Unreal Engine Sets are Totally Real — L.A. Castle Studios

I had an interesting interaction with a producer yesterday, that proves just how “real” Unreal Engine productions filmed at L.A. Castle Studios in Burbank are.

A few weeks ago, this producer called, looking for high end space station sets, and living room sets. He had seen the images and videos of our sets on our website, and was impressed by the quality. He could see that if he had to build some of our sets, he’d be faced with a million dollar expense, and he was thrilled with what he was seeing.

I explained more about shooting with the Unreal Engine, just how easy it is, how fantastic it can look, and of course our pricing. I emailed the producer our rates and options, and a link to a video that takes viewers on a full tour of our facility, and then ends up on stage, where we demonstrate our amazing technology and go into a number of spectacular sets.

A week later, after many calls and emails, the producer called back. He was ready for an in-person tour, which we had scheduled for yesterday.

A half hour before the tour was to begin, we received an email — the producer was no longer interested. He had just “discovered” that the sets we had been discussing were not real — that they were digital. While he did mess up our busy schedule, his complaint proves just how real filming with the Unreal Engine is. If this producer, who makes his living creating TV shows and movies, after discussing the Unreal Engine with us on the phone, examining our video explaining what we do, watching some of the major TV shows and movies filmed here, and perusing our Unreal Engine environments on our website, STILL didn’t understand that what he was looking at wasn’t real, it proves just how realistic filming with the Unreal Engine is. If he can’t tell the difference, does he actually think viewers will?

Our producer friend inadvertently made the case that filming within the Unreal Engine is as realistic as filming in sets built of plaster, wood and steel — without the million dollar set construction costs “real” sets at this level would be.

The fact is that this producer will someday be filming with this method, because it’s simply a better way to shoot, and the industry iis quickly realizing it. I suggested that since we already had set aside part of our day for him, he should keep his appointment just to see what we do in case he could use us in the future. He declined. That’s okay — like the old commercial says — he can pay us now, or pay us later.

Tim Pipher is the owner of L.A. Castle Studios in Burbank, California.

Originally published at https://www.lacastlestudios.com on September 27, 2021.