Taking digital realism to new levels in the movie world – and the role of network technology

Sitting in the movie theater with a bag of popcorn engrossed in the latest blockbuster movie, a viewer probably has no idea how many skilled contributors are involved in creating such stunning entertainment. Take, for instance, Clear Angle Studios, a 3D capture and processing pioneer, with its groundbreaking, ultra-realistic 3D head and full-body digital scanning, used by studios behind success stories such as Deadpool & Wolverine and Dune: Part Two. Behind the scenes, NETGEAR Business network switches (supplied by Interpro Workstations) ensure the smooth running performance of all the equipment involved in Clear Angle Studio’s world-class 3D scanning, dealing with the many terabytes of data generated.

BACKGROUND

Clear Angle Studios is a market-leading 3D capture and processing company. Known for its high quality data and flexible global teams, it is the preferred choice for film productions worldwide. With 160 professionals across six global hubs, Clear Angle Studios provides a best-in-class digital capture service, including photometric head scanning in 3D and 4D, facial performance capture, full body photogrammetry, prop, LiDAR, and aerial environment scanning and processing.

One of Clear Angle Studios’ stand-out innovations is its Dorothy head scanning rig. Taking hundreds of thousands of still images during a typical 15-minute 4D performance capture shoot, Dorothy captures depth of details, such as faithful rendering of skin texture and every nuance of a person’s expression, helping to match viewers’ high expectations of immersive realism.

THE CHALLENGE

However, this process generates a vast amount of data that then needs to be transferred, processed, and stored. The numbers say it all: “If scanning a face and head, using machine vision cameras, shooting at 48 frames per second, that equates to approximately 30 megabytes per image. So, if, for instance, 13 cameras are being used in a 15-minute scanning session, that can easily be ten or even 15 terabytes of data,” says Andrew Garlick, Clear Angle Studios’ IT Manager.

Andrew provides some context around an example on-set day. “The talent arrives, is briefed, there’s a dry run and then a 15-minute shoot to capture various facial expressions. Then, the data needs to be downloaded from the various PCs into which the cameras are connected and transferred back to the main server. There might also be the need to create a video for the customer to see what has happened, or even send it directly to production, if ready, who might sometimes be on site. From there, everything is backed up to network attached storage (NAS), transferred to the main storage, and wiped, ready for the next shoot in the afternoon. That’s a lot of data to turn around.”

THE SOLUTION

The answer is to have high-bandwidth, high-speed network switches that can rapidly move vast amounts of data between the various endpoints involved, such as the cameras, the server, and the storage. Andrew’s chosen network switch is a NETGEAR M4500, a 100Mb powerhouse designed to meet the specific needs of AV environments. So, when each new Dorothy rig is built, a NETGEAR M4500 is installed as part of the process.

Andrew was already familiar with the 100Mb M4500 because he had previously installed one in the server room. “It made my life 100 per cent easier when we got our first 100Gb switch. Rows of workstations are plugged directly into the M4500, which is then connected to the main storage. The performance boost on that alone has been fantastic.”

“NETGEAR is a brand that doesn’t need to sell itself to us because the switches are reliable, perform well and provide value for money.”Andrew Garlick, Clear Angle Studios’ IT Manager

INTERPRO WORKSTATIONS

Andrew was also well aware of NETGEAR, having used its switches throughout his career. In addition, NETGEAR M4300 switches are used in the full-body scanning rigs (which involve fewer images than the head scanning rig) to connect the cameras to the capture PCs. “I’m not going to pay several times as much for something more difficult to configure when a NETGEAR switch can do the same job. So when we wanted to go 100Gb, The first thing I thought of was, let’s give NETGEAR a go, and I have not been disappointed.”

Andrew is also a fan of managed switches because they give him and his team more control over configuration. Interpro Workstations Ltd. has provided all the switches from NETGEAR, whether 10Gb or 100Gb. Headquartered in Stafford but serving customers all over the UK, Interpro has over 20 years of experience in providing professional IT and networking equipment, bespoke services, and support.

Says Andrew, “Interpro Workstations have been our preferred hardware and software supplier for four years now, and we are very happy with them. We have navigated a pandemic and an actor’s strike with them, and they have assisted us all the way through. We have now gotten to the point where I can ask them if they know of a particular solution or a resolution to an issue, and they will come back with the answer or get us in a room with people who do.”

Interpro is also a recognised NETGEAR partner. Tom Green, Proprietor and Managing Director of Interpro Workstations, says, “NETGEAR is a brand that doesn’t need to sell itself to us because the switches are reliable, perform well and provide value for money. We also have an excellent working relationship with NETGEAR. They’ve always supported us well when we’ve needed help.”

RESULTS

Due to the simplicity of configuring and installing the NETGEAR switches, Andrew and his team take on that task themselves rather than calling on Interpro’s support services. “These switches are pretty straightforward. All we do is set the management, set the frames per port, ensure everything is saved and configured correctly and then leave them. “We’ve got it down to a fine art by now.”

That Clear Angle Studios has a solid foundation for its network infrastructure requirements is essential because as the company continues its impressive evolution, its bandwidth needs will evolve, too. In the meantime, while sitting back and enjoying the likes of Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, Alien: Romulus or Bad Boys: Ride or Die, take a moment to remember the pivotal role Clear Angle Studios has played in bringing many of those movies’ realistic visuals to the screen.

“These switches are pretty straightforward. All we do is set the management, set the frames per port, ensure everything is saved and configured correctly and then leave them.” Andrew Garlick, Clear Angle Studios’ IT Manager