Virtual Production: Remote Collaboration & Content Creation in Unreal Engine

Our Virtual Production courses are currently being redesigned due to advances in the technologies and platforms covered. Please submit a request for information to stay informed as to when the courses will next be offered.

In the meantime, our historical course information is below for reference.

Summary

With advances in the game engine technology, an emerging ecosystem of remote collaboration tools, and an imperative for filmmakers and content producers to develop new ways of working, we are at an inflection point for virtual production.

The practice now encompasses not only the new wave of scalable realtime 3D techniques used in the creation of The Mandalorian and The Lion King, but also a range of other, more accessible means of virtual collaboration relevant for a wide range of applications.

This flexible six-week online intensive is designed to help digital filmmakers, content directors, producers, and technologists identify the types of virtual production tools and techniques that are most relevant to their projects. The course will be taught in a series of lectures, demos, workshops, and assignments, and result in timely knowledge and know-how for content creators using or just digging into Unreal Engine.

Led by award-winning creator Todd Bryant (Snap Partner Summit, Childish Gambino Phar0s II, Giant) and NYU faculty, this Tandon Online intensive teaches the ropes of virtual production for a new generation of content technologists — including both immediately applicable remote collaboration techniques and scalable practices for short- and long-form work.

Key Takeaways

• Identify the different flavors of virtual production and the techniques/types that fit your filmmaking process or content strategy

• Understand the virtual production pipeline/workflows and how they are used in a range of productions from previs to final pixel and understand the benefits and technology/skill requirements to evolve your pipeline

• Learn multi-user collaboration techniques to facilitate working in real-time with remote teams from brainstorming to in-engine production

• Use consumer augmented reality enabled devices to control virtual cameras to capture film quality computer generated scenic compositions.

• Work with remote-accessible performance capture technologies to generate bespoke animations for avatars in both a pre recorded and live capture environment?

• Learn how to navigate and identify useful assets and environments to use for virtual sets and manipulate them to fit your story.

Who Should Attend

• Independent Filmmakers - Directors; Producers, Exec Producers; Technical Directors; Cinematographers; VFX artists/supervisors

• Networks & Media Companies- Content Development Executive; Director of Video; Technical Director; Interactive Producer; Creative Production Manager; Directors of Emerging Technology and Innovation

• Creative Studios / Experience Design Firms- Producer, Executive Producer; Technical Director; Media Production; Content Director; Creative Technologist; Technical Producer

• Corporate/Brand - Producers, Exec Producers; Creative Technologists; Chief Content Officer, Creative Production Manager; Emerging Technology and Innovation Directors

• Agency - Producers, Exec Producers; Directors of Content Production, Integrated Production; Emerging Technology and Innovation Directors

• Educators - Teachers/instructional designers in film/content production

Course Outline

Module 1

Introduction to Virtual Production 

• Lectures on the history, types/applications, and contemporary examples

Story & Mood Boarding

• Conceptual Development and Storyboarding
• Story prompts and moodboarding exercise in Miro

Game Engines

• Game Engines lecture
• Unreal Engine Demo: First Steps
• Hands-On: Your First World in Unreal

Module 2

Avatar Creation

• Avatar Creation Lecture & Demo
• Hands-On: Create Your Own Avatar

 

Motion Capture

• Motion Capture Lecture
• Motion Capture Demo / Radical Motion & Retargeting
• Hands-on: Radical Motion

Virtual Private Network

• VPN Lecture & Demo
• Hands-On: Connecting to a VPN

Version Control 

• Version Control Lecture
• Hands-On: Connecting to an SVN

Multi-User Collaboration

• Multi-User Collaboration Lecture & Demo
• Hands-On: Preparing for Location Scouting

LIVE SESSION - Multi User Collaboration (Date TBD)

• 7:00PM - 8:00PM EST: Live Workshop

Module 3

World Building

• Quixel & Web Control Demo
• Hands-On: Enhancing and Manipulating a World

Multi-User Editing

• Demo
• Hands-On: Multi-User Session Prep

Character Introductions

• Character Introduction Lecture: Performance, Movement, Framing, & Lighting
• Character Introduction Demo
• Hands-On: Character Introductions

LIVE SESSION - Virtual Production (Date TBD)

• 7:00PM - 8:00PM EST: Multi-User Editing Live Demo
• 8:00PM - 9:00PM EST: Collaborative Virtual Production

Technical Requirements & Prerequisites

• PC that runs Unreal (UE5)
• ARKit-enabled mobile device (iPhone, Android, iPad) for virtual camera work
• Familiarity with Unreal (or prep with the following):
  • Watch:
    Introducing Unreal Engine (1 hr)
  • Optional:
    Your first hour with Unreal Engine (1 hr)
    Comprehending Projects and File Structure (45 min)
• Comfortable with a fast-paced learning environment.