Why’s it so hard to find a job in Virtual Production?
Virtual Production Crew: ARRI Stage London
You may be thinking, how the hell do I get a job in this virtual production industry? As an independent professional working with filmmakers to optimize production budgets and improve creative opportunities through tech, I’ve seen my fair share of change and challenges in the VP industry. It’s a constantly evolving space - but, that’s why I love it.
From a business perspective, the goal of virtual production is to help content creators produce more for less, meeting the demands of today’s hungry content market. You may think VP doesn’t work for every film, or perhaps you consider VP to be all about LED stages. But that would be a mistake. VP is the “craft of integrating production technology (virtual) into the content production process.” No matter if its a film, series, advert or social content, the point is - from the the business side it’s about innovation and an advantage, foremost VP is about production OPTIMIZATION.
Frankly, I can’t think of a single film, series, or commercial being made today that wouldn’t benefit from having a VP Producer (think Tech Producer) on its team to see where tech can add creative opportunity and create efficiencies. Rule one, no why the industry exists and never be afraid to sell what you do!
Unreal Engine - Real-Time Compositing Credit: Asa Bailey
But Why Is It So Tough to Find Work in VP?
Despite its benefits, independent VP professionals face significant challenges, no matter if you are a newcomer to the industry or a a member of the Academy, don’t be fooled, it’s tough whoever you are in VP. But here are two key reasons why it’s really hard to find work in virtual production, and I ask you to join me in shouting out about them;
1. The VP Studios Are in Control
I started out building a miniature VP green screen (UE Composure pipeline) in our little cottage in Wales. Then I got picked up by Netflix. Ok so I was lucky - right place, right time, and yes hard work. Today, millions are being spent on building LED VP studios, and with them come big budgets and dedicated teams to market these stages as the go-to solution.
This has created a Walmart effect in the VP industry: producers and directors gravitate toward the one-stop shop model - hiring an LED stage along with its team.
To be clear, I’m not discrediting the talent at these studios. Some of the most skilled people I know work in LED VP. But if we care about the future of our industry, we need to acknowledge a simple fact: not everyone can work in an LED stage. Especially when a full LED setup can be run by a handful of people.
The first thing we need to ask is: Do we see VP as more than just LED? We must push back against the marketing that equates VP with LED walls. Yes, LED is indeed a very valid technology. But it is only one technology, technology comes and goes, VP is much more than LED. Storytelling has been a human occupation since we could draw on cave walls, methods are always improving.
VP is the craft of production technology - and like all tech, it makes content creation more convenient and efficient. It includes everything from AI and real-time graphics to previsualization, VR/XR scouting, and on-set VFX.
2. Filmmakers Need Reeducating
The film trade press and equipment manufacturers have reinforced the message that VP = LED. It’s not in the LED studios’ best interest to change that perception.
But here’s the reality: VP includes anyone who helps content creators use technology to tell stories. If you work in real-time previs, if you use AI for visualization, if you optimize production workflows using tech, apply graphics to live sports, operate on-set VFX, or even manage the network infrastructure that makes it all work - you’re part of VP. You need to sell the benefits of VP, as a way to optimise the production process using the latest technologies, plural.
We ALL need to start reaching out and start showing how Virtual (as in computerized) Production can help filmmakers from script development to post. If you agree, share this post, not for me, for our industry, we all have to shout loud and be very very clear - VP is so much more than LED, it’ about using technology in creative ways to optimize production, it should have been called Optimized Production really. #VPISMORETHANLED
Performance Capture and 3D Tracking, BAI Water Commercial. Credit: Asa Bailey
As for me, I work as an Executive VP Producer & Supervisor. Nowadays, I don’t need to keep up with every Unreal Engine release - I read the release notes, I understand the tools. Today, my job is to serve the production itself I work for the Producers, Director and HODs. I’m the on-staff tech (VP) Producer and Supervisor. I work with my fellow EP team on the business side, and they see me as the one who saves them money, the one who reads the script and determines how to use technology (of all kinds) to reduce costs and save time, I design the VP strategies, write budgets, and (ironically) I’m the one hiring the VP teams and facilities.
3. AI and Virtual Production
What’s your view, do you need access to an LED stage to work in VP, or does it cover other technologies, how can we show filmmakers that by integrating technologies of all kinds, from AI VFX to Gaussian Splats and Real-Time Compositing, using technology from the script to the screen, we can help Producers to make more for less, all while exploding the creative possibilities?
I am still very much down the AI rabbit hole, I have mixed feelings about AI, some good, some bad, some fucking terrifying. But, I do see that AI can greatly optimize the creative production process, you’d be an idiot not to, from AI helping you scamp out ideas, to sky spheres, to cracking out 3D assets for Unreal and 2D video plates at speed.
And so I want to end this post with a plea, start showing how AI, real-time technologies and yes of course LED stages, can help EVERYONE in the production team, from the Producers to the HODs, the Director and your VFX Sup. Think about how you can broaden your palette of virtual production knowledge, methods and tools - as a VP specialist - you are here to help others to integrate these new technologies (all of them) into the work they are doing?
This is where you’ll find a job in VP, by helping people to make the most of the available technology for the budget, to make more for less, in every sense of the words, more content, more freedom, more opportunity, for less money, less effort, less resources.
You get me?
And, GOOD LUCK, you got this.
NO AI WAS USED IN THE WRITING OF THIS POST
Asa Bailey
Executive VP Producer Supervisor
You can reach me at asa@bai-ley.com
Further reading recommendation THE VIRTUAL PRODUCTION FIELD GUIDE
