SFX and Virtual Production
Can you use SFX on a Volume Stage? Absolutely.
One of the most frequent questions we are asked by clients and film makers is about whether it is possible to use SFX on the volume stage. With such a large and expensive LED wall in the studio, surely it is not possible to have water, haze, wind, smoke and flame in this particular kind of studio environment? The short answer, which is surprising for many is, well, yes we can. These moments are quite enjoyable as it is yet another opportunity expose another misconception about Virtual Production on a volume stage.
During the final months of completing our new V Studio in the first half of 2025, we planned a short scene, or vignette, in order to demonstrate not the process of incorporating SFX into a volume shoot, but to highlight just how much it can add to the overall production value. During this shoot, as you can see in the video and images below, we threw wind, water, smoke, haze and real flame into the mix in order to really push the V studio to its limits.
Haze, as any cinematographer will tell you, is a valuable tool which add instant atmosphere and moodiness to any scene. The challenge with haze in virtual production rests in ensuring the blend between any digital haze and physical haze in the room is seamless. Our team of experienced Unreal Artists are equipped with the digital tools to make this differentiation between real and digital is imperceptible.
Water, as one may expect, is not without its risks when such a large amount of electrical equipment is nearby. It is however often simply a matter of careful planning, rehearsal and making sure all safety measures are adhered to. We worked closely with Director of Photographer Ian Murray to try to meet all the requirements of his creative vision for this shoot. Being able to incorporate water onto the floor surfaces of the set for this scene really elevated the visual, cinematic aspect. The LED wall along with our ceiling panel and wild wall threw off colour-matched and dynamic reflections onto the wet surfaces with a full 360-degree effect possible thanks to our in-house Mimik image-based lighting system.
Next, we threw in some dried leaves and litter to blast around the scene with a wind machine – a staple of volume shoots everywhere. This allowed us to really sell the environment as being outdoor, and amid catastrophic wildfires - rather than safe and comfortable in a studio in the heart of London.
On this SFX-heavy shoot, the cherry on top of this cake of classic filmmaker’s SFX is using actual flame. Our team of Unreal Artists, who had created a custom 3D environment in Unreal Engine with digital flame, which we then set to matching the physical, SFX flame used on set. The final result, as you can see, is a scene that could have come from a Michael Bay or Roland Emmerich post-apocalyptic blockbuster, with a much more modest footprint.
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