At La Planète Rouge, I helped develop a 360 capture system for car scenes shot on an LED stage. Road footage played around a stationary vehicle provides the background, light inside the cabin and reflections on the windows and bodywork. The studio wanted a faster alternative to rebuilding every location in 3D.

The capture vehicle could retrace the route used for the exterior shots, recording the road, traffic, light and weather for playback around the actors. After testing dual-lens cameras, whose resolution and stitching did not hold up at the scale of the wall, we selected a Kandao Obsidian Pro for 12K panoramas and Mistika VR for stitching and stabilisation.

Camera height and vibration were closely linked problems. The camera needed to sit at a driver’s eye level to match the horizon on stage, while small movements became obvious when enlarged across the LED wall. A low, open Caterham Seven gave us the right mounting height. Adjustable suspension, an anti-vibration arm and software stabilisation reduced the remaining movement.

The project was initiated by my supervisor. I contributed to camera and software comparisons, equipment selection, vehicle assembly, stabilisation tests and integration with Notch and Disguise. I also wrote the technical and commercial funding proposal, which helped secure more than €100,000 in CNC support for further development.

My supervisor continued the project after I left. The system later served productions including Les Lionnes, Bagarre and Section de recherches: Neige sang. The captured footage could also be reused, gradually building a library for productions unable to fund a dedicated capture.