LiDAR scanning technology is quietly transforming film production workflows from pre-production through post. These specialized devices create millimeter-precise 3D models of real-world environments that directors, production designers, and VFX artists are leveraging to plan shots, build sets, and create seamless digital extensions with unprecedented accuracy.

Behind the Scanner: The specialized equipment bringing LiDAR capabilities to film sets varies dramatically in mobility and precision

Leica Geosystems, a 200-year-old Swiss company with roots in land surveying, has developed several LiDAR solutions now being adopted for filmmaking.

• The entry-level BLK360 ($30,000) is tripod-mounted, captures 680,000 points per second with 4mm accuracy, and requires multiple setups for full environment capture

• The handheld BLK2GO ($60,000) sacrifices some detail for mobility, allowing cinematographers to quickly scan sets between takes for continuity reference

• The high-end RTC360 ($100,000) captures 2 million points per second with 1.9mm accuracy – critical for VFX integration and virtual production

• All systems connect to tablets for real-time previewing, with data later processed through Leica's Reality Cloud Studio software for cleanup and export to 3D applications

From Scout to Screen: LiDAR delivers precise digital twins of locations that transform pre-production planning

LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) works by sending out laser pulses that bounce back after hitting surfaces, creating a 3D coordinate map of the entire environment with millimeter precision.

• The technology generates "point clouds" – three-dimensional coordinate maps capturing millions of data points with accuracies down to 1.9 millimeters

• Location scouts can instantly measure dimensions of any space, eliminating guesswork about whether equipment, sets, or specific shots will fit

• Directors and DPs can virtually block shots before arriving on set by importing LiDAR scans into software like Unreal Engine

• Production teams can conduct "virtual location scouts" where crew members explore real locations in VR headsets without traveling

The Final Cut: LiDAR adoption signals a blurring line between traditional production roles and digital asset creation

As virtual production, VFX integration, and previsualization continue growing more central to filmmaking, LiDAR scanning represents an emerging technical specialty that bridges physical and digital production worlds.

• Combined with photogrammetry, LiDAR scans create photoreal digital environments for LED volume stages without building physical sets

• Companies like Global Objects now specialize in creating high-quality digital scans for multiple production purposes

• The technology remains expensive, positioning it primarily for rental houses, specialized service providers, or high-end productions

• Forward-thinking filmmakers can potentially create new production roles combining location scouting with digital asset creation

While not yet commonplace on every set, LiDAR scanning represents a significant advance in how filmmakers translate real-world environments into digital assets, streamlining workflows and enabling creative possibilities that would otherwise be prohibitively complex or expensive.