Want to Know How VFX Plates Are Made? An Interview with PlatePros

by Jeff LochJune 9^th, 2023

PlatePros is an American company specializing in the creation of high-resolution VFX plates mainly used for feature films, but also in the commercial and television industry. During Cine Gear 2023, we had the chance to discuss with CEO and founder David Smith – who shot VFX plates for Joker, Stranger Things, Irishman, and many more – about their creation process, the gear they use to create 12K resolution plates, and PlatePros’ upcoming, on-demand VFX plates library.

Virtual Production with giant 360° LED screens is gradually used more often on big commercials and feature films, but it won’t replace the Green/Blue screens anytime soon. However, there is one thing you still need in both shooting scenarios: a VFX plate to replace your Green/Blue screen or to put in the Virtual Production scene.

Tradeshows are perfect for discovering new and exciting pieces of camera equipment. They are also an excellent place to meet people who worked on the feature films we’ve all seen and to learn more about their creative and technical workflow. We took some time to sit down with David Smith from PlatePros to learn more about what his company is doing and everything VFX plate related!

What is a VFX Plate?

First of all, let’s start with a definition of what a VFX Plate is. In the visual effects world, a VFX plate is footage (or a high-resolution image) of a scene, usually without any actors or props. This VFX plate is then used as a background to replace the Green/Blue screen in the sequence with your actors. Nowadays, VFX plates are also used as backgrounds on Virtual Production sets.

Who is PlatePros?

PlatePros is a company with offices in New York and Los Angeles specializing in creating VFX Plates. Over the years, the company has contributed to over 2000 feature films, television, and commercial productions. Their work includes projects such as Joker, Irishman, Stranger Things, Bohemian Rhapsody, Creed 2, and many more.

How are VFX Plates shot?

PlatePros developed multiple vehicles and tools to shoot high-quality VFX plates, including custom cars and motorbikes. Numerous cameras are rigged to a stabilization system depending on the vehicle used: a DJI Ronin 2 on the motorbike or a custom-made video head inside the car.

As you can tell, the video head inside the car features 17 Panasonic LUMIX DC-BGH1 cameras. In terms of lenses, they use either the Panasonic LUMIX 8mm F/3.5 fisheye lens or the LUMIX G Vario 12-35 mm F/2.8 II ASPH.

All Panasonic cameras are linked together via Ethernet cables. This allows the camera operator to change the settings of all cameras from a laptop simultaneously. Also, all the cameras’ SDI video outputs are sent inside a DECIMATOR 16-channel multi-viewer so the camera operator can see the 360° shot in real-time.

According to David Smith, they chose Panasonic Lumix DC-BGH1 because the image from the camera is very “neutral” as they don’t want any stylistic or artistic tint in the VFX plates.

Also, PlatePros had a Kandao Obsidian Pro 12K 3D VR cinema camera on display at their booth, which they use for static shots. If you’re interested in acquiring such a camera, it starts at $26,999.

Business model

There are two ways you can get your hands on PlatePros VFX plates. The first one is to hire them directly. They will send union or non-union crews to shoot custom-made scenes for your project. If you’re not shooting a feature film, the company is also launching a Library with many upcoming plates that you can download off the shelf, starting at $3,500 per clip.

For more information, please visit PlatePros‘ website here.

Featured image: CineD and PlatePros

Did that exclusive interview teach you more about how VFX plates are made? Have you already had to shoot VFX plates for a project? Don’t hesitate to let us know in the comments down below!