The Future of Production Amplified: How Real-Time Graphics Are Changing the Face of Film and Television Production

Kicking off NAB Amplify’s video series “The Future of Production Amplified,” NAB Amplify content partner Jennifer Wolfe and Miles Perkins, industry manager of Film & Television at Epic Games, consider how real-time graphics are revolutionizing production for film and television.

A key member of the Epic Games Unreal Engine team, driving strategic business development and adoption of real-time workflows in the Media & Entertainment industry, Perkins built his career over 23 years at Lucasfilm, serving as a senior staff member overseeing marketing campaigns for blockbusters including the Star Wars prequels, the Jurassic Park series, the Pirates of the Caribbean series, and Iron Man 1 & 2. He also served as VP of Marketing at Jaunt, one of the earliest and most technologically innovative startups in the XR industry.

In his current role at Epic Games Perkins has a bird’s-eye view of the M&E landscape, and has watched virtual production explode since 2019, moving from just three stages using Unreal Engine for VP to more than 300 stages worldwide today.

In Part 1 of the chat Perkins discusses what’s driving the rapid adoption of virtual production in film and TV, as well as the trends he expects to see in the coming year. He also explains the difference between virtual production and in-camera VFX, the biggest issues the industry is currently facing, and whether we might see a future where entire films are made inside Unreal Engine.

Watch Part 1:

In Part 2, Perkins talks about the history of Unreal Engine since its introduction in 1995, and how it has evolved into a massive toolset with applications touching every aspect of the M&E industry. He also discusses the latest advances in Unreal Engine 5.1 and how they will impact film and TV production, and how Epic Games is working with other technology developers to advance the evolution of real-time graphics.

Watch Part 2:

In Part 3, Perkins chats about applications for real-time graphics outside of LED volumes, the advantages of hybrid workflows, and how virtual production boosts live entertainment workflows. He also discusses how real-time graphics are powering the democratization of film and TV production.

Watch Part 3:

You can connect with Miles Perkins on LinkedIn. For more information about the use of real-time graphics for virtual production, visit the Unreal Engine Virtual Production Hub. You can also learn about the Unreal Engine Fellowship, a 30-day intensive blended learning experience designed for industry professionals in film, animation and VFX, and the Epic Games MetaHuman framework enabling photorealistic, easy-to-create digital humans.