Quality Assurance is a Real-Time Engine term in filmmaking. In virtual production, the nuances of this term take on special meaning. Here, we break down the definition to give you a starting point.
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Quality Assurance (QA) is a crucial process that ensures the high-quality and successful execution of virtual production projects. Quality assurance in virtual productions involves checking for flaws, errors, and imperfections within an environment or asset to ensure it meets expected standards before release. QA professionals must have a comprehensive understanding of the entire production process, from concept to delivery, and possess technical skills such as data analysis and coding abilities.
For any successful virtual production project, quality assurance teams need to focus on both pre-production and post-production activities. During pre-production, they should strive to create a detailed plan with measurable goals, establish efficient communication channels between departments, review raw materials and processes used in production, set up monitoring systems, and document all changes made throughout development. Additionally, they need to design tests to assess the quality of deliverables and ensure these tests are carried out properly by qualified testers.
In post-production, quality assurance teams should monitor results against predetermined requirements, inspect each stage of development for accuracy and reliability, review feedback from users, identify areas of improvement and adjust accordingly, generate reports regarding performance indicators and defects found, and finally take responsibility for approving releases when appropriate. It’s also important for them to use specialized software tools to automate certain aspects of testing and track their progress over time.
The team responsible for managing quality assurance in virtual production projects will typically include software developers, IT experts, product managers, customer support representatives, artists, testers, auditors, system administrators, and other specialists who can provide invaluable insights into the project at hand. Everyone involved in QA must have extensive knowledge of industry best practices so they can work collaboratively to maximize results. When done correctly, QA efforts help ensure the highest possible outcome while preventing costly mistakes or delays during a project.