In Person EVENT - Chaos Arena / Crafting Realities in Virtual Production

Welcome to Chaos Arena - Crafting Realities in Virtual Production! Get ready to dive into the world of virtual production at our event happening on October 23, 2025 at 1:00 PM. Join us at 7490 Pacific Cir to explore the latest trends and innovations in this exciting field. Let's learn, connect, and have a blast together! See you there!

Join us at StradaXR for Crafting Realities in Virtual Production—a gathering dedicated to exploring the future of filmmaking on our LED stage. This year, in partnership with Chaos, we spotlight Arena, their groundbreaking real-time ray tracing platform that is redefining how LED volumes are used in production. StradaXR will be powering this showcase with the brand-new NVIDIA Blackwell Pro 6000 GPUs, delivering fully ray-traced environments from Arena at an unprecedented level of fidelity.

At the center of the discussion is how real-time rendering is collapsing traditional VFX pipelines and unlocking new creative opportunities. Leading this conversation are four voices shaping the future from different vantage points: acclaimed cinematographer Douglas Koch, CSC, whose work with David Cronenberg on Crimes of the Future demonstrates how light, lens, and story can be transformed through controlled worlds; James Blevins, former Lucasfilm post-production leader and Netflix workflow innovator, who has overseen the evolution of global pipelines into real-time ready systems; Christopher Nichols, Director of Chaos Labs and host of CG Garage, who brings deep insight into how Arena and tools like V-Ray push rendering beyond conventional boundaries; and Laurence Cymet, Head of Technology at WEFX and VES Toronto board member, whose career in designing advanced VFX pipelines provides critical perspective on integrating real-time workflows into established production ecosystems.

This session examines how Arena and real-time ray tracing are reshaping collaboration and establishing the LED stage as a true canvas for tomorrow’s filmmaking.
Complimentary food and beverages will be served. Guests wishing to enjoy alcoholic drinks are kindly asked to present valid ID.

Info: Check-in, networking, and introductions before the first session.

Info: Christopher Nichols: An overview of the evolution from offline ray tracing to real-time path tracing, the milestones that led to the creation of Arena, and the role of USD and MaterialX in enabling flexible, collaborative workflows.

Info: A practical demonstration of Arena’s current capabilities and upcoming features.
This session will explore:
USD and MaterialX workflows (one asset from previs to post, no walled gardens)
Gaussian Splats for advanced rendering
Potential new functions such as material correction and depth of field
Arena roadmap preview

Info: With acclaimed cinematographer Douglas Koch, our session expands to explore not only how Chaos Arena compares to traditional production pipelines, but also how its real-time ray tracing capabilities reframe the role of light and optics on the LED stage. The panel will discuss the creative opportunities Arena opens for cinematographers and VFX teams alike, highlighting how USD and MaterialX support collaborative, real-time workflows. This conversation will bridge artistry and technology—showing how Arena moves beyond efficiency to deliver a new visual language shaped by light, lens, and story. Includes audience Q&A.

Info: Arena Workflow Lab: The StradaXR team offer a Hands-on exploration of USD + MaterialX workflows.
LED Volume Experience: Live demonstrations of cinematic previs, camera moves, and asset swaps

Info: A summary of the day’s themes, emphasizing the shift toward unified workflows across previs to post production, and a preview of Arena’s roadmap and integration at StradaXR.

Info: Concluding discussions, networking, and final questions. Alchol and food will be still be served for our guest. Rwap time is set for 6:30 but it can go on as required.

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Host or Publisher Ivan Reel