Chaos Redefines VFX with Ray Tracing FTW: A Groundbreaking Fusion of Comedy and Innovation

PH: Can you explain how the new Project Arena toolset revolutionizes virtual production, particularly in terms of speed and reliability? How does it compare to traditional methods?

Chaos: Project Arena is a new production tool from Chaos designed to make virtual production faster and more reliable, without the need for a game engine. Traditional virtual production methods often require complex asset conversion using tools like Unreal Engine. In contrast, Project Arena allows studios to transfer 3D assets from tools like Maya or 3ds Max directly to LED walls in just 10 minutes. This eliminates the need for stripping or baking, so you can reuse assets, plus, you don’t need to learn or adapt to a new workflow. You just use the tools you know.

Project Arena utilizes live ray tracing with full global illumination, allowing filmmakers to adjust lighting on the fly, in real time, without needing to re-bake the lighting setup. It’s all geared at giving filmmakers more creative control during production. 

We recently created the short film Ray Tracing FTW partly as a way to test out Project Arena in a real production. During the shoot we managed nearly 2 trillion faces of geometry in real time, running at 24fps locked to the camera for virtual production. And throughout the three-day shoot, we didn’t have a single crash, not one. 

PH: Ray Tracing FTW humorously tackles some of the challenges in Hollywood filmmaking and VFX. What were some specific issues you aimed to highlight, and how does the film address these?

Chaos: Ray Tracing FTW is a love letter and a tongue-in-cheek critique of both the visual effects industry, and filmmaking in general. We wanted to use the short to pay tribute to the old VFX methods that have been the backbone of filmmaking for decades, while also poking fun at the reality that many of these techniques may have outlived their relevance.

At the same time, we wanted to address some of the new technologies that are making waves in the industry, including AI, virtual production and even NFTs. While all of these technologies are being closely watched, it’s still not clear if they are truly contributing to the craft of filmmaking, or if they will fade away as many other tools have. Sometimes these technologies can overshadow the essence of storytelling, and that’s something we explore in the short. No matter what tools or technology a filmmaker uses, storytelling should always be at the heart of the filmmaking process. 

The final statement of Ray Tracing FTW is that we need to get back to the roots of filmmaking—where collaboration is key, and the primary focus is on telling a compelling story together. This was the driving force behind our decision to make the film a western.

For decades, westerns were the ultimate example of what Hollywood films could be. They embodied that old school sensibility that helped define the industry. For a western to stand out in a crowded field and become a classic, it needed everything to come together, from the music to the cinematography to the environments. By choosing this classic format  we wanted to emphasize the importance of working together to create something meaningful, just as filmmakers have done for generations.

In the end, Ray Tracing FTW uses humor to highlight the tension between old and new in VFX and filmmaking, while reminding us that the core of this industry is, and always should be, about storytelling.

PH: The new behind-the-scenes video provides an in-depth look at the making of Ray Tracing FTW. What are some key takeaways or surprising aspects from the making of the film that you hope viewers will find interesting?

Chaos: What might surprise viewers of the short is that nearly the entire film was shot on a stage using virtual production. The behind-the-scenes video for Ray Tracing FTW offers a fascinating look at how every person involved played a crucial role in shaping the story. One of the standout aspects is how the actors, many of whom are famous artists and computer graphics developers, contributed to telling their own stories within the narrative.

Led by Director of Photography Richard Crudo, the camera crew focused on capturing the exact look of classic spaghetti westerns, nailing that old-school aesthetic. The costumes, led by Yuan Yuan Liang and makeup by Meredith Cross, were also key to shaping the film’s visual style. Both departments had fun weaving their designs into the storytelling, enhancing the overall narrative.

The physical set designs played a crucial role in blending the virtual and real worlds. Erick Schiele designed the sets digitally, ensuring that both the physical and virtual sets worked seamlessly together. By designing them simultaneously, the transition between these worlds was flawless. Tom Early's team built the sets modularly, allowing for quick transitions on set, such as moving from the bar car to the luggage car.

Throughout all of this, Project Arena ran for three days straight without crashing, allowing us to focus purely on filmmaking. The technology just worked, giving everyone the freedom to be creative without worrying about technical glitches.

Additionally, there are several surprise cameos in the short that may catch viewers off guard, adding another layer of fun for those watching closely!

PH: How does using Project Arena’s virtual production capabilities change the way filmmakers approach projects? Are there particular features or aspects that you found especially beneficial during the creation of Ray Tracing FTW?

Chaos: As artists and filmmakers, one of the major benefits we saw during the making of Ray Tracing FTW was that core design files that the art department created – including the sets and environments – could be utilized as-is by other departments. Once the art department created a key asset, it went to the CG department for VFX and onto the LED wall during production. The world the art team created was literally used for the live action scenes, and blended with the live action sets, giving the DP and director the same look that they signed off on in the design stages. By creating a single asset that could be used by multiple teams, it saved us significant time and effort. Plus, it never crashed or broke

PH: Given that Ray Tracing FTW was the first media test for Project Arena, what were some of the major learnings or feedback received during and after its production? How has this influenced further development of the toolset?

Chaos: During the production of Ray Tracing FTW, Project Arena performed exceptionally well, proving its potential as an alternative virtual production solution. However, it’s important to note that in its current form, Project Arena is not a direct replacement for traditional virtual production pipelines. Instead, it offers an alternative that can simplify virtual production for many types of projects.

There are some limitations, such as certain effects and types of animations that are not yet supported. On the other hand, it has significant advantages—one being that you don’t need a virtual art department to spend weeks or more optimizing assets to fit within a game engine. Project Arena also simplifies the overall pipeline, though some stages involve a more rigid Perforce setup.

For the short we made, Project Arena had everything we needed to execute our vision. However, we know there are still plenty of features that need to be developed, and that’s where engaging with other productions comes in. Ray Tracing FTW demonstrated what the technology can achieve today, but we are looking to these other projects to tell us what needs to be added next. Project Arena is still in development, and their feedback will help shape its continued evolution. With their help, we will launch the commercial version very soon, and let people try it out for themselves. 

PH: How do you envision the future of virtual production evolving with tools like Project Arena? What potential developments or innovations are you most excited about in this field?

Chaos: The big takeaway is that the centralized production standard that Project Arena offers, means that smaller productions – from commercials to indie budget films – can utilize the look and efficiency that LED virtual production offers.

PH: Can you walk us through the creative process behind Ray Tracing FTW? How did you incorporate humor and critique into the narrative while showcasing the capabilities of Project Arena?

Chaos: The creative process behind Ray Tracing FTW was rooted in the irony of how visual effects are perceived today. VFX is often villainized, with the movie industry proudly marketing films that supposedly use "no CGI"—which is rarely true. The reality is that CGI is everywhere, but when done well, it’s invisible. The humor of the short comes from how we constantly make fun of VFX while pretending it isn’t there. But the truth is, it was right there on set with us the entire time.

This approach is a direct flip and a sequel to what we did 12 years ago with the original V-Ray IRL short. Back then, we used no CGI while praising how great CGI could be. In Ray Tracing FTW, we do the opposite—we talk about moving away from CGI, while it quietly and literally sits in the background the whole time. This playful reversal allowed us to critique the current trends in the industry while showcasing the subtle, yet powerful role that visual effects, powered by tools like Project Arena, continue to play in modern filmmaking.

PH: What message or impression do you hope Ray Tracing FTW leaves with its audience, particularly those in the filmmaking and VFX communities?

Chaos: For the team behind it all, it showed that the love of films – the history of films and storytelling – go hand in hand with technological advances. For us, the love of cinema means that you continue to celebrate and cultivate it as an artform. Technologies like Project Arena help keep the art form alive for more artists within its world.