Speed up Shoot Day with Pre-Visualisation!
Pre-visualisation (commonly known in the industry as pre-viz) is a sequence of reference images that visualise the script before you step into production. It comes in different forms, ranging from hand-drawn storyboards to full-blown animatics created in 3D software.
In this article we’re going to dive into what pre-vis is and why it should be included in the pre-production process.
Why should we use pre-viz?
The most important reason to use pre-visualisation is to help communicate ideas. The vision for a script can be interpreted differently by everyone who reads it.
Translating those ideas from the script into a visual medium can remove a lot of the differences in interpretation, which can help identify any changes that need to be made before heading into production.
Our favourite tools for pre-viz
You can’t go past a nicely drawn stick-figure storyboard because they’re quick and easy to do, but on larger projects where there’s a bit more time for pre-production, we turn to pre-visualisation software.
Why pre-viz software?
Pre-visualisation is a great way to communicate ideas not only with our clients but also with our crew as well and using pre-vis software we're able to provide the cleanest and most detailed references for all our key stakeholders.
We currently use set.a.light 3D as our pre-viz software of choice as it has a lot of the industry-standard lights and cameras that you’d typically find on set.
Much like a game like The Sims, you’re able to build sets, add your talent, and configure your lighting, all whilst getting a real-time display of what your visual camera is seeing, which is pretty neat.
In addition, pre-visualisation can be an excellent tool for experimenting with different creative ideas. Using set.a.light 3D we're able to quickly test various lighting setups, camera angles, and compositions to see what works best.
This flexibility allows for more innovative and visually compelling outcomes, as you have the freedom to explore and refine your ideas before committing to them on set.
The still frames can be exported and shared with all the key stakeholders to get any feedback, from which any adjustments can be made.
On the crew end, the software allows us to export detailed camera and lighting diagrams, which can quickly give our crew a lot of the information that they need to get the lighting setup started prior to the day of the shoot.
This ease of communicating ideas is why we’ve really adopted pre-vis software into our pre-production process on larger projects.
Pre-visualisation is an invaluable tool in the pre-production process. It enhances communication, fosters collaboration, identifies potential challenges, encourages creative experimentation, and builds client confidence.
So, whether you're working on a small-scale production or a large-scale project, consider incorporating pre-viz into your workflow for a more efficient and creative filmmaking process.
We Pre-Visualise you being interested in working with us. Do you feel the same? Grab a Same Day Quote from us today!