Production Timeline showing Virtual Art Departments continuing thru the production cycle

A Virtual Art Department or VAD consists of a team of 3D artists who support the greater virtual production team through the creation of real-time assets. However, as virtual production and projects continue to evolve, both the term Virtual Production and VAD can mean different things.

The best way to think about it is to consider how a VAD team can help in all stages of linear content production. Below is a breakdown of how VADs contribute through stages of production:

• Pre-Production
  • Supports traditional Art Department (team of production designers, art directors, and concept artists)
    • Providing visual development help through the creation of real-time assets and environments
  • Supports Sets to Previs Department
  • Providing set builds that allow Previs artists to place in cameras (whiteboxing)
• Production

  • Final Pixel Render Pass

    • Handling a large portion of the final imagery

    Filmmaking walkthrough - course!

https://dev.epicgames.com/community/learning/courses/J61/independent-filmmaking-with-unreal-engine/zGZ/the-idea

Preproduction steps:

• Script - software of choice, either full trad script or outline
• Breakdown - can use StudioBinder

• Storyboard
• Get specific idea about the asset, animations, locations, props, materials, VFX, etc:

• Developing the visuals in-engine
• Can do blockout