We created a series of virtual environments for multiple music videos featuring Alan Walker and friends. These were first released as a 30-minute live show on TikTok and later as a series of videos. Below, you’ll find key takeaways, pictures, and, of course, links to the videos.
Entering the virtual production business is both exciting and groundbreaking. Many of us are familiar with Unreal Engine—the 3D platform we use to build these virtual environments—but the production pipeline is new, and many of the challenges we face are new to us. This requires collaboration, a strong network within the industry, and a lot of trial and error. We worked closely with Kreatell and Marius Jacobsen on the artistic side and Xvision on performance. It’s safe to say we all learned a lot.
If you’re unsure what “Virtual Production” means, we wrote an article about it here.
Key Takeaways from the Production:
- We created a wide variety of scenes in just a few days within the same studio.
- Other artists recorded in VP studios elsewhere around the globe, yet all existed in the same virtual space.
- Our carbon footprint was significantly reduced thanks to a compact setup, less travel between sets, fewer physical props, and a faster turnaround.
- A direct line to production designers was crucial—our virtual world needed to blend seamlessly with the physical set.
- Time and costs were reduced, with minimal post-production—most of the “post-production” work was completed in advance.
- All artists performed within the virtual environment rather than against a green screen.
- A strong visual direction was key: The artistic vision was based on “Walker World,” developed over time by Kreatell. Our virtual sets had to align with this universe, which took several iterations to perfect.
- Based on this, we are reviewing our production workflow. A big part of working like this, is simulating shots before going on set and recording. This approach gives us much better control on the final output. This changes the order of events in pre and post production.
While every production is different, many of these takeaways apply across the board.
Here are pictures, behind the scenes and the finished videos.
