Coppola aims to have “one foot in the past and one in the future,” mixing classic filmmaking with the newest production technology, and Megalopolis will use virtual production techniques to make the marriage happen.

ProVideo Coalition recently noted here that Cine Gear Expo returns to the Trilith Studios in Georgia, for its 2022 edition. Now it’s time to reveal something else happening at the studio: Prysm Stages is moving into production with Francis Ford Coppola’s “Megalopolis” as the first feature film slated to shoot there.

Written and directed by Francis Ford Coppola, “Megalopolis” is the latest film from the six-time Academy Award-winning filmmaker. Starring Adam Driver, Forest Whittaker, Nathalie Emmanuel, Jon Voight and Laurence Fishburne, the independently produced feature tells how the fate of Rome haunts a modern world unable to solve its own social problems in an epic story of political ambition, genius, and conflict love.

Known as one of the world’s great film directors, Coppola aims to have “one foot in the past and one in the future,” combining forms of classic filmmaking with the newest production technology. The Prysm Stage is built to accommodate a best-in-class ecosystem for physical production, including practical lighting, grip and camera, integrated into a state-of-the-art virtual production volume. Along with the new technology available to him at Trilith, Coppola plans to use new, never-before-seen techniques to create “Megalopolis.”

Marry traditional filmmaking with Virtual Production

“Shooting in an LED volume opens up new ways to create our stories in film,” said “Megalopolis” producer, Michael Bederman. “What’s unique and exciting about shooting ‘Megalopolis’ at Prysm at Trilith is that we can marry traditional filmmaking experience, techniques and crew with the most advanced virtual production capabilities in the same space, accessing the best of both the physical and digital options available to filmmakers today.”

Coppola himself said, “I am enjoying working with Prysm at Trilith, as well as living in the unique Peachtree City” to which Barbara Ford Grant, President, Prysm Stages, replied “It is such an honor to be entrusted by Francis Ford Coppola and his team to bring ‘Megalopolis,’ regarded to be his magnum opus, to Prysm Stages,” also adding “he is a legendary filmmaker, and his choice to shoot here is supported by our purpose-built facilities and best-in-class talent who are well versed in supporting the most demanding physical and virtual production needs.”

A modular stage adaptable to any project

Prysm Stages offers a new virtual production experience for filmmakers with a modular stage designed with an open framework for production workflows and color pipelines that can be customized to any given project.

Offering seasoned filmmakers, cinematographers, and showrunners a low barrier of entry, teams from physical production can come in and easily configure the setup to meet the creative needs of their projects.

Furthermore, with a Georgia base, productions at Prysm at Trilith can benefit from the most generous film tax incentive in the United States, up to 30% with no annual cap on tax credits. The new facility is led by Prysm Stages Virtual Production Supervisor Jason Davis in partnership with Trilith Studios Director of Creative Technologies Barry Williams.

One of the largest purpose-built movie studios in North America, Trilith Studios has more than one million square feet of production facilities, including a first-of-its-kind virtual LED stage that offers the highest quality production values in the industry, 24 premium sound stages, construction workshops, costume shops, virtual production technologies, and an extensive 400-acre backlot.

From Zombieland to The Mandalorian

Built with an emphasis on world-class facilities, state-of-the-art technology and premium content, it is home to blockbuster films and independent shows like Avengers: Endgame, Zombieland: Double Tap, WandaVision, The Suicide Squad and Moon and Me. Trilith Studios is a one-stop-shop for producers with more than 40 production vendors onsite, including Technicolor, MBS Equipment Company, SGPS/ShowRig, Herc Rentals, SmartPost and The Third Floor. The studio recently added 75,000 square feet of stages equipped for virtual production technologies and will soon add a Creative Office Centre to house content and technology companies.

Prysm Stages at Trilith Studios is the company’s flagship location. Prysm Stages are powered by Lux Machina’s nearly a decade of groundbreaking design and operations for productions that include “The Mandalorian,” “Bullet Train,” “Shazam” and many more. Part of NEP Virtual Studios , Prysm Stages has a goal: to create a global network of world class virtual production stages and services that empower storytellers to create and expand their vision with innovative new technologies in a real-time collaborative production environment. Real-time technology, advanced LED, color and image processing, and cloud-based workflows,  are used to service studios, production companies, and filmmakers.