Stone Hearts & Careless People is a short film I wrote and directed as part of VP Futures, an initiative by Future Screens NI and StoryFutures Academy, exploring the creative and technical possibilities of virtual production for emerging filmmakers.

The project gave me the opportunity to bring together my background in filmmaking, 3D and real-time technology, using an LED volume as an active part of the filmmaking process rather than simply as a way of replacing a physical location.

I worked across the production pipeline, developing the concept and virtual environments, preparing the project for the volume, and directing the shoot itself. It was a chance to explore the practical realities of directing within a virtual production environment while working with real-time environments, camera tracking and LED volume workflows.

As part of VP Futures, the project was also pitched to industry partners including Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) and Epic Games. For me, the film became an opportunity to explore how virtual production and real-time technology can give independent filmmakers new creative tools, while still keeping the focus firmly on the story and the filmmaking.

See the behind the scenes of the VP Future Programme here: