Production company Butcher Bird Studios has installed Blackmagic Design's Ultimatte 12 4K real-time compositing processors in their Burbank, California virtual production studio. This upgrade is part of the studio's ongoing efforts to push boundaries in live green screen technology and virtual production.
Enhancing Live Production Capabilities
The studio, known for its innovative use of Unreal Engine and Blackmagic Design hardware, began experimenting with virtual production techniques in 2019. Early projects combined a green screen stage with extensive Blackmagic Design equipment, including URSA Mini Pro digital film cameras, Micro Studio Camera 4Ks, and multiple ATEM live production switchers.
Currently, Butcher Bird uses Ultimatte 12 to composite live-action subjects into 3D environments generated by Unreal Engine. The studio's latest setup incorporates several Ultimatte 12 4K units for multi-camera green screen compositing, each with motion-tracked background and foreground elements.
Improved Performance and Features
Lead Technical Director Griffin Davis expressed enthusiasm about the new Ultimatte 12 4K's performance. “While the new units perform similarly to the original Ultimatte 12, they have a sleeker design, an onboard video interface, and buttons for saving profiles directly on the machine,” he said.
The upgrade includes Blackmagic DeckLink 8K Pro capture and playback cards, feeding live data from Unreal Engine into the system. Davis noted that the Ultimatte 12 4K improved upon an already robust setup, offering enhanced capabilities without compromising quality.
Democratizing Advanced Technology
The installation of these processors aligns with Butcher Bird's mission to provide affordable virtual production solutions. “Blackmagic Design continues to make high-end tools accessible and easy to use,” Davis added. “This democratization opens doors for budget filmmakers to achieve professional-grade results.”
The Ultimatte 12 4K's integration into Butcher Bird Studios' pipeline exemplifies the company's commitment to innovation in virtual production, making advanced technology more accessible and cost-effective.