Comment: ​Virtual Production is a game-changer for sports advertising

The integration of LED screens and virtual production techniques has revolutionised how sports brands make compelling films to engage with their devoted audiences. Virtual production can prove transformative and convenient for brands and producers alike.

One of the main benefits of using LEDs and virtual production tools in general is being able to customise and develop backgrounds and elements to emphasise your client’s brand guidelines as much as they want.

Having players watch and react to clips of their best plays and successes can make a campaign cinematic and heartfelt, like I did in a NASCAR series celebrating its 75th anniversary (pictured above). The possibilities are endless.

Prep for virtual production shoots is more pre-production than for a live-action shoot, as you have to figure out all of the background elements beforehand.

With sports, we’re not trying to recreate something in a photorealistic environment. We use graphics to energise the players. I make sure whatever plays on the wall highlights the player and the graphics and lighting bring the dynamic excitement the audience is looking for.

In sports advertising, you can develop virtual production graphics to ensure they supplement the players’ performance with movement.

Now, to prep the players, and get them locked into what we want to accomplish and how to interact with the virtual set.

I often pitch a virtual production option versus an on-location option to my clients. With virtual production, you get unlimited creativity and total control.

You can put anything on the screen that can speak to the brand, and the graphics and lighting can be adjusted to the players.

Do you need the light to stay in “golden hour” for way longer than the actual sunset golden hour? Use a virtual production studio. Are you landing your players in an impossible location – sports on the moon might be fun – or in so many different locations that travel would render the project inconvenient? Use a virtual production studio.

You can be in a stadium, then at a tailgate, then in another state or country, all in the span of minutes. On the other hand, on-set or practical shoots can be shot in different ways, and players can interact with specific objects that aren’t projected onto an LED screen. I’m an options guy. I give clients the pros and cons to both, and often recommend combining both for the best effect.

The synergy between practical shoots and virtual environments presents a myriad of possibilities for compelling campaigns. Know your options, budget and goals, and don’t shrink from unique technical solutions to make the best product. Virtual production can ultimately enhance dynamic storytelling and reaffirm the limitless horizons of creativity in sports advertising.

Jason Blanc is a director at US virtual production specialist Diamond View