Carlos Vilchis

Faculty, Johnny Carson Center for Emerging Media Arts, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Gaston Alvarez

Virtual Production & VFX Supervisor

Virtual production is often associated almost exclusively with LED walls and complex real-time pipelines. This workshop takes a different approach, focusing on practical technologies that producers can use to reduce uncertainty, improve communication, and avoid costly problems later in postproduction—without needing to become technical specialists. Yes, no experience in Virtual Production needed.

Participants will explore accessible workflows for virtual scouting capture, Gaussian Splatting, postvisualization, and real-time camera tracking for traditional production and postproduction, using tools such as XGRIDS and ZEISS CinCraft Scenario. The emphasis is not on mastering sophisticated software, but on understanding when these technologies can provide useful production information, support creative decisions, and preserve valuable camera and location data throughout the filmmaking process.

Through practical examples, the workshop shows how modern capture and tracking tools can help producers anticipate improving preproduction and save costs, improve continuity between production and post, and reduce expensive corrections after the shoot. The goal is to expand the idea of virtual production beyond LED stages or real time engines and demonstrate how emerging technologies can become practical, cost-conscious tools for everyday filmmaking without experience.