BBC Embraces Virtual Production for their coverage of the 2020 olympics
During the last 18 months we have been heavily involved in developing platforms for hosting virtual events that were desperately needed to replace the physical ones which due the lockdown restrictions many were cancelled. This situation had created an interesting space where the ‘physical event’ meets the ‘digital virtual one’ creating what the industry will soon come to recognise as ‘Phygital Events’.
Now as we all slowly look at what the ‘post pandemic’ world starts to look like we were presented with an opportunity to come together and celebrate the sporting achievements of the Olympics from the comfort of our own homes once again.
We all watched with joy while the BBC expertly engineered example of how to use new cutting edge virtual production technology during the Olympics 2020/2021 commentary where we were transported to a beautiful modern studio space nestled high above the bustling city streets of Japan with views that spread far and wide which only helped to enhanced the daily summary’s of each day’s sporting events in what many assumed was a real set located in Japan even though the BBC production crew and presenters never even left the UK.
To see the break down of the BBC Olympic studio click the link below.
We fully appreciated this investment of effort put into this virtual production due to our background and expereince in live broadcast work traditionally using VIZRT and VENTUZ, to achieve this kind of effect. However it was exciting to see the rapid development that EPIC Games and their UNREAL ENGINE have been able to achieve during the pandemic where the video game technology is now disrupting and innovating the CG production industry and directly influencing the live broadcast industry moving us forward and taking advantage of the virtual real-time worlds from being stuck with pre rendered static backgrounds into real-time, real-world scale virtual environments that we can interact with and explore.
Here at Imaginar we are already working with companies like Nike to help them cross over into Virtual spaces and let the client explore impossible to normally create ‘Phygital Spaces’ where they can interact and play whilst dove tailing into live events creating a hybrid experience.
*we will be posting soon a feature on the work we have recently been doing with NIKE.
We would love to hear your thoughts so please let us know where you see virtual production going and how this may impact the creative work that you currently do 👍💪
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