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With a cutting-edge virtual production studio, Hinckley Productions is helping clients create immersive environments with greater flexibility, speed, and realism than ever before. At the center of the system is fos/4 studio lighting from ETC, as well as SolaFrame Theatre fixtures and Hog lighting control.
Hinckley Productions has been in operation for more than a decade. Recently, the company took the leap to install one of the first virtual production LED wall studios in Wisconsin. Now, Hinckley is bringing technology commonly associated with major film productions into more commercial applications.
Virtual production replaces traditional green screens with large LED walls, relying on dynamic digital environments. Making the results realistic requires more than placing talent in front of a screen. The lighting has to support the virtual environment.
Enter: ETC lighting solutions. The studio relies on fos/4 Panel lights and SolaFrame Theatre fixtures, controlled via Hog lighting control. Director/DP Natalie Hinckley says the fos/4 Panels have become essential to their virtual production workflow, thanks to their intensity, color quality, built-in wireless control, and flexibility.
One of the most powerful capabilities of the studio setup is image-based lighting. During a recent shoot, Hinckley created a lakeside environment using video content on the LED wall. Their advanced software sampled colors and movement from elements within the virtual scene, then dynamically translated that information to the fos/4 fixtures. The result was lighting on talent and set pieces that matched the environment displayed behind them in real-time.
"If the background shows sunlight reflecting off the water, we can recreate that same color, movement, and quality of light on the subject," explained Hinckley. "It's really the next level of video production, creating an environment rather than just placing someone in front of a two-dimensional background."
Beyond virtual production, the company also uses ETC fixtures in a variety of applications. Several SolaFrame Theatre fixtures remain permanently installed in the Madison-based studio, while additional units are deployed for live events, conferences, and location shoots. The same flexibility applies to the fos/4 Panels, which regularly move between productions.
Quiet operation was a critical factor in selecting the SolaFrame Theatre fixtures. In a studio environment where audio is just as important as lighting, the fixture's silent operation enables production to create impressive looks without unwanted noise. Combined with their output, effects capabilities, and optical quality, the fixtures have become a valuable tool in the space.
Looking ahead, Hinckley Productions is gearing up for the next phase of its virtual production capabilities. New camera robotics are coming to the studio, so camera movement, LED wall content, and lighting cues can all be synchronized together. This level of coordination opens new and complex creative possibilities.
As virtual production expands to commercial creators, companies like Hinckley Productions are demonstrating how lighting remains one of the most important ingredients in creating believable worlds. ETC is proud to provide the tools that serve all kinds of dynamic environments.
