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Pop-Up Car Stage by Igelkott Studios with Barco projection displaying 16K360 mountain road driving plates for in-camera visual effects

Pop-Up Car Stage for
Projection-Based ICVFX

A car stage is a dedicated filming setup that recreates the experience of driving without leaving the studio. It uses large-scale projection to display driving plates for ICVFX around a stationary vehicle, capturing realistic motion, reflections, and environmental lighting directly in-camera.

This approach solves the biggest challenges of filming car scenes on the road. Process trailers require constant stops for technical resets, making long dialogue scenes inefficient and costly. With a car stage, the cast can perform without interruptions, the crew works in a safe and controlled environment, and the production gains full control over lighting, weather, and timing while achieving the same on-camera realism as a real location.

The Pop-Up Car Stage from Igelkott Studios brings photometrically accurate driving scenes to your set in a single day. Using projection-based virtual production and our bespoke One-Lens 16K360 capture, we recreate real-world roads with perfect perspective and natural reflections, all without moving the crew.

The Image-Based Lighting Advantage

Every driving plate for ICVFX is captured to deliver accurate environmental light, meaning your actors, props, and even glass surfaces are lit exactly as they would be on location. Reflections, color temperature shifts, and shadows occur in-camera, eliminating the need for costly post-production fixes.

Watch how our Pop-Up Car Stage transforms lighting naturally

Why Choose the Pop-Up Car Stage

  • Uninterrupted Performances: Perfect for extended dialogue scenes that would be impossible on a process trailer due to constant resets. Actors stay in the moment while cameras keep rolling.

  • Fast Setup Anywhere: Fully operational within 24 hours, bringing a complete car stage to your location without permanent builds.

  • Controlled Shooting Conditions: No weather delays, traffic noise, or permit issues. Every take happens in a safe, predictable environment.

  • True-to-Life Motion and Lighting: Seamless playback of our One-Lens 16K360 driving plates with accurate reflections and natural image-based lighting.

  • Flexible Projection Options: Configurable for rear or front projection to match creative requirements.

Virtual Production Stockholm

Our car stage work in Stockholm takes place at Studio 1, Storyline, Harpsundsvägen 199. The studio offers 195 sqm of open floorspace, 6 m ceiling height, and wide street-level doors that make it easy to bring vehicles directly onto the stage.

Inside, there’s a motorized overhead truss rig (9.45 × 8.58 m), complete blackout, climate control, and ample power both on the walls and in the ceiling, everything needed to run a smooth production day. Supporting facilities include a private makeup and dressing room with a shower and wardrobe, plus a shared kitchen and dining area.

This is where we pop up with our car stage in Stockholm. It’s a practical, local base that gives productions the right space and infrastructure without leaving the city.

Projection-based Pop-Up Car Stage in use with crew and lighting setup, delivering cinematic realism for ICVFX car process scenes
Technical Specs
  • Uses Barco 3-chip DLP 4K projectors for exceptional image quality, brightness, and color accuracy.

  • Integrated Igelkott surround light system for true-to-life image-based lighting.

  • Fully compatible with our One-Lens 16K360 driving plates for seamless plug-and-play integration.

  • Calibrated projection screens for optimal contrast and color reproduction.

  • Configurable for rear or front projection depending on creative needs.

  • Requires approx. 20×20×7 m floor space for setup.

Proven on Set

From commercials to feature films, the Pop-Up Car Stage has handled challenging shoots across diverse locations, proving its reliability and image quality time after time.

“Even factoring in international shipping, the Pop-Up Car Stage proved to be the most cost-effective option without sacrificing quality.” / SF Studios

Use Cases

  • Extended dialogue scenes for film and TV

  • Car process work for commercials

  • Flexible stage builds for remote or overseas shoots

  • Fast-turnaround productions needing controlled lighting and reflections

  • In-camera demos and tests for virtual production workflows

Bring the Stage to Your Set

Get the best-value projection car stage without building a permanent volume. Combine it with our one-lens 360 plates and Barco projection workflows for a complete ICVFX solution.

Plan your production with our Producer’s Manual or contact us to discuss your next scene.

Behind-the-scenes monitor view of Pop-Up Car Stage showing actress with bridge background using 16K360 projection plates
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