Bring Stained Glass Reflections to Life | The Debrief Episode 33

VPMastermind.com

In this debrief, we’re breaking down everything that went into a production day that took us from a stained glass church interior in the morning to a modern coffee shop setup in the afternoon — all captured inside our virtual production studio.

You’ll see how we managed lighting consistency across real-world plates, made subtle RGB lighting choices to match stained glass reflections, and adjusted exposure on the fly with Blackmagic Pixis 6Ks and the URSA Cine 12K. This wasn't just about making it look real — it was about making it look cinematic.

We go deep on the real-world challenges:

🎛️ Tripping a breaker mid-shoot after adding playback hardware

🎥 Battling noisy plate compression and switching to full ProRes via HyperDecks

🧠 Making last-minute client changes work when setups didn't align

🔧 Learning how color charts impact not just grading but exposure

🎯 Fixing scale and perspective mismatch from early plate footage

You'll also hear from multiple team members — lighting, tech, and direction — as we reflect on:

Choosing the right plate playback system (OBS vs. HyperDeck)

Working through camera ISO and exposure strategies in low light scenes

Balancing creative lighting with client expectations

The never-ending pursuit of “how real is real enough?”

We’re sharing all the tips, tools, fails, and wins — not because it was perfect, but because this is the real-world process of building high-quality virtual content with tight turnarounds, evolving gear, and ever-changing creative needs.

Whether you're in post, lighting, camera, or virtual production — there’s something here for you.

🧰 Gear Used:
Blackmagic URSA Cine 12K

Pixis 6K Cameras

HyperDeck Studio Pro

Intellytech MEGA-Lite FC 12

DaVinci Resolve with ColorChecker integration

OBS Studio (initially)

⏱️ Key Topics Covered:
00:00 Intro & Setup Overview

05:20 Matching Church Lighting Virtually

16:45 Color Chart Confusion & Lessons

27:10 Dealing with Noise & ISO Choices

💬 Drop a comment:
What’s your biggest pain point in virtual production or green screen work right now? We’re always evolving — and your questions help shape what we cover next.