NAB Show: CarbonBlack Technology Creates Multi-Camera Real Time Projection-Based Virtual Production Solution

Why It Matters

The workflow offers broadcasters a cost‑effective, environmentally friendlier alternative to LED volumes, expanding virtual production capabilities and accelerating content delivery. It positions projection‑based stages as competitive options in the fast‑growing ICVFX market.

Key Takeaways

• First multi‑camera projection workflow meets broadcast standards
• Hybrid RP surface eliminates ambient light, delivering deep blacks
• Christie projectors enable frame‑mixing for simultaneous camera feeds
• Viz Engine merges Unreal and data graphics in real time
• Solution cuts costs and environmental footprint versus LED volumes

Pulse Analysis

The virtual production market has been dominated by LED volumes and green‑screen stages, driven by blockbuster film studios and increasingly by broadcasters seeking immersive content. While LED walls deliver bright, controllable light, they require substantial power, generate heat, and involve high capital expenditure. Projection‑based stages, once limited by ambient light and pixelation, are re‑emerging thanks to advances in screen materials and high‑luminosity projectors. CarbonBlack’s entry at NAB signals a shift toward more flexible, cost‑effective alternatives that can meet broadcast‑grade quality without the massive footprint of LED rigs.

CarbonBlack’s Hybrid RP surface uses nanotechnology to absorb stray light, producing deep blacks and BT.2020 color gamut while avoiding moiré artifacts. Integrated with Christie’s Sapphire 4K40‑RGBH projectors, the system supports frame‑mixing across multiple cameras, enabling real‑time compositing of photorealistic Unreal Engine environments and Vizrt data graphics via Viz Engine 5. Partner contributions from Disguise, RED Digital, Zeiss optics, Evertz routing, and WePlay Studios’ ICVFX architecture create a seamless pipeline that scales to unlimited tracked camera perspectives. The HP Z workstations with NVIDIA GPUs provide the compute horsepower required for low‑latency rendering.

The practical benefits extend beyond visual fidelity. By eliminating the need for massive LED panels, broadcasters can lower upfront equipment costs, reduce energy consumption, and shrink studio footprints, aligning with sustainability goals. Faster on‑set integration of virtual backgrounds also trims post‑production timelines, accelerating time‑to‑air for live events, news, and sports broadcasts. As more facilities adopt projection‑based virtual production, CarbonBlack’s solution could catalyze broader industry adoption, prompting vendors to innovate hybrid workflows that blend projection, LED, and augmented reality technologies.