The real-time studio creates augmented and augmented reality graphics for Iron Chef: Quest for an Iron Legend, reimagining the legendary competition series for a new generation.
Silver Spoon, masters of virtual production principles, have brought 3D visualization to the Netflix revival of the Iron Chef franchise. After working on Fox Alternative Entertainment’s Alter Ego and CBS Sports’ March Madness, the studio created augmented reality graphics as well as eight unique 3D XR environments for the competition show, helping to freshen up the look of the show while maintaining its essence.
To enhance visual interaction, Silver Spoon set up and launched a large-scale LED volume inside the “Secret Ingredient Room”, expanding the hands-on set to huge virtual worlds.
Under tight deadlines, the team produced eight unique 3D environments in Unreal Engine, ranging from underwater scenes and chilli fields to a street food market and a medieval feast.
In addition to the XR environments, the team has developed extensions to the AR set, including thousands of DMX-controlled virtual lights, to expand the hands-on set to a larger scale.
Integrating AR and XR workflows into production
Over a three-week filming schedule for eight episodes, Silver Spoon provided AR and XR operations with real-time compositing via Pixotope and camera tracking via Stype for the four cameras being tracked. A key goal for Silver Spoon was to seamlessly integrate AR and XR workflows during filming. Pre-planning and collaboration between all departments proved to be the key to the successful implementation of virtual production technologies into the classic Iron Chef format.
Eitan Keller, Executive Producer and Director of Iron Chef, said: “To help reimagine Iron Chef and introduce it to a new generation, we decided early on to integrate the dynamic cinematic look and feel made possible by graphics and AR and XR technologies. This transformative visual impact has transformed the format into something modern and fresh while staying true to what makes Iron Chef great.”
