THIS Virtual Production App STUNNED Top Filmmakers

Joshua M Kerr
12 Mar 202408:58

TLDRAt the BSC Expo, a groundbreaking app called Likecraft Jet Set was showcased, enabling camera tracking for visual effects, green screen, and virtual production using just an iPhone. The demo involved a blue screen scene with a live render preview, but technical issues arose, which were eventually resolved. The app's affordability and comprehensive features, including lens calibration and integration with Unreal Engine, excited the indie film community, promising a cost-effective solution for high-quality filmmaking.

Takeaways

  • 📱 The introduction of the Likecraft Jet Set app at the BSC Expo marks a significant innovation in filmmaking technology.
  • 🎥 The app enables camera tracking for visual effects, green/blue screen mixed reality, and virtual production using just an iPhone attached to a cinema camera.
  • 🚀 A month of preparation preceded the demo, highlighting the importance of thorough testing before a public showcase.
  • 📊 The demo setup included a Z-Cam body with a Teina 29mm lens, an Unreal Engine environment, and the crucial Jet Set app running on an iPhone.
  • 🔍 The iPhone app's calibration with the 29mm Teina lens ensures accurate field of view representation, which is essential for effective camera tracking.
  • 🌐 The rig involved complex cable management and multiple devices, including an Axon transmitter, a monitor, and an additional iPhone for a clean feed.
  • 🤔 Technical issues such as video lag and stuttering were encountered, emphasizing the challenges of real-time rendering and the need for troubleshooting.
  • 🧩 The problem with the stuttering video feed was eventually resolved by refreshing the signal, showcasing the importance of meticulous technical checks.
  • 🎬 The final composite result demonstrated the effectiveness of the Jet Set app, even when calibrated with a simple digital slate and a calibrated lens file.
  • 💬 The reactions from industry professionals ranged from curiosity to excitement, with many recognizing the app's potential to revolutionize filmmaking affordability and accessibility.
  • 🌟 The event's success and the positive feedback underscore the potential of the Likecraft Jet Set app to impact the film industry significantly.

Q & A

  • What is the main purpose of the app being showcased at the BSC Expo?

    -The app, Jet Set, is designed for camera tracking in visual effects, green or blue screen mixed reality, and full-blown virtual production, utilizing an iPhone mounted on top of a main cinema camera.

  • How much preparation time was there before setting up the demo at the event?

    -There was about a month of preparation to ensure everything worked correctly for the demo.

  • What was the setting of the Unreal Engine environment used in the demo?

    -The Unreal Engine environment was set up as a garage full of cars.

  • What was the role of the actress Lucia in the demo?

    -Lucia's role was to bolt the Axon transmitter to the front of one of the cars in the Unreal Engine environment.

  • What equipment was used in the rig for the demo?

    -The rig included a Zcam body with a Teina 29 mm lens, an iPhone running the Jet Set app, an ACC transmitter, a monitor, and an Axon Cimo Pro for the clean feed.

  • What was the issue encountered with the live render preview?

    -The live render preview experienced significant lag and stuttering, which was later resolved by refreshing the signal on the Cam Link 4K.

  • How did the attendees react to the app and its capabilities?

    -Attendees were initially curious about how the app worked, and after understanding, they were excited, especially those from the indie film crowd, as the app would not break their budget and offered all the features they needed.

  • What was the pricing structure for the Jet Set app?

    -The base level of the app is free, and it scales up to about $80 per month for the City level.

  • What was the final outcome of the demo?

    -The demo was a success, with the live render preview working again and the attendees getting hands-on experience with the gear and showing interest in the app's capabilities.

  • What is the significance of the app's lens calibration feature?

    -Lens calibration is crucial as it allows the iPhone app to match the field of view of the Teina 29 mm lens, ensuring accurate tracking and integration with the cinema camera.

  • What was the main challenge faced during the event?

    -The main challenge was the unexpected stuttering and lag in the video signal, which took a significant amount of time to diagnose and resolve.

Outlines

00:00

📱 Launching the Likecraft Jet Set App at BSC Expo

The paragraph discusses the unveiling of the Likecraft Jet Set app at the BSC Expo, a major filmmaking event. The app enables camera tracking for visual effects, green or blue screen mixed reality, or virtual production using an iPhone mounted on a cinema camera. The preparation involved setting up a demo with a blue screen scene in an Unreal Engine environment. The presenter highlights the technical setup, including the Z-Cam body, Teina 29 mm lens, and the iPhone running the Jet Set app. The rig also includes an Axon transmitter and a clean feed monitor. Despite some technical issues with video lag, the demo was successful, and the presenter was able to showcase the live render preview of the Unreal Engine environment and cinema camera composite.

05:01

🌟 Reactions and Experiences at the BSC Expo

This paragraph reflects on the author's experiences at the BSC Expo, emphasizing the positive reactions from visitors to the booth. The app's base level is free, with a premium version costing about 80 dollars per month, which was a surprise to many attendees. The author notes that the app's affordability and capabilities, including lens calibration and integration with Unreal and other packages, were exciting for indie filmmakers. The paragraph concludes with the author's gratitude for being part of the event and anticipation for further coverage of the Likecraft Jet Set app.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡iPhone

The iPhone is a popular smartphone that is central to the video's narrative as it is used to run the Jet Set app for camera tracking in filmmaking. This showcases the versatility of the device in professional settings, beyond its typical consumer applications.

💡BSC Expo

BSC Expo is a significant event in the filmmaking industry where the speaker launches the Jet Set app. It represents a platform for industry professionals to discover new technologies and tools, and serves as a backdrop for the demonstration of the app's capabilities.

💡Jet Set

Jet Set is the name of the innovative app being showcased in the video, which enables camera tracking for visual effects, green or blue screen mixed reality, and virtual production. It is a key component that bridges traditional filmmaking with modern technology.

💡Camera Tracking

Camera tracking is a technique used in visual effects to match the perspective and movement of a camera in a filmed scene with a computer-generated environment or objects. In the video, this process is simplified by using the Jet Set app with an iPhone, making it accessible for filmmakers.

💡Visual Effects

Visual effects, or VFX, refer to the process of creating or manipulating images and video footage that cannot be achieved in live-action shooting. In this video, the Jet Set app facilitates the integration of VFX by tracking the camera used to film the live-action scenes, which is crucial for seamless compositing.

💡Green/Blue Screen

Green or blue screen refers to the process of filming actors and objects in front of a chroma-key background, which can later be replaced with different backgrounds or environments in post-production. The video discusses the use of the Jet Set app in this context, emphasizing its utility in mixed reality and virtual production.

💡Unreal Engine

Unreal Engine is a powerful game engine often used for creating video games but also applied in film production for virtual environments and real-time rendering. In the video, the Unreal Engine environment is set up as a garage full of cars, demonstrating how the Jet Set app can interface with such environments.

💡Latency

Latency refers to the delay between an action and its effect, particularly in the context of video signal transmission and processing. In the video, the speaker encounters an issue with latency that affects the live render preview, which is crucial for the demo's success.

💡Live Render Preview

Live render preview refers to the real-time display of visual effects or composited footage as they are being created or filmed. This feature is important for filmmakers to immediately see the results of their work and make adjustments as needed. The video highlights the importance of this feature and the challenges faced in ensuring its smooth operation.

💡Lens Calibration

Lens calibration is the process of adjusting the parameters of a camera lens to ensure that the image it produces matches the desired specifications, such as field of view or focus. In the context of the video, the Jet Set app requires calibration with the camera lens to accurately track and composite the visual effects.

💡Indie Filmmakers

Indie filmmakers are independent filmmakers who often work outside the major studio system, with limited budgets and resources. The video suggests that the Jet Set app is particularly appealing to this group because it offers a cost-effective solution for high-quality visual effects and production techniques.

Highlights

Introduction of the new app, Jet Set, at the BSC Expo, a major filmmaking event.

Jet Set enables camera tracking for visual effects, green or blue screen mixed reality, and virtual production using an iPhone.

A month of preparation preceded the demo to ensure seamless operation of the app.

The demo setup included a blue screen scene with an Unreal Engine environment and actress Lucia attaching an Axon transmitter.

Live render preview of the Unreal Engine environment and cinema camera composited live was showcased.

The rig consisted of a Zcam body with a Teina 29 mm lens and the key component, the Jet Set app running on an iPhone.

The iPhone app was calibrated to match the 29 mm Teina lens, providing the necessary field of view.

Additional elements included an ACC transmitter, a clean feed monitor, and connections to Unreal Engine.

The setup was designed to demonstrate the capabilities of the app, though not representative of what's needed for visual production.

VIPs and industry professionals showed interest in the demo, asking questions and engaging with the technology.

The app's output was fed into a monitor and the Axon system, allowing for real-time testing and evaluation.

A technical issue arose with video lag, which was eventually resolved by refreshing the signal on the Cam Link 4K.

The successful resolution of the technical issue allowed for the live render preview to function again, which was crucial for the demo.

Industry professionals, including Philip Bloom, visited the booth, showing interest in the technology and its potential impact.

The app's affordability was a significant talking point, with the base level being free and the city level costing about $80 per month.

The app offers a fully managed pipeline, including lens calibration, file sending, and integration with Unreal and After Effects.

The event was a positive experience, showcasing the potential of the app for indie filmmakers and its budget-friendly nature.

The demo and the app received strong reactions from attendees, with some predicting a significant impact on the film industry.

The transcript reflects the excitement and potential of Jet Set in revolutionizing filmmaking with its innovative and accessible technology.