"F.C.D." is the humorous web series created by Michelin and produced by SoWhen?.

It was filmed using virtual production techniques in their studio in Montreuil.

MICHELIN HAD THE DESIRE TO COMMUNICATE IN AN INNOVATIVE AND ENTERTAINING WAY TO CONVEY TECHNICAL CONCEPTS RELATED TO CURRENT ISSUES. THE TECHNIQUE OF VIRTUAL PRODUCTION MADE IT POSSIBLE TO CREATE AN EDUCATIONAL AND FUN WEB SERIES

The virtual production in few words :

Virtual production is a film production technique that combines live-action, special effects, and computer-generated imagery (CGI) to create a realistic and interactive environment in which to film a movie or television show. It allows directors to create elaborate 3D sets and environments, rather than building them physically on a soundstage or filming location. This saves time and money, and can create environments or special effects that would be difficult or impossible to achieve with traditional techniques.

Virtual production can involve real-time rendering technology, motion capture, and other techniques to create a seamless blend of real action and CGI. It can also use virtual or augmented reality to allow directors and actors to interact with the environment or virtual characters as if they were real.

Among the examples of movies and television shows that have used virtual production techniques are “The Mandalorian,” “Avatar,” “Game of Thrones,” and now Michelin’s web series “FCD” produced by SoWhen?.

The goal of Michelin's web series

“F.C.D.” stands for Fact Checking Division: a secret special unit tasked with tracking down false information spread on the web and untangling the truth from the lies around the topics at the heart of the Michelin group.

In this series, internet users learn in a fun way to understand concepts that affect their daily lives to grasp all the issues and make the right choices.

The idea was to create a lovable duo whose adventures could be followed as the topics were addressed.

We find a scientist, meticulous, intelligent who shares her thoughts out loud when she thinks of scientific innovation often referencing mangas.

And Al., her robotic assistant, curious, often excited like a child, and clumsy, ready for all experiments to demonstrate what she explains.

Michelin wanted to communicate in a fun and entertaining way to convey technical and current concepts so that everyone could understand the issues related to these topics. This series, accessible to a wide audience, is broadcast on their YouTube channel to an international audience.

The challenge of this web series

The challenge of the web series is to make scientific and technical concepts understandable while providing an enjoyable and entertaining experience for viewers.

To meet this challenge, the series uses experiments with everyday objects to illustrate complex concepts in a way that is easy to understand and remember. The short format makes it easy to consume and share their adventures.

To make all of this possible, the production team opted for an innovative approach using virtual production techniques. Michelle is immersed in a 3D laboratory and interacts with Al, who is also virtual. SoWhen?’s expertise in animation, CGI, and virtual production is showcased in the production of the series.

The team filmed in their own virtual production studio, which allowed them to film in real-time in the environment created on Unreal Engine 5 and be very efficient in their post-production pipeline.

SoWhen?’s mission:

SoWhen? proposed the unique duo concept to Michelin for the technical topics they wanted to cover, which inspired the writing of the episodes.

SoWhen? was then responsible for producing the episodes directly in their virtual production studio in Montreuil, managing everything from concept and casting to the delivery of the final episodes to Michelin for distribution and promotion.