The CVS spec story: how Door G proved the case
Virtual Environment Design of a Digital CVS Retail Store Powered by Unreal Engine
One of the clearest examples Scott shared was the CVS spec commercial. Agencies were spending $250K–$450K building physical retail sets in Canada or overseas because of production and residual constraints. Door G built a spec spot on a modest budget using a rudimentary LED wall and showed the CMO a finished piece. The reaction was immediate.
I played it. He stopped it and goes, ‘What the f--- is this?’ I said, ‘That’s in-studio.’ He goes, ‘That’s not at CVS?’ I said, ‘None of that’s real.’
Scott Maiocchi, Head of Production at Door G
That demo created buy-in: the client could see how a virtual retail volume would amortize over multiple shoots and eliminate repeated set builds. From there, Door G expanded the volume, improved pixel pitch, and invested in Unreal Engine builds tailored to retail complexity.
Hybrid workflows: practical VP + location plates
Door G isn’t dogmatic about doing everything inside the volume. They evangelize hybrid approaches when it makes sense — shoot practical elements on location and integrate plates in the volume for spaces that are tiny, sensitive, or hard to access (e.g., MinuteClinic rooms). The aim is seamless results, not technology-for-technology’s-sake.
Use case: film a living room practically, then integrate virtual elements for scale or variations.
Use case: capture plates on site (lighting, texture, motion) so the studio can reproduce or augment the environment later in Unreal.
Benefits: control over scene variables, fewer day-of surprises, and the ability to reuse digital sets across multiple shoots.
Scott emphasized the point: “You’re not supposed to tell the difference between the virtual and the real one.” This is the craft: make the virtual indistinguishable when that’s the goal.
2D and 2.5D plates — the underrated tool
One of the most interesting threads from our talk was how Door G is using 2D and 2.5D plates to reduce cost and turnaround without sacrificing realism. For many commercial shots — tight interviews, product close-ups, or simple parallax moves — a well-constructed 2D plate (or a subtly layered 2.5D setup) is “good enough” and dramatically faster than full 3D builds.
When does a 2D/2.5D approach make sense?
When shots are tight and audience focus is on the subject (face, product) rather than the full environment.
When parallax needs are limited and the director can plan composition and motion precisely.
When budgets or timeline make full Unreal environments impractical.
Practically, Door G uses a decision framework (shot type vs. content needs) to pick the right approach, and they keep a library of reusable assets so common environments can be repurposed quickly.
Still photography on LED volumes — a compelling new market
Still photoshoot at Door G Studio
Door G is seeing growing demand from photographers. High-end product and lifestyle stills often require controlled lighting, color accuracy, and quick iteration — things an LED wall can deliver without traveling to multiple locations. Scott described a recent shoot where photographers pushed strobes and frame rates hard: the volume held up.
Why stills on VP make sense:
Precise color and lighting control for product work.
Ability to emulate location variety in one studio day.
Faster turnarounds for e-comm libraries or campaign photography.
Door G is creating case studies around stills to demonstrate reliability and open the studio to a new class of creative buyers beyond ad agencies.
Still photoshoot at Door G Studio
AI and tooling: speeding preproduction and ideation
Door G embeds AI into preproduction and workflow automation more than in final delivery. Scott uses a range of tools — large language models for research and briefs, image tools for mood boards, and text-to-3D or LIDAR for asset creation — but he’s careful about copyright and final brand ownership.
The great thing about AI, especially for somebody like me, is that I can take a lot more risk than this other brand or company can because they don’t have to.
Scott Maiocchi, Head of Production at Door G
The practical AI use cases Door G described include:
Deconstructing creative briefs into deeper insights and a ‘pain point matrix’.
Rapid ideation, mood boards, and previs using imagery.
Automating repetitive preproduction tasks so human teams focus on taste and storytelling.
He also underscored the one irreplaceable human skill: taste. AI can generate many options; deciding which is cinematic, on-brand, and human — that’s judgment.
What we learned and why Door G matters
Two takeaways for brands and creators:
VP doesn’t have to be all-or-nothing. Consider hybrid workflows where location plates + LED volumes provide the right balance of realism and efficiency.
Still photography on LED walls is a real business case today — especially for product, e-commerce, and controlled lifestyle shoots.
Thanks to the Door G team for the insight. You can learn more about their work at www.door-g.com.
