THE RESCUE OF AIDEN
Produced a two-part sci-fi virtual production short film, coordinating a multidisciplinary team of 25+ contributors across pre-production, virtual production, filming and delivery.
01 — Production Constraints
Coordinating the production meant balancing creative, technical and logistical dependencies within limited shared production time.
- 01
CGI content had to be ready for the XR screen.
- 02
Camera, sound, lighting and creative teams needed advance visibility of upcoming scenes and production requirements.
- 03
The wider crew met only once per week, making preparation and communication between sessions critical.
- 04
Filming took place in a shared production space, requiring the full section to be booked to control sound.
- 05
BTS and marketing material had to be captured alongside the main production.
- 06
Release and platform communications had to remain up to date throughout production.
On-Set Production
02 — Production Challenge
THE CHALLENGE
How do you bring a game-production mindset into a virtual film pipeline?
The Rescue of Aiden required me to transition from producing interactive game projects to coordinating a film and virtual-production pipeline. I initially coordinated production of the CGI sequences created for the XR stage, while keeping camera, sound, lighting and creative teams aligned with what would be required for filming. Because the wider crew worked together only once a week, preparation and communication between sessions were critical. Shoot days also required coordinating access to a shared production space, capturing behind-the-scenes and marketing material, and keeping release communications up to date alongside the production itself.
Production Planning
CROSS-DISCIPLINE PRODUCTION BOARD
03 — My Responsibilities
- 01
Creative & Feasibility Planning
Researched environments, supported storyboard development and helped align creative ideas with what the CGI and environment teams could realistically produce.
- 02
Cross-Department Coordination
Kept CGI, props, sound, lighting and creative departments aligned around requirements, progress and upcoming production needs.
- 03
Virtual Production & Shoot Coordination
Coordinated preparation for the XR stage, supported environment and lighting tests, and managed scene timing and schedule changes during filming.
- 04
Post-production & Release
Maintained the editor handoff, supported final checks and coordinated marketing and release updates.
Production in Practice
04 — Production Pipeline
PRODUCTION COORDINATION — across all stages
01
CONCEPT & RESEARCH
Shape a feasible creative direction Researched environments and visual references to support concept development, while considering what could realistically be produced by the environment and CGI team. My involvement: Research · Environment references · Feasibility
02
PRE-PRODUCTION
Turn the concept into a production plan Supported storyboard development by suggesting environment changes and coordinated with CGI, props, sound, lighting and other departments to identify what each team needed before production. My involvement: Storyboard feedback · Department check-ins · Requirements · Scheduling
03
VIRTUAL PRODUCTION
Prepare and validate the XR setup Coordinated the CGI content being developed for the XR stage and supported environment and lighting tests to ensure the digital content and physical production requirements could come together for filming. My involvement: CGI coordination · Environment tests · Lighting tests · XR preparation
04
SHOOT
Keep production moving to schedule Tracked scenes against the shoot plan, kept departments aligned and adjusted the running order when necessary to keep filming moving within the available production time. My involvement: On-set coordination · Scene timing · Schedule adjustments · Crew communication
05
POST-PRODUCTION
Coordinate the final handoff Maintained communication with the video editor, tracked the handoff of production material and reviewed the assembled film before final delivery. My involvement: Editor coordination · Asset handoff · Final review
06
DELIVERY
Bring the finished production to its audience Coordinated final checks and updated supporting marketing and release material as the project moved toward publication. My involvement: Final checks · Marketing updates · Release communication
05 — Planning & Pre-Production
Production Timeline | Roles & Dependencies
Creative Direction
Production
06 — Virtual Production Testing
Testing Before Production
Environment and lighting tests helped validate how the digital set would translate to the XR stage before filming, allowing production requirements to be identified before the wider crew came together.
07 — Production in Practice
During filming, I tracked scenes against the production plan, kept departments informed of upcoming requirements and adjusted the running order when necessary to keep the shoot moving within the available production time.
BTS - Shooting day
08 — From Concept To Screen
STORYBOARD
BEHIND THE SCENE
09 — Final Production
THE RESCUE OF AIDEN — PART I & II
Cinematic Planning
10 — Outcome & Learning
SHORT FILMS DELIVERED
What Worked
- ●Cross-department visibility helped teams prepare for upcoming production requirements despite limited shared working time.
- ●Environment and lighting testing helped surface requirements before filming.
- ●Flexible shoot planning allowed scenes to be reordered when production conditions changed.
LEARNING
The Rescue of Aiden taught me that production becomes increasingly dependent on visibility as more disciplines become involved. Keeping ownership, requirements, dependencies and upcoming work clear allowed teams that only met once a week to continue moving toward the same production goal.
On future multidisciplinary productions, I would establish shared visibility around ownership, dependencies and upcoming requirements from the start, reducing coordination overhead as the production scales.