Singapore‘s Mediacorp has begun introducing virtual sets into its scripted content, starting with two Chinese drama series, it was revealed during the ongoing Asia TV Forum & Market (ATF).
“Strangers in the Dark” is about an outcast in school, who uses her vivid imagination to help solve various mysteries. Virtual production allowed the production team to work with a dynamic canvas, where the protagonist could be transported to different locations as well as time periods that were once deemed too challenging to depict.
In “once Upon a New Year’s Eve” the protagonist meets a man from the future, who helps him travel back in time to different stages of his life to make amends with his family members. Virtual production helped bring the time-travel narrative to life by recreating historical settings and imaginary landscapes, including buildings and scenes that no longer exist, such as Singapore’s old National Library and National Theatre.
Singapore authorities on Wednesday announced a significant expansion of government funding for virtual production.
“A first for Singapore’s largest content creator, virtual production marks a quantum leap forward in Mediacorp’s efforts to constantly innovate and augment its storytelling and production capabilities,” Mediacorp said in a statement. “With virtual production, Mediacorp will leverage cutting-edge technology to push the boundaries of creativity by seamlessly integrating real-world elements with computer-generated environments. This gives producers more creative license to deliver on ambitious concepts and storylines which were hitherto challenging due to logistical constraints, minimizing the need for extensive physical sets and location shoots. The result is stunning visual effects which create a more immersive, dynamic and richer experience for audiences.”
“One of the key benefits of virtual production is that it opens the door to more diverse storytelling, allowing a show to easily transition between different cultural, historical and futuristic settings,” the statement added.
ATF is part of the Singapore Media Festival that also includes the Singapore International Film Festival, Nas Summit Asia and Singapore Comic Con.
