Stage Unreal's Real-Time Green Screen Shoot with CyberGaffer

Stage Unreal, a virtual production studio in India, recently conducted a full-day green screen shoot using CyberGaffer’s real-time lighting integration with Unreal Engine. The production involved multiple lighting conditions, scene transitions, and camera movement—all within a single day.
A full breakdown of the shoot is shown in the attached video, with benefits of using CyberGaffer articulated by the renowned cinematographer Manoj Paramahamsa.

Technical Setup

Camera	RED V-Raptor + ZEISS Supreme Prime lenses
Tracking	VIVE Mars
Keying	Ultimatte 12 HD and 12 4K
Lights	14 Litepanels Gemini 2x1 Hard, 11 ARRI SkyPanel S60-C
Green Screen	Painted surface, 30.7 ft (depth) × 26.6 ft (width) × 15 ft (height)
Crew	10–15 people
Duration	~10 hours

Goals and Approach

The team set out to:

Achieve real-time lighting updates driven by Unreal Engine
Eliminate manual relighting between takes
Improve integration between CG environments and physical subjects

After calibrating all lights with a calibration sphere, CyberGaffer handled lighting changes based on virtual scene conditions.

Observations from Key Scenes

360° World Rotation	An effect achieved by rotating the virtual world around the actors, while the camera and talent remained static. Lighting stayed responsive to the shifting environment, maintaining consistent realism.
Campfire Sequence	Lighting flicker and red-bounce were simulated based on CG fire assets in Unreal, without practical fire on set.
Day-to-Night Transition	Lights changed seamlessly with sky conditions, avoiding LUT switches or separate lighting setups.

Outcome

The shoot was completed in a single day, with minimal downtime between setups. Real-time lighting helped preserve visual continuity and sped up production. The team plans to apply this workflow in upcoming long-form and commercial projects.

Links and Contacts

Stage Unreal
Website – https://stageunreal.com/
YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@stageunreal1232
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/stageunreal
Twitter – https://x.com/stageunreal

Manoj Paramahamsa
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/manojinfilm
Twitter – https://x.com/manojdft

Srinivas Mohan
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/srinivasmohanvfx
Twitter – https://x.com/srinivas_mohan

CyberGaffer
Website – https://cybergaffer.com
Discord – https://discord.com/invite/e2n566Zyaq
Email – welcome@cybergaffer.com