Vizrt virtual sets add interaction between talent, ‘scenery’

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A Vizrt employee demonstrates the virtual set system. Photo: Dak Dillon/NewscastStudio

During a press demonstration at the 2009 NAB Show in Las Vegas, Vizrt showed off its virtual set offering, which can be combined with its now famous hologram creation or as a standalone product.

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A screen shows the Vizrt virtual environment with real-time virtual elements. Photo: Dak Dillon/NewscastStudio

The set product is similar in that it allows real-time camera moves but adds the ability for talent to stand behind virtual elements. For example, during the demo, Vizrt’s talent appeared inside a virtual subway car and then stepped out through the open doors onto the platform. He could also walk between the ticket gates on the boarding platform in another scene.

Vizrt virtual environments can also be filmed using handheld cameras. Using a series of five white balls attached to the camera and five ceiling-mounted cameras that track the movement of each ball, the Vizrt computers combined this positioning data with the virtual environment to complete the effect.