The Swedish company VP Nordic provided virtual production for the Norwegian film ”Sentimental value”, which has nine Oscar nominations. The LED screen technology enables realistic environments in the studio without leaving the location. The film is set in an Oslo house over decades, and the technique addressed practical filming challenges.
In a studio in Nacka, near Stockholm, a 14-meter-wide LED screen divided into 224 small screens is used for virtual production. This technology, led by VP Nordic founded by Johannes Skoog and Rasmus Eriksson, creates digital backdrops that change in real time. The background shifts from snowy scenes to Venice's canals with a button press, providing natural lighting and reflections directly during filming.
VP Nordic are pioneers in virtual production in the Nordic region. The technique, similar to that in TV broadcasts for elections or weather, broke through in Hollywood during the pandemic with the series ”The Mandalorian”. Unlike green screen, the environment is visible immediately, without post-production.
For ”Sentimental value”, the company built a digital replica of a real house in Oslo. The actual house had issues with overgrown bushes and difficulties filming on the upper floor. With LED screens outside the windows, seasons and times of day could be changed easily, including snow effects and night scenes. The production used reference images to recreate 1970s Oslo, such as cars on the streets.
“This democratizes filmmaking. We can go to places that don't exist or travel the world without leaving the film studio,” says Johannes Skoog.
The film received nominations in nine categories, including best international feature, best director, and best picture. Actor Stellan Skarsgård is nominated for best supporting actor. On March 16, Skoog will attend the Oscars gala with the team and plans meetings with U.S. colleagues, where screens reach up to 60 meters.
The technology speeds up production, enables inaccessible stories, and is more environmentally friendly than traveling a team globally, according to Skoog.
