Down the Virtual Production Rabbit Hole with Shutterstock Studios

Lost in the Highbridge Industrial Estate in Uxbridge, I almost ask myself if I went the wrong way. Which happens often, but we don’t have time to untangle that.

But once I find the right door, in between the many cars and big block buildings, I discover a magical world. A big room, dark, besides the huge curved LED panel, another LED light on the ceiling, a production crew running around, and a control panel in the back of the room, working with editing software.

It’s so different from the long walk to the middle of nowhere that I need a second to adjust. One moment passes, then another. The only feeling left is a sense of awe. In front of the big LED light panels, which have a changing scenery, there is a black car.

That is why I got called in today. Shutterstock Studios has put together an automotive virtual production shoot at the ARRI Stage. As a company, Shutterstock is typically known for offering stock pictures and videos, but the Studios division provides clients with production services.

A World of Opportunities Through Virtual Production

Since virtual production is growing, Shutterstock wants to join the wave. The global virtual production market size was estimated at $2.11 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach $6.79 billion by 2030, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 18.6% from 2024 to 2030, according to data from Grand View Research.

While the scenery on the LED panels is changing again from a wide American road to a hilly Tuscany background, Andrei Zamfir, the virtual art department (VAD) art director on set, takes time to share his insights. He thinks VP is a huge opportunity for the advertising industry. “You don't have to face the weather challenges. You don't have to face the time challenges. Let’s say you want to shoot golden hour. In reality, you only have 30 minutes, but here you can have golden hour all day, every day.”

Explaining how virtual production works in the first place, the director of photography (DOP), Stuart Graham, says that the LED backscreen and the top panel work as an illusion, an evolution of the original theatre backdrop, so to speak. As the main characters and items are still being captured in real life, the LED panels show a moving image close to reality. I’m familiar with the concept of virtual production – especially since LBB has covered it for years – but seeing the VP stage in person is no less impressive.

“You have an enormous benefit in the fact that they're image-based lighting, and when you're lighting a subject with an image like it would be if I was outside or near a window, you just have this incredible feeling of being there, if you get it right.”

Not only does the illusion work, but virtual production has the potential to reduce carbon emissions by 20% to 50% compared to traditional film production methods, according to a report by Ulster University. This is due to the lack of travel, which reduces transportation and, in turn, results in less carbon emissions overall.

What is good for the climate is even better for the client. Renting out a virtual production set for a day or two is often cheaper than flying over a big production crew to a remote location.

The VAD art director, Andrei, is also a fan of the creative control he has at a VP set. While in regular shoots, many directors only get to change things in the post-production phase, which is costly, here, Andrei can change it. “As you’re looking through the camera and preparing for a shot, you can suddenly ask, ‘What if we shift the sun? Move the mountains? Reframe the horizon?’ It’s not just about adjusting a scene — it’s about unlocking new ways to imagine and shape a story in real time.”

That kind of flexibility appeals to storytellers. That is why film productions like ‘The Mandalorian’, ‘Andor’, and ‘House of the Dragon’ use it to their advantage.

The production designer Anthony Neale calls it “playing God.” He also thinks that VP gives creatives the opportunity to think outside of the box. “We can bring the world to the client. And that, to me, is fascinating. And being given the challenge, both working with the technology, but also just the challenge of the art, how to achieve, maybe a street in Morocco, how to achieve a convincing, you know, Berlin Autobahn or something.”

Since VP productions can take place in one space, you have a “centralised unit” as a crew that works together. Anthony says, “Dragging around 60 people on location almost feels like something from the past.”

When to Use Virtual Production

While the set design changes once again to a scenic canyon backdrop, I walk over to a tall woman next to the monitor, showing the shots from the cameras.

Carlotta Merzari is the executive producer of the VP shoot and has won the APA IDEAS Award for Best Use of Virtual Production, 2023, together with DOP Stuart and production designer Anthony Neal. They have worked together on the VP set for years. What she loves about VP is that the technology “comes from wanting to solve problems.”

Carlotta advocates for VP to be used wisely, and when it fits the style and needs of the client and product. “It’s great for anything that has a strong need for art direction. Or traditional ideas where you really want to have photorealistic environments or a strong visual language while taking advantage of the benefits that come with working in a controlled environment.”

While virtual production brings huge advantages, it’s not without its challenges. VAD art director Andrei explains: “You can’t physically interact with the virtual environment, touch it, or cast a shadow on it — so sometimes we have to extend it or rebuild it in the real world.” He notes that time and budget can also become limiting factors: “With a skilled team, you can create almost anything. But without enough time or budget to experiment, explore, and problem-solve, the possibilities narrow. That said, I’ve found that constraints often push creativity even further.”

Carlotta also highlights that VP is not a perfect solution to environmentally friendly shooting yet. While VP helps make production more green, there is a catch. Carlotta explains: “The LED lifespan varies in duration and there are still challenges in knowing how to recycle or recycle parts correctly. So one of the biggest steps is going to be figuring out how to make LEDs more sustainable, more resilient.”

The Takeaway

As one of the last scenes, the crew creates artificial fog, framing the car, with a futuristic background on the screens.

I catch Shutterstock executive producer Noelia Lage Vazquez on the side of the shoot. She has been on the go most of the day, running from one side to another. I ask her about what she thinks of VP as an alternative to classic advertising shoots. She thinks it’s about developing an understanding of how it works as a marketer. “You can learn how to write an idea for it, maximising it and being aware of the good things, but also within the limitations.”

She wants more advertising companies and agencies to make use of VP if it makes sense for the product and the purpose of the shoot. But, due to the quick nature of the industry, agencies can get stuck in their routines. “If they were to maybe tap into people like us early on, we can consult, we can help them, and provide guidance through it. Once they’ve done it a few times, it will become second nature.”

It’s hard to leave the hypnotic VP set with a beautifully red sunset background, as I head for the exit. But, as Alice said in Lewis Carroll’s classic, “When I get home, I shall write a book about this place.” Well, maybe not a book, but an article will do.

Read more from LBB's Aysun Bora here

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