Real-Time Filmmaking & Live Events

Real-Time Filmmaking on Carry Me Home (Images courtesy of Scopo Photography)

Real-time filmmaking provides the capacity to experience a performance, as you might imagine, in ‘real-time’. It can be used for a variety of purposes, such as interactive experiences, live broadcasts, and live-streaming events – all of which Animatrik Film Design utilized during the production of Carry Me Home, the live and virtual circus.

A relatively new production technique, real-time filmmaking involves the capture and display of visual and audio content simultaneously with its creation. Traditional visual effects rely on pre-rendering, which can take a significant amount of time and resources. Thanks to the processing power of game engines, such as Unreal Engine and Unity, effects can be created in real-time for faster, more efficient implementation. The finished film can then be displayed to an audience through live streaming, online, or projected onto a screen.

Using real-time methods during live events affords the ability to present them as they’re happening. It provides a sense of immediacy and authenticity that’s difficult to achieve using traditional filmmaking techniques. For instance, in order to bring the world’s first cross-reality live circus to audiences for Carry Me Home, Animatrik’s studios and LED stage were used to broadcast the event as it happened to better enable the integration of 3D components. It’s an effective way to document and share in-person events and experiences with a larger remote audience, wherever they are in the world.

Game engine technology allows for the integration of live-action footage with CGI, and can be used to create seamless transitions between live-action and computer-generated effects, resulting in more visually stunning films. Real-time filmmaking affords far more interactivity and engagement with the viewer as opposed to typical filmmaking, meaning audiences who are experiencing a film from the other side of the world can experience a different, but similar immersion.

The live stream of Carry Me Home allowed viewers to ask questions or make requests as they were watching the performances, creating a more interactive and dynamic show. Virtual or augmented reality content can then provide an added layer of immersion, letting people interact with and explore the environments online, through VR, or in streaming.

Carry Me Home - Behind The Scenes with Shocap Entertainment & The 7 Fingers

With such an immediate method of filmmaking comes the need for high-quality and reliable equipment that can deliver more efficient and effective workflows than typical productions. During a live event the crew will have far less time within the editing and post-production process, making it important for teams to be well-prepared and able to make quick decisions on the fly.

Real-time filmmaking is a powerful tool for capturing and sharing events in a way that is immediate and engaging. It necessitates careful planning and execution, but can result in unique and memorable experiences for viewers and users.