S4 Studios – A Virtual Production Virtuoso Powered By Live FX
By Lou Wallace
S4 Studio is a Virtual Production Company located in Burbank, California
Founder & Senior Creative Director: Geoffrey Kater
About S4 Studios
S4 Studios LLC is a seasoned creative powerhouse specializing in virtual production and visual storytelling. Based in Burbank, California, we’ve spent 25 years pushing boundaries in visual effects, animation, and motion design. In 2020, we made a bold pivot into Virtual Production, bringing decades of experience into the emerging space of ICVFX (In-Camera Visual Effects).
Founded by Geoffrey Kater—a designer, animator, director, and creative leader—S4 blends technical precision with creative agility. With a background rooted in broadcast television, where tight budgets and tighter timelines are the norm, we’ve developed a mindset of relentless efficiency. This philosophy now fuels our work in virtual production, where we service commercial, television, and film projects with ambitious visions and practical constraints.
We aren’t the biggest or flashiest—we’re the creative partner in the middle. And that’s exactly where innovation thrives.
Project Story: Discovery Channel’s “Expedition Files”
When Ping Pong Productions set out to produce Discovery’s Expedition Files, they needed a solution that could deliver up to 25 complex shots per day, spanning historical recreations and up to 6+ fantastical locations per day—none of which were feasible to film on-site. This is a typical broadcast client schedule and S4 was up to the task.
Enter S4 Studios.
With our battle-tested virtual production workflow, we walked the alleys of 19th-century London with Jack the Ripper, recreated the city streets of Sodom and Gomorrah and explored ancient Egypt—all in a single LED soundstage – sometimes in a single day..
Our Results:
- 25+ camera-ready shots per day
- 6+ unique virtual locations in a single shoot
- On-the-fly creative direction and scene changes
- Immersive, cinematic visuals grounded in fast workflows
Thanks to our lean, agile team and a highly optimized pipeline, Expedition Files was a hit. Season 1 is complete -and Season 2 is on the way. This workflow would not have been possible if not for the incredibly talented production team from Ping Pong Productions, Josh Gates and the vision to use this technology.
Core Technology Highlight: Live FX by Assimilate
The Heart of Our Virtual Production Pipeline
At the center of our ICVFX workflow is Assimilate’s Live FX – a powerful, real-time compositing and playback tool that has become indispensable to our process.
Why Live FX?
Instant Content Control: Instantly load, adjust, and play backgrounds or video plates in real time, with total control over scale, placement, color grading, and blending. Camera Tracking Integration: Live FX seamlessly syncs with tracked camera data, enabling smooth parallax and dynamic projection movement that matches real-world camera motion. Versatility in Projection: Whether working with 2D, 2.5D, or layered video content, Live FX allows us to create cinematic environments that move, scale, and react with natural perspective. Multi-Format Flexibility: Easily integrate stills, video, 360 content, and layered elements—streamlining creative flexibility without bogging down production. Lightning-Fast Turnarounds: Directors and DPs can request visual changes in real time—Live FX lets us respond immediately.
Our typical virtual production team includes:
- Virtual Production Supervisor / Art Director
- VP Operator (Live FX & Unreal Engine)
- VP Engineer (Hardware, Software, LED Wall Management)
Together, with Live FX at the core, we empower filmmakers to shoot efficiently, creatively, and confidently.
Philosophy & Approach
We believe that virtual production should elevate the creative process, not complicate it. That’s why our goal is to make the technology invisible—so directors and creatives can focus on storytelling.
We approach every project as collaborators, not just technicians. From LED stage consulting to creative design, scene planning, and live on-set operation, S4 is the hand that guides.
And we don’t just build scenes, we build entire virtual production ecosystems that support budget friendly, fast creative solutions for our clientele.
Why Virtual Production with S4?
- Industry-proven pipeline with real-world results
- Creative-led collaboration from day one
- Up to 25 shots per day—far beyond the industry norm
- Efficient setup for commercials, TV, and feature work
- Cost savings through smart location consolidation and shot planning
- Live FX-driven workflow designed for flexibility and performance
Looking Ahead
With Expedition Files receiving strong reviews and future seasons in the works, S4 Studios continues to push the envelope in virtual production. We’ve already brought our workflow to commercials, sci-fi films, music videos, and historical recreations—and we’re just getting started.
From the moment a client steps into our world, we help shape the creative, the tech, and the execution.
S4 Studios: We are the hand that guides.
Let us take your vision into the virtual frontier.
S4 Studios
818-900-5256