Smash Virtual

Smash Virtual is a dedicated LED virtual production studio at 2617 South Wabash Avenue in Chicago, Illinois, about 10 minutes from downtown according to the studio. It describes itself as Chicago’s only dedicated LED virtual production studio and as Emmy-winning. The purpose-built 18,000-square-foot facility has two LED volumes for in-camera VFX, 2D plate playback and real-time 3D, used for film, television, commercials and live events.

LED volumes

• Volume A: a U-shaped, wraparound LED wall 100 linear feet long and 13 feet tall with a full LED ceiling, built from 868 LED panels.
• Volume B: a 25-linear-foot, 13-foot-tall wall of 128 panels for interviews and smaller scenes.
• Technology: custom 2.6mm LED tiles, OptiTrack wireless camera tracking, and Unreal Engine, Pixera and Nuke Stage. Both volumes support camera-tracked 3D and simultaneous 2D playback.

Services

• In-camera VFX with real-time camera tracking, and 2D plate playback for driving work and motion graphics.
• Custom 3D environments in Unreal Engine from the studio’s virtual art department, SMASH VAD.
• Pre-visualization, tech-vis and tech-blocking with the director, DP and department heads before the shoot.
• An in-house RED V-Raptor camera package, plus grip, lighting and production supplies through a partnership with 2nd Cine Rentals.

Facility and parking

The building has ground-floor load-in, a makeup room, a changing room, production offices, meeting rooms, and a holding room with a kitchenette. A 100-car gated parking lot is reached from 26th Street, and paid street parking is also available.

Notable productions

According to Smash Virtual, work produced on its stages includes NBC’s Chicago Fire and Chicago PD, Apple TV+’s Dark Matter, Hulu’s Deli Boys, Blizzard’s Diablo IV, and spots for Dyson, KitchenAid, Salesforce Agentforce and Dish Network.