Leading European Reseller CVP has established a new division with virtual production at the forefront, uniting the latest technology with its trademark expert knowledge.

As filmmaking techniques and technologies develop and become established, equipment providers have to make sure they keep up with current trends by offering their clients not only the best choice of gear, but also backing it up with the best advice and support. CVP is recognised as a leading vendor in the broadcast and filmmaking markets for providing that level of service and innovation. This policy is continuing with the launch of a new division dedicated to virtual production, which will have the widest possible choice of the latest technology but also the knowledge of some of the most experienced specialists in the field. 

CVP had already been working with virtual production technology prior to the COVID pandemic but was not yet marketing a tailored solution for this growing sector. 

The company’s strategy changed during the lockdown period in 2020, when Sales Director Darren Simpson and Technical Consultant Sam Measure used the time to look more deeply at the equipment that was available and how it could be used more effectively. 

“This was derived from discussions that Sam and I had during that time,” explains Simpson. “He had been doing a lot of testing in the virtual production space, mainly camera technology against LED together with tracking and all the elements of the virtual production workflow. Sam had been picking up on everything that was going on and it was obviously an area of the market towards which a lot of things were moving. We weren’t quite sure where we fitted into it all because we’re a ‘sales’ company, but we realised that if we were going to get involved, it needed to be to offer the whole workflow solution.” 

Taking the complete chain approach had already proved highly effective for CVP with camera systems, which Simpson comments is similar to virtual production in being an ever-evolving technology. Measure is an integral member of the Technical Consultants team specialising in high end solutions after spending a number of years in commercial production roles before joining CVP from RED Digital Cinema in 2017. Deciding to attack the virtual production market in a similar way to the approach to cameras systems, he and Simpson knew they needed to bring in additional staff with in-depth knowledge of this burgeoning area. 

The first to join in preparation for CVP’s proposed virtual production service was Callum Buckley. Previously at RED, where he worked with Measure, and then real-time visual effects (RVFX) specialist Ncam, Buckley was brought in because of his familiarity with virtual technologies. “Callum had a lot of experience with virtual production, augmented reality and extended reality, from his previous life with Ncam,” Simpson says. “He joined us on 1 May and that’s when we decided to go full steam ahead.”  

ASK THE EXPERTS 

Buckley was later joined by David Morris, who had been Business Development Director at LED screen developer ROE Visual. Simpson explains that the CVP team came into contact with Morris at BSC Expo in April 2022, when they collaborated on a virtual production showcase. 

CVP used the cinematography and filmmaking technology event to preview its workflows and product ranges for virtual production. “It was at BSC that we decided we needed a dedicated sales person for this market, which is where David came in,” Simpson says. “He has a deep understanding of the sector from his experience at ROE, whose LED displays are being used for a lot of major productions, and it is clear that an agnostic partner is important because virtual production is not straightforward and there are so many moving parts. For specification and workflow we have this knowledge and the relationships with partners. The whole idea was to come from the perspective of being able to consult on the right technology for people’s workflows and budgets.” 

Morris is now in charge of business development for virtual production, with the aim behind the new division being to demystify the technology and come up with the right solution for the end user. “The timing is right,” Simpson comments. “At the moment a lot of people are looking at building their own solutions, which adds an extra layer of complication. We met with partners such as virtual platform developer disguise, who offer one server solution that makes it more straightforward for us to get involved because we didn’t want to get into designing custom PCs and then updating them all the time. To build the team we needed, we drew on individuals that we have worked with previously and that impressed us! We’ve known Callum for a long time and always wanted to get him on board, and David came in as someone with experience of LED, not just with insights into ROE, but other manufacturers as well. David is well connected in this marketplace and able to guide people to the pros and cons of each product.” 

Both Buckley and Morris will be representing CVP on the disguise booth at this year’s IBC as part of an ongoing promotion campaign for the new virtual production division. “David and I will be available to guide people through the kit, regardless of whether they’re an expert or a complete novice; we can walk them through whatever they would like to know” comments Buckley. “Visitors will be able to book a demonstration and we can discuss camera tech, tracking and the full workflow.” 

Morris says the idea behind the new virtual production consultancy is to enable a client to take a project all the way through from concept to completion. Buckley adds that as this is a relatively new and also constantly evolving technology, the aim is to help people avoid potential problems and end up with the right system: “Within this world there are so many little gotchas. Ensuring not only the overall system compatibility but that you’re choosing the best equipment for your vision, workflow and budget is our mission. Even if we haven’t seen a particular workflow before – we have the means to test it and prove the concept for that installation to make it happen.” 

GET HANDS-ON 

Testing and demonstrations of the different virtual technology is currently available with the team at CVP and plans for a dedicated premises in the West End of London is in progress. In this space, customers will be able to see LED walls in action and shoot a camera in front of a display. “We are looking for somewhere suitable, with the right ceiling height, close to our other central London locations, where people can come in and test the technology,” says Buckley. “It will be a test facility, where people can bring in their cameras and lenses to make sure they get the right volume for their project.” 

While the spotlight will be squarely on new virtual and LED technologies, Measure comments that the CVP test space will also be able to emulate older green screen techniques. “We can turn the wall chroma green, so if we did need to test a green screen workflow, we can do that with a volume,” he explains. “In a supply sense, green screen workflows aren’t going away, and we can provide the same level of consultancy to a green screen studio with a similar workflow because a lot of the kit is the same in terms of the computer systems and camera tracking, as well as the cameras, lenses and lighting.” 

CVP has access to all the brands and products now being used in virtual production and will be offering impartial, independent advice to those looking to enter the virtual production world. “We want to be at the forefront of all technologies and keep trying to offer a combination of them all,” comments Morris. “The core business will be film and TV, but I have a background in live events as well, so if people come to us from that sector for information we are well equipped to provide the knowledge, expertise and technology needed. Our focus is the growing market within virtual production, for customers already dealing with CVP who might be in that space or are considering moving into it. We can also advise traditional green screen studios, showing them a volume to see if they would consider moving into that area. There’s a lot of growth in the educational sector as well. As a consultancy it’s about advising people on technology, budgets and everything else.” 

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This article was sponsored by CVP

Words by Kevin Hilton