Simulate This! Virtual Production and Cinematic Education with cineDESK

Due to the increased availability of computing power, hybrid image production – combining live-action image components with virtual assets – can now be performed in real-time, enabling filmmakers to seamlessly visualize, manipulate and incorporate digital assets into their shooting process. The related novel workflows are commonly referred to as “Virtual Production”. Here, we focus on the use of Virtual Production techniques for cinematic simulation. In 2020, the Zurich University of the Arts created cineDESK, a simulation tool to facilitate the previsualization of film scenes and stimulate the artistic choices of filmmakers. Using cineDESK, directors, cinematographers and production designers can collaboratively explore how space, light, props and acting are translated into cinematic sequences. In educational settings, students benefit from cineDESK’s capacity to explore specific aspects of the filmmaking process in isolation. cineDESK allows them to repeatedly rework their scenes, rearranging and optimizing camera angles and movements, lighting, production design elements and even the appearance of their (virtual) actors. Thus, cineDESK helps filmmakers to develop an idiosyncratic visual language and make informed aesthetic choices without being overwhelmed by the complexities of a real film shoot.