CPTO, 9-11 dicembre 2025

RAI CRITS organised a workshop dedicated to virtual production with volumetric LED wall technology, offering participants a high-level training experience.

These LED walls are defined as ‘volumetric’ because they are often configured with a floor and ceiling, creating an immersive environment that wraps actors or presenters in a virtual space in real time. This approach overcomes the limitations of previous technology, the green screen, which forces performers to work in a completely green environment, devoid of visual references, often generating a sense of alienation.

The practical initiative was carried out in collaboration with the EBU’s LED Virtual Production group and with the support of Sony, involving key figures from the RAI company’s management, including TV Production and Technologies.

 The workshop had two objectives:  

1. To analyse workflows, complexities, advantages and critical issues in the use of LED volume for typical television productions.
2. Characterise the panels through objective measurements.

Two specific scenarios were tested: news/sport and entertainment:  

– News/sport scenario: two virtual sets designed to explore the use of virtual production, with a focus on augmented reality elements and virtual set extensions.  

– Entertainment scenario: two virtual sets focused on the level of hyperrealism achievable in the presence of movement and dynamic tracking. In this context, the use of LED panels as light sources was also tested and the effect of reflections on real objects was analysed.  

Virtual production requires cross-disciplinary skills, a mix of artistic and technical expertise, such as experience in ICVFX (In-Camera Visual Effects), 3D graphics and real-time rendering engines. To bridge the gap, end-to-end training courses on virtual production, including practical sessions, will be needed for technicians, operators, producers, directors and artists. In this context, CRITS confirms its role in researching, experimenting with and disseminating new technologies within the company.  

In the future, it will be essential to evaluate costs by verifying the size and technical characteristics of LED panels. In addition, multi-camera workflows can be implemented using different techniques, but further testing will be necessary to fully understand the implications.  

 Virtual production using LED walls requires careful planning, but once up and running, it will offer enormous narrative potential and enable the creation of multifunctional studios.