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Philip Lanyon csc teaching at a virtual production workshop, held at Pixomondo, in July 2023
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Chris Mably csc going through lighting in a volume
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Setting up a shot
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Planning the approach to the shot
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Everyone all at once
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Josh Kerekes of Pixomondo teaching the science of colour
September 11, 2023 – The Canadian Society of Cinematographers, with assistance from the Foundation, held a three-day Virtual Production Masterclass on July 8, 9, and 10 in Toronto. The workshop, which required the participation and contributions from eight industry partners is part of the Society’s work to mitigate Canada’s growing skills gap in virtual production.
The Foundation has spent almost a year working on a partnership with the Canadian Society of Cinematographers on its Advancing Technology initiative.
Eight partners are involved. 2D House, ARRI, Creamsource, IATSE 667, IATSE 669 Pixomondo, The Foundation of Cinematography, and William F. White International and Versatile Media—six of whom were needed to put on the Virtual Production Masterclass in Toronto, which, including gratis gear and studio time, had a budget of $1.3 million dollars.
ARRI was an early supporter.
“ARRI wants to ensure equal access to the technology that will dominate the industry’s future,” said ARRI President & CEO, Glenn Kennel in May 2022.
“We look forward to partnering with the members of the Canadian Society of Cinematographers who understand the specific training necessary to work on advanced virtual production sets and are in a uniquely suited position to develop a series of advancing technology workshops that can be delivered across the country in person and across the world online.”
Since that time, eight additional partners were added.
The Virtual Production Masterclass was the brainchild of Philip Lanyon csc, Director of Photography for Netflix’s Frontier, Star Trek: Picard and Star Trek: Discovery, who developed the curriculum in conjunction with awarding winning Buckethead creators, Marco Bossow and Andy Brown of Transmute Pictures. Chris Mably csc, DP on Star Trek: Discovery joined Lanyon in co-teaching the lighting module, and Josh Kerekes, Head of Production for Pixomondo, handled the science of colour.
“It’s important DPs become fluent in VP because this tech will become more and more ubiquitous,” said Lanyon, who has been working in the industry for over 30 years first in lighting and then as a DP for 18 years.