How Can LED Display Screens Be Used To Improve Production Efficiency In Film Shooting?

Introduction

The future of film production has arrived, and LED display screens are at the core of this change!

Is there a more efficient, more cost-effective and more realistic solution between traditional green screen special effects and real scene construction?

The answer is yes, Écrans d'affichage LED are completely changing the way movies are shot. So, how do LED display screens do all this? Let’s find out!

1. What are the benefits of using LED display screens for film shooting?

1). Superb visual effects

When shooting movies with LED display screens, the pictures can be made very realistic.

For example, if you want to shoot a scene in outer space, you can directly use the display screen to present the starry sky, spaceships, etc., which is much more convenient than setting up real scenes.

Like the fantastic Pandora scenes in “Avatar”, when displayed with LED display screens, the audience feels particularly involved, as if they are in it.

When actors are performing, they don’t have to fantasise about the green screen, but directly interact with the pictures on the screen, which feels like the real thing.

Moreover, the light and shadow effect of the LED display is very natural. It will automatically adjust the light according to the content of the picture, and the pictures taken are very realistic. There is no need to adjust the lights as before.

2). Shooting efficiency is soaring

In the past, when shooting movies, green screens had to be cut out and synthesised in a later stage, which was very troublesome.

Now with LED display screens, the final effect can be seen on the spot, and the workload in the later stage is reduced by more than half.

Directors and photographers do not have to wait until the later stage to know the effect, and they can adjust it on the spot, avoiding a lot of rework.

Moreover, the scene switching is super fast. If you want to change the background, just click on the screen a few times, and you don’t have to spend a long time setting up the scene like before, which greatly saves time.

For example, if you shoot a scene of an ancient palace and change it to a scene of a future city, it can be done in a few seconds, and the shooting process will be improved immediately.

3). Cost saving

It is well known that the cost of making movies is high, but using LED display screens can save a lot of money. It costs a lot of material costs, labour costs, and venues to set up real scenes.

LED display screens can replace many real scenes, such as ancient palaces and future cities. Once displayed on the display screen, the effect is there, and the cost is reduced immediately.

Moreover, the post-production special effects can be much less expensive because many problems have been solved on site, so there is no need to spend a lot of money to hire a special effects team.

For example, some simple background replacements can be done on-site, and only the edges and corners need to be fixed in post-production, which saves trouble and money.

4). Safe and flexible

Sometimes, dangerous scenes may be encountered when shooting movies, such as fires and explosions.

Using LED display screens can avoid these dangers, and the flames and explosion effects can be displayed directly on the screen, which makes the actors and staff much safer.

Moreover, the screen image can be changed at any time. If you want to change the scene or adjust the angle, just move your fingers.

It is very flexible, unlike real scenes, which are very troublesome to change.

For example, when shooting a war scene, traditional shooting may require the construction of real trenches.

Now, with LED display screens, trenches, enemies, etc., are all displayed, and actors can directly interact with virtual enemies, which is safe and convenient.

5). Protection de l'environnement et économie d'énergie

LED display screens are very energy-saving. They do not consume as much power as traditional lights, and can also automatically adjust according to the brightness of the picture, which is very energy-saving.

Moreover, using fewer real scenes means less construction waste, which is more environmentally friendly.

For example, in the past, when shooting an ancient palace, a lot of wood and props were used, and they were thrown away after use, which was very wasteful.

Now with LED display screens, there is no need to build anything, and no traces are left after shooting.

It is not only economical and environmentally friendly, but also very convenient. It is simply a “magic weapon” for filming!

2. How does an LED display screen improve filming efficiency?

1). Super fast scene switching

In the past, scene switching was a hassle in filming movies. For example, if you want to switch from an ancient palace to a future city, you have to spend a lot of time rebuilding the scenery and arranging props.

But now with LED display screens, scene switching is as simple as changing the wallpaper of a mobile phone.

For example, in Disney’s “The Mandalorian”, they used LED display screens as the background.

If you want to change the scene, just click a few buttons, and it will be done in a few seconds.

It may have taken several hours in the past, but now it can be done in a few minutes, and the shooting progress can be improved immediately.

2). You can see the effect on the spot

In the past, when filming movies, actors performed in front of the green screen, and the director and photographer had to wait for post-production to see the effect. Now with LED display screens, the final picture effect can be seen on site.

For example, in “The Mandalorian”, when the actors are performing, the background directly displays the virtual alien environment.

The director and photographer can see the picture in real time and adjust it immediately if there is a problem.

In this way, there is no need to wait until the later stage to find the problem and then rework and reshoot, which greatly saves time and energy.

3). The workload of post-production is reduced by more than half

In the past, when shooting with green screen, it took a lot of time to cut out and synthesise in the later stage, especially the details such as the actor’s shadow and reflection, which were particularly troublesome to handle.

However, with LED display screens, these virtual backgrounds are directly displayed behind the actors, and the actor’s shadow and reflection can be naturally integrated into the scene.

For example, in “The Mandalorian”, the actor’s armour reflects the light and shadow of the virtual environment, which looks very real.

There is no need to spend time adjusting these details at a later stage, and efficiency is directly maximised.

4). The light and shadow effects are natural and worry-free

In traditional shooting, the lighting has to be adjusted repeatedly according to the scene, which is particularly laborious.

However, the LED display screen has its own light and shadow effects and can be automatically adjusted according to the virtual scene.

For example, in “The Mandalorian”, the virtual alien environment has its own light and shadow, and the actors perform in the light and shadow, which looks very natural.

The director and photographer no longer need to spend a lot of time adjusting the lighting, and the shooting process will naturally be faster.

5). A small space can also shoot large scenes

In the past, to shoot large scenes, you had to find a super large venue and build a super large real scene, which was frighteningly expensive.

But the LED display is different. It only needs a relatively small space to present a super large scene through a virtual background.

For example, in “The Mandalorian”, many scenes of alien planets were actually completed in a relatively small studio with LED displays.

This not only saves the cost of the venue but also saves the time needed to build the real scene, and the shooting efficiency is directly improved.

In short, the LED display is like an “accelerator” for filming, making filming more efficient and worry-free, and making the picture effect better!

3. Case analysis of movies shot with LED displays

1). “The Mandalorian”

The American TV series “The Mandalorian” is one of the earliest works to adopt LED virtual shooting technology on a large scale.

The show has subverted the traditional film and television production process through LED screen virtual shooting technology, pushing virtual shooting to a new height.

For example, many alien planets and space scenes in the show are presented through LED screens, and actors can interact directly with virtual backgrounds, greatly improving shooting efficiency.

2). “Barbie”

The movie “Barbie” used large-scale LED virtual shooting technology in its filming.

One of its filming locations is the Leavesden V Stage virtual production studio in the UK, which consists of more than 2,600 LED panels and can present virtual scenes in real time, such as the various fantasy scenes in Barbie Park.

In addition, the studio was also used to shoot “Game of Thrones Prequel – House of the Dragon”.

3). “The New Batman” (2022).

In the 2022 film “The New Batman”, director Matt Reeves used a lot of LED display technology to create the dark atmosphere and complex scenes of Gotham City.

For example, the background of many streets in the movie is presented through LED screens.

These displays can display virtual city landscapes in real time, including high-rise buildings, billboards, and street lights.

This technology not only makes the scene more realistic, but also reduces the complexity and cost of real scene construction.

4. How do LED displays meet the diverse creative needs of filming?

1). Can create all kinds of cool scenes

The LED display is like a super painter, able to draw all kinds of cool scenes. Do you want to shoot outer space?

It can draw you a sky full of stars and flying spaceships.

Want to shoot ancient palaces? It can instantly turn into a magnificent palace.

For example, the gloomy streets of Gotham City in “The New Batman” were made with LED displays, which looked very realistic, and the audience believed it.

2). The final effect can be seen on the spot

In the past, when filming movies, actors performed in front of green screens, and the director had to wait for post-production to see the effect.

Now with LED displays, the final picture effect can be seen on the spot.

For example, in “The New Batman”, when the actors are performing, the background directly shows the virtual Gotham City streets.

The director and photographer can see the picture in real time and make adjustments immediately if there is a problem.

This way, there is no need to wait until the later stage to find the problem and then rework and reshoot, which greatly saves time and energy.

3). Super fast scene switching

In the past, scene switching was a hassle in filming movies. For example, if you want to switch from an ancient palace to a future city, you have to spend a lot of time resetting the scene and arranging the props.

But now with LED display screens, scene switching is as simple as changing the wallpaper of a mobile phone.

For example, in the filming of “Flowers”, the street scenes of Shanghai in the 1990s were quickly switched through the LED display screen, achieving the visual effect of “time travel”.

It may have taken several hours in the past, but now it can be done in a few minutes, and the shooting progress can be improved immediately.

4). The light and shadow effects are particularly natural

In traditional shooting, the lighting has to be adjusted repeatedly according to the scene, which is particularly laborious.

However, the LED display screen has its own light and shadow effects and can be automatically adjusted according to the virtual scene.

For example, in “The New Batman”, the virtual streets of Gotham City have their own light and shadow, and the actors perform in the light and shadow, which looks very natural.

The director and photographer no longer need to spend a lot of time adjusting the lighting, so the shooting efficiency is naturally high.

5). Save money and worry

Using LED screens to shoot movies can save a lot of money. In the past, to shoot large scenes, you had to find a super large venue and build a super large real scene, which was frighteningly expensive.

But LED screens are different. They only need a relatively small space to present a super large scene through a virtual background.

For example, in “The New Batman”, many scenes of alien planets were actually completed in a relatively small studio with LED screens.

This not only saves the cost of the venue but also saves the time needed to build the real scene, and the shooting efficiency is directly improved.

6). More creative space

LED screens can not only create super cool scenes, but also adjust them at any time according to creativity. For example, if you want to change the scene from day to night.

From sunny to rainy, just move your fingers, and the picture on the screen can change immediately.

This flexibility gives directors and photographers more creative space and allows them to realise more unconstrained ideas.

In short, an LED display is like a “magic wand” for film shooting, which can easily realise the creativity of directors and photographers, and make shooting more efficient and cost-effective.