City of Echoes - Writing the Virtual Production Screenplay

<p dir="ltr">The <i>City of Echoes</i> short film screenplay was written as a research project in partnership with NantStudios (Melbourne) with funding support from the Faculty of Fine Arts and Music, The University of Melbourne, via a Commonwealth Department of Education, Skills and Employment grant to advance virtual production research, skills and capabilities in the Victoria and Australia.</p><p dir="ltr">The screenplay, written by Andrew O'Keefe and co-writer/colleague Jack Rule, dramatises the theme that <i>“living a creative life is an act of bravery”.</i> Despite virtual production’s technical demands—requiring attention to pixel-pitch, gen-lock, and mocap sync — the story’s theme remained central, providing a unifying vision for the entire crew. As the story and the production progressed in complexity, this central premise became more important and ensured that all elements would blend into an harmonious whole. The production process required balancing artistic vision with technical feasibility and theme kept us all on course. Through this synergy, lessons unfolded.</p><p dir="ltr"><i>City of Echoes </i>was written with a specific focus on producing the film using In-Camera Visual Effects (ICVFX) workflows and using LED Volumes - inspired by the minimalist urban landscape paintings of Jeffrey Smart OA. </p><p dir="ltr"><br></p>