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Real-time, in-camera background compositing in The Mandalorian

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Re: Real-time, in-camera background compositing in The Mandalorian

#51
The highest resolution LED panel pixel pitch I've seen to date is 0.7mm...wouldn't this result in a lower resolution capture of the projected background? Specifically, when they're trying to shoot movies at or above 4K range? Also, how do they cope with the scan rate of the background video being played back to sync with the camera recording the footage?

Re: Real-time, in-camera background compositing in The Mandalorian

#52

Please send me a link of someone that watched the original Star Wars, the later trilogy and finally the last “attempt” and really appreciated it. I even watched “Rogue One” in the biggest screen available around me, with high expectations, and I’m feeling really sad because of that.

I watched the original trilogy in the theaters when they were released. (Admittedly I was a bit young for the first one.)

I've seen all the follow-ups/addons/sequels/rewrites that exist. Rogue One is the movie that I waited 30 years to see another story in the SW universe. It wasn't perfect but it was damn good enough.

The Mandalorian gives me hope that 'Grownups' are in charge and can create something worth looking at.

I am holding out hope that a story and plot will emerge. I really hate "baby yoda", but if that's what it takes to move a real story along I am willing to tolerate it.

#1 It looks incredible. Must win Emmy for best cinematography! #2 It feels real. It feels right.

I'm sorry you didn't like Rogue One.

Re: Real-time, in-camera background compositing in The Mandalorian

#53
post #51

The highest resolution LED panel pixel pitch I've seen to date is 0.7mm...wouldn't this result in a lower resolution capture of the projected background? Specifically, when they're trying to shoot movies at or above 4K range? Also, how do they cope with the scan rate of the background video being played back to sync with the camera recording the footage?

Depending on your viewing distance, the pixel pitch of 2.84mm is practically a retina display if you look at it 10m away.

Re: Real-time, in-camera background compositing in The Mandalorian

#54
post #51

The highest resolution LED panel pixel pitch I've seen to date is 0.7mm...wouldn't this result in a lower resolution capture of the projected background? Specifically, when they're trying to shoot movies at or above 4K range? Also, how do they cope with the scan rate of the background video being played back to sync with the camera recording the footage?

In some photos, you can see that from the camera's POV, the area around the actors is displayed on LED as green screen so the actors can be masked out. Then, a higher resolution background is composited in. Thus, the original LED serves to accurately light the scene to reflect the background but not always to actually be the background.

Re: Real-time, in-camera background compositing in The Mandalorian

#55

The Mandalorian was probably a very likely candidate for this kind of approach, since it's essentially a western, meaning a lot of wide landscape shots. The LED screen approach works nicely for fairly uncomplicated background geometry, like a plain. Try shooting Spiderman climbing up walls on that, and things will get tricky fast. As the article notes, slow camera moves are a plus as well. The reason given is technic…

Spiderman climbing up a wall can be done via forced perspective. It's also an action scene, reducing the need for a background to help the actor. And some brave souls will Harold Lloyd it.

Re: Real-time, in-camera background compositing in The Mandalorian

#57
post #51

The highest resolution LED panel pixel pitch I've seen to date is 0.7mm...wouldn't this result in a lower resolution capture of the projected background? Specifically, when they're trying to shoot movies at or above 4K range? Also, how do they cope with the scan rate of the background video being played back to sync with the camera recording the footage?

In some photos, you can see that from the camera's POV, the area around the actors is displayed on LED as green screen so the actors can be masked out. Then, a higher resolution background is composited in. Thus, the original LED serves to accurately light the scene to reflect the background but not always to actually be the background.

This makes more sense!

Re: Real-time, in-camera background compositing in The Mandalorian

#58

This is super interesting stuff and I've been following it for some time. I just wrote it up with a bit more context: https://techcrunch.com/2020/02/20/how-the-mandalorian-and-il... It's not just ILM and Disney either, this is going to be everywhere . It's complex to set up and run in some ways but the benefits are enormous for pretty much everyone involved. I doubt there will be a major TV or film production that do…

I wonder how much this reduces the environmental footprint. The explosion in shows and movies always looking for raw nature or awesome settings has me wondering how much destruction it makes. And how much waste it produces.

Re: Real-time, in-camera background compositing in The Mandalorian

#59
"Postproduction was mostly refining creative choices that we were not able to finalize on the set in a way that we deemed photo-real."

Does anyone know how they were able to swap out the in-camera version of the background originally shown on the LED wall with something more convincing later? Seems like it'd be tough since it's not a green screen!

Re: Real-time, in-camera background compositing in The Mandalorian

#60
post #59

"Postproduction was mostly refining creative choices that we were not able to finalize on the set in a way that we deemed photo-real." Does anyone know how they were able to swap out the in-camera version of the background originally shown on the LED wall with something more convincing later? Seems like it'd be tough since it's not a green screen!

iirc they project small green region around the actors and real props, so that ambient light and reflections are still mostly correct but they can also get clean matte out.
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