XR Production LED Volume | Thunder Studios Long Beach, CA

thunder studios

Virtual
Production

Where the world's biggest productions come to life.

Film stages. Virtual production. Live events. All under one roof, built for productions that can't afford to compromise.

Why LED Volume?

Total Control Over Every Frame.

See It In Action

Real light.
Real reflections.

The LED wall emits actual light onto your talent and props. Bounce, fill, reflections in glass — physically real, all happening in camera.

Any location.
Same day.

Tokyo skyline. Arctic tundra. Desert highway. Switch environments between setups without leaving Long Beach.

Director sees the final shot — live.

No waiting weeks for a comp. Decisions happen on set, in real time. Productions move faster and finish closer to the original vision.

The Stage

Stage 14, in frame.

Select shots from recent productions on the new Stage 14 LED volume. Full work archive linked below.

See all the specs for Stage 14

14 stages, each with its own footprint. We'll match the right one.

See Stage 14 →

Book a tour →

Know the difference

Two modes. One wall.

IMAGE · XR stage in use · Unreal environment live on wall

IMAGE · LED stage in use · Flat plate playing on wall

XR

Live 3D · Tracked

LED

Plate Playback · Fast

Live 3D · Unreal

Rendering

Pre-rendered plates

sType optical

Camera tracking

Not required

Full parallax

Depth

Flat 2D plate

Narrative · Moving camera

Best for

Driving plates · Car · Product

Still deciding? We'll help you pick.

Start the call →

Full breakdown →

How it works

Concept to reality,
in five steps.

Pre-production

IMAGE · Whiteboard / tech strategy

Tech Strategy

30 minutes with our XR team. Walk through script, environments, camera moves — what happens in-camera vs. post.

30 min · No charge

Build

IMAGE · Unreal editor scene

World Building

Environments integrated into Unreal and calibrated to Stage 14's LED profile. Bring your own or have our team build.

1–4 weeks

Pre-call

IMAGE · Camera tracking calibration

Tracking Calibration

sType links your camera's physical movement to the virtual world. 10 hours of calibration before your crew arrives.

Day before shoot

On set

IMAGE · Shoot day w/ crew at monitor

Shoot Day

Our XR operator + engine tech run the wall. Swap environments between setups. Director sees the final frame live.

Full XR crew on-site

Wrap

IMAGE · DIT station / final frame

Wrap & Delivery

Footage ships with minimal post. Most shots deliver in-camera. You leave with finished frames, not post tasks.

In-camera VFX

Essentials

Booking FAQ

We know every project is unique, and you might have some questions before getting started.

Do we need to build our own Unreal environments?

Not necessarily. You can bring your own assetes or utilize our in-house World Building team to source, create, and polish assets. We'll cover the right approach during the tech consultation

How far in advance do environments need to be ready?

We recommend environments finalized and calibrated to Stage 14's LED profile at least one week before shoot day. This allows time for a tech rehearsal and color calibration before you have a full crew on set.

What cameras and lenses work best on Stage 14?

Stage 14 works with virtually all professional cinema cameras. Wider lenses above T2.8 typically produce the best results. Lenses with strong native focus breathing can complicate sType tracking — we'll walk through your specific kit on the tech call.

Can Stage 14 be used for live events and streaming?

Yes. Stage 14 is fully broadcast-ready and has been used for live streaming, virtual event backdrops, and hybrid in-person/broadcast experiences — with dedicated fiber, A/V support, and live streaming built in.

Is Stage 14 bookable for less than a full day?

All stages including Stage 14 are booked on a day-rate basis — 12 hours minimum. Given the technical setup required for XR production, most productions find a full day to be the right minimum regardless.

What's the fundamental difference vs. green screen?

With green screen, your background is added weeks later in post. With the LED volume, it's live on set — the director sees the final shot in real time, the wall emits actual light onto talent, and you leave shoot day with a dramatically lighter post pipeline.

What's the difference between XR and LED?

The main difference is where and how the environments are created and/or sourced. XR usually involves building complex Unreal scenes, combined with precision camera tracking. LED does not (usually) include camera tracking, and can be accomplished with my traditional video and photographic backplates.

Ready when you are

Let's make something big.

Tell us your dates and stage size — we'll come back with availability and a quote the same day.

Check availability →

Capabilities deck

Clients