Humble Bee
Humble Bee worked with The Sheds to test new approaches to natural history filmmaking. Using virtual production to recreate realistic environments, the project demonstrated how complex shoots can be delivered more efficiently while achieving authentic and immersive visual results.
The problem
Filming small animals in natural environments can be complex, time-consuming and difficult to control. Many of the locations needed for natural history productions are remote, inaccessible or unsuitable for filming, making it challenging to capture consistent, high-quality footage while maintaining natural-looking results.
Humble Bee wanted to explore whether virtual production techniques could offer a new approach to natural history filmmaking, creating realistic environments that could support highly controlled studio-based shoots.
The solution
Working with The Sheds, Humble Bee set out to create a world-first application of virtual production within natural history filmmaking. The team recreated remote natural environments digitally and displayed them on the Experimental Studio's LED volume stage, using the virtual environments as both a dynamic background and a realistic lighting source.
This enabled small animals, including newts, to be filmed in carefully controlled conditions while retaining the visual qualities of real-world habitats. The project combined virtual production technology with The Sheds' digital infrastructure to create immersive environments that would otherwise have been difficult to access or recreate.
The impact
The project demonstrated how virtual production can be applied beyond its traditional use in drama and film production. Digitally recreated rainforest environments proved realistic enough to achieve authentic on-screen results, helping to immerse viewers in locations that would otherwise be difficult to film.
By showing how virtual production can support complex natural history shoots, the project opened up new possibilities for filmmakers looking to reduce logistical challenges while maintaining creative and visual quality.
