The new comedy, which premieres January 11 on Peacock, uses innovative production visualization technology from the famed creator’s company, Fuzzy Door Tech, to film an animated lead character alongside other actors.
Fuzzy Door Tech, the innovative technology division of Seth MacFarlane’s acclaimed production company Fuzzy Door, has just shared a behind-the-scenes look at how their groundbreaking ViewScreen production visualization system transformed production of the all-new Ted TV series that premieres today, January 11, on Peacock.
The use of ViewScreen on Ted marks the first time a television show has filmed an animated lead character in real time alongside other actors. The technology allowed the entire crew to see Ted in real time while filming; it also captured MacFarlane’s wireless motion-capture performance so he could act as Ted while simultaneously directing.
The new comedy serves as a prequel to the highest-grossing original R-rated comedy of all time, Ted, and Ted 2, which grossed more than $750 million worldwide collectively. In the show, it's 1993 and Ted the bear’s moment of fame has passed, leaving him living with his best friend, 16-year-old John Bennett, in a working-class Boston home with his parents and cousin. Ted may not be the best influence on John, but when it comes right down to it, Ted's willing to go out on a limb to help his friend and his family.
Head behind-the-scenes to see this state-of-the-art system at work:
“ViewScreen Studio was critical for planning shots and how the team approached filming,” said Faith Sedlin, president of Fuzzy Door Tech. “It allowed them to visualize the digital asset in real time and treat Ted like any other actor or live-action element. By removing the guesswork, ViewScreen transformed the creative process, which resulted in a faster turnaround time.”
ViewScreen lets filmmakers easily integrate digital assets into their shots. On Ted, the ability to see the bear in real time let everyone understand the story and capture the right shots faster. According to Brandon Fayette, chief product officer of Fuzzy Door Tech, “Filming with VFX components can be challenging because an essential part of the scene is left to the crew’s imagination. On Ted, using ViewScreen meant that everyone could see the composited scene, including the digital bear, in video village in real time.”
The system helped MacFarlane guide the actors to deliver their best performance because he could offer creative feedback based on a composited scene. Camera operators didn’t have to rely on eyeline tools or a stuffed bear placed in the scene to estimate Ted’s position. Using these techniques is especially difficult when trying to capture shots where Ted is moving. ViewScreen let the camera operators see the complete scene, with Ted in their viewfinder, so they could frame shots more easily.
MacFarlane wore multiple hats on the series. He was the co-showrunner and director, as well as the actor behind Ted. ViewScreen allowed the production to wirelessly capture MacFarlane’s real-time performance, without motion-capture suit, freeing him to move without constraints. ViewScreen captured his facial expressions – without the need to leave his monitors – so he could continue to direct scenes and watch the action. Overall, the process saved MacFarlane time and allowed the crew to capture the right shots in fewer takes.
“We did the motion capture work in real time on set, which we did on the films as well, but it’s now a lot easier with ViewScreen Studio,” explains MacFarlane. “You can do motion capture work without having to wear a large MoCap (motion capture) suit all day, which can be distracting and inhibiting when you're also trying to act and direct. In the space of just 10 years, it made it a significantly different experience when shooting the show.”
The ViewScreen product suite includes ViewScreen Studio and ViewScreen Scout, production visualization (ProVisTM) tools that simultaneously integrate visual effects and the real world to accelerate television and film production. ViewScreen Studio is built for full-scale productions to let filmmakers visualize and animate an entire scene, including digital assets, in real time, across multiple cameras. ViewScreen Scout is a real-time scouting app for the iPhone that lets people record how digital assets will look on location or on a soundstage – before filming begins.
Source: Fuzzy Door Tech
Dan Sarto is Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network.
