Welcome to VP Land - your daily update for all things virtual production & AI in video.

In this issue:

🌄 Stability super-sizes their model
🎮 Unreal Engine 5.3 has some virtual production updates
🦸 Applications open for Apple Vision Pro developer kits

And more! Let’s dive in.

PRINCIPAL PHOTOGRAPHY

Stability AI releases Stable Diffusion XL 1.0

Stability AI (creator of Stable Diffusion) has released their most powerful model yet: SDXL 1.0.

What’s been improved:

• Handles difficult concepts better, such as hands or spatially arranged compositions.

• Tuned for vibrant and accurate colors, better contrast, lighting, and shadows

• Simpler language commands. You don’t need to prompt with qualifier terms like “masterpiece.” Also, a better understanding of concepts, like “The Red Square” vs a red square.

• Default outputs of 1024 x 1024.

Coming next:

• In beta is a fine-tuning feature, where as few as 5 images can be used to train and generate outputs based on specific people or products.

Where to use it:

• SDXL 1.0 is live on Clipdrop. Follow this link.

• The weights of SDXL 1.0 and the associated source code have been released on the Stability AI GitHub page.

• SDXL 1.0 is also being released for API on the Stability AI Platform.

• SDXL 1.0 is available on AWS Sagemaker and AWS Bedrock.

• The Stable Foundation Discord is open for live testing of SDXL models.

• DreamStudio has SDXL 1.0 available for image generation as well.

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SECOND UNIT

Unreal 5.3 Preview is out. Here’s what’s new for virtual production.

Unreal Engine 5.3 Preview is now available to download. Here are some of the new features for virtual production:

• SMPTE 2110 for ICVFX: SMPTE 2110 support allows productions to make the most of the hardware resources available on stage. This increased efficiency makes it possible to have higher-resolution inner frustums and lower latency, which enhances the overall performance.

• Anamorphic Lens Calibrations: There’s a new Anamorphic Lens Model and Solver in the Lens Tool. It can solve Anamorphic lens distortion and add distortion effects to CineCameraActors. This feature allows pre-visualization of shots and cinematics using profiled anamorphic lenses.

• New CineCameraRigRail: A new Rig Rail Actor designed specifically for advanced cinematic and virtual camera workflows. With its enhanced features, such as composition control, speed visualization, and rail drive control, the new Rig Rail allows for even greater control over cinematic shots.

• OCIO for Texture Conversions: Support for OpenColorIO has been expanded, which enables texture conversions to be completed with precision. This feature helps ensure that assets are displayed accurately, regardless of their origin, and enhances uniformity throughout the color pipeline for entire projects.

  

  Source: On-set Facilities

VIDEO VILLAGE

Interview with Dwayne Grech from Hello xLAB about using Unreal to create VR experiences without a VR headset.

AKS

🌐 Around the Web

• Apple invites developers to apply for Vision Pro developer kits to help build its first-ever XR-specific app store.

• FaceCake and RealmFX collaboration utilizes AI and AR to produce cutting-edge virtual effects.

• ZEPETO unveils its anime-style avatars to capitalize on the growth of the $2 billion virtual YouTuber market.

• Upload large files and folders fast with MASV*

• OpenAI decommissions its AI detection tool, the AI Classifier, due to poor accuracy.

• Pixotope's real-time 3D rendering and virtual production platform gets an; now runs the latest Unreal Engine and has World Settings.

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CALL SHEET

📆 Upcoming Events

July 29
Academy of Live Technology
South Kirkby, West Yorkshire
Skills Bootcamp in Virtual Production for Film & TV

August 3
SMPTE - The BIGGEST Virtual Production Show Ever!
XR Studios, Los Angeles, CA
Showcase of theatrical cinematic performances, driven by a menagerie of creative technologies within virtual production

August 4 - 5
frame:work:losangeles
XR Studios, Los Angeles, CA
Conference for conversations about the unique challenges of creating video for physical spaces, live performances, and virtual worlds.

August 
Studio Arts - Technology for Entertainment Creatives
Unreal Engine and virtual production online courses

Have a film-related event to share? Just reply back to this email and let us know the details.

ABBY SINGER

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