How Vertical-First Studios Can Get LED-Volume Quality Without LED-Volume Costs

Introduction – Vertical Video Has Grown Up

• Vertical is now a serious storytelling and revenue channel (dramas, branded series, creator shows).

• Quality expectations are closer to “Netflix” than “phone vlog,” but budgets/timelines haven’t caught up.

• Introduce Voia as a compact virtual production system that delivers LED-volume-level visuals without the LED wall or $40K/day stages.

• Thesis: Voia is uniquely suited to vertical-first studios that need cinematic quality at social speed and scale.

The Problem – Vertical Content Outgrew Its Tools

Location and World-Building Constraints

• Desired worlds: deserts, snow, futuristic cities, glossy brand spaces.

• Reality: one small studio, limited travel, no time for complex locations.

• Result: Stories are written to fit what’s physically available, not what’s creatively ideal.

LED Volumes Are Overkill for Most Vertical Projects

• Typical LED volume cost: ~$40K/day, plus content creation and specialized crews.

• Heavy preproduction and long lead times.

• Overpowered and overpriced for short-form series and always-on channels.

The Post-Production Bottleneck

• Traditional greenscreen workflow demands heavy manual roto and compositing.

• Delays creative decisions until weeks after the shoot.

• Hard to scale when you’re producing ongoing vertical series and campaigns.

What Voia Is (and Is Not)

A Compact Virtual Production System

• Three core elements:

  • iPad – controller, director’s monitor, virtual scouting and shot-planning tool.

  • Box – hardware unit that ingests SDI, does live compositing, and connects to the cloud.

  • iPhone – camera-mounted tracker that captures camera movement.

• Works on white or green walls with simple markers (e.g., gaff tape).

• Integrates with Unreal Engine environments.

What Voia Is Not

• Not an LED wall / LED volume.

• Not a big PC-based, on-set graphics workstation.

• Not a pure post-only tool you only feel weeks later.

How Voia Works – In Plain Language

The iPad – Control Center & Virtual Camera

• Single interface for loading environments, controlling the system, and monitoring live comps.

• Used in prep to:

  • Load “splats” (environments).

  • Virtually scout locations.

  • Frame shots and save camera positions/moves.

• Used on set to:

  • Recall saved shots.

  • Show live composites to director, DP, and producers.

The Box – Real-Time Compositing Brain

• Takes SDI input from cinema cameras (Sony, RED, Alexa, etc.).

• Performs live compositing of actors with virtual backgrounds.

• Outputs SDI back to monitors/video village.

• Sends data to the cloud for high-resolution renders and dailies.

The iPhone – Tracker on the Camera

• Mounted on camera rails.

• Tracks position and orientation for accurate parallax and perspective.

• Uses simple wall markers for robust tracking—no exotic rigs required.

From Live Preview to Final 4K Renders

Near-Final Live Preview On Set

• iPad/monitors show a smooth, near-final composite in real time.

• Useful for:

  • Framing and blocking with the full world visible.

  • Judging how light interacts with the environment.

  • On-the-day client and producer sign-off.

Cloud Renders With Full VFX Layers

• After the shoot, select takes for cloud rendering.

• Output:

  • 4K final comps, plus:

    • Depth maps.

    • Surface normals.

    • Automatic roto/mattes.

• Greatly reduces manual VFX labor; post focuses on creative adjustments rather than brute-force roto.

Why Voia Is a Perfect Fit for Vertical & Social

Auto-Comps Are Often “More Than Enough” for Phones

• Vertical viewers watch on small screens, fast-moving cuts.

• Voia’s auto-comps are typically good enough to ship as final for social.

• Minor edge imperfections are often invisible at vertical resolutions.

Designed for High-Volume, Always-On Pipelines

• Vertical-first studios produce:

  • Continuous series.

  • Recurring brand content.

  • Creator shows.

• Voia helps:

  • Reuse environments across multiple projects.

  • Move complexity out of post and into automated layers.

  • Keep all stakeholders aligned through shared iPad previs.

Ambitious Stories Without Leaving the Studio

• Virtual deserts, snowfields, cities, brand worlds all from the same stage.

• Writers can pitch more ambitious worlds; producers don’t have to say “we can’t afford that location.”

• DPs can effectively “shoot golden hour” or magic environments for hours at a time.

Workflow Examples for Vertical-First Studios

Example 1 – 20-Episode Vertical Drama

• 20 x 2-minute episodes (40 min total).

• Use Voia to:

  • Previs and block scenes in 2–3 key environments.

  • Shoot in one studio against a simple wall.

  • Approve shots on set using live composites.

  • Render only chosen takes in 4K with layers.

• Outcome: TV-like worlds and scale in a vertical-first package, at manageable cost and schedule.

Example 2 – Always-On Brand Channel

• Weekly TikTok/Reels content for a brand.

• Use Voia for:

  • A reusable branded virtual “universe” for products and characters.

  • Set extension: practical foreground + live-tracked virtual backgrounds.

  • Auto-comps as final for most posts; 4K renders for hero pieces.

• Outcome: Consistent, premium brand look without constant set rebuilds or location moves.

The Economics – Making Virtual Production Practical

Pricing Overview

• Approx. $3,000/month for the Voia system/box.

• Approx. $100/minute of final rendered footage (4K with layers).

Compared to LED Volumes and Traditional VFX

• LED volume: ~$40K/day, plus high crew and content costs.

• Traditional VFX: weeks of manual roto, depth, and comp per episode or campaign.

• With Voia:

  • Keep the box all month and spread cost across multiple projects.

  • Only pay for 4K renders on footage that truly needs it.

  • Predictable, modular virtual production line items in budgets.

Studio-Ready and Legally Conscious

Foundational Model Built for Major Platforms

• Uses a foundational AI model chosen with legal and studio requirements in mind.

• Safer for work that may later end up:

  • On major streaming platforms.

  • In compilations or adaptations.

  • Under studio legal review.

Getting Started – Piloting Voia in Your Slate

Step 1 – Choose the Right Pilot Project

• A visually ambitious, contained vertical drama.

• A brand mini-series needing a distinct world.

• A creator show ready to upgrade its production value.

Step 2 – Define a Small Set of Environments

• 2–3 environments (e.g., real-world set extension + 1–2 stylized locations).

• Build or license Unreal assets; generate “splats” for Voia.

Step 3 – Use Voia for Both Previs and Production

• Block shots on iPad first, save camera setups.

• Shoot in studio with box + iPhone tracker.

• Get live sign-off from stakeholders via near-final on-set comps.

Step 4 – Measure Results

• Location days avoided.

• VFX hours saved on roto/comp.

• Ability to tell more ambitious stories within the same budget.

Conclusion – Turning Ambition into a Repeatable Process

• Vertical content no longer has to look “cheap” or constrained by locations.

• Voia offers:

  • LED-volume flavor without LED-volume price.

  • Live, nearly final composites that keep decisions on set.

  • Automated VFX layers that de-stress post.

  • A single, iPad-driven workflow from previs through production.

• For vertical-first studios, Voia turns high-end virtual production from a one-off experiment into a repeatable, scalable process for series, brands, and creators.