China Leads the Global Virtual Production Revolution: A Patent Data Analysis and Market Outlook

China Leads the Global Virtual Production Revolution: A Patent Data Analysis and Market OutlookIPRdaily's "Global Virtual Production Technology Invention Patent Ranking (TOP30)" reveals China's dominance in the virtual production technology sector. Chinese innovators account for 52% of related patent applications globally, significantly surpassing Japan (22%) and the United States (20%)

China Leads the Global Virtual Production Revolution: A Patent Data Analysis and Market Outlook

IPRdaily's "Global Virtual Production Technology Invention Patent Ranking (TOP30)" reveals China's dominance in the virtual production technology sector. Chinese innovators account for 52% of related patent applications globally, significantly surpassing Japan (22%) and the United States (20%). This data powerfully demonstrates China's leading role in the innovation and development of virtual production technology, indicating its increasingly crucial role in the global industry's future.

At the corporate level, Youku leads the ranking with 80 virtual production invention patents, followed by Sony (60) and Tencent (48). The number of patents reflects not only a company's investment and R&D capabilities in virtual production technology but also its commitment to technological innovation and the depth and breadth of its exploration in the field. A company with a large number of virtual production patents enjoys significant advantages in technological reserves, innovation capabilities, and market competitiveness, enabling better adaptation to market changes and technological challenges, and facilitating the continuous launch of more advanced and competitive products and services.

Virtual production technology's core advantage lies in its ingenious integration of digital and traditional filmmaking techniques, creating a completely new shooting method. It works by projecting real-time computed virtual scenes onto LED screens, seamlessly merging real-world foregrounds with virtual backgrounds to achieve a "what you see is what you get" real-time effect on camera. This technology overcomes many limitations of traditional shooting methods, such as geographical location, weather conditions, and environmental factors. Compared to traditional green screen filming, virtual production significantly reduces post-production time and costs, and boosts production efficiency by eliminating complex compositing steps. This has led to widespread adoption across the global film industry, establishing it as a major trend in future filmmaking.

Since Disney's "The Mandalorian" brought virtual production into the public eye in 2019, the technology has been hailed as "next-generation" and a core driver of the Hollywood industrial system's upgrade. It has fundamentally reshaped filmmaking's creative processes and workflows, opening unprecedented possibilities for film and television production. Major global studios recognize the immense potential and are actively investing in the field. For instance, Netflix launched the virtually produced series "1899" in late 2022, and HBO released "House of the Dragon," also employing virtual production techniques, last year. This participation by international giants further validates the technology's importance and its future potential.

In China, major video platforms have also been actively involved. Youku began exploring virtual production in 2019, initially applying it to 2D scenes such as vehicle and window shots in dramas. By 2024, "The Mystery of the Qingming River Map," produced by Youku, utilized 3D virtual production in eight scenes the most among domestically broadcast TV series at the time. Youku continues to innovate, with "Senior Brother is Too Steady," which wrapped filming earlier this year, employing virtual production for 19 scenes (including Lingxiao Hall and the Marriage Registry), accounting for nearly 40% of the series and achieving simultaneous virtual shooting on two sets, setting a new benchmark in the industry. Youku is deeply involved in the virtual production of eight S-level drama series and one theatrical film, building a complete ecosystem from technology R&D to industrial application. iQiyi is also following suit, having successfully broadcast three series utilizing virtual production, including "Da Meng Gui Li," demonstrating its technical prowess and market strategy.

Virtual production significantly enhances the efficiency and quality of film and television production while unlocking unlimited creative potential. It enables creators to realize ambitious ideas, building more realistic, grander, and more spectacular virtual worlds for a more immersive viewing experience. By transcending the physical limitations of traditional shooting, it allows creators to film anytime, anywhere, and under any conditions, increasing convenience and flexibility. The need to find suitable locations or contend with weather changes is eliminated, substantially improving production efficiency.

Market data further supports the booming growth of virtual production. ResearchandMarkets reports a global virtual production market size of $2.79 billion in 2024, projected to reach $3.21 billion in 2025 and approximately $11.02 billion by 2034. The Asia-Pacific region is expected to experience the fastest growth, driven by sustained media and entertainment industry adoption and the rising interest among younger generations in sci-fi and technology-driven films. This points to a bright future for virtual production, promising a profound transformation of the global film industry.

In conclusion, China has achieved remarkable success in the global virtual production technology field, leading in both patent numbers and application scale. As a revolutionary technology, virtual production is profoundly changing filmmaking's creative processes and workflows, unlocking endless possibilities. With continuous technological advancements and growing market demand, virtual production will see wider adoption, delivering more spectacular films and TV shows globally. China's leading position will solidify, playing an increasingly important role in the global industry's development. The active exploration and innovation of Chinese companies like Youku provide a solid foundation for China's dominance. This represents not only a significant advancement for the Chinese film and television industry but also a new driving force and vitality for the global industry. Driven by technological innovation and market demand, virtual production's application will become even more widespread, with the market continuing to expand and bringing greater prosperity to the film and television sector.

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