scenery,” said Harrison Dow, a video technician at TDC.

TDC collaborated with cinematographer Ross Giardina to facilitate the pixel mapping of the film’s scenic lighting to make the ambient lighting subtle and more immersive. The lighting was enhanced by two downstage LED trolleys.

As most of the action is set in a car driving through the outback, filming on a virtual production stage significantly reduced the film’s carbon footprint, as all petrol emissions were eliminated.

Andrew Robinson, general manager and executive producer at virtual film production company Heretic Foundation, said: “The power of virtual production is to enable creative talent to bring anything in their imagination into reality. For Mercy Road, we employed a seamless workflow and the flexibility of Unreal Engine and LED screen tech to place ultimate control into the hands of director John Curran.”

Michelle Krumm, former head of Australia operations and worldwide acquisitions at Arclight Films, which produced the film, said: “Mercy Road pushes the boundaries of new technology – and its innovation has delivered. By utilising the virtual production facility at TDC Studios, we had 100% control of the filming environment, which meant a faster shooting schedule, more dynamic scenery and a safer space for the actors and crew to work in.”