About the Customer

Zachary Quemore is a seasoned Location Manager in the film industry, renowned for his innovative approach to integrating technology into film production processes. He has worked on huge blockbuster productions including Captain Marvel, The Dark Knight Rises, Black Panther, and Obi-Wan Kenobi. With extensive experience in photogrammetry, scanning, Unity, Unreal Engine, and VR technologies, Zach continuously seeks cutting-edge solutions to enhance efficiency and collaboration in location scouting.

The Challenge

Inefficient Traditional Methods

• Labor-Intensive Measurements: Zach's team traditionally relied on sending personnel with tape measures to physically measure filming locations. This method was time-consuming, prone to errors, and often required multiple trips due to forgotten measurements or additional requests from directors.
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• Increased Costs and Time: Each site visit entailed significant travel expenses, property access fees, and consumed valuable time, thereby inflating the production budget and timeline.

Handling Massive 3D Models

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• File Size Limitations: Utilizing advanced scanning techniques, Zach produced highly detailed 3D models of locations using 6,000 drone photos, ground photos, and LiDAR data. These models were massive in size, making them difficult to handle and share.
• Device Constraints: To view these models on standalone VR devices like the Meta Quest, significant reductions in polycount were necessary, leading to a loss of critical detail and accuracy.

Limited Collaboration Tools

• Geographical Dispersion: Key team members, including directors and producers, were often spread across different locations globally, such as a director based in Australia and team members in Los Angeles.
• Lack of Real-Time Interaction: Existing tools did not support seamless, real-time collaboration within the 3D models, hindering effective communication and decision-making.

QuarkXR's Solution

QuarkXR provided an end-to-end solution that directly addressed Zach's challenges. By leveraging our Cloud rendering technology, we turned the Frontier town 3D model into an interactive experience. This way the director, location manager, and producers can collaborate remotely, leave comments, and explore design ideas

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Cloud-Based Rendering of Full-Fidelity Models
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• 2 Day Turnaround: Without the need to optimize for viewing on lower-end hardware, Zach was able to capture the initial model and render it within QuarkXR in just two days.
• No Compromise on Quality: QuarkXR's platform enabled Zach to upload his massive photogrammetry scans directly, where they were rendered on powerful NVIDIA GPUs in the cloud.
• Seamless Streaming: High-quality models were streamed seamlessly to VR devices and web browsers without the need for polycount reduction.

Multi-User Collaboration in Real-Time

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• Built-In Multiplayer Environment: The platform offered real-time collaboration features, including avatars and voice chat via Vivox, allowing team members to interact within the same virtual space.
• Cross-Platform Accessibility: Team members could access the platform from desktop, web, or VR devices, facilitating collaboration regardless of their location or preferred hardware.

3D Annotations and Task Management

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• Spatially Tied Annotations: Users could place comments and notes directly within the 3D environment, tied to specific locations or objects, enhancing clarity and context.
• Integrated Task Assignment: Annotations could be converted into tasks, assigned to team members, and the system could automatically guide users to relevant locations within the 3D space.

Customization and Ease of Integration

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• Flexible Unity SDK: QuarkXR's Unity SDK allowed Zach to customize the platform extensively, modifying menu icons, implementing tools like an altitude gauge, and tailoring functionalities to project needs.
• Simple Implementation: Integrating QuarkXR into existing workflows was straightforward, with minimal additional development required.

The Transformation

Significant Reduction in Travel and Costs

• Fewer Site Visits Required: The need for physical location scouting trips was reduced by approximately 66%, cutting down from three trips to just one.
• Cost Savings: Substantial savings were realized in travel expenses, property access fees, and associated logistical costs.

Enhanced Efficiency and Accuracy

• Eliminated Measurement Errors: Accurate measurements could be extracted directly from the high-fidelity 3D models, virtually eliminating the risk of human error in physical measurements.
• Time Savings: Production timelines were accelerated by weeks due to more efficient planning and reduced need for repeated site visits.

Improved Collaboration and Communication

• Global Team Integration: Geographically dispersed team members could collaborate effectively in real-time, improving decision-making and creativity.
• Task Management Efficiency: The ability to assign and track tasks within the 3D environment streamlined workflows and ensured accountability.

Future-Ready Workflow

• Digital Twin Creation: The groundwork was laid for creating detailed digital twins of filming locations, usable throughout pre-production, production, and post-production phases.
• Advanced Visualization: The integration of AR/VR technologies during shooting allowed for better visualization of final shots, enhancing creative outcomes.

Ease of Implementation and Collaboration with QuarkXR

• User-Friendly Integration: Implementing QuarkXR was straightforward. By adding the QuarkXR Unity plugin to the existing Unity project, all platform features were readily available.
• Customization Capabilities: Zach found it easy to customize the platform to meet specific project requirements, enhancing usability and effectiveness.
• Support and Responsiveness: Working with the QuarkXR team was a positive experience, characterized by responsive support and a collaborative approach to solving challenges.

Testimonial

"With the QuarkXR Unity SDK, I can now upload my photogrammetry scans, as large as they may be, directly to the platform, where they're rendered on powerful NVIDIA GPUs and streamed seamlessly to VR and web browsers. It was very easy to customize the QuarkXR plugin to modify menu icons and implement tools like an altitude gauge. I appreciate how QuarkXR not only preserves the high quality of my 3D models but also enhances my workflow through cloud streaming with near-zero latency."

— Zach, Location Manager

Conclusion

QuarkXR fundamentally transformed Zach's approach to location scouting by providing a comprehensive solution that addressed his key challenges. The platform's ability to handle massive 3D models without compromising quality, coupled with its robust collaboration tools, resulted in significant time and cost savings. The ease of implementation and customization further enhanced the user experience, making QuarkXR an invaluable asset in modern film production.

Zach is highly likely to recommend QuarkXR to other professionals in the industry, confident in its ability to streamline workflows, enhance collaboration, and unlock new creative possibilities.

Interested in learning how QuarkXR can revolutionize your film production processes?

Contact us today or visit our website for more information.

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