Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

Masterwork Films advances brand storytelling with virtual...

24/04/2025

Branded cinematic shorts and documentaries have surged in popularity as more companies strategize out-of-the-box ways to connect and engage with audiences. While these projects benefit from higher-end technology, they often come with tighter budgets and same-day turnaround expectations. To address these challenges, Masterwork Films CEO Biro Florin built a green screen virtual production studio in the heart of Brighton, England. It houses all the equipment to streamline and accelerate production on branded storytelling projects, including a workstation running Epic Games' Unreal Engine, an AJA ColorBox for color management, and AJA GEN10 for sync gen, among other equipment.

Fusing technological expertise with a passion for creativity

Channeling a passion for filmmaking, cinematography, and gear, Biro established Masterwork Films in 2024. Today, he runs the company and acts as DP (Director of Photography) on client shoots for branded storytelling, film, commercial, and masterclass projects. In addition to servicing clients in the UK, US, and Canada, Biro and team run a green screen virtual production studio and a kit rental business.

Biro sees green screen virtual production unlocking new doors for brands looking to deliver believable compositions quickly and affordably. He explained, Virtual production can prove costly if you're building sets and virtual worlds from scratch, which is why we try to strike that middle ground with our new studio, where we can get a nice output with stock and marketplace type assets. Another big benefit of executing green screen virtual production, especially with a tool like AJA ColorBox, is that it minimizes post production work so we can reduce costs and production times for our clients all around.

Envisioning a green screen virtual production studio

Recently launched, Masterwork's u-shaped green screen stage is six meters wide and three and a half meters deep. It features up to 3 cameras that send a REDWideGamutRGB (Log) SDI signal of the talent and the green screen to its keyer while a PC sends another SDI signal transporting the Unreal Engine virtual camera feed that also uses REDWideGamutRGB (Log). The keyer receives the camera signal as the foreground feed and keys out a flat-looking green backdrop, leaving an alpha foreground layer of the talent. The same keyer also receives the Unreal Engine SDI signal as the background feed and applies it as the background layer of the foreground keyed talent.

Given both foreground and background signals are REDWideGamutRGB, the composited image on the keyer has the same flat look. Biro's team sends that flat video signal via SDI to an AJA ColorBox and uses Assimilate Live Looks to color correct and grade it. They then send the graded output to director and talent confident monitors using the ColorBox SDI output, and the loop out to a focus puller and for low-latency critical tasks.

Whether on a virtual production or traditional set, there's something magical about being able to use a device like ColorBox to upload a LUT and get a rough view of how things will look, plus have the control to tweak the color and contrast in real time. It gives you an extra layer of confidence as you light the scene and confirm that you structured it the right way, he explained. I also love that ColorBox is integrated with so many great color grading and correction tools to support live grading on set and that I can easily export changes to a LUT or a grade and send them down the pipeline in post to editors and colorists; it's very useful.

ColorBox, Biro said, also saves the team time because they're able to do everything on the computer without having to process the 4:2:2 10-bit signal they're shooting; it receives the feed and outputs the exact same signal with its LUT. And Biro's team can do an SDI loop out or pass through, so he can send a signal from the ColorBox to two recorders one with the color grading and the original signal as it comes out of the compositing server.

In addition to ColorBox, Masterwork Films uses an AJA GEN10 sync gen generator because its cameras and lens trackers have genlock and SDI reference inputs. Biro explained, Prior to GEN10, the background would stutter when we'd move the cameras. I quickly found that we needed a device to synchronize all these devices doing genlock, so I installed GEN10, and the stuttering disappeared; it's been amazing.

Laying a solid foundation for the future

Biro anticipates client demand for more distinctive backdrops for brand videos will only continue to grow, which is partially why he created the studio. We saw this new studio as a solution to help diversify the look and feel of projects, especially for our more consistent clients, without it costing an arm and a leg like most LED studios do, he added. So far, they like the variety of options we can offer at an affordable price point, as there aren't many non-LED options in the south of the UK.

For the time being, as Biro continues to grow the business, he's keeping an eye on AI developments related to virtual production, game development, and motion tracking. He concluded, We're heading into a very disruptive world, especially with the advent of generative AI. Virtual production presents an opportunity where AI, green screen, and motion tracking developments can converge to truly reshape how we create content. As we experience this shift and take on more new clients, it's very possible we may start taking more of our studio equipment, like ColorBox, on location, as I could see it being useful for real time visualization of color grading and correction on projects outside our studio.
LINK: https://kitplus.com/news/masterwork-films-advances-brand-storytelling-...
See more stories from tvbay

Most recent headlines

04/09/2025

Monumental Sports & Entertainment and Dalet Win Prestigious 2025 NAB Show Project of the Year Award

Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE), in collaboration with Dalet, has been a...

17/05/2025

Cox Media Group Promotes Joe Cowan to WSB-TV News Director

ATLANTA Cox Media Group (CMG) has announced that Joe Cowan will rejoin WSB-TV Atlanta as news director, starting in mid-June....

17/05/2025

Xfinity Adds Free Access to Sunday Night Soccer on MLS Season Pass

PHILADELPHIA Comcast's Xfinity has announced that Sunday Night Soccer on MLS Season Pass is now available for free to customers. The access will start with ...

17/05/2025

Korn 30th Anniversary Concert: Letting The Fans Capture The Show!

Korn 30th Anniversary Concert: Letting The Fans Capture The Show! Brie Clayton May 16, 2025 0 Comments Cinematography: S bastien Paquet Production Co...

17/05/2025

CETA Software debuts reporting tool for studio-wide financial and operational insight

CETA Software debuts reporting tool for studio-wide financial and operational in...

16/05/2025

New Study Reveals Changing Audience Behaviours in Eastern Europe

Across Central and Eastern Europe, journalism is no longer the default source of information. It competes and often loses against a chaotic content stream drive...

16/05/2025

Entries Open for the 2025 EU Investigative Journalism Award

Journalists working in investigative reporting across the Western Balkans and T rkiye are encouraged to enter their published work for the 2025 edition of the E...

16/05/2025

Celebrate Beyonc's COWBOY CARTER Tour With Exclusive Cover Art Stickers

As Beyonc s COWBOY CARTER Tour sparks excitement around the world, Spotify is helping the BeyHive get concert-ready with a limited-edition collection of playli...

16/05/2025

Proper Loved Up Stage One Recipients Announced

Proper Loved Up Stage One Recipients Announced 16 May, 2025 Media releases Screen Australia's First Nations Department, the Australian Broadcasting Cor...

16/05/2025

Cox, Charter to Merge in $34.5 Billion Deal

Charter Communications and Cox Communications announced today that the two companies will merge in a deal valued at $34.5 billion. The transaction which consist...

16/05/2025

CBS Sports Adds Innovative AR to Massive PGA Championship Coverage

(Editor's note: CBS Sports coverage of the PGA Championship began May 15 and wraps up May 18. Interviews for this story were conducted on-site May 14.)...

16/05/2025

COW Jobs: Hiring Freelance Video Editor, Part-Time Remote

COW Jobs: Hiring Freelance Video Editor, Part-Time Remote Brie Clayton May 16, 2025 0 Comments We're Hiring: Freelance , Part-Time, and Remote Vid...

16/05/2025

Cox, Charter to Merge in $34.5 Deal

Charter Communications and Cox Communications announced today that the two companies will merge in a deal valued at $34.5 billion. The transaction which consist...

16/05/2025

Warner Bros. Discovery Unveils New Ad Platforms

NEW YORK Warner Bros. Discovery U.S. Ad Sales has unveiled NEO and DemoDirect, two advertising solutions it said will provide clients with more effective and ef...

16/05/2025

Netflix Breaks Ground on Major N.J. Production Facility

As Hollywood tries to digest the potential impact of President Donald Trump's proposal to impose tariffs on foreign-produced films, Netflix has broken groun...

16/05/2025

Berklee Announces Jonathan Mahoney as the New Dean for Pre-College, Online, and Professional Programs

Berklee Announces Jonathan Mahoney as the New Dean for Pre-College, Online, and ...

16/05/2025

Mark Gatiss drama Bookish re-commissioned for a second series ahead of premiere on U&alibi

UKTV today announces the re-commission of Bookish (6x70') for specialist cri...

16/05/2025

Tribeca Festival 2025 Reveals Creators Market Recipients

May 16th, 2025 Tribeca Festival 2025 Reveals Creators Market Recipients Bold New Projects Include Doggie with Anna Baryshnikov and Juliana Canfield; Cop Ci...

16/05/2025

The FA Cup Final: Telling the Story With Graphics Technology

The FA Cup Final: Telling the Story With Graphics Technology Manchester City meets Crystal Palace on Saturday in this years FA Cup Final By SVG Staff Friday,...

16/05/2025

PBR's Wild 11-Day Stretch Culminates in World Finals at AT&T Stadium

PBR's Wild 11-Day Stretch Culminates in World Finals at AT&T Stadium The operation will have produced 250 streams and broadcasts across 10 platforms By Mar...

16/05/2025

SVG Cloud Production Forum Draws 200 to NYC to Tackle One of the Industry's Significant Growth Areas

SVG Cloud Production Forum Draws 200 to NYC to Tackle One of the Industry's ...

16/05/2025

Eurovision Song Contest: Behind the Scenes with Eurovision Services

Eurovision Song Contest: Behind the scenes with Eurovision Services By Jo Ruddock Thursday, May 15, 2025 - 09:41 Print This Story Credit: SRG SSR The 69t...

16/05/2025

NEP Mobilizes European Network for Eurovision Song Contest 2025

NEP mobilises European network for Eurovision Song Contest 2025 By George Bevir Thursday, May 15, 2025 - 10:29 Print This Story NEP camera operator Tomas ...

16/05/2025

WNBA Tip-Off 2025: ESPN Elevates Coverage Through Expanded Remote-Production Workflows

WNBA Tip-Off 2025: ESPN Elevates Coverage Through Expanded Remote-Production Wor...

16/05/2025

WNBA Tip-Off 2025: Scripps Sports' Friday Night Spotlight' Features More Games, Dedicated Studio Show on ION

WNBA Tip-Off 2025: Scripps Sports' Friday Night Spotlight' Features Mor...

16/05/2025

FloSports Debuts The Athlete's Lounge' Alternate Broadcast for Wanda Diamond League Track and Field

FloSports Debuts The Athlete's Lounge' Alternate Broadcast for Wanda Di...

16/05/2025

Sky releases Official Trailer and Key Art for Sky Exclusive film Mountainhead, written and directed by Jesse Armstrong

Friday 16 May 2025 To view this content, please enable our use of cookies. To d...

16/05/2025

Award Winning Bridgerton Garden Permanently Opens at Cambridge University Hospitals

Back to All News Award Winning Bridgerton Garden Permanently Opens at Cambridge...

16/05/2025

RT Live at Bord Bia Bloom 2025: Live shows, live music and chat, live RT Weather, and much more

Live RT Radio 1 shows with Louise Duffy, Countrywide and Mooney Goes Wild RT ...

16/05/2025

May 15, 2025

Two HIV vaccine trials show proof of concept for pathway to broadly neutralizing antibodies North American and African clinical trials led by Scripps Research, ...

15/05/2025

Detroit Is Gorgeous and Grief Is Gritty in To Live and Die and Live

PARK CITY, UTAH JANUARY 20: Skye P. Marshall, Omari Hardwick, Cory Hardrict, Qasim Basir, Dana Gourrier, and Amin Joseph attend the 2023 Sundance Film Festiva...

15/05/2025

Directors Lab at 45: Writer-Director Marielle Heller Remembers Finding Her Voice in the 2012 Lab

Director of photography Benjamin Kasulke, actors Katie Henney and Hannah Marks, ...

15/05/2025

Australia's boldest network SBS launches new brand campaign: We Go There'

Australia's boldest network SBS launches new brand campaign: We Go There...

15/05/2025

We Go There SBS On Demand's new Hub is entirely bold and unmistakably SBS

We Go There SBS On Demand's new Hub is entirely bold and unmistakably SBS 15 May, 2025 Media releases The We Go There Hub brings together over 300 ti...

15/05/2025

L3Harris and Airbus US Partner on Systems Integration for Unmanned Aerial Logistics Connector

Airbus U.S. Space & Defense and L3Harris Technologies announced a teaming agreem...

15/05/2025

Nielsen IBOPE Streaming Measurement Continues to Strengthen

Mexico City - May 15, 2025 - Nielsen, the global leader in audience measurement, data, and analytics, announced the expansion of its streaming measurement panel...

15/05/2025

Warner Bros Discovery Unveils New Ad Platforms

NEW YORK Warner Bros. Discovery U.S. Ad Sales today unveiled NEO and DemoDirect, two new solutions that the company said will provide advertisers with more effe...

15/05/2025

NEP Deploys TFC Orchestration Platform at Eurovision 2025

NEP Europe is utilizing technology and teams from across Europe for this year's Eurovision Song Contest....

15/05/2025

Scripps Inks Deal for Tampa Bay Lightning NHL Games

TAMPA BAY, Fla. & CINCINNATI, Ohio The Tampa Bay Lightning have inked a multi-year media rights agreement with Scripps Sports that gives it rights to produce an...

15/05/2025

Max to Once Again Become HBO Max

NEW YORK Warner Bros. Discovery announced during its upfront presentation that Max, the company's streaming platform, will be rebranded as HBO Max this summ...

15/05/2025

BBC Studios Taps 7fivefive for Cloud Workflows

LONDON 7fivefive said it will expand its work for BBC Studios' Global Media & Streaming team and that it is helping the U.K. public broadcaster's studio...

15/05/2025

Charter Names Jake Perlman EVP, Chief Technology & Information Officer

STAMFORD, Conn. Charter Communications, Inc. has named Jake Perlman executive vice president, chief technology and information officer (CTIO)....

15/05/2025

Mike Schmid of ACT Entertainment Receives Prestigious 202...

ACT Entertainment is proud to announce that Vice President of Talent Mike Schmid has been honored with a Gold Stevie Award as Human Resources Executive of the ...

15/05/2025

Arabsat Launches New Playout Services Powered by Grass Va...

Arabsat, a leading global satellite operator and the primary provider of satellite services across the Arab world, has partnered with Grass Valley, the technolo...

15/05/2025

Tyrell Unveils New Brand Identity

Leading media technology and services provider Tyrell, who has supported the broadcast, post-production, production, VFX, and corporate markets in the UK and Ir...

15/05/2025

LiveU To Showcase its Expanded IP Video EcoSystem Designe...

At Broadcast Asia 2025, LiveU will demonstrate its latest mission-critical IP-video solutions within its expanded EcoSystem, designed to add efficiency and shor...

15/05/2025

Lightware and NETGEAR Partner to Simplify AV-over-IP Depl...

Delivering High-Performance Network Switches Designed for Lightware AV Workflows Lightware, a leading manufacturer of connectivity solutions for the profession...

15/05/2025

Cerberus Tech Named a 2025 StreamTV Awards Finalist

Cerberus Tech, a leader in cloud-native IP video contribution and distribution, today announced that the company has been named a finalist in the 2025 StreamTV ...

15/05/2025

Viaccess-Orca at BroadcastAsia 2025 Cost-Efficient Tools...

BroadcastAsia 2025 Exhibitor Preview May 27-29 Singapore Expo Stand 5F3-5 For today's broadcasters, telcos, content owners, and streaming platforms, eff...

15/05/2025

Marshall Showcases Elite Series of PTZ Cameras at InfoCom...

Marshall Electronics will spotlight its Elite Series of PTZ Cameras at InfoComm 2025 (Booth 3843). Marshall's Elite Series of PTZ cameras includes the CV630...