THE FUTURE OF THE MOVING IMAGE: VIRTUAL PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY

Abstract

The moving image production process has a structure that depends on the universal rules of physical science, is sensitive to technological innovations and focuses on the viewer experience. Digitalisation processes in the fields of series and films open the doors to many innovations, directing production companies to the field and aiming to bring the viewing experience to the highest level. Virtual production technology is also recognised as one of the groundbreaking innovations in moving image production. The concept of virtual production is used to encompass innovative production models such as the creation of virtual universes for the realisation of productions, the use of backgrounds consisting of LED screens, and the possibility of real-time rendering. Virtual production technology offers real-time rendering with the inclusion of game engines such as Unity and Unreal Engine in the moving image production process, blurring the boundaries between the production and post-production stages. In addition to the global developments in virtual production technology, production companies in Turkey are also making pioneering initiatives by focusing on this issue. In this study, the development process of virtual production in the world is explained, and the Prince TV series, which is one of the first productions in Turkey using this technology, is analysed technically by using the content analysis method. It has been concluded that the virtual production technology used in the series makes significant contributions to the production process in terms of actor management, image management, art management, removes time and space dependency, and maximises the actor experience. It is predicted that this technology will become accessible to independent producers in time and can be integrated into all stages of moving image production.