Rick Pearce
An actor in close-up under studio light

Virtual production · 2016–2022

Spectre:Real-Time VP

Role
Co-founder / Technical Director
Years
2016–2022
Company
Spectre Studios, co-founded with Mark Grentell
Outcome
Acquired by Virtually Human Studio, 2022

Spectre was built on a bet that Unreal Engine, VR, capture and virtual cameras would change how films get made.

The studio worked across previs and stunt visualisation, photogrammetry, digital doubles, performance capture, real-time animation and LED-volume production.

My contribution

Co-founder and Technical Director. I led the studio's creative and technical direction as it built new production methods.

  1. 01Developed an early real-time virtual-production and stunt-visualisation workflow for high-end feature production, including work connected with X-Men: Dark Phoenix.
  2. 02Built R&D across photogrammetry, scanned locations, digital doubles, performance capture, real-time character control and previs tools.
  3. 03As Technical Director, helped develop and demonstrate the partnership with Agenda Studio, NEP and Big Picture that launched Australia's first full-service LED virtual-production solution in 2020.
  4. 04Completed Epic Games' Unreal Fellowship in Virtual Production in 2021.

Method

Engine
Unreal Engine 4
Capture
Motion and facial capture, virtual cameras
Reconstruction
Photogrammetry and scanned locations
Stage
LED volume and in-camera VFX

LED volume work

Cinematography and lighting.
A woman in a fur-trimmed hood under studio light
A fighter's face in close-up
Two actors in an office set
A boxer shadowboxing in a gym, in black and white

Team work

Work by teams I founded or led at Spectre Studios and Fenix Studios.

  • Furiosa: A Mad Max SagaDigital doubles and stunt previs in Unreal, with PROXI StudiosWatch ↗
  • Triple FrontierA town rebuilt in UE4 for stunt visualisation and action planningWatch ↗
  • ElvisUnreal environments for the VFX teamWatch ↗
  • La Brea, seasons 1 and 2Virtual art department environments for an LED volumeWatch ↗
  • Beau Is AfraidVirtual-production environments, with MELS StudiosWatch ↗
  • Tales of AlunaToon-style Unreal environments and background rendering toolsWatch ↗
  • Lah-Lah's Stripy Sock ClubUnreal environments with live compositingWatch ↗
  • Lexus, “Effortless in Every Way”Virtual-production TVC and stills campaignView ↗
  • Ford Bronco Sport launchReal-time broadcast launch with virtual vehiclesWatch ↗
  • Volkswagen ID. Buzz launchVirtual-production environmentsWatch ↗
  • Masked Wolf, “Astronaut in the Ocean”Virtual environments and on-set directionView ↗
  • ZED RUN21 shots across five virtual locations on an LED volume in one dayWatch ↗
  • Nekrotronic VR and Wyrmwood VRVR experiences and production visualisation

Credits

Co-founder / Technical Director
Rick Pearce
Co-founder
Mark Grentell