Foundry has announced Nuke Stage, a standalone application designed specifically for virtual production and in-camera visual effects (ICVFX). The new tool brings compositing workflows directly to LED stages and creates a seamless pipeline from pre-production through final pixels without requiring game engines or specialized media servers.

From Comp Suite to LED Wall: How Nuke Stage reimagines virtual production workflows

Nuke Stage represents a significant shift in how virtual production operates by bringing VFX artists' familiar tools directly into the real-time production environment.

• The software enables real-time playback of photorealistic environments on LED walls while maintaining the node-based compositing environment that VFX artists already know from Nuke

• It's hardware-agnostic, meaning productions don't need specialized media servers or bespoke equipment to run it

• The system supports industry-standard formats including OpenUSD, OpenEXR, and OpenColorIO, ensuring compatibility with existing pipelines

• Artists can perform live compositing and layout on set, allowing for immediate creative iterations

Color Continuity: Nuke Stage eliminates the translation gap between virtual and physical production

One of the most persistent challenges in virtual production has been maintaining consistent color from pre-visualization through to final output. Nuke Stage addresses this fundamental issue.

• The software provides a linear workspace with full support for OpenColorIO and HDR throughout the pipeline

• Color management remains consistent as assets move from preparation to on-set to post-production

• This consistency reduces costly color-matching work in post and increases confidence that what's captured in-camera will match the creative vision

• VFX supervisors can trust that the imagery on the LED wall accurately represents what was authored in pre-production

Industry Reception: Virtual production veterans see Nuke Stage as solving critical production challenges

Early feedback from virtual production specialists suggests the tool addresses long-standing workflow gaps.

• Dan Hall from 80six notes that Nuke Stage offers "a handshake between VFX and virtual production, which has been missed in VP until now"

• Garden Studios' Sam Kemp highlights the ability to "tweak 2D assets in real time" as a capability that's "been missing from virtual production for a long time"

• Framestore's Connor Ling emphasizes how the familiar Nuke integration will "encourage trust and confidence between on-set and the VFX vendors"

• The software's standalone nature means productions don't need to integrate multiple tools or game engines

The Final Frame: Nuke Stage signals a significant shift toward VFX-centered virtual production pipelines

As virtual production continues to mature, Nuke Stage represents an evolution that puts VFX artists and their workflows at the center of the process rather than requiring them to adapt to game engine-based tools. This approach could fundamentally alter how productions staff their virtual production stages and organize their workflows.

By eliminating the traditional disconnects between pre-visualization, on-set production, and post-production, Nuke Stage may make virtual production more accessible to traditional VFX teams while reducing the technical complexity that has sometimes limited adoption. As the technology becomes more widely used, we can expect to see more efficient productions with fewer translation errors between departments, potentially reducing both production time and costs for projects of all sizes.