Status of the virtual #invasion Part 1

We hear and see a lot of flashy news on the rapid #evolution of virtual production. The thing is, even with the advances in techniques, most techniques are still not available to the everyday person.

No easy-to-use applications allow you to get a realistic final product without using expensive equipment. I've worked in #film and #television for a long time, so I have great software and hardware. Trust me; it is not cheap to keep up with the trends!

Free and Easy

The most popular words on search engines must be "Free" and "Easy." Both terms are misused frequently, as the easy solution can lead to a substantial subscription service. Also, consider that many of those services require specific hardware.

But misleading search engine results are a topic for another day.

I'm a prolific content creator, and I love working without having to wait or ask for help. It is not just to save money; I want to manifest my visions my way. Adding somebody to the process adds another layer of complexity, which can be frustrating.

If you're creative, you know that inspiration can strike any moment. When a great idea flashes in my mind, I want to act on it right away.

My office is more of a laboratory where I work to find my way toward the virtual philosopher's stone. As a professional (paid) artist, my job is to create practical digital effects for productions. It's about making it happen and being flexible enough to suit the ever-changing minds of directors.

Collaboration with the other departments was essential.

Each department defends its turf fiercely in production, but everything has to work when the first assistant screams, "Rolling!" The magic happens because of the time and location confinement restraints—no choice but to listen to the other needs and find compromises.

I think the main drawback of virtual production is the lack of proximity between the parties.

I think the main drawback of virtual production is the lack of proximity between the parties. The work is about solving equations faster than your competition. The creative needs are an excuse, and the artists are primarily employees of the companies. The motivation for collaborations is motivated by commercial association or acquisition. As a result, we have multiple software and hardware companies competing to provide similar options and none proposing one complete system.

Then you have the famous "Best practices" code proposed by the manufacturers. An artist is a rebel who aims for originality, not conformity! There are NO best practices in art!

For software, when all the glitz and glamour are removed, we find that virtual production is essentially a clever tweak of technologies invented decades ago. Refurbishing is not evolution.

The fact is that, except for big studios, all we see are few great-looking talking heads, redundant solo characters in dark, rainy dystopian city streets, and short lighting tests,

The tools are not made for #artists but for #technicians.

I happen to be an artist with sound technical knowledge by necessity, and there are moments when I feel overwhelmed and ready to return to my traditional roots. One of the main goals of this post is not to put down the work that's done but to emphasize how important it is for artists to be included at all levels! Discussing inclusion is not about publicity stunts by attaching some celebrity to a project. I know those famous people well who don't have time or motivation for genuine involvement. I am talking about those visionaries using what they have to give birth to amazing creations!

I want a viable virtual production toolset that is not demanding for me to become what I am not.

When Dad was a kid, religion forbade using the left hand. So kids who were born left-handed were forced to use their right hand. I don't have to tell you that there were consequences to such unnatural practice!

This story illustrates that when you push an artist to become a technician, you kill part of their creative flow.

There is a difference between learning how to use software and learning #programming.

Since its introduction, technology has been reserved for a select few. But if you haven't noticed, that's no longer the case.

#Virtualproduction is already the expression tool of the mass. It is the people who decide who stays or goes, not the big corporations, and then there is the arrival of AI!

The thing with artificial intelligence is that once it starts to learn by itself, it doesn't need input any longer, but that is for part 2:)