Vibrant Virtual Production Pursuit

Virtual Production may not be a new breakthrough in the filmmaking industry but, it still is on its infancy. Only the more advanced countries like the U.K. and the U.S. have adopted it in the past 2 years or so to create movies. The rest of the filmmakers around the world were heavily into the conventional method until COVID-19 swept across the globe and inadvertently disrupted it. 

Being a new player in this US$2 Trillion Industry, we remained eager and hopeful to pursue cross-border filmmaking despite the pandemic threat because Virtual Production came into view, combining live action footage and computer graphics in real time to create movies in a safe production distancing environment. 

Currently, we are building the first Virtual Production Hub in Asia, i.e a new training ground or field of specialization for those IT Professionals who want to explore the movie world with their digital expertise. 

The probable over supply of IT Workers in India and Indonesia with no solid prospect of immediate employment is the apparent problem that needs a solution. While we have yet to work with some target IT Professionals in those countries with our Virtual Production Project’s XR train-recruit’ Program, we are optimistic that we can offer employment opportunities to those who will qualify from either of those countries. 

Even if we do not have the actual number of the current IT Workers in both countries, we are confident that training them batch by batch at our Virtual Production facility will equip them to take jobs in the filming world in the next few years as the global industry gears up towards this digital method of filmmaking, which is another career option that they can strive for.

Since our Virtual Production Project is still experimental at this stage, it is presumptuous to quantify its likely impact on the IT Economies of India and Indonesia. It is enough to say that we would like to open the door of the movie world to those hopeful IT Professionals out there. 

And as India remains to be the largest film market, it may benefit more from our XR train-recruit Program if there are more Indian IT Professionals who acquired the skills from us when Indian movie producers start to switch to virtual production in the coming years to speed up film productions based on the fact that movies make money even in a pandemic situation.

We are looking at the IT Population of Bangalore, Karnataka, India and of Bukit Algoritma, Sukabumi, Indonesia as potential sources of Entry and Mid-Level Software and Hardware Professionals we plan on training and hiring under our XR train-recruit Program to form the Digital Team that will work side by side with the Live Filming Team at our Virtual Production Platform. 

While we do not have the current statistics to account for the IT Population in said countries, we are optimistic that our Virtual Production Project can help alleviate the likely unemployment such a workforce may face soon in the coming years as we intend to continuously train and recruit Software and Hardware Engineers potential to become Virtual Production Specialists that can serve the growing demand for the technology in the global film industry as the disruptive pandemic continue to persist. 

Our said XR train-recruit Program will pave the way for more IT Professionals to enter and carve a niche in the US$2 Trillion Film Industry i.e. a new career path for them to thread on leaving behind their former job spots for new IT Entrants to fill in. 

Initially, we shall opt to train and recruit IT Professionals with prior job experience in the following levels as: Full Stack, DevOps, Network, Hardware, Cyber Security, Web Managers who will gain proper certifications or rating. The first batch will comprise at least 6 Candidates from each country for a total of 12 Candidates, Male and Female for as long as they qualify. 

Our Virtual Production Pursuit is certainly creating jobs or employment opportunities under our XR train-recruit Program, whether onsite or offsite because the technology requires both Hardware and Software Engineers to work with conventional filmmakers. It will specifically need Cyber Solutions and Security Experts aside from Coding Engineers, Network and Hardware Managers.

Our Virtual Production XR train-recruit Program will train and hire both Entry and Mid Level IT Professionals from both India and Indonesia until they achieved the needed skills level to be called Virtual Production Specialists. It will provide both training and work facilities, where qualified candidates will receive the basic knowhow (technical instructions) and apprenticeship (implementation stage). 

As fellow filmmakers from other parts of the world come to use/lease our Virtual Production facility, the trained IT Workforce will service them. Then, when the demand for their service increases later on, we can continue to tap the available IT Resource from either countries. Eventually, when other Virtual Production sites develop elsewhere, the IT workforce who trained at our Virtual Production Facility can respond to fill up such needs. 

Essentially, our Virtual Production Hub will be the pioneering platform in the region for IT Professionals from India or Indonesia to get orientation and specialization on this digital arena intertwined with filmmaking arena. It is a pilot endeavor anchored on future possibilities that capitalizes on a technological breakthrough designed to serve the film industry that will  benefit the digital world creating a new career avenue for IT Professionals as Virtual Production Specialists. 

I am the CEO & Business Development Head of our business organization and the Team Leader for this FOW Challenge. I asked our Virtual Production Head and Finance Head to join Me in taking up this challenge. We meet online once a week to discuss our progress. 

Our Virtual Production Project XR train-recruit Program is a “win-win” solution for us and the likely IT Candidates/Qualifiers from either India or Indonesia because we will both gain from each other in the process. 

While the IT Professionals who will apply and qualify for our said program already possess the basic or advanced knowledge and skills in Software Development and Hardware Management, which Virtual Production process requires from each candidate, our said XR train-recruit Program will introduce them to a unique level of software application and hardware set up  i.e. intertwined with the intricacy and artistry of filmmaking, technically a new career paradigm for them to specialize in. 

This scenario will enable us to meet and work with the kind of IT Workforce whose skills have been tailor-fitted to serve our Virtual Production needs and beyond as we intend to continue training and recruiting new batches of qualifiers as the demand for the use of our Virtual Production Platform increases over a period of time from our target filmmakers’ market. 

We are anticipating that eventually the demand for virtual production in filmmaking will soon increase in other parts of the world so, there will be a steady demand for more skilled and equipped IT Professionals who have the gamut of virtual production. The digital age that is here and now can no longer be ignored as time itself has become an illusion. Undeniably, even in filmmaking, It’s either you produce in real time or forever be stuck in this pandemic. 

Virtual Production technology uses a suite of software tools to allow studios to combine live action footage and computer graphics in real time. Contributors across multiple locations can create and render digital environments while cast members are physically working on set. (www.perforce.com). Below are diagrams to illustrate the process. 

It was popularized by Disney’s The Mandalorian Production with Studio Lab that created virtual environment to film this Star Wars television series. It was the first tv production that introduced virtual sets and backdrop on 360 degree video wall. 

Our Virtual Production Project shall adopt the same technology using similar software and physical infrastructure in cooperation with www.perforce.com (software) and https://en.aoto.com (LED walls) on an expansive property (5 hectares or more) that will provide a “safe production distancing” space to create a controlled environment against virus cross-contamination among the cast and crew that still disrupts filmmaking these days.

Such a set up requires the close collaboration between a Team of Digital Experts and a Team of Seasoned Filmmakers to develop the desired virtual stage and ambience upon which live talents will interact with each other like in a conventional film production. 

Combining live-action footages and computer graphics in real time i.e. Virtual Production speeds up the process of filmmaking that will save film producers both time and money, thereby enabling them to create more movies that are likewise of good quality in less time and cost. 

And it can only be sustainable by training IT Professionals to become Virtual Production Specialists.

As we, the proponents, are first and foremost filmmakers, our Virtual Production Project is aiming to achieve the following: 

ACTIVITIES : Train Potential IT Professionals by batch to become Virtual Production Specialists.

OUTPUT : The Certified Virtual Production Specialists from the 1st Batch of trained IT Professionals will be formally hired to work at our Virtual Production facility. 

SHORT TERM GAIN : Entice Filmmakers to create movies with our trained Virtual Production Specialists at our Virtual Production facility.

MEDIUM TERM GAIN : Increase in the demand for Virtual Production facility and services of Virtual Production Specialists from our fellow filmmakers across the globe. 

LONG TERM GAIN : More movies will be produced in a shorter and less costlier period of time from our Virtual Production facility with our trained Virtual Production Specialists. 

that we deemed symbiotic for all parties concerned because we are offering a more permanent approach to merge the digital and movie worlds in this collaborative scenario. 

Ideally, every successful candidate of our Virtual Production’s XR train-recruit Program shall be gainfully employed as a Virtual Production Specialist for 5 years, provided he or she meets our set performance standards in two measures “Aptitude & Attitude”. 

Then, becoming a Virtual Production Specialist that is a level up in an IT Professional’s career given the exposure in the film industry that enjoys immense popularity and abounds with many opportunities, we foresee it as opening doors to other possibilities for the successful candidates even after their stint with us. So, we intend to continue training new batches of IT Professionals from India and Indonesia whom we can turn into Virtual Production Specialists. 

We believe as the demand for Virtual Production reaches a snow ball effect or becomes greater, our Virtual Production hub will become the “oasis” for Virtual Production Specialists in the region and eventually in the entire world since we are aiming for establishing our facility not only as a filming platform but also as a training center that can certify a formally and intensively trained IT Professionals who qualified under our XR train-recruit Program. 

Overall, we are truly inspired by the merging of Arts and Sciences in this endeavor that brings two prominent industries together, enabling us to share the opportunity to others outside of our country of operation since this pursuit, in essence, is something beyond boundaries and time zones.

Technically, our Virtual Production Pursuit aligns well with these two U.N. Sustainable Development Goals without being aware of them from the start. 

Goal 8 (Decent Work & Economic Growth) as our XR train-recruit Program can guarantee an employment upgrade for the Qualified Candidates from either countries of India or Indonesia that will certainly contribute to their economies in the long run.

We intend to collaborate with an IT Solutions Company in each country that can help screen and assess the candidates before and after training with us. Such a partner entity can give us feedbacks on their satisfaction.

Goal 9 (Industry Innovation & Infrastructure) since our Virtual Production set up is the first to be designed in a “safe production distancing” environment specifically to circumvent the pandemic threat while pursuing a more cost and time efficient way of filmmaking. 

We plan on recording how many movies our Virtual Production can produce within a specific period of time without any pandemic-related disruptions in order to truly determine the rate of efficiency of our chosen business model with Health being a major consideration in this pursuit. Hence, the embedded “bubble set up” is meant to protect our Human Resource at all cost.

The recurring or continuous pandemic situation is the main barrier or impediment for us to fully achieve our Virtual Production targets at this juncture. While we intend to control our filming environment with a spacious and private location, we are aware that we may not fully eliminate the possibility of virus cross-contamination because COVID-19 and its variants remain highly unpredictable at this time. 

With stringent measures in place, we can only hope we will be able to diffuse the said threats on our business operation so, we can smoothly proceed to implement our XR train-recruit Program without delay or casualty.

Our Virtual Production hub will include a Medical-Diagnostics & Pharmacy Complex as a frontline facility to determine and prevent every case of positive virus detection on any individual prior to entering the premises. 

Safe Distancing at and after work will be fully observed according to the station, accommodation and dining set up within the facility. In case of unexpected contamination or detection, an isolation facility will be available. Any serious scenario shall be dispatched to the nearest hospitals by land or by air. 

All incoming filming groups (local or international) must pass our Medical-Diagnostics tests before allowing them physical entry into our Virtual Production premises. 

Everyone admitted into our Virtual Production facility shall be subjected to regular Medical-Diagnostic tests to ensure that they remain virus-free during their stay at the premises, which is technically under a bubble set-up. 

Should the new variant become more life threatening and travel bans are issued worldwide, off-site/online trainings for the XR train-recruit Program candidates may be opted for instead of the on-site ones. The safety and health of everyone in our teams (immediate and remote) are of utmost importance and a priority for us. Anyway, technology will still enable us to accomplish the goals. 

Technically, Virtual Production engages both conventional and the digital teams so, there will be a minimum of 20 to a maximum of 50 persons involved in the entire process. However, our XR train-recruit Program shall require at least a digital team of 12 software and hardware engineers. 

Majority of us in Vibrant AVE are active in the film industry with just one who is specializing in Animation. Strategically, we divided the tasks according to our business acumen or technical skills. However, every one takes part in the planning and analyzing the kind of Virtual Production Project we will embark on. Together, we endeavored to share information and opinion on how best we could approach it in the most cost and time efficient way. 

Our Finance Head is a seasoned auditor with exposures in film, medical and construction industries. He is typically cost conscious and savings strategic.

Our Virtual Production Head is both technically and artistically skilled with  with great attention to details as an Ace Animator. He’s a visionary and dedicated to the pursuit.

I, the Business Development Head, have been immersed in both film and travel industries that provide Me the business networks we need to gain support for this pursuit.

Since our market mainly the film industry, ALL 3 of us plus our other business partners are quite experienced and poised to pursue and deliver the kind of Virtual Production Platform/Facility designed primarily to circumvent the continued threat of the pandemic that disrupts film productions. 

Despite that we represent an ALL Filipino (Philippines) organization in pursuing this Virtual Production Project, we have already embraced “cross-border filmmaking” at the outset, which deals with foreign talents and locations. Hence, it is no longer an issue to engage “foreign workers” when we conceptualized our XR train-recruit Program. 

Moreover, inviting foreign filmmakers to collaborate with us and use our Virtual Production Facility and Teams has actually been initiated with the “Independent Coalition of Filmmakers in Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrghizstan and Kazakhstan” aside from we are actively working on co-productions with filmmakers/producers in Japan and India. In fact, we already have a Japanese Associate Producer on board with us for two (2) film projects. And we have a tacit understanding to co-produce a movie with Mongolia Film Commission once we are technically equipped to do so. 

Such efforts are motivated by our intent to compete in the global film market. And we believe that by rallying more culturally-diverse participants in our Virtual Production Project, we will be able to achieve our said goal to become a global player. 

Currently, we are in active discussions with the following service providers on Virtual Production:

www.perforce.com for the Source Control Software

https://en.aoto.com for the LED Walls 

www.santelmovfx.com for CGI /visual effects

www.garypollard.design for prosthetics and costume designs

www.globe-eb.com for the musical scoring 

www.smarthouseprefab.com.ph for the civil & structural designs 

www.floodcontrol.asia for the flood fencing around the premises

https://www.patientfirst.com for the medical & diagnostic facility set-up

www.gategroup.com for the on site kitchen and dining operations.

Audio-E for the sound design

ICP Network Systems and Technologies for Broadband Internet Infrastructure

Coalitions of Filmmakers in Central Asia for collaborations

www.aegelaviation.com for the helipad design

Given our business model that is designed to build a Virtual Production facility with a “safe production distancing” environment, securing a spacious and privately contained property is a must. Luckily, we have come across a 31 hectare land whose Owners are open to a joint venture with a gradual property acquisition option (within 5 year period). However, since it requires a huge financial backing to develop it and we only need a parcel of it at 5 hectares, we decided to partner with a local Real Estate Property Developer that may become interested in a parallel property development on the rest of the 26 hectares. So, now we are pursuing the various independent or smaller but quality filmmakers around the globe whom we can co-produce their movies with on our Virtual Production Platform, which they may not otherwise afford to do on their own due to financial and pandemic constraints.

Initially, it was just out of curiosity that I responded to the invitation I got via email. However, as I continued to read on and understand the purpose behind the Challenge, I discovered its alignment with our Virtual Production Pursuit. So, I presented the idea to two (2) of my business partners/teammates whom I named here and started to consult with them from time to time. They concurred that the Future of Work in India and Indonesia Challenge is indeed aligned with our on-going project and it would be a win-win scenario if we consider tapping into the IT Workforce from India or Indonesia for our Virtual Production technical requirements through participating in the Challenge. 

The threat of pandemic that disrupts filmmaking can only be circumvented effectively through Virtual Production that requires digital knowhow. And the opportunity to extend an alternative IT job opportunity to India and Indonesia is both an exciting and a challenging feat with a long term possibility. 

Personally, I am keen on the prospect because the Challenge is adding a noble purpose to our Virtual Production Project as it will not only serve our business needs but also contribute to boost the IT Industry of India and Indonesia, giving a social enterprise objective to it. 

We are quite convinced that the Challenge is a suitable venue for us to explore the possibility of engaging IT Workers from other countries where they abound whose skills and competency levels are what we truly need to realize our goal.

We are planning to utilize the Prize/Reward from the Challenge mainly to cover the cost of sourcing IT Professionals from India and Indonesia accordingly as we will have to reach out to them from our end to tap them. And it is possible that we might engage the services of an IT Consulting Firm in those countries that can assist us in the selection of suitable candidates. And as we are still in quagmire on the likely cost of pursuing the idea so, the extra money will surely assist us towards achieving the goal. 

Given that our Virtual Production Pursuit will still be an experimental at some stage, we will be open to guidance on improving our business model, getting technical support and feedback as well as receiving assistance on promotions and distribution of our services in order to reach our target markets and meet their demands more efficiently that will create more jobs opportunities for IT Professionals in India and Indonesia. 

Overall, we want our Virtual Production Pursuit to effectively “solve” the need that this Challenge is posing upon us because our success will create a new career avenue for IT Professionals in the target countries as a whole.