LED-based virtual production has become a bit of a buzzword in recent months, so it may be tempting to avoid green screens altogether – but in most cases, that’s a mistake. With LEDs, you can avoid green spill, have instant lighting, and help actors see final backdrops without having to imagine them on a green screen. But LEDs also come with their problems: They’re less cost-effective and you can run into artifacts, color and level changes depending on the shots and camera angles. Clients typically pay much more to rent studios with LED monitor walls then they do for a green screen stage. Tech problems can also include power supply, module failures, communication and control failures. Hiding the seams between the screens and managing delays when moving the camera can also become problematic with LEDs. Overall, I’d recommend having both green screens and LEDs in your virtual studio if the budget allows. That way you can take advantage of both, and select the best solution depending on your project.
