In a cutting-edge digital filmmaking facility, the magic happens.

In a cutting-edge digital filmmaking facility, the magic happens.

Iowa-based 35North Studios, established in 2020, has cemented itself as a leading production studio with its state-of-the-art facilities. Offering services spanning planning, shooting, editing, scoring, and finalization, the studio provides an all-in-one solution for filmmakers and businesses. Situated in Clear Lake, the studio provides a serene creative environment, perfect for film professionals seeking focus and peace.

Sporting a 12-acre campus, 35North Studios operates out of a 225,000 square foot facility, equipped with soundstages, editing suites, and a recording studio, among other amenities. As virtual production projects gained momentum amidst pandemic lockdowns, the team at 35North Studios immediately took notice. They conducted extensive research and evaluations, subsequently committing to building their own LED volume.

Director of the studios at the time, Justin Fairfax, explained their proactive approach, stating, "We are always looking forward, aiming to stay ahead of industry trends. During the lockdowns, we recognized the rising prominence of virtual production projects, and saw an opportunity to become early adopters in the Midwest."

Strict criteria, including picture quality, pixel count, color depth, and refresh rate guided their thorough assessment of display technology options. Fairfax explained, "Compared to traditional filming, virtual production is a challenge when it comes to manipulating colors. To create natural-looking imagery, we needed to control several elements simultaneously. Additionally, with our intention to shoot 96 frames per second using dual cameras, we required a display with a high refresh rate."

Flexibility, ease of use, and servicing speed of the products were also essential considerations for the ongoing work of a virtual production stage. Fairfax highlighted, "I have extensive experience in live events and LED video walls. In the past, I've dealt with panels that failed and required whole video walls to be dismantled and reassembled. On a virtual production set with numerous people, that lag time is unacceptable. I wanted products that would help us get back up and running within minutes."

The investigation eventually led the team to outfit their 3,500 square foot, Unreal-powered virtual production stage with cutting-edge Planar CarbonLight CLI-VX Series LED video walls featuring Brompton technology. These included a 36-foot-wide-by-13-foot-high main LED video wall backdrop, a movable LED ceiling, and two movable LED sidewalls, each 10 feet wide by 10 feet high.

The CarbonLight CLI-VX Series displays, powered by Planar technology, provide several advantages for virtual production, including exceptional in-camera visual properties, lightweight, thin, and durable modules, and simple, fast servicing. Fairfax remarked, "The displays are easy to work with, which increases our on-set efficiency. Their exceptional durability, color, and picture quality make them invaluable tools for creating great films and television."

Planar's motion capture tracking system and ARRI cinema cameras further complemented the virtual production setup at 35North Studios. Additionally, the studio custom-built all its rendering nodes and computer hardware systems.

As the studio becomes more adept at using its virtual production volume, the economic case for film and TV projects has considerably strengthened. Beyond the benefits of avoiding travel-related expenses, cost savings are being realized by streamlining certain aspects of filmmaking processes, mainly due to the versatility of the Planar CarbonLight CLI-VX Series displays.

Fairfax noted, "The side LED walls have proven to be incredibly flexible in terms of how quickly we can adjust them for a scene. While we still need to move the LED ceiling more slowly, it is easily repositioned. However, the real game-changer isn't just the speed at which we can change the background, but the ability to utilize those displays tightly against a scene for developing realistic effects. This approach saves valuable time and resources, making scenes more believable."

1. The 35North Studios, equipped with soundstages, editing suites, and a recording studio among others, invests in building an LED volume to cater to the rise of virtual production projects.
2. Justin Fairfax, Director of the studios, emphasized the importance of flexibility, ease of use, and servicing speed in the selection of products for their virtual production stage, turning to Planar CarbonLight CLI-VX Series LED video walls for solutions.
3. With the implementation of Planar CarbonLight CLI-VX Series displays, the virtual production stage at 35North Studios benefits from features like exceptional in-camera visual properties, lightweight, thin, and durable modules, and simple, fast servicing.
4. The adoption of virtual production technology by 35North Studios has not only boosted their creative capabilities but also resulted in cost savings through streamlined filmmaking processes, especially due to the adaptability of Planar CarbonLight CLI-VX Series displays for creating realistic effects.

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