Marcelo Rojas Soto, CEO of Madis Films: Virtual production demands a new skillset from directors, cinematographers, scriptwriters, and actors
Madis Films, a Chilean company specializing in television set design, is solidifying its position in the realm of virtual production. Not only is the company poised to produce Chile’s inaugural virtual production film for Amazon Studios, but it has also been instrumental in fostering the training of professionals in this groundbreaking technology that is transforming content creation. From October 24 to 26, Madis Films will host its Virtual Production ICVFX Masterclass at its Santiago facilities.
Madis Films has been at the forefront of virtual production in Chile for a year and a half. This was a logical progression for a company with over two decades of experience working with sets and LED screens for Chilean and regional television channels, including Claro TV (Colombia), Trece (Paraguay), Latina TV (Peru), TVN Media and Telemetro (Panama). Madis has been a key player in designing news sets for numerous channels, as well as the stages for the Viña del Mar Song Festival (13 years) and the Don Francisco Telethon (20 years). Additionally, the company has created sets for popular Chilean shows such as Ahora Caigo (TVN Chile), Qué Dice Chile (Canal 13), The Voice (Chilevisión), Festival del Huaso de Olmé (TVN), Aquí Se Baila (Canal 13), and various reality shows.
“Our passion for scenography has always driven us to utilize screens not merely as flat surfaces, but as dynamic visual elements that seamlessly extend the set. Our work on the Viña del Mar Festival and other projects involving virtual effects inspired us to explore the potential of virtual production,” explained set designer Marcelo Rojas Soto, CEO of Madis Films. “During the pandemic, leveraging our extensive inventory of LED screens and partnering with a specialized company, we delved into virtual production technology and conducted several pilot projects for various channels. Today, we are proud to operate a state-of-the-art 800-square-meter studio at TVN, featuring a 27-meter-long by 5-meter-high wall and a ceiling composed of 11×6-meter LED screens.”
In collaboration with the Virtual Production Academy of Canada, Madis Films will once again host a masterclass at its Santiago, Chile facilities in October. Carlos Vilchis will lead this three-day workshop from the Virtual Production Academy, an official training center authorized by Epic Games, the creators of Unreal Engine, a leading virtual production software.
Professionals from the region will have the opportunity to attend the workshop in Santiago without the need for international travel to Canada. The masterclass will also be offered in Mexico (August 20-22) and Canada (September 5-7).
Madis is actively collaborating with Chilean universities to integrate virtual production into the curriculum of students pursuing audiovisual-related fields.
“Virtual production demands a new skillset from directors, cinematographers, scriptwriters, and actors. This innovative filming approach shifts much of the post-production work into the pre-production phase. Furthermore, artificial intelligence (AI) will play a pivotal role in this system, creating new job opportunities. We will need professionals specializing in virtual environment development, screen technology, and tracking systems, each with unique expertise,” Rojas Soto emphasized.
Virtual production, which gained prominence with George Lucas’s use in The Mandalorian, is rapidly evolving. This technology offers significant cost and time savings while empowering scriptwriters and directors to realize their stories in diverse locations at a consistent cost.
Leveraging the ability to “be” in various locations within a single day, Madis has successfully recorded 11 music videos in just three days. This technology also contributes to environmental sustainability by eliminating the need to transport equipment between different locations.
Two months ago, Madis launched the Content Area (M4 Content), a dedicated facility for television program production. They have already premiered Al Piano con Lucho, an interview show filmed on the virtual set Madis Films established at TVN. In just three weeks, they produced an impressive 50 episodes featuring 50 unique guests.
Concurrently, they are exploring new formats and engaging with various channels to develop innovative projects.
