Previs Documentary – Part 1 from Previsualization Society.
Previsualization uses just-good-enough 3D graphics and virtual sets to allow a filmmaker to see entire scenes (and ultimately entire movies) before filming has even begun.
“It’s not like working on that final shot, it’s about seeing how that shot fits as a piece of the puzzle of the shots around it, and the scenes around it.” David Dozoretz
It’s the logical extension of storyboarding, and the documentary shows that it can do more than action sequences, dinosaurs and explosions. A director can test different camera options to get the greatest impact out of intimate, emotional scenes. It saves time – an example given is how it allowed post-production for War of The Worlds to be completed in only three months – and money:
“We had a team of twelve on Episode 3, which is the most we had on any of the Star Wars Films. We spent $1.1 million for a two and a half year period, the whole prep, shooting and post-production of the film. We easily saved $10-15 million, and that’s just on the production side. On visual effects, it’s inestimable.” Rick McCallum
Prototyping is the heart of design. Arguably, a designer is someone who can make something real before it exists, so that it can be improved through iterative testing rather than wishful thinking.
With these techniques, entire films can be more carefully assembled, piece by piece and element by element, before actors are even brought in to perform. They can be more consciously designed.
