The five best educational resources for virtual production skills

3D World discovers how you can get to grips with one of the most exciting technologies in the business

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Virtual production is a big deal. If you have even the most cursory interest in 3D art, then you'll have heard of it, but you might not be aware of what it actually means or how you can benefit from learning about the subject.

In simple terms, virtual production uses 3D engines like Unreal Engine or Unity to create and manipulate virtual elements on LED backdrops. Filmmakers are essentially getting in-camera VFX behind their actors in real-time. So far, the fruits of virtual production have included The Mandalorian, The Batman, and innovative sports broadcasts, among others.

This rise in popularity calls for a plentiful supply of 3D artists to wield the real-time graphics involved. Sound interesting? We thought it might, and that's why we sat down with some industry-leading experts to find out what the best educational resources for virtual production are. From online courses to YouTube channels and Unreal Engine plugins, read on for everything you need to get started in virtual production.

1. TRY ONLINE COURSES LIKE DVIZ

Joss Abaco, an interactive developer at creative studio Meptik, has been working with real-time tools for six years. He's been involved in some groundbreaking projects and is perfectly placed to explain the benefits of a career in virtual production.

"Virtual production is fun and rewarding," says Abaco. "You're not waiting years to see the impact of your work, deliveries are plentiful, and it's gratifying to see a camera animation or set design you made used in something like CES or the Overwatch League.