How MCM Filled a 63,000-Seat Stadium Without Leaving the Studio
MCM Creative Studios produced "Fee Referee," a UW Credit Union commercial that aired during Big Ten football games in September 2026, by shooting the actors on our green screen stage and building a packed 63,000-seat Camp Randall Stadium around them with our AI Hybrid production workflow. The spot was recently featured in a Beeble showcase, which goes behind the scenes on how the workflow was built and where we're taking it next.
AI Hybrid production pairs real actors and real performances with AI-built environments and a full post-production process, so brands can get the scale of a big-budget shoot on a regional campaign budget.
What is the "Fee Referee" commercial?
"Fee Referee" is a commercial for UW Credit Union's Rewards Checking account, which has no scheduled fees. Creative agency The Weaponry built the concept around game day, so instead of calling a foul on the field, a referee calls one on unnecessary bank fees and then breaks the fourth wall with the fans in the stands.
The spot was directed by Adam Jones and aired during Big Ten football broadcasts in September 2026, which put the message in front of fans exactly where the story takes place.
Why not just shoot at the stadium?
There was no game to shoot, and Camp Randall Stadium in Madison was about an hour and 45 minutes from Milwaukee, where the production already had six other commercials scheduled. Filming on location would have meant moving the whole unit, possibly housing the crew overnight, and wrangling hundreds of extras who would still need to be extended with VFX.
The traditional workaround is to use a long lens and keep every angle tight, so the audience never sees how empty the stadium really is. Adam Jones wanted the opposite, which meant going wide and showing the full crowd.
How does MCM's AI Hybrid workflow work?
We shot every performance on MCM's green screen stage and built the stadium around the actors in post. Here's how the process came together:
Map the real venue. Adam Jones chose the exact seats where each character would sit, and the team used a LiDAR scan of Camp Randall Stadium plus reference photos taken from those seats, so every sightline matches the real stadium.
Test before committing. Before production, the team shot test scenes from an early script and ran them through Beeble's SwitchX with a basic generated background, which confirmed the approach could hold up for broadcast.
Shoot flat on green screen. Actors were lit flat and neutral on our stage, so the crew could move quickly and focus on performance while saving lighting decisions for post.
Preview on set. A Beeble artist on set showed the client a near-final look within about 20 minutes of shooting.
Build and relight in post. Our generative artist built the stadium plates, and Beeble's relighting matched the actors to the environment so the whole frame reads as one world.
Finish like any commercial. The spot still went through editing, color, sound design and mix, with a full team of skilled artists behind every shot.
Why keep real actors in an AI workflow?
Comedy depends on timing and nuance, which generative performance can't deliver yet, so real actors remain at the center of every AI Hybrid project. Because the actors were working on a stage instead of a crowded stadium, the team could also try alternate lines on set.
One of those improvised lines, where a character insists everyone knows his name is Kevin, sparked a completely new ending in the edit. Our generative artist suggested a stadium-wide "Kevin" chant, which grew into the jumbotron "Kevin Cam" that closes the spot. It's a good example of how the technology gives people more room to be creative, rather than making the creative decisions for them.
What were the results?
The AI Hybrid approach let a regional credit union run a commercial with the scale of a national campaign. As Mike Canzoniero, owner of MCM Creative, put it in the showcase, once the relighting landed, the composite "became one world."
Scale: a full 63,000-seat stadium on screen, with wide angles that celebrate the crowd instead of hiding it
Speed: flat lighting on set meant faster shooting, and the client saw a near-final look within about 20 minutes
Budget: the spot came in well under the cost of a traditional post workflow
Creative flexibility: lighting, environments and even the ending could keep evolving after the shoot
What's next for AI Hybrid production at MCM?
"Fee Referee" is just the start of what we're exploring with AI Hybrid production. We're already bringing the workflow to new projects and pushing it further with more ambitious camera work and new virtual production tools, so stay tuned for more projects and updates.
Frequently asked questions
What is AI Hybrid production? AI Hybrid production combines live-action performances captured on set with AI-generated environments and traditional post-production. MCM Creative Studios uses it to create large-scale settings without the cost and logistics of shooting on location.
Does AI Hybrid production replace actors or crew? No. Real actors deliver every performance, and each project still goes through editing, color, sound design and mix with a full team of artists.
What is Beeble? Beeble is an AI VFX platform with relighting tools that match the lighting on actors to a new background, which is what makes a green screen composite feel like one continuous scene.
How much can AI Hybrid production save? Savings depend on the project, but "Fee Referee" came in well under the cost of a traditional post workflow while delivering the scale of a full stadium shoot.
Who is AI Hybrid production a good fit for? It suits brands and agencies with big creative ideas and realistic budgets, especially when a location is hard to access or would require large crowds, travel or complex logistics.
Where is MCM Creative Studios located? MCM Creative Studios is a film and video production company in Chelsea, Manhattan, with green screen stages, editing, sound mix, color and post-production under one roof.
Have an idea that feels too big for the budget?
Read the full Beeble showcase for more on how "Fee Referee" came together, and visit mcmcreativestudios.com/aivideo to see more of our AI Hybrid work. If you have a project in mind, we'd love to talk it through.
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