balancing a full-time role as a Media Design Trainee, my passion for virtual Reality led to an unexpected opportunity. A classmate recommended me for the design of a virtual studio. This recommendation turned into an invitation to pitch my ideas, which subsequently led to a project hire.

With the task of creating a versatile, production-ready virtual studio on a budget only stretching to cover my time and labor, I embraced this new challenge. The goal was to design a multi-camera and dynamic content environment adaptable to various client needs.

Despite hurdles and countless weekends late-night shifts, I delivered a solution meeting my clients’ satisfaction. My carefully documented designs enabled the team at C quadrat to conduct independent live broadcasts with up to three cameras and dynamic content. The custom-designed shaders and user interface elements facilitated easy customization of the virtual environment by untrained staff.

Looking ahead, I plan to revisit this project after graduation, intending to implement new environments, introduce 6DOF tracking, and develop a closed user environment. This project not only resulted in a robust solution but also represented a step forward in my journey of learning and innovation in the virtual design realm.

Technical Realization:

An SDI-NDI signal flow was configured for the camera streams, providing the capability to deliver content live. This allowed for dynamic interplay with the background wall and facilitated real-time call-ins on a fly-in TV screen. Measures were implemented to compensate for audio delays, with the final composition being executed in VMIX.

One of the most challenging aspects and significant areas of knowledge acquisition was camera matching. An accurate reference model was developed to examine and compute the consistent and inconsistent variables inherent in this project. Real-time tracking and a user interface were integrated into an early prototype. However, they were deferred for future development as the project executives aimed to achieve a stable but static camera setup fast. During a live show, up to three cameras can be coordinated and repositioned during the broadcast when not active.

Aesthetic Execution:

The visual environment experienced two significant stylistic revisions. In consideration of time and resource efficiency, the current aesthetic was finalized. Accomplished through a prefab system comprising varied decorative elements, Room arrangements, and a catalog of fine-tuned materials, all driven by a custom-developed shader. 

These elements were designed and well-documented to facilitate easy access for untrained employees, enabling swift implementation of customer input.

My proposals to invest in basic 6DOF camera tracking technology and more time designing the Virtual space were shelved for future considerations. Despite this, I am proud of the versatility and adaptability of the final virtual environment, which reflects my commitment to delivering client-centric solutions that are both functional and aesthetically pleasing.

Technical Realization:

After careful evaluation of the visual and functional objectives, as well as the existing infrastructure, I opted for Unity for application development, Blender for design, and OBS & VMix for handling live inputs, final compositing, and streaming. This decision ensured an optimal blend of quality and efficiency, contributing to a robust and dynamic virtual environment.

An SDI-NDI signal flow was configured to streamline the camera streams, with the capacity for content delivery live, thereby enabling dynamic interactions with the background wall and on-the-fly call-ins on a TV screen. To balance audio-visual synchrony, measures were introduced to compensate for audio delays, and the final composition was executed in VMix.

Challenges and Solutions:

One of the most substantial challenges and areas of knowledge growth was camera matching. I created an accurate reference model to study and calculate the project’s constant and inconsistent variables. Real-time tracking and a user interface were incorporated into an initial prototype. However, these were deferred for future development to prioritize achieving a stable, static camera setup. This setup allows matching and moving up to three cameras during a live show when not active.

The visual environment underwent two major stylistic transformations, with the final aesthetic decided upon considering resource and time efficiency. The environment was designed to be highly customizable to accommodate client needs and aesthetics. This adaptability was achieved through a prefab system of various decorative elements, tables, screen and backwall arrangements, and a catalog of finely tuned materials, all powered by a shader I developed. These elements were purposefully designed and thoroughly documented to allow untrained employees to swiftly implement customer input.

While my proposition to invest in at least basic 6DOF camera tracking technology was not accepted at this stage, I am immensely proud of the completed project’s versatility and functionality.