How do we create virtual worlds that feel cinematic, immersive, and creatively free, not just simulated?

This was the question driving Immersive Dark Night Vol.5, a collaborative salon co-hosted by the Tokyo International Professional University of Technology (IPUT), creative tech studio NEUU, and AOTO Electronics Japan. Held at AOTO's Tokyo showroom on June 25, the event brought together researchers, technologists, and creators to explore the technical frontiers—and perceptual boundaries—of real-time imaging in virtual production.

Real-World Problems, Studio-Ready Solutions

Today's virtual production demands more than just visual fidelity—it demands intuitive tools that support cinematic storytelling under real-world constraints: reflections, scanlines, lens parallax, and the challenge of maintaining realism under motion and light.

In its keynote session, AOTO presented a new generation of LED technologies purpose-built for immersive set environments:

• Static Drive Panels delivering flicker-free imaging at up to 7680Hz, even in fast camera motion.

• RGBC and RGBW color systems achieving 94% BT.2020 coverage, ensuring film-grade skin tones and natural daylight replication.

• Low-reflection, high-absorption surfaces to minimize bounce and preserve contrast on set.

• 360° visual uniformity supporting top-down and curved LED rigging without brightness loss.

• ST 2110 IP-based integration, enabling uncompressed 8K@60Hz transmission across distributed production environments.

These solutions reflect what real creators need: flexibility, fidelity, and consistency, without compromise.

“It's not about building another LED wall,” said Xin Jin, GM of AOTO Japan.
“It's about building the visual backbone that creators can trust—on set, in real time.”

Ideas from the Edge of Production

Throughout the evening, a range of speakers offered perspectives from across the virtual production ecosystem:

• Kenji Bobe (IPUT) presented emerging frameworks for immersive real-time imaging education.

• Masahiro Shirasuna (Notch) showcased interactive visuals that respond live to performer movement and lighting.

• Yasunori Tsukihara (Smode Japan) revealed new approaches to live compositing and real-time virtual sets.

A closing panel challenged the audience to rethink realism, not as a technical destination, but as an emotional one. What does it mean to believe in a virtual scene?

More Than a Showcase—A Proven Framework

While Immersive Dark Night focused on deep technical exchange, the technologies discussed are far from experimental.

AOTO’s virtual production solutions have already been deployed across more than 100 studios globally, powering advanced LED stages and XR pipelines at Toei, Apple, Amazon, Meta, NVIDIA, and Tencent, supporting everything from feature films and branded content to live virtual experiences.

Beyond technical achievement, AOTO continues to embed its values into practice through the AOTO Love Foundation, supporting public education, youth development, and emergency response efforts in underserved communities. The company’s commitment to social impact reflects a broader belief: that technology should not only advance industries but also uplift the people behind them.

A Shared Vision, A Collaborative Future

The event wasn't a launch. It was a dialogue—a reminder that virtual production isn't just about specs and screens. It's about building a shared language between creatives and technologists, researchers and producers, imagination and engineering.

Acknowledgements
Hosts
• Tokyo International Professional University of Technology (IPUT)
• NEUU

Featured Speakers
• Tetsushi Watanabe, IPUT
• Mr. Watanabe, Watanabe Lab (IPUT)
• Kenji Bobe, IPUT
• Mr. Sakata, NEUU
• Masahiro Shirasuna, Notch
• Yasunori Tsukihara, Smode Japan
• Max Wang, AOTO Electronics Japan