RDX LAB System for Virtual Production by Rosco and FuseFX – First Look

by Francesco AndreolaJune 24^th, 2022

Rosco and FuseFX have recently partnered up to create the RDX LAB System, a large catalogue of interactive background images for virtual film production that can easily be manipulated in real-time using an iPad app. Let’s take a closer look.

Handling the expensive, complicated gear involved in a virtual production setup requires a strong technical background and a steep learning curve. Hence, more often than not, these factors prevent DPs and production designers from having direct control over what’s going on.

Luckily, Rosco, in partnership with FuseFX, has decided to make their 100+ years of expertise in the filmmaking industry available to develop a user-friendly approach to interactively control the background image of a virtual production environment: the RDX LAB System. At Cine Gear 2022, we took the chance to visit the company’s booth, where Emily Stadulis from Rosco taught us more about this solution.

RDX LAB System by Rosco and FuseFX: virtual production control at your fingertips

According to Emily, the RDX LAB System integrates with pretty much any virtual production LED wall, regardless of its type and size, as well as any camera tracking system. At the core of this ecosystem is an iPad app that grants access to Rosco’s large catalogue of background images. Once you select an image, it appears on the background wall and can be manipulated in real-time from the app.

The amount of granular control over the background image provided by the app is simply astonishing. By dragging a couple of sliders and touching a few buttons, users can quickly perform a number of actions. These include changing time of day, reframing the shot, or zooming in and out, just to name a few. Moreover, technical parameters such as exposure, saturation, or color temperature are fully adjustable in real-time.

But that’s not it. Indeed, by exploiting FuseFX’s expertise in virtual production technology, the app lets you add layers of animations to introduce motion into the background image. For example, you can add dynamic elements to the background, such as traffic, fog, or other atmospheric effects. Possibilities are truly endless and it’s nice to see how fast and easy it is to achieve a certain result.

Price and availability

The RDX LAB System by Rosco and FuseFX should be available to customers starting early fall 2022. However, the company is still figuring out a few details, including pricing. 

According to Emily, Rosco and FuseFX also plan to offer some high-end services, such as setting up the RDX LAB System for you to fit an existing virtual production stage in 48 hours or providing the ability to integrate your own custom background imagery into their system.

Have you ever shot on a virtual production stage? What do you think of the RDX LAB System by Rosco and FuseFX? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!