Lidar creates 3D effects for Game of Thrones

Lidar technology from Teledyne Optech has helped create visual effects and 3D spatial data acquisition for HBO’s Game of Thrones.

Led by Vektra of Croatia, a visual effects team used Teledyne’s lidar (light detection and ranging) technology to create a detailed 3D representation of the old city of Dubrovnik; the model for the fictional city of King’s Landing. They generated 3D point clouds in the set using various lidar technologies, including Teledyne Optech’s Maverick mobile lidar system and Polaris fixed terrestrial scanner. The lidar point clouds were then colourised with digital camera imagery and image fusion software. 

Traditionally, lidar has been used for mapping and in construction, civil engineering, mining and transportation. Lidar is now of particular interest in the film industry because of its ability to scan buildings or even entire cities in 3D, while maintaining a high level of detail and accuracy.

‘We are most proud when our technology contributes to new scientific knowledge, such as revealing an extensive, undiscovered Maya civilisation in Guatemala,’ said Robert Mehrabian, executive chairman of Teledyne. ‘We are equally delighted when our high-technology equipment supports art and entertainment.’