Virtual art department (VAD) in Virtual Production

Virtual art department (VAD) is a Virtual Production 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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Basic Definition:

What is Virtual art department (VAD) in virtual production?

A virtual art department (VAD) is a specialized group of professionals responsible for creating real-time assets and environments used in the previs and virtual production process. VAD professionals typically include concept artists, modelers, texture painters, lighters, riggers, matte painters, FX animators, compositors, and technical directors who maintain hardware and software. 

VADs are also tasked with capturing physical sets or locations, virtually scouting digital locations, developing preliminary environments so the director of photography can pre-light them accordingly, designing props, characters and set builds which will be practical or digital, depending on the project’s needs. To do this successfully, they often need to collaborate closely with several other departments such as storyboarding and animation.

The type of software VADs uses greatly depends on the project's scope. For example, if the team is working on an animated feature film, then they could use Autodesk Maya or Pixologic Zbrush to create 3D models and textures. Additionally, programs like Adobe Photoshop and The Foundry’s NukeX would help them composite shots into seamless visuals. A variety of other applications may be necessary depending on the complexity of each shot. 

Ultimately, virtual art departments serve to bridge the gap between traditional previsualization and virtual production – ensuring no matter what medium is being used, the visual effects look their absolute best. As technology evolves at lightning speed, teams must constantly innovate new ways to optimize their workflow while maintaining top quality visuals across all stages of post-production.