Digital backlot

Digital backlot (also known as a virtual backlot) is a term used to describe motion picture sets that have neither genuine location shoots nor practical (i.e. hand-built) sets on the soundstages; the shooting takes place entirely on a stage with a blank background (often a greenscreen) that will have an artificial environment put in during post-production. It is often used in futuristic films to achieve what would otherwise be too expensive or outright impossible to build as a real set.

Notable films

Among the first film to introduce the technique was Mini Moni the Movie by Shinji Higuchi in 2002 predated by for instance Rest In Peace by Stolpskott Film (2000) Others include:

Released

• Rest In Peace (Sweden 2000) - Shot entirely with green-screen. Some sections fully CGI.
• Casshern (Japan 2004) – Shot on celluloid. A few practical set pieces used.
• Able Edwards (United States 2004) – Shot digitally on Canon XL1 cameras.
• Immortal (France 2004) – Shot on celluloid. Also showed CGI characters interacting with live actors.
• Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (United States 2004) – Shot digitally on Sony CineAlta cameras.
• Sin City (United States 2005) – Shot digitally on CineAlta cameras. Three practical sets used.
• MirrorMask (United States/United Kingdom 2005) – Shot on celluloid. 80% of film uses digital backlot. Some practical set pieces used.
• The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (United States 2005) – Shot digitally.
• 300 (United States 2007) – Shot on celluloid. Two practical sets were used.
• Speed Racer (United States 2008) - Directed by the Wachowski Brothers. Three practical sets used.
• The Spirit (United States 2008) – Director Frank Miller shot the film with the same techniques he and Robert Rodriguez used on Sin City.
• Avatar (United States 2009) - Directed by James Cameron. Two practical sets used.
• Alice In Wonderland (United States 2010) - Directed by Tim Burton. Practical sets used.

Upcoming

• Madman (United States TBA) – To be executive produced by Robert Rodriguez. Information released thus-far shows that the film will use all of the same digital backlot techniques as Sin City.
• Sin City 2 (United States 2010) – Co-directed by Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller. Sequel to Sin City.
• Bioshock
• Tribes of October (United States 2011)

See also

• Computer-generated imagery
• Digital cinema
• Digital cinematography
• Filmizing
• Live-action/animated film