Meet A.J. Wedding | Co-Founder of Orbital Studios

We had the good fortune of connecting with A.J. Wedding and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi A.J., we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
Everything is a risk. Identifying what is at stake in any situation is the important thing so that you can manage the risk. I was in a cushy job that allowed me some freedom and seemingly low risk-but the true risk was never getting to achieve my dreams. That outweighed the fear of building a business that I love to go to every day. If you discount the risks in the chances you don’t take, you’re not evaluating the situation properly.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Orbital Studios is a pioneer in virtual production. Essentially, actors can stand in front of a high resolution video wall while 3d environments build in a game engine are onscreen, tracking the world in real time to the movement of the camera. It was made popular on Disney’s The Mandalorian and has since become a powerful tool for filmmakers. Our goal is to continue to drive the technology to its limits, and work with manufacturers in the space to create tools specific to the needs of virtual production. We’ve been able to solve many of the problems associated with this tech by looking at it through the eyes of filmmakers, who inevitably are the end users. Instead of the tech dictating the shoot, we are able to cater to the needs of the creatives.

We started the company in my garage a little over a year ago and now we have a 36,000 square foot facility with two massive LED stages in the Arts District. It has been painful trying to build next level technology during a supply chain crisis, but the team just keeps pushing it forward. We were able to handle all of the virtual production needs for the current season of the FX series Snowfall, which actually saved them 40% on their location budget. We are currently working on another series that I can’t discuss, as well as a Paramount film called 80 for Brady starring Lilly Tomlin and Sally Field.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
My wife and I love going to Firefly in Studio City. They have an amazing menu that changes with the seasons, and it has a great outdoor patio. If you can get an invite, the Magic Castle is super cool. Say what you want about magic, seeing it done up close and personal blows your mind. For lunch in the Arts District we love Guerrilla Tacos, they have some amazing fusion dishes like the Korean Fried Fish Taco…so good.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Orbital Studios couldn’t exist without the amazing team at its heart. They bring all of their knowledge and creativity from various departments in the film industry so that we can attack the issues of virtual production with a holistic approach. Don Bitters, Leah Robson, Mark Poletti, Christopher Cope, Leonidas Jaramillo, Aida Orduna, Dylan Jones, Geo Recinos, Dana Decker and James Casey. Also my wife Berly and daughter Lexie who support and partake in this journey wholeheartedly.

Website: www.orbitalvs.com

Instagram: @thatdirectoraj

Facebook: Orbital Virtual Studios

Image Credits
Leonidas Jaramillo Luke Dejoras