COVID-19: Hollywood eyes new technology as it returns to work

As Hollywood is returning to work braving the COVID-19 pandemic, filmmakers, actors and others associated with the industry are looking for ways to maintain maximum safety. As a result, a new LED video wall technology, which was used in making the 2019 film ‘The Lion King’, could become a ‘game changer’, reported news agency Associated Press.

The technology allows filmmakers in a studio to “spread out individual scenes captured virtually” using several methods. This could enable cast and crew members work from their locations instead of following strict social distancing norms on set.

The actors can see a background using this technology, unlike the traditional “green screen” while cinematographers can make it look like a location shoot by matching perspectives and camera parallax.

Calling the video wall a “game changer”, ‘The Lion King’ visual effects supervisor Robert Legato told AP, “It is something that was going to happen anyway. It just would have taken longer because there would be no need for it immediately. Some people, you know, are stuck in their ways.”

Visual effects specialist Sam Nicholson called the technique a “natural evolution” in the world of cinematic effects. “We started taking shows like ER, Grey’s Anatomy and Walking Dead and saying, ‘Look, we don’t have to be on location to actually shoot there.’ It’s easier to bring the location to the production than the production of a location,” Nicholson told AP.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought in a digital and technological revolution in most fields, the Hollywood industry being one of them. According to AP, the LED video wall technology was also used in making half the scenes of 2019 web-series ‘The Mandalorian’.