The Future of Filmmaking in Unreal 5 (Virtual Production)

Go Behind the Scenes with me to create Horror Short Film and Environments using Unreal Engine 5 on-set for In-Camera Visual Effects (ICVFX).
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I wanted to share my perspective on what's working today in Virtual Production today from some of my experience as an on-set Unreal Operator and some ideas for pushing the boundaries of ICVFX. Here's a series of Camera Tests we create based on a Feature-Length movie I'm writing.
Shout out to Team PXO :D (and the Rockstars Nick Verdugo, Val Rocha, Gabrielle Roberts, Ariana Saadat, Alex Bridge, Jimena Pacheco, Laurence Lok and Gladys Tong)
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📌 What You'll Learn:
- How In-Camera Visual Effects (ICVFX) is shaking up the filmmaking landscape
- WHY and WHEN Virtual Production works and how to fix when it doesn't
- Tips to build Virtual Film Sets and Environments for On-Set Shoots.
- Using Sequencer on the LED Stage to bring your Unreal cinematics to life
And much, much more!
If you're dabbling in Unreal cinematics or even just playing around with the Sequencer and Movie Render Queue, this video is a must-watch. We're diving deep into how Virtual Production is transforming not just Hollywood, but filmmaking as we know it. From Virtual Production best practices to advanced lighting with Light Cards, we've got you covered. And believe it or not, you can start creating environments just like this on your home computer.
Join Our 21 Day Unreal Filmmaking Bootcamp (100+ Students!) www.unrealforvfx.com/fundamentals
Subscribe to the channel: www.youtube.com/@JoshToonen?s...
Instagram: / @joshtoonen
If you have a legitimate interest in helping finance the feature-length film, reach out on my site: www.joshuatoonen.com/
Watch Stay - Inspired by The Last of Us: • Stay (Short Film) - In...
Got any questions, let me know in the comments!
How to Make a Horror Film in Unreal 5 (Virtual Production)

[@shadowgames50]

How to make a horror film in unreal: Step 1: Have a 800.000$ led wall

[@oberdoofus]

renting a stage is also currently ridiculou$ - don't get me wrong I love this stuff but to execute on this level - not really 'Indie' budget friendly yet. Loved the vid tho

[@thewrongvine]

Yeah, the tech currently is still not at the point that it's accessible (while still being at a good quality level). There are plenty of VP stages that are more "affordable" but they typically have lower end LED panels, and it shows in the shots when you can tell they they're shooting against panels. At this point, it's generally better to still just shoot with a real location or traditional green screen to get more photorealistic results.

[@beyondcinema]

@@thewrongvine I did both Greenscreen and LED for my short. It's true all the stages were super expensive until I found the right place. It's less thank $4K/day with a decent sized wall and still quality panels. it's more about the way you light and the practical set design that sells it.

[@beyondcinema]

@@oberdoofus there are affordable stages if you get a good Virtual production producer who can negotiate. I got my stage for less than $4k/day.

[@jaikrishnakunapareddy4085]

very true...this is not budget friendly@@oberdoofus

[@Smileyoneicon]

when i first read about mandolorian using virtual production i was blown away, keeping the 3d perspective with a live feed from your camera is truely revalutionary, and it helps the actors out instead of looking at endless green they have matching lighting and the actual scene

[@at1965]

His acting is superb, give him a Golden Raspberry already

[@MountainDanGaming]

I love the little joke at the start where you said you worked on dungeons and dragons but showed Godzilla haha I was like "Wait what?" hahaha

[@bigpictures555]

This is next level! I'm also a filmmaker based in Vancouver, huge fan of your work!

[@HumbleHerman]

Can't wait to start the course!

[@ChrixB]

So much interesting concepts has been share here, thansk for that !

[@dreamzdziner8484]

Wow. This looks awesome and you explained everything so wonderfully. Future of cinema is unreal!❤‍🔥👌

[@beyondcinema]

Dope stuff man! Keep it up!

[@madlookzvfx]

I seriously want to work with you man! Amazing stuff!

[@josephif]

this was a great insight Thank you for the content

[@TAREEBITHETERRIBLE]

*Serj Tankian dropping that heat!!* 🔥🔥🔥

[@ThirdMoveStudios]

Amazing!!! Thanks for this!!

[@mr2ti41]

This isn’t a “how-to”. It’s a “how you would”.

[@YouOpaOpa]

Lol yeah. “Step 1: get access to this multimillionaire technology”

[@ZachLona]

Without having used one, the LED stage feels very limited in that you can't really compose with the floor or ceiling in-shot. At the expense of realtime light interaction and compositing, a green screen stage could fill this need better, no? These shots look incredible and your channel has been a huge help as I learn about virtual production. Thanks!

[@jamil1985]

It would be nice to see how to Set Up the Camera Tracker with the camera, e.g. the technical configuration etc, that's what I'm interested in, so i can myself practice at home. Thanks. ❤❤❤🎉

[@rodolfoaraujovanucchi7395]

Hi. Do you make this virtual production all in unreal engine? Have you heard of aximmetry? It's a great software to put your unreal sceneries and make virtual production.

[@spinthma]

Amazing!, now what cost this little Led Screen ;) and could the Resolution be higher , and how large was the led panel ?

[@WolverineMKD]

Finishing those shots in Nuke with a bit of compositing and color correction will make a huge difference but i understand the video is not about that.

[@babycartoontv819]

thanks man

[@KaceyBakerFilms]

Hey mate. Do you have any thoughts/videos for film makers who don’t have access to volumes. Who might be using a green screen in their garage, or a Samsung upright projector etc? Loving your content!

[@spinthma]

Amazing receipt! Instead using an led panel would a backsite projected (like in cinema, but the projector is in front of the of the audience behind the canvas) unreal 5 scene also work, is there something in the field? I think this could be much cheaper and more easier to transport.

[@hytalegermany1095]

What do you think how Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning will affect virtual production industry. I mean who needs to rent expensive led wall rooms, when AI can color match background and foreground of a greenscreen video much faster in the future. Who needs level designers if you can give a cheaply blocked out cameramotion tracked background render to a video to video ai and tell it to "make the squares canyon mountains at sunset" Those questions are very exaggurated admitedly. I myself am starting to go into the virtual production direction. But I do not know if in all this chaos this will have future. The company I work in already starts saying "we can make cash with vp for the next 5 to 10 years. Maybe after that we do not need it anymore"

[@mermaizingmentoring1111]

I think it already has! This man is brilliant and has to be around 70 or older and look at his intro and outro plus his loving moving background ..he could’ve laid someone to do it but I’m seeing it all over YT now even with new channel content creators so …either they’re paying someone or using the app I’m looking for currently! I’ve used about 6 so far and not happy with the rendering and I don’t want any of or Mac software - mobile only ! Any suggestions ? @hytalegermany1095

[@andriyozimko2754]

Nick is a cool guy

[@mulagraphics]

Nice video, whats is your PC specs for Virtual Production?

[@karliemorris7318]

Ok ok I’m subscribed already no need to show off 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾

[@oberdoofus]

are the light cards you used something you created in UE and animated in sequencer? Or are they something separate? Thx

[@JoshToonen]

Unreal has their own plug-in for it, but there's tons of ways to make them

[@mermaizingmentoring1111]

So how did the channel “3d Terramidia” do his “Alien Meditation 4K” with Unreal Engine? Looks like he filmed it right there in Brazil…I can download an Ai detection app but he already admitted he used this Ai software …I’m just disappointed as I thought it was an app we could render a quick intro vid or background like Dr. Michael Salla has on his channel. Anyone know about that ? I’ve tried about 6 and not happy with any so far … @JoshToonen

[@PabloCarvallo-li3re]

i'm curious about the corridor twist, is a spline based BP or PCG?... thanks for share!

[@JoshToonen]

Spline based!

[@martystep4772]

What camera tracking system did you use for this?

[@gambo302]

just need 700000 to rent out a sound stage for the day

[@jaikrishnakunapareddy4085]

you mean to say ...virtual production is only for camera movement shots in association with 3d plates thrown on the screen????

[@g.naveennaveen8217]

Hi, Please provide suggestions of my below concern Is there any career for coders or software developer to make a successful career in virtual production or visual effects?

[@SFCFilms]

It’s still way too complex and costly for indie filmmakers. Practical effects still have their place but would love to see much simpler processes, and tracker built in the cameras. We’ll get there eventually.

[@vysionic]

Where is the "horror film"?

[@diegolaurentino8852]

What benq monitor is that?

[@gotdraco]

Can you go into depth ? And how to make blueprints

[@philliptamez]

so where would someone get these screens? Lol I feel like this is the big thing to making this look real. I know there's way to do this without the screens and I guess masking yourself out, but I don't think it'll come out the same

[@JoshToonen]

Renting one out, otherwise I prefer to make films with characters entirely in Unreal instead of filming Green Screen, depends on the project though!

[@mermaizingmentoring1111]

Idk what Dr. Michael Salla uses but I love his short intro and outro vids and his backgrounds like what he used this am in his webinar. He probably pays someone to make it but then again maybe not …I see lots like that all over now .

[@zinetx]

Search "video walls" there's a company called Blizzard (just knew about them) that sells a single panel for 1500$ each. $uper expensive lmfao.

[@folorunsoojo8001]

Now this is crazy 😅😅😅❤️🤌🏾🤌🏾🤌🏾

[@farles3486]

Прикольно я тожэ хочу так играть

[@Twizzforsberg]

Need to find a theme park to make a horror movie. I tried unreal but i didnt learn. Need to check it out again

[@kanohane]

Can you make a tutorial on making the sillouette figures? Been trying to do that for months and no tutorials are dumb enough for me 😭

[@JoshToonen]

Turn your material into a Masked material, now you can import a black and white image to for the silhouette. The eyes are just an image of 2 dots plugged into the emissive

[@chrisodesu]

Yes, virtual productions are fascinating and will be integrated in many productions. However, i wouldn't say it's the future of vfx in filmmaking. Take a look how they made the "creator". Totally different approach. There are also so many tools coming out like the soon released ai in premiere pro that allows you to replace objects in the background etc. But sure, learn virtual production its fun. All i am saying is, we don't know anything about the future of filmmaking with all those new tools that are popping up constantly. I just hope filmmaking will not be entirely replaced by AI "filmmaking".

[@filipefenner]

Im trying to buy your course, i sent you a email, if you have time to see please

[@rajnishsharma7899]

Why that guy looks like Seth Rollins from wwe

[@alexmehler6765]

from every production ive seen using this tech , they all looked inferiour to previous techniques using compositing , not just the graphics but also what can be done with camera and animation. its really just aplicable for standard camera shots. overhyped fad if you ask me

[@Exagerardo]

too expensive darling

[@demonhogo]

ireally hope the industry moves away fromLED screen volumes. Extremely limiting and hard to get access to

[@bantertv9332]

So you need a $100k minimum for a 12ft limited led wall and with loads of restrictions, unable to shoot floor or ceilings and then a studio to do that in with $50k of motion tracking gear and $50 computer hardware to start your almost $1/4m down!! I think green screen is a much better way and that’s why Hollywood is NOT using virtual production. Green screen compositing is where it is tried and tested. We as very small indie producers don’t need to leap frog Hollywood we just need to do what they’ve been doing for the last 20 years Sorry Mr Toonan you just showed the problems with your course. It’s worthless!!

[@mermaizingmentoring1111]

I just want a background for a 30 second intro video like Dr. Michael Salla and Elena Danaan use and I’m pretty sure they didn’t have someone use this method as you can do it yourself with an app! It’s crazy for someone to spend all that when it can rendered with Ai. I’ve just tried about 6 different ones the past month and wasn’t happy with any which is why I’m here. Any suggestions for that ? If you take a peek at MS intro vid you’ll see what I mean … Best wishes in all your endeavors 🌈🙏🏻🦋😎🌎

[@TowDow3]

never pull off in real life? i think your imagination is a little too constrainted.

[@mobaumeister2732]

All shots still look extremely fake and have that CGI feel. The issue is that many VFX artists have become so accustomed to the CGI look and feel, that to them it looks photo realistic.

[@martin231181]

If a big series like Mandalorian can use it and succeed then it must also be good enough for many viewers.

[@farhadjaved497]

This guy talk too much