International. The Screen Industries Research and Training Centre (SIRT) at Sheridan College university has created a new innovation centre for virtual productions with various Blackmagic Design products, including the URSA Mini Pro 12K digital film cameras. SIRT developed this space in order to facilitate the industry's shift towards virtual and remote productions as a result of the pandemic.
SIRT was established by Sheridan College in 2009 as a space for training, collaboration and content creation for the screen production industry. The Toronto, Ontario-based center focuses on bringing innovation to creative and digital image capture processes for the film, television and video game industries. This space is located at Pinewood Toronto Studios as part of the state-of-the-art facilities and studios.
Recently, sirt selected the URSA Mini Pro 12K model as the main camera for recording different artists in front of an LED audiovisual surface. "We tested the shutter compatibility of several cameras with the LED wall, and the URSA Mini Pro 12K version performed exceptionally. I was able to process the horizontal lines and the muaré pattern much better than with other units," explained Kevin Santos, a specialist in film productions at SIRT. "We selected this model for its impressive resolution and high dynamic range, as well as for its easy integration with DaVinci Resolve Studio, since we use this program in the rest of the work dynamics. We think their editing tools are extremely intuitive, and now with the URSA Mini Pro 12K, everything flows seamlessly."
With an audiovisual surface of 12 x 3.3 meters, the virtual production relies on the URSA Mini Pro 12K model and nine Micro Studio Camera 4K units equipped with 3G Video Assist monitors, which are connected to five HyperDeck Studio Pro devices and an ATEM Television Studio Pro 4K mixer. It sends the program signal directly to a computer, including a DeckLink Studio 4K capture and playback card, to allow SIRT to work with any live Webcast platform. The team also used a MultiView 16 monitor to monitor all signals from hyperDeck Studio Pro simultaneously, two SmartView 4K and SmartView Duo devices, and a set of HDMI to SDI Micro Converters and Mini Converters SDI Distribution 4K.
Jason Hunter, SIRT's Head of Production, commented: "Our goal is to enable creatives to make their contributions while respecting COVID-19 restrictions. The system is designed so that those who cannot attend in person have a direct and flexible experience when viewing the contents, and that those present can communicate with each other effectively."
"By creating this dynamic of remote virtual productions with Blackmagic Design cameras connected to hyperDeck Studio Pro devices and the ATEM Television Studio Pro 4K mixer, we had the ability to record the different signals individually to send to customers, as well as alternate images in real time for the audience," Continued Hunter. "This is especially important for virtual productions, given that everything is focused on getting the camera as close as possible to the final image."
"At present, only a certain amount of staff is allowed on stage, so not all creatives can be in space at the same time. With this system, we can transmit the signal from the ATEM to the teleconference program chosen by the client, in order to provide feedback and instructions in real time. It's great when someone essential to the creative aspect can see what's happening live, even how it's being processed instantly, even if they're not in the room."
"We truly believe that technology for virtual productions will change the film industry," added Spencer Idenouye, SIRT's head of virtual productions. "However, we also understand that the dollar barrier to begin with is quite high. Thanks to the new innovation center for virtual productions, we want to offer the opportunity for everyone to try this dynamic. Blackmagic Design helps us achieve this by bringing many fundamental technological components, not only to record the contents, but also to build trust with our support systems."
Along with work for the Innovation Center for Virtual Productions, SIRT employs Blackmagic Design products to create training and demonstration videos, and records research sessions, among other projects.
"In short, at SIRT we facilitate the solution to problems in different ways. From testing new technologies to improving processes, our goal is to provide the tools creatives need to succeed in the ever-evolving technology industry," concluded Idenouye. "As a research institute, we respect how Blackmagic Design tests new approaches and breaks into the status quo in a way. Developing this infrastructure with other technologies would not have been as convenient and efficient in terms of time. With Blackmagic Design, everything works together perfectly, whether for virtual productions or for the other areas of research with digital cinema, virtual or augmented reality, remote collaborations and many more."
