A new cutting edge LED virtual wall, a first for a NZ educational institute and described as the future of filmmaking, was installed at Southern Institute of Technology's (SIT) Te Rau o te Huia Centre for Creative Industries last week (26-27 Jan).

SIT School of Screen Arts Programme Manager Rachel Mann, said the virtual wall was the latest technology in visual effects and filmmaking.

“It’s the convergence between the filmmaking and gaming worlds."

“It’s the same type of technology they use in filming productions like the Mandalorian series.”

The new technology reduces the need for filming on location.

“We build the 3-D [imaginary] world in a gaming engine, which is projected onto the LED virtual screen - actors can be placed on it – it composites the person into the virtual world.”

The computer-generated scenery is combined with the actors performing and set props, continuously marrying these elements together so it all looks real.

The wall captures camera movement, and allows users to move everything around as it happens.

The main difference between the LED virtual wall and green screen, is that the wall displays its effects, like backgrounds of epic landscapes, in real time during filming, which allows [filmmakers] to be created in pre-production, rather than being added afterwards in postproduction.

“This new addition and initiative emphasises our commitment in being a lead within New Zealand’s tertiary vocational education environment, along with supporting and

collaborating with our community and associated industries,” Mann said.