Perforce Software Simplifies Virtual Production Workflows on Entertainment Technology Center’s Short Film, Ripple Effect

Perforce Software Unites Halon Entertainment and ICVR to Streamline Visual Production Workflows, Setting a New Standard for the Industry’s Future

MINNEAPOLIS, March 29th, 2021 – Perforce Software, a provider of solutions to enterprise teams requiring productivity, visibility, and scale along the development lifecycle, was selected by the Entertainment Technology Center at the University of Southern California (ETC) to help address the media and entertainment industry’s sudden shift to remote work due to COVID-19.

Traditional filmmaking is changing at breakneck speeds as studios transition to more virtual movie production, while at the same time, creators must now collaborate remotely. Many studios are looking at technology used by game development studios to enhance collaboration while developing virtual environments with teams across the globe. Perforce Helix Core — the game industry standard for version control — was chosen by ETC to help test and develop real-time virtual production workflows. Helix Core seamlessly integrates with game engines, like Unreal Engine (UE4), and supports a variety of artist and designer tools required for the project.

Erik Weaver, Director, Adaptive Production & Special Projectsat the Entertainment Technology Center,University of Southern California said, “Perforce Helix Core has been a foundational tool. It helps create a single source for all of our film's digital assets. We can version our critical IP and digital files within an infrastructure that supports and integrates with leading tools like Unreal Engine, 5th Kind, ftrack, and more.”

During the production of “Ripple Effect,” a short film project, ETC collaborated with Halon Entertainment and ICVR. Perforce technology allowed these studios to quickly sync assets, enhancing collaboration on fully remote workflows, keeping both filmmakers and creatives safe. These pilots, documented in ETC’s white paper, involved various pre-production and production use cases that identified software solutions, like Perforce, to create a standard workflow for industry-wide adoption.

Perforce Software continues to drive innovation across new industries, helping teams focus on their vision, instead of worrying about their tools.