Video Progetti supported On Air Milano in creating its Virtual Production studio, guiding the client from an initial proof-of-concept to the full implementation of an In-Camera VFX setup with LED walls, media servers, and camera tracking. Through technical, training, and financial support, On Air Milano became the first fully equipped Virtual Production studio in Northern Italy, expanding its production opportunities.
On Air Milano is a mid-sized firm specializing in production and post-production services in Milan. Established in 1991, On Air Milano has now transitioned to the second generation under the management of Niki Petrucci, the son of one of On Air Milano’s founders. Niki serves as the main reference point as Producer and Virtual Production specialist.
On Air Milano is strategically located in the eastern part of Milan, within the metropolitan area and close to Cologno Monzese. This suburb has become Italy’s main media hub, largely thanks to Mediaset. On Air Milano’s main clients span across advertising, corporate video productions, and broadcasting companies.
On Air Milano
Image courtesy of On Air Milano
Challenge
On Air Milano’s premises include a mid-sized studio, previously used primarily for advertising productions, that required some renovations to make it competitive in an increasingly crowded and demanding market. For this reason, On Air Milano sought to create more opportunities to boost the studio, differentiate it from the competition, and explore additional activities as part of its Production division. In his role as Producer, Niki Petrucci was aware of the potential of LED Volumes and Virtual Production, so he approached Video Progetti to evaluate the possibility of setting up a full in-house Virtual Production set.
For a company of On Air Milano’s size, this represented a significant investment. Therefore, their request didn’t entail only the creation of a Virtual Production set, but it also included special assistance in financing the project and offer a solid partnership for all post-sales activities, including the full training and re-skilling of the internal team.
Solution
Given the complexity of the project and the scale of the investment, it was mutually decided to go through a Proof-of-Concept (POC) stage by renting a LED Volume, a media server (Disguise), and a camera tracking system. Video Progetti supported On Air Milano also with the initial training of the staff.
This phase extended well beyond a mere technical test. With the POC setup, On Air Milano successfully produced “ZERO,” a TV program for RAI, which aired on RAI2, one of the state broadcaster’s primary channels.
With the POC demonstrating that the solution was “ready for prime-time” and capable of opening new business opportunities for On Air Milano, it was decided to proceed with the full implementation of a Virtual Production Studio.
The solution deployed at On Air Milano by Video Progetti is a typical In-Camera VFX Virtual Production setup that includes:
- 12m x 3.5m backdrop LED wall. This is a Unilumin Upad IV with 2,6mm pixel pitch.
- 6m x 3m ceiling LED wall. This is a Unilumin Upad III with 5mm pixel pitch.
- Brompton SX40 Tessera processors SX40
- Disguise Media Server (1 x VX2)
- Disguise Render Engine (2 x RX2)
- Stype camera tracking system for 2 cameras
Interestingly, On Air Milano decided to finance and self-produce a short film, “23”, before putting the Virtual Production studio into full operation. This allowed them to experiment all nuances of VP without the typical hassles of a “real” production and demonstrate the possibilities of Virtual Production to prospective clients. “23” has been selected at some major festivals in recent months.
La Virtual Production con DDAY.it
The On Air Milano studio is the first fully equipped Virtual Production studio in northern Italy. As Niki Petrucci stated, “If you have to embrace new technologies, it is important to ‘jump on board’ as early as possible to gain a competitive advantage.” In its first year of full operations – from April 2023 – On Air Milano has produced several commercials, with a special focus on automotive, quickly establishing On Air Milano AIR as a market leader for this type of productions.
Francesco Struzzi, sales director at Video Progetti, stated, “The Virtual Production project at On Air Milano has proven to be a win-win experience. We put our R&D efforts in Virtual Production at their disposal by selecting the best products on the market using this technology. On Air Milano showed remarkable foresight by embracing the entrepreneurial risk and trusting the potential results. The outcome is that, thanks to our support, in just one year On Air Milano has become one of the most highly respected companies for Virtual Production in Italy.”
