How a new, digital wall is changing the way independent films are produced

Crews adjust lighting and staging during pre-production at the Regina Sound Stage in front of the LED volume wall. (Gareth Dillistone / CTV News)

A state-of-the-art LED wall is the backdrop to a new horror thriller film being produced in Saskatchewan.

"#Vanlife" is billed as the first Indigenous-Canadian independent film to be shot entirely on a virtual set.

“It speeds up production,” said #Vanlife writer and director Trevor Cameron, who originally wrote the film with the idea of shooting it on Saskatchewan’s back roads.

“If I want nighttime, I don’t have to wait until 1 a.m. when it finally gets dark.”

#Vanlife is the second production to be filmed on the LED volume wall in Regina, which was unveiled earlier this year.

The wall is made of thousands of LED panels that can transport the set anywhere in the world at any time. It is one of the biggest volume walls in Canada.

The first production filmed there was set in New York City. Producers say the next production could take place in a sci-fi fantasy world.

“It's exciting because we're early adopters of this technology, and we get to test the boundaries of it and see what's possible,” said producer and KarmaFilm CEO Anand Ramayya.

Until now, independent filmmakers had limited access to a volume wall. The bright lights were often only available to big productions, Ramayya said.

“I think, over the course of the next five to 10 years, you're going to see it become more and more common,” Ramayya said.

The technology is helping tell the story of an age-old struggle, according to Cameron.

The underlying theme of his script is rooted in Indigenous history and the struggles that come with being Metis and straddling two cultures.

“Metis have been called the invisible people because they're sometimes not viewed as Indigenous or only Indigenous when it's convenient,” said Cameron, who is Metis.

Cameron said many Metis people struggle with the idea of “feeling landless” because of the disconnect with their cultures.

The majority of #Vanlife’s cast members are Indigenous, according to Cameron.

Filming began this week and is scheduled to continue for the next four weeks.