Full Sail University is an educational leader in entertainment media and emerging technologies. Our approach is centered on real-world industry experience and that's why we produced The Hallowed Hunt, an original, fan-made short film based on the Wizarding World. Full Sail students and faculty worked on all aspects of filmmaking including AD, Art, Camera, Sound, Grip, Hair & Makeup, VFX, Script-Writing, On-Screen Talent, and post-production. This production was filmed in Studio V1, Full Sail's virtual production studio.
Giving students project-based work in a professional environment helps prepare them for it’s like in their industry before they graduate. They also receive a film credit and can use this experience in their portfolio. Students from many areas of study worked on The Hallowed Hunt including Film, Digital Cinematography, Creative Writing, Business, Computer Animation, Show Production, Game Art, and Recording Arts.
Halloween is Full Sail's favorite holiday and campus students and staff are treated to a huge Halloween party. In addition to campus activities, Full Sail brings festivities online with an annual production. This year, we created a Wizarding World short film. Some of our past productions have included Ghostbusters, Classic Monsters, and Stranger Things.
Bringing The Hallowed Hunt to Life
Our approach to The Hallowed Hunt was designed to mirror real-world film production, providing students with hands-on experience across all phases of development, from pre-production to post. To showcase this process, we produced The Making of The Hallowed Hunt, a behind-the-scenes documentary that highlights the innovation and collaboration that set our project apart.
Planning & Pre-Production
In Spring 2024, we assembled key stakeholders to map out the project’s logistics, including budget approvals, scheduling, and creative direction. As passionate Harry Potter fans, selecting the Wizarding World as our theme was a natural choice.
To foster student creativity, we launched a scriptwriting competition, inviting submissions that could be adapted for our virtual production stage. Faculty and staff selected The Hallowed Hunt by Todd Fabyanic as the winning script, which was then refined to fit our production parameters. A virtual casting call followed, ensuring student talent could fully bring the story to life.
Virtual Production & Digital Innovation
What made The Hallowed Hunt truly unique was our use of cutting-edge virtual production techniques. Our Virtual Art Department leveraged Unreal Engine to construct immersive digital environments, including Hogwarts Castle, the Great Hall, the Library, and the Potions Classroom. Physical props, like a potion table, were digitally replicated in Maya to blend seamlessly into the virtual world.
To achieve the iconic moving portraits, we filmed actors against a green screen and integrated their footage into Unreal’s digital environments. One of the film’s most ambitious elements—a ghostly character—was created using Full Sail’s motion capture lab. Students captured real-world motion data, which was then transferred into our virtual set, enhancing realism and interactivity.
Filming & Overcoming Challenges
With the digital world in place, we scheduled two intensive production days to shoot the film in Studio V1, Full Sail’s virtual production stage. Our student crew handled all aspects of on-set operations, from lighting and camera work to sound and set dressing. However, Hurricane Helene forced a last-minute rescheduling of our second shoot day. Despite this unexpected hurdle, our team’s resilience and adaptability ensured that filming was completed on time.
Post-Production & Premiere
Once filming wrapped, The Hallowed Hunt moved into post-production, where students and staff edited footage, enhanced visual effects, and finalized the film’s audio. An original score, composed and mixed in-house, added depth and authenticity to the experience. With meticulous attention to detail, our team crafted a polished final product that captured the magic of the Wizarding World.
The film premiered as part of Full Sail’s annual Halloween celebration, engaging both campus and online audiences. By combining student talent, virtual production, and cutting-edge filmmaking techniques, The Hallowed Hunt not only met but exceeded our expectations—delivering an unforgettable learning experience and an impressive portfolio piece for everyone involved.
Full Sail University’s mission is to provide real-world industry experience, and The Hallowed Hunt exemplifies that commitment. This student-driven, short film was a success, achieving our objectives of immersive, hands-on learning in entertainment media and emerging technologies.
Students and faculty from various areas of study—including Film, Digital Cinematography, Creative Writing, Business, Computer Animation, Show Production, Game Art, and Recording Arts—collaborated on all aspects of filmmaking to bring The Hallowed Hunt to life.
The project culminated in a high-quality short film that premiered on Halloween, engaging both campus and online audiences. Additionally, our behind-the-scenes documentary, The Making of The Hallowed Hunt, offered an inside look at the creative process, further showcasing the university’s innovative approach to education.
By successfully blending creativity, technology, and hands-on learning, The Hallowed Hunt reinforced Full Sail’s position as a leader in entertainment education, providing students with a tangible industry experience that will serve them in their future careers.
