The Snow was shot and filmed at Louisiana State University's Digital Media Center.
Being a part of the LSU virtual production inaugural class was an amazing experience. After receiving a grant from Louisiana Economic Development the university began construction of a virtual studio and production of a student film shortly began.
The first step in pre-production was assembling the ROE LED screen, the space previously being intended for a cafeteria. Weekends were spent assembling trussing and placing the panels in place with the help of Fuse engineers. This part of the process was extremely exciting, as we were using the same technology used on shows such as The Mandalorian.
Motion capture camera were also installed, along with an ensemble of computers known as the "Brain Bar," which powered the setup via Unreal Engine 4.
To organize and plan the project we utilized Notion productivity software.
As Production Supervisor of the project my primary objective was organizing the production of the film. I frequently met with the director and leaders of each department and created a database on Notion. Here anyone could add tasks specific to each department and even specify the person assigned to complete it. Meeting notes were archived here and a master calendar was used to coordinate filming days.
During meetings each scene was broken down into general notes as well as what was needed to be completed digitally in Unreal Engine 4 and what was needed to be made or prepared physically. This coordination was pivotal in a virtual-physical hybrid production. Each department was aware of what they needed to do along with how it would be incorporated with the work of others.
Framework and workflow created during our inaugural class will hopefully be carried into and optimized by future productions.
There was much troubleshooting needed during our production of "The Snow." However, after just one semester we were able to complete the film and had grown familiar with the new virtual workflow. I was lucky enough to have worked among the talent in each department but ultimately gained satisfaction organizing the creative aspirations of the director and helping bring them to life.
I can only hope that future classes utilize and improve the framework we created to make the production process as seamless and fluid as possible. My time working on The Snow is the highlight of my college career, learning invaluable skills and making lifelong friends along the way.
