Flexible Camera Tracking for Mixed Reality Film Productions

LABO Mixed Realities was founded to improve the work processes on film sets using digital effects. Digital visual effects, are used on modern filmsets. However, the work processes have remained largely unchanged since the dawn of digital film. Except for in some cases, like Avatar, the digital effects are created in the post production phase. This can lead to the perception that films are lacking physical space and masse, as well as realistic perspectives, even though the digital effects themselves can appear photo realistic. In short, LABO is making the technology used in Avatar, available outside motion capture volumes, affordable even with european and scandinavian budgets. LABO is collaborating with leading actors in the european film industry, amongst other Mikros Image (the leading french post production house) and Zentropa (Northern Europes most producing film company). The industry collaboration is crucial for getting efficent working methods, however, there is still significant R&D in bringing the precision from a motion capture volume to a standard film set. The Flexcam project is making available technology previously only found in Hollywood to the global film market, amongst others Europe. The way we do this is using more affordable components than Hollywood, adding our own software to the mix. This will allow for using advanced digital effects, without having Hollywood budgets, allowing for a new era for european film production.