Introduction

In the fast-evolving world of Virtual Production (VP), studios are constantly pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. Pixojam has established itself in this space, leveraging a hybrid workflow that seamlessly blends pre-captured video plates, Unreal Engine, and Assimilate’s Live FX to high-quality visuals for high-profile projects. Pixojam was brought onto projects such as the global launch of BMW’s new Series 7 models by Sterntag, a leading German production company, and Central Films Dubai, its production service partner, to deliver the Virtual Production workflow. Their approach is a testament to the power of modularity, real-time control, and creative flexibility in modern filmmaking.

The Pixojam Workflow: A Deep Dive

1. Pre-Production: Capturing the World in 360° and 180°

Pixojam’s workflow begins long before the cameras roll on set. For projects requiring 2D and 2.5D video plates, the captured footage is supplied to Pixojam for integration into the Virtual Production workflow. For the BMW Series 7 project, the 360° plates were captured by a third-party company. Using a 360° camera rig for the outer frustum and a 180° setup for the inner frustum, they document environments in Singapore, Oman, Dubai, and beyond. This footage is then stitched and transformed into equirectangular plates, ready for projection onto their LED Volume.

“For the BMW Series 7 launch, we needed to ensure that every angle of the car’s environment was captured with precision. The 360° and 180° rigs allowed us to create a seamless, immersive backdrop that could be played back on demand.”

This method ensures that real-world environments can be integrated into the virtual production pipeline without the need for full 3D rendering, saving both time and computational resources.

2. LED Volume Projection: Bringing Plates to Life

Once the plates are ready, they are loaded into Assimilate’s Live FX, a powerful tool designed for real-time playback and manipulation of high-resolution video content. The plates are then projected onto the LED Volume, creating a dynamic, photorealistic backdrop for the shoot.

• On-Demand Playback: Directors and cinematographers can instantly recall and adjust plates during the shoot, allowing for flexibility and spontaneity on set.
• Seamless Integration: The plates blend effortlessly with the physical set, enabling actors and objects to interact naturally with the virtual environment.

3. Live Colour Grading and Lighting: The Art of Real-Time Adjustment

With the plates projected, the next step is live colour grading and lighting. This is where Pixojam’s technical expertise becomes especially important. Their team uses real-time tools to:

• Match the colour science of the virtual and physical elements.
• Adjust lighting conditions to ensure consistency across the scene.
• Enhance reflections and shadows to create a cohesive visual experience.

“Live colour grading is essential for maintaining the illusion. We need to ensure that the lighting on the car, the actors, and the virtual environment all work together harmoniously.”

4. Hybrid Virtual Production: Unreal Engine Meets Live FX

While video plates are a cornerstone of Pixojam’s workflow, they also work with full Virtual Production environments using Unreal Engine. However, even in a fully virtual environment, challenges arise, particularly with ceiling LEDs.

• The Challenge: In indoor scenes, the ceiling LEDs often display the virtual ceiling of the 3D environment. This can result in undesirable lighting conditions, as the colour and intensity of the virtual ceiling may not align with the creative vision.
• The Solution: Pixojam converts the ceiling and gate LEDs into dedicated Live FX screens, transforming them into a massive softbox for Image-Based Lighting (IBL). This gives the team full control over the lighting and reflections in the scene.

“By using Live FX for the ceiling, we turn it into a giant, adjustable light source. This allows us to fine-tune the lighting to match the mood and aesthetic of the scene, regardless of what the virtual ceiling looks like.”

5. The Role of Assimilate Live FX

Assimilate’s Live FX is the linchpin of Pixojam’s workflow. With its extensive experience in post-production and real-time processing, Live FX provides the low-latency, high-fidelity performance required for modern Virtual Production. Key features include:

• Real-Time Playback: Instant playback of high-resolution video plates.
• Colour Grading: Advanced tools for live colour adjustment.
• Image-Based Lighting: Full control over lighting and reflections via dedicated LED screens.
• Seamless Integration: Works harmoniously with Unreal Engine, allowing for a hybrid workflow that combines the best of both worlds.

Hugo Weichert “The Live FX workflow is quite intuitive once you understand the software and its controls. All that is required is for us to set up our stage inside Live FX and we can then ingest any footage we want and it will be projected correctly onto our LED Volume. Once everything is set up there is an easy to work with node tree system allowing us to control every screen in our volume independently or cohesively, allowing us to choose whatever footage, grading, or effect that we want at the exact position we want them to be. After that, its just a matter of looking through the camera view and tweaking the final parameters to have the perfect image. This workflow is usually handled by the brainbar team in collaboration with the Director of Photography.”

Why This Workflow Works

Pixojam’s approach to Virtual Production is a masterclass in efficiency, flexibility, and creative control. Here’s why it stands out:

1. Modularity: The ability to switch between video plates and 3D scenes ensures that the right tool is used for the right job.
2. Real-Time Adjustments: Live colour grading and lighting allow for instant feedback and iteration, reducing the need for post-production fixes.
3. Resource Efficiency: Pre-captured plates reduce the computational load on the LED Volume, freeing up resources for other tasks.
4. Creative Freedom: Full control over lighting, reflections, and colour empowers filmmakers to achieve their vision without compromise.

Case Study: BMW Series 7 Global Launch

Pixojam was brought onto the global launch of BMW’s new Series 7 models by Sterntag, the project’s production company, and Central Films Dubai, its Middle East production service partner, to deliver the Virtual Production workflow. The project required:

• Multi-Location Plates: Integrating footage captured in Singapore, Oman, and Dubai to create a diverse range of virtual environments.
• Seamless Integration: Ensuring that the 360° and 180° plates blended perfectly with the LED Volume.
• Real-Time Adjustments: Live colour grading and lighting to match the luxury and sophistication of the BMW brand.

The result? A high-quality campaign that showcased the Series 7 in a variety of distinctive environments, with Pixojam delivering the Virtual Production workflow as part of a project produced by Sterntag and serviced by Central Films Dubai.

The Future of Virtual Production at Pixojam

Pixojam’s workflow offers a practical model for the future of Virtual Production. As technology continues to evolve, the industry may see further developments in the use of tools like Live FX and Unreal Engine, as well as advancements in:

• AI-Assisted Plate Generation: Using AI to fill gaps in 360° captures or generate synthetic plates.
• Dynamic Live FX Content: Real-time adjustments to weather, time of day, and other environmental factors for even greater flexibility.
• Enhanced Collaboration: Tools that allow remote teams to contribute to the Virtual Production process in real time.

Conclusion

Pixojam is a dedicated virtual production and XR studio built for modern filmmaking and high-end commercial shoots. At the core of their workflow is Assimilate’s Live FX, the software engine driving their real-time, on-set visual effects. Instead of relying on green screens or costly location travel, directors film against massive LED volumes where Live FX seamlessly composites, tracks, and color-grades hyper-realistic environments right in the camera.

Whether shooting a complex narrative or a high-end automotive production for brands like Porsche or Carrefour, this setup blends physical sets with digital worlds. Because Assimilate’s Live FX is central to the production pipeline, creators have real-time control over lighting and atmospheric details, helping to reduce post-production time. Ultimately, Pixojam provides a practical, technically advanced environment for ambitious visual storytelling within the soundstage.

Pixojam’s hybrid Virtual Production workflow is a testament to the power of innovation, collaboration, and technical expertise. By combining pre-captured video plates, Unreal Engine, and Assimilate’s Live FX, they have created a pipeline that is flexible, efficient, and capable of delivering high-quality visuals for complex productions.

As the industry continues to evolve, Pixojam’s approach serves as a model for how studios can leverage the latest tools and techniques to push the boundaries of what’s possible in filmmaking.

About Assimilate

Assimilate’s Live FX Studio, the industry standard for image-based lighting, provides filmmakers with an all-in-one toolset for live compositing, LED-wall staging, and real-time VFX. By unifying camera tracking, projection mapping, lighting control, and recording into one platform, Live FX Studio accelerates creative decision-making, reduces turnaround time, and enhances in-camera storytelling.

Assimilate also develops a full suite of post-production tools, including:

• Live FX – the industry standard for image-based lighting
• Live Assist – multi-cam VTR for video assist with green-screen support
• Live Looks – live grading and instant look creation with Scratch integration
• Play Pro Studio – professional player for VFX reviews, ProRes RAW QC, and transcoding

Assimilate tools are trusted worldwide by DITs and post artists for stability, speed, and flexibility.

Learn more at www.assimilateinc.com.