When most people think about LED walls, they picture a single image being displayed for one camera at a time, usually at 60 Hz. But modern LED panels have evolved far beyond that. Today’s high frame rate walls can run at 120 Hz, 240 Hz, or even higher, opening up creative workflows that weren’t possible just a few years ago.
Frame Remapping and Multi Camera Perspectives
One of the key features that makes these advanced workflows possible is frame remapping, a capability built into processors like Brompton’s Tessera series. This feature allows multiple images to be displayed on the LED wall in rapid succession within a single second, essentially creating separate frames for different cameras.
For example, imagine your LED wall is running at 240 Hz while each camera is shooting at 60 frames per second:
Frame 1 shows Camera 1’s perspective
Frame 2 shows Camera 2’s perspective
Frame 3 shows Camera 3’s perspective
Frame 4 shows Camera 4’s perspective
That cycle repeats, so Frame 5 becomes Camera 1’s second frame, and so on. Each camera effectively sees its own unique background, while to the human eye it all appears seamless. This level of precision requires genlock across all systems so the camera shutters and LED refresh are perfectly in sync.
How Commercial Productions Use High Frame Rate Walls
In commercial work we often use this concept in a slightly different way. Most productions are single camera setups, so we typically run the LED wall at 120 Hz or higher. One frame displays the main content, whether it’s a real time Unreal Engine scene or a video plate, and the next frame displays a blue or green screen key.
This approach gives clients flexibility in post production. If creative changes come up later, the tracked data allows us to composite new elements back into the shot. It’s an efficient safety net that saves both time and money.
It’s worth noting that if your LED wall is only running at 60 Hz, splitting between two 30 frame feeds will cause visible flicker. Once you move to 120 Hz or above, the flicker disappears and the alternating frames become invisible to the eye.
Shooting Multiple Versions at Once
High frame rate walls also make it possible to capture multiple versions of a scene at the same time. You could shoot a daytime and nighttime version of the same environment simultaneously, or even two completely different scenes back to back without stopping the camera.
If you’re wondering how lighting would work, image based lighting systems can now sync per frame as well. Some modern lights can switch between different lighting states on each frame, providing unique lighting setups for every scene being captured.
RED’s Phantom Track and Dual Frame Recording
One of the most exciting developments in this workflow comes from RED’s V Raptor X and its Phantom Track feature. It pairs perfectly with frame remapping by allowing you to preview and record two separate frame streams at the same time.
For example, SDI 1 can show the odd frames that display your Unreal Engine content, while SDI 2 shows the even frames that display your key. The camera records both streams independently, giving you clean and separate takes for each.
This makes the entire process simple for production teams. They can operate as they normally would without needing to manage complex hardware or extra steps. Everything happens natively inside the camera, with instant playback and independent control over each feed.
The Future of High Frame Rate Production
As technology continues to evolve, more LED walls are adopting high frame rate operation as a standard. The combination of Brompton’s frame remapping and RED’s Phantom Track is creating new possibilities for virtual production, making workflows more flexible, efficient, and creative.
From real time compositing to multi scene capture, the potential keeps expanding. If you’re interested in learning how these systems can be used on your next project, feel free to reach out.