Munich – With one click to the Mediterranean, across the Sahara to space. Without a plane or a missile. In the Hyperbowl is that possible. Germany’s first virtual production studio can project any place in the world onto high-resolution LED screens or create fantasy worlds.
In the virtual landscapes, skyscrapers can be demolished with one click, trees can be planted or clouds can be replaced by bright sunshine. Like in a PC game. Productions in Hall C5 (10,000 square meters) in the Riem trade fair are independent of the season, weather conditions and travel restrictions. A huge advantage for filming. “We can quickly jump between different locations without flying around the world. That saves shooting time. A 50-man crew then only has to be paid for three days instead of eight, ”says Frank Foerster, CEO de Hyperbowl, to BILD.
Thanks to the Unreal Engine (gaming software), the 550 square meter screen can be transformed into any imaginable landscape
The Hyperbowl wants to revolutionize the film, television, advertising and event sectors with virtual 3D landscapes
The technology enables a wide variety of lighting conditions, reflections and the simulation of day and night in real time. “We use an Unreal platform from the gaming sector to play on the LED ceiling and LED walls,” says CEO Frank Foerster. The 3D landscapes move in line with the camera work. “We track the camera and the servers calculate the movements in real time. This creates the three-dimensional depth. That in combination with 10x4K makes the illusion perfect ”, says partner Ralf Drechsler.
The virtual worlds cost between 500 and 20,000 euros. Customers are Audi, Porsche, BMW, Aldi and Amazon. Stars like Clueso, RIN and Katja Krasavice have also shot music videos in Hall C5. “That overran us a bit, we didn’t expect that,” says CEO Frank Foerster.
The three creative studios ACHT, NSYNK and TFN are behind the Hyperbowl. The starting shot was in June 2020. The Hyperbowl cost “a mid-single-digit million amount”.
The studio works with green electricity and saves 70 percent of the effort in post-production thanks to the 3D background worlds. “For this, a lot goes into preproduction. In total, you save 20 percent, ”says Foerster.
Julian F. Krüger, Director of Virtual Production, controls the virtual worlds
“In the HYPERBOWL we offer a studio environment that is extremely flexible and ready for use quickly,” said Frank Foerster (left) and Ralf Drechsler
The virtual studio will move next year, but will remain in Bavaria. Ralf Drechsler: “The bowl will be even bigger.”
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