Our Studio

Distortion Studio is a virtual production studio. Our studio is kitted out with all the best equipment to ensure that your VP shoot is perfect.

We aren’t a dry-hire studio. We only hire out as a virtual production studio. We have partnered with GrayMatter Video, a specialist video control company alongside their sister company iMAG Displays, a virtual production and LED screen hire specialist.

Our Tech

Getting the tech right is always imperative to us, therefore when kitting out the studio we rigorously tested different tech, hardware and software to ensure we had found the best of the best. After years of testing, we settled on the below suppliers:

Our Facilities

Distortion Studios is equipped with everything you would need for a Virtual Production shoot. There are a number of private offices and meeting areas, a Greenroom, hair and make-up areas and edit suites. Our kitchen is fully stocked with tea and coffee making facilities, microwave, dishwasher etc. We also have a number of options for onsite catering.

We have super fast wifi which allows us to live stream productions or facilitate remote directing, or just upload rushes in next to no time. We have ample parking and two EV charging points that our customers can use.

Nine Trees Studios

Distortion Studios is the only permanent virtual production studio in Bristol, but it isn’t the only studio in the area… Nine Trees Studios is just down the road (approx. 200m) from Distortion Studios! Nine Trees Studios has a 4,640sq ft, blacked out, fully soundproofed studio with 20ft of build height. We are able to do a pop up virtual production in their studio.

Nine Trees Studios is twice the size of Distortion Studios allowing us to make much larger virtual productions in the space. They also have a full load in facilities, production facilities, and yard for further pop up offices or catering.

We have fitted tracking markers into Nine Trees Studios and calibrated the studio with our kit, therefore making it an easy option for those needing a bigger space for their virtual production.

Location

Distortion Studios (and Nine Tree Studios) is based in Brislington, just a 5-minute drive from Temple Meads and 10 minutes off the M4. Distortion is close to lots of local amenities including an industrial estate for all your last minute extra prop shopping.

Shops and eateries located near by are:

Sainsbury’s St Phillips Causeway
Marks and Spencer, Avonmead,
The Range
Boots
Costa
McDonalds, Burger King, KFC
Lidl
Lost and Grounded- Brewery

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Unreal Engine?

Unreal is a realtime 3D animation software that we use to create photo-realistic animated environments for virtual production. It was developed as a game engine so moves the content in relation to the camera position.

How does Unreal Engine work?

Unreal Engine is a game engine developed by Epic Games to run games like Fortnite. As you play a game the scene moves as you explore the world. In the same way, we create environments and scenes in Unreal Engine to create and immersive cinematic set to film against.

Is green screen cheaper than LED?

Not necessarily. For example, you need more crew to operate a green screen shoot than a LED shoot. In some circumstances green screen is preferable to LED; if speed of set-up for shots is a factor, this may reduce costs of the studio shoot, however, you would need to factor more post production time into your budgets so any cost savings are relative.

Does ‘the volume’ create the lighting?

Lighting on a volume is as important as lighting any film shoot. The LED volume provides the volumetric environment lighting but it needs to be supplemented with lighting exactly as you would on a location shoot with practicals, subject lights and global lighting. That said, video based lighting is the latest development and can really add realism to your shots.

What is the post production process?

As with any production there is a post-production process. This can be quite light if we are talking about an in camera shoot. Colouring / Grading is a big thing to think about when shooting in virtual production. It is a very complicated process to get the colour on the LED right with the glass of the lens and the sensor of the camera to get the desired ‘look’. We can advise on the post-production process.

What cameras do you use?

We have in-house cameras, but a wide variety of cameras (minimum spec: has to have genlock) and all lenses can be used according to need and preference. Set-up time for cameras and lenses should be factored into planning for a virtual production shoot.

What is tracking? When do you need it?

Our Red Spy Tracking system situates the camera in the real world and the Unreal world simultaneously, allowing for human control of virtual cameras. You need to have camera tracking when you want to move the camera and for the Unreal Engine scene to move in conjunction with the camera movement. You don’t always need camera tracking (for example on car shoots) but it is the best way to create the parralax effect that virtual production is famous for.

What is key when scoping a VP production?

Preparation. Storyboards should be locked before shooting commences. Keep creative decisions to pre-production. Shoot what was planned in the studio first, don’t get distracted by the technology. Treat it like a location shoot. What you see in the viewfinder is what you get.

Are pre-light days required?

This would depend on the complexity of the shoot and the experience of your gaffer and DOP working in a volume. We would recommend that time is allocated to do test shoots and pre-lights if the budget allows. If you are doing a 1 day shoot, we would recommend a day of scene testing and a day of camera and lighting ahead of talent arriving on set.

What is Virtual Production?

Virtual production is a film-making method that combines physical and digital techniques for real-time visualization of scenes and effects. VP is often used to reduce time spent on expensive locations, for CGI shots and to allow creatives to film in places that would be complex or impossible.

Do you need an LED volume for Virtual Production?

No. In some situations working on green screen is preferable. This may be to do with cost (speed of setup) or allowing for additional CGI effects/ animations that can’t be run in real-time therefore making in-camera capture impractical. Distortion Studios is setup to work with both LED and green screen workflows, or a combination of the two.