Creative Technology has collaborated with Nordisk Film Shortcut, a VFX and post-production company owned by Nordisk Film, to create the Shortcut LED Stage – a 360° LED stage, 16 meters in diameter and six meters high, with LED panels covering the walls and ceiling. This new stage offers filmmakers, production companies, and other visual storytellers cost-effective, eco-friendly ways to capture and portray stories in a flexible and creative manner. With this innovative stage, filmmakers can create a variety of scenes ranging from alien planets, fantasy worlds, and underwater shots to vast deserts and vibrant cities. Shortcut LED Stage is ideal for commercial shoots where actors, sets, and props can be filmed in unique stylistic worlds or where far-off locations can be easily recreated.
Last year, Creative Technology was commissioned to build a 360-degree LED stage in Copenhagen for Nordisk Film, one of the oldest film studios in the world, and its post-production company Shortcut. After visiting the ARRI X CT stage in London, Nordisk Film Shortcut decided to create a similar virtual environment for film production. Creative Technology began collaborating with the agency Kreaktivitet AS on the project in March 2022, starting with the preparation of the building and floor for the installation, which weighs in at over 33 tonnes. A steel structure was set up as a framework, cabling was pulled out, and rack rooms were built. In July, a 14-strong team from CT began constructing the giant LED volume with the first delivery of LED panels.
According to Lennart Franksson, Senior Project Manager at Creative Technology, the team had to adjust their plan due to a transportation delay with the LED panels, compressing the building work into one week. This meant starting with the curved LED section before constructing the ceiling, which was then raised to accommodate further construction. Lastly, the doors were put up to complete the project.
Franksson exclaims that it was a true team effort, as Creative Technology Australia’s three colleagues provided assistance during their winter season when things were quieter. With their help, they built an enveloping 360-degree LED stage, which is still relatively uncommon as many LED stages have an opening and cannot be completely closed.
The renowned in-camera performance of ROE’s Black Pearl BPv2, Carbon Black and Black Marble 4 Matte LED panels made them the ideal choice for the construction. Additionally, the Ghostframe re-mapping technology from ROE was utilized to its full potential. Creative Technology installed a total of nine disguise media servers; five RX2s for rendering graphics and four VX2s for transmitting content to the LED processors. The combination of the LED panels and disguise media servers minimized the risk of moiré and other disturbances in the camera image.
Project Manager, Ole Bergström, is pleased with the results of the installation saying, “We are delighted with the outcome of the LED construction and the technology used. The combination of ROE’s LED panels and disguise media servers has enabled us to achieve a high-quality camera image.”
The RX2s are capable of rendering the graphics created by Nordisk Film Shortcut in Unreal Engine, enabling it to be used in 3D space. Bergström mentions that they require incredible processing power to do this, which these machines possess in abundance. In August last year, the installation of the Shortcut LED Stage was completed and tested before it was handed over to Nordisk Film Shortcut. It is powered by 100% green energy and is the first full-scale LED stage in Northern Europe, allowing filmmakers to shoot films and commercials without having to travel to various locations or wait for the perfect light or weather.
Patrik Dejve, Managing Director of Creative Technology Northern Europe, is proud and humbled by the result of the technical planning, building, and implementation of the Shortcut LED Stage which spanned more than a year, and was a result of the combined efforts of many of their skilled colleagues.
Franksson added that this is the largest installation project they have ever undertaken, and it has been awesome. The LED volume is so huge that the Nordisk Film Shortcut team can place vehicles, boats, and even planes inside the LED Stage, offering virtually limitless opportunities for creating something extraordinary and refreshing the storytelling process.
Rikke Crosby, CEO of Nordisk Film Shortcut, concludes that the LED Stage is a “shortcut to the world of limitless imagination”. She is proud to provide the film and visual production industry with the latest cutting-edge technology, which enables efficient, cost-efficient, and environmentally-friendly production while maintaining top-notch quality and creativity.
