Huang Bo on the Development of Virtual Reality Films: LED Virtual Production Officially Enters Commercialization

Posted by

05/16/2025

On 05/16/2025

By Ouyang Jing, Staff Reporter

Recently, at the Beijing International Film Festival, when asked about his views on virtual reality films, renowned actor Huang Bo stated that technology is constantly evolving, transforming our lives and everything around us—including cinema. He emphasized that film must embrace new technology. Huang’s remarks highlight the significance of technological progress and advocate for the integration of innovations into filmmaking. His stance could encourage more filmmakers to adopt LED virtual display technology during filming and post-production. This technology is poised to play an increasingly important role not only in film production but also in other industries.

Notably, at this year’s festival, the Chinese virtual reality film “Dragon Seal No. 001” was officially awarded to Henan Television. Henan Radio and Television Station received China’s first “Dragon Seal” permit for an immersive VR film—serial number 001. This marks a historic moment in Chinese cinema, signifying that virtual reality films, representing the future direction of filmmaking, have moved beyond the experimental and technical exploration phase into a stage of marketization and industrialization. This milestone not only represents a breakthrough in technology but is also expected to profoundly influence the development landscape of LED virtual production, offering unprecedented opportunities for leading LED display enterprises and the broader display industry.

In China, the “Dragon Seal” refers to the film distribution license, which ensures content quality and symbolizes the nation’s cultural output. The awarding of Dragon Seal No. 001 specifically to a virtual reality film by Henan TV signals the official recognition of VR cinema as part of the mainstream film industry. This legitimization eliminates policy uncertainty from the exploration phase and opens vast space for the growth of LED virtual production.

This development has also brought virtual reality films into the public eye. For the LED virtual production sector, it represents a chance to elevate the industry’s public image. Previously, mainstream audiences paid more attention to traditional film production, but they are now starting to recognize the enormous potential of virtual technology in cinema. This growing market awareness will help attract more investment into LED virtual production—from both film production companies looking to expand and tech enterprises seeking cross-sector integration.

As virtual reality films move toward commercialization and industrialization, the establishment of technical standards becomes inevitable. LED virtual production, as a critical component, will see greater focus on parameters like resolution, color accuracy, and refresh rate. To deliver truly immersive viewing experiences, LED displays will need ultra-high clarity and precise color performance. This will drive LED production screen companies to continuously improve their technical capabilities and align with higher, standardized benchmarks.

Moreover, as more film production teams venture into the VR film space, there will be growing demand for interdisciplinary talent skilled in both filmmaking and LED virtual production technology. This talent gap will attract new professionals into the LED virtual production industry, fostering technological innovation and industry upgrades. With more skilled individuals joining the field, LED screen companies will be able to absorb new technologies and concepts faster, enhancing product and service quality and strengthening overall competitiveness.

It is foreseeable that partnerships between film production companies and LED virtual production firms will deepen. Previously limited to small-scale experimental collaborations, such relationships will now expand to larger projects as the VR film industry matures. For instance, they might co-develop LED display solutions tailored to specific film genres or form long-term strategic partnerships to ensure stable resource supply and synchronized tech advancement.

LED virtual production, with its “what you see is what you get” real-time rendering capabilities, can dramatically reduce production costs. According to market research institutions, the penetration rate of LED virtual production in the film industry is expected to increase from the current 5% to 15% over the next three years, driving demand for LED displays beyond 4 billion yuan. In facing this emerging blue ocean market, LED display companies must seize the development opportunity by investing in R&D for both LED display and virtual production technologies. Continuous improvements are needed in areas such as minimizing pixelation, increasing contrast, and eliminating moiré effects to meet the high-quality demands of VR films. Simultaneously, companies should explore new interactive technologies—such as gesture recognition and eye-tracking—to achieve more natural interaction between LED displays and virtual environments during filming.

They must also expand the LED virtual production market and foster new partnerships. Proactive engagement in film expos and technical forums to showcase LED virtual production technologies and case studies will help enhance brand visibility. Strengthening collaborations with film production companies to gain deeper insights into their needs and deliver customized solutions is key. Cross-industry partnerships with sectors like gaming and VR experience centers can further diversify business opportunities.

Leading Standards and Guiding the Industry

The issuance of a Dragon Seal is usually accompanied by supporting content and technical standards. For example, the National Film Administration now requires VR films to use VR/AR/MR technologies and support interactive viewing devices. This regulatory push will drive LED virtual production technology toward standardization and normalization. By actively participating in the development of technical standards for VR films, LED display enterprises can position themselves as industry leaders. Through involvement in standard-setting, companies can ensure their technologies align with industry trajectories while also enhancing their influence.

Conclusion

Early LED virtual production was mostly used for background replacement, but it has now evolved into dynamic, interactive environments. This represents not only a technological milestone but also a catalyst for industrial transformation. LED screen companies must seize this window of technological advancement and ecosystem reconstruction to boost their core competitiveness. As the technology matures, virtual production will evolve from simply replacing green screens to delivering fully realized, real-time environments, reshaping the filmmaking process.

The LED display industry must adopt an open mindset and integrate into the film production ecosystem, promoting upstream and downstream collaboration across the value chain. This collective innovation will ultimately help the industry claim a dominant position in the global wave of virtual reality.

As Chinese cinema accelerates its international expansion, VR films bearing the Dragon Seal will find it easier to pass foreign censorship standards. This paves the way for global application of LED virtual production technologies and facilitates the overseas deployment of LED virtual studios.