MEGA LED

Turning a theatre into a stage

For Edwards Berger's movie, The Ballad of a Small Player, set and shot in Macau, the Lexhag team were tasked with converting a giant LED venue into a film-ready Virtual Production stage.

The problem was simple: several scenes needed to be set on a real casino floor, but strict filming restrictions meant only a few hours were granted across two days.

Working with James Friend, BSC ASC, Alexis supervised and directed a plate capture unit that acquired the material needed to re-stage shots in the volume one week later.

Lexhag was also the lead VFX vendor on the show for the traditional VFX shots in post-production.

Example shot on a 1.5x Anamorphic

The work began with a visualisation process, for which we utilised our show control tool and Unreal Engine.

We simulated the stage using a CAD model and sent content to the virtualised LED wall using the same tools we'd use on the day.

This enabled us to do three things before we set foot in Macau: plan where the camera should be positioned, visualise how to dress the theatre floor, and provide a head start in building the project that would deliver the show on the day.

The work began with a visualisation process, for which we utilised our show control tool and Unreal Engine.

We simulated the stage using a CAD model and sent content to the virtualised LED wall using the same tools we’d use on the day.

Birds Eye shot of the stage floor arrangement

Simulating the principal camera and lens package, we were able to experiment with lens choices for the foreground (principal shoot) and background (BG plate) to ensure we had the right coverage for the shots the production wanted to acquire.

We wrote tools in Unreal to document the decisions, such as data burn-ins for distance from the screen, camera height and sensor size. This provided a record of information that we could use in the real space.

Preparation & Planning

The Shoot

The colossal MGM theatre floor, the LED wall measured 70M x 12M

Once in Macau, our team got to work and prepared the theatre for a film shoot. across several days. As a self-sufficient team, we shipped all the tools we needed, knowing that it wasn't easy to obtain equipment from Macau due to the lack of Film and TV facilities.

Once in Macau, our team got to work and prepared the theatre for a film shoot. across several days. As a self-sufficient team, we shipped all the tools we needed, knowing that it wasn’t easy to obtain equipment from Macau due to the lack of Film and TV facilities.

The casino floor durning the live action capture

Meanwhile, as the principal unit was shooting the film, Alexis supervised a splinter unit that captured the background plates for display one week later.

A range of materials was photographed as the unit moved around the casino, capturing "cleanish" camera vantage points. These plates underwent extensive cleanup, removing unwanted objects and performing other minor tasks, such as deflickering the casino lighting.

The workflow benefited from using Scratch, the spine of the workflow, as it organises debayering, transcoding, and ultimately runs the show from the same system.

Meanwhile, as the principal unit was shooting the film, Alexis supervised a splinter unit that captured the background plates for display one week later.

A range of materials was photographed as the unit moved around the casino, capturing “cleanish” camera vantage points. These plates underwent extensive cleanup, removing unwanted objects and performing other minor tasks, such as deflickering the casino lighting.

The workflow benefited from using Scratch, the spine of the workflow, as it organises debayering, transcoding, and ultimately runs the show from the same system.

Copyright © 2026 Lexhag Ltd

10:15

info@lexhag.co.uk

Garden Studios, 21 Waxlow Rd, London, NW10 7NU

+44 (0)20 3795 6867‬

10:15

info@lexhag.co.uk

Garden Studios, 21 Waxlow Rd, London, NW10 7NU

+44 (0)20 3795 6867‬

10:15