How leaders can embrace new technology in film

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Filmmakers, whether they’re directing a commercial or a three-hour movie epic, rely on proven technology. That’s because, when film production costs up to $ 20,000 per hour (when everyone is on set), sticking to established technology is the surefire way to get the job done. Aside from these high-risk situations, the film industry still embraces innovation. There are many in the industry who experiment with different technologies and techniques, they just don’t do it during high-priced productions. It is this experimentation that drives cinematic innovation, in which groups question established ways of shooting, editing or sound. As these innovations gain traction, some companies develop these technologies on a large scale and others adopt them for efficiency, cost and production value benefits.

The new technology brings several advantages

When cinematographers, directors and production companies bring a new technology on board, they are trying to achieve one or more goals. A primary goal is to improve the production value of the finished movie. The new technology is expected to allow for sharper shots, new angles and techniques, more advanced editing, or similar features that affect value. Another is that it provides them with access to work that was previously out of reach due to the limitations of shooting, editing or post-production technology. A commercial production company could expand its offering to new customers who require sophisticated or layered footage. Speed ​​is a third advantage. The technological tools that can turn a multi-day production into an afternoon job are invaluable. Businesses can bid more competitively for jobs because they reduce labor costs by improving quality.

Remote production, robotic arms and LED walls

Technological advances for remote production accelerated during the pandemic as filmmakers adapted to social distancing and travel restrictions. With video conferencing combined with software tools that make the camera feed available as a real-time stream, directors, producers and other collaborators can view footage and perform their duties remotely.

Production companies can build any place or scene with photorealistic 3D graphics with software like Unreal Engine and then digitally place people in those environments. Then, a company could conduct interviews with its CEO in Manhattan with guests in Mumbai or Kansas, and they would appear together seamlessly on a digital set. This virtual production has transformed the film business, where series like The Mandalorian run with LED walls capable of projecting any type of scene. This technology replaces green screens and allows the entire team of filmmakers to see the complete footage (minus the visual effects) in real time on a monitor.

A complementary advance to remote and virtual production is virtual location scouting, where a company can offer directors and production managers virtual tours and 3D acquisitions of potential shooting locations. It reduces the number of site visits required for an advertisement, TV or film and provides decision makers with the information they need to make informed decisions. Virtual localization companies render spaces in 3D, so that various collaborators can measure the size, enter comments and make other annotations within the virtual environment.

Another type of cinema-changing physical technology are robotic camera arms. These devices, like SISU Cinema Robotics’ advanced products, enable production companies and filmmakers to capture footage in dynamic and repeatable ways. Consider a shot from a new line of sneakers, where the shoe brand wants the same swoop shot to capture 20 different pairs. Doing it manually is a painstaking process, requiring days of preparation and dozens of shots for each shot. With a robotic arm-operated camera, a user uses a handheld remote to direct the arm, and this action can be saved for future use. They can shoot videos of a shoe with the stable robot and then capture exactly the same movements, distance, and other attributes with the robot’s saved settings. The editing team can compose identical-looking shots together to create fluid content that isn’t possible with a human hand.

Another use case for robotic arm control is with advertisements calling for a dropped object, such as a strawberry in a bowl of cereal. Traditionally done with a boom and various gizmos, this shot could take 100 takes to be perfect. With a robot that comes with a dropper attachment, the team can trigger a drop down to the millisecond, with tracking programmed to the goal all the time. Improve production speed, accuracy and flexibility.

Finally, when it comes to layering, an experienced person might hit the same mark repeatedly more or less likely by a few inches. Robots, however, roughly a few microns (one micron is 0.001mm) and when it comes to film, that means perfect frame-by-frame repeatability.

Pushing new technology forward

For C-suite and other senior executives involved in video production and film, there are several best practices to guide the adoption of new technologies. The first step is to listen to employees, including younger staff who understand the latest advances and discussion forums. Ask everyone in the company for advice on the technology they would like to try, especially when it comes to potential savings in time and money. Ask staff members what they are watching on YouTube or the innovations they have read about since the last movie set. Another strategy is to find a minimum viable product, asking what is the simplest and cheapest thing the team can try and which will prove useful. Perhaps it involves seeing a demo, renting the technology for a day, or taking a three-month lease. Push your team to find the lowest barrier to entry and remember that with cinema there are often multiple ways to shoot, edit and add effects. Find your ideal mix of new innovations and established technologies and practices to outshine the competition, reduce costs and create exciting content.

Written by Russell Aldridge, CEO of SISU Cinema Robotics.

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