Does previsualization work?

A

Aspiring Mogul

I was asking if there was a step between table reads and the actual filming, and there may be such a step, called pre-visualization. The LA Times has an article on how Proof, a company, did that for "Captain America: Winter Soldier".

Does anyone know anything about it?
 
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Yes, it is often done through something called storyboarding, kind of like a comic book version of the movie.

- Even better, pre shoot the scene on location with stand ins for the actors. You will get a much nicer end result
 
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Storyboards and shot lists where the terms used before “previsualization”
came into fashion. All are part of preproduction. These days the computer
is used and the storyboards are often animated to give an even broader
feel of what the final movie will look like. It is essential for movie with lots
of effects. It can be very helpful for any movie.

Storyboards and shot lists are are a good way for the director to show
what they want to shoot for the day.
 
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previs is often only done for visual effects heavy sequences, because it allows the director and people on the set to actually see what computer generated parts are moving, where they are moving, etc. The point is pretty much the same as storyboards, but its a richer form of communication and more suitable for highly complex sequences.

If you want to look some more into it, look for the reels of well known previs houses such as The Third Floor or Pixel Liberation Front.
 
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As mentioned above, historically, story-boarding was essentially all that was meant by Pre-Viz. Nowadays, Pre-Viz tends to mean computer generated, 3D animations, used to show the movements of actors, camera movements, props, sets, etc, etc. Just like story-boarding, it may be entirely unnecessary. You may not need either, but as scenes get more complex, you may want story boards. More complex still? Maybe a Pre-Viz would work for you.

Some of the best examples of this I've actually seen are on the extended editions of the Lord Of The Rings.

In answer to your question, Pre-Viz does work, but it's probably not necessary for everything, just like story boards.
 
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Storyboarding or previsualization work when they help communicating with the crew to speed up shooting and to help the post process, since it shows how the shots were intended to be edited.

When there are a lot of actors involved I like to use storyboards: it makes things clear in a fast way. And it helps you to not forget anything.

Pre-Viz seems a lot of extra work to me. I guess FX heavy shoots will really benefit from it.
 
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WalterB said:
Pre-Viz seems a lot of extra work to me. I guess FX heavy shoots will really benefit from it.
Click to expand...

It's also in part because doing complex fx work is typically considered expensive. So making sure everybody is on the same page about what needs to be done with a complex shot is not just to help people film it, it's also about cost-efficiency. It may save you from having to do an expensive fx shot over because you didn't get what you wanted.

It reduces the uncertainty (and thus financial risk) of all the parties involved. Sure, for most indie films previs will be overkill, as it's a small crew and typically not that complex. If you're working with a huge crew and complex cg, it's very efficient to have previs.
 
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Previs is tricky. I love it. Often, the team dives into the sequence without properly understanding the realities of the location. I've worked on many VFX projects where the carefully crafted previs was flushed because it didn't reflect the realities of the budget, location or the equipment available.

For indie filmmakers boards are great because you and the DP will be wearing several production hats at once, where misunderstandings and mistakes are easily made. The boards are a visual Bible that you can come back to when needed.

On my film, there was a situation where everyone was convinced I had crossed the line. But when they consulted the boards, they saw I was planning to hinge with a close up and a head turn to establish a new line. All this went down while I was privately discussing the scene with my lead actor. The problem solved itself without needing one second of my creative time.

Cheers,

Thomas
 
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_Rok_ said:
dives into the sequence without properly understanding the realities of the location. I've worked on many VFX projects where the carefully crafted previs was flushed because it didn't reflect the realities of the budget, location or the equipment available
Click to expand...

A cool workaround for indies where quality is critical: if you can use the location in advance, shoot a 'mock scene' with actor stand ins ahead of the real shoot. This helps in every way imaginable to guarantee a slam dunk (much more than just cinematography)
 
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A location walk through is beneficial, but certainly not the blue print that one might think. I like working with the talent to build the blocking around their interpretation of the performance. That's when things can get confusing.
 
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_Rok_ said:
A location walk through
Click to expand...

Actually literally meant 'pre shoot'; its a kind of 'technical rehearsal' (sound & image). The other piece to the puzzle is the actor's rehearsal, which ideally is done on location as well. Here, full attention is given to the performances; zero distraction from the technical
 
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Using boards to coordinate complicated scenes or selling your concept might be the best thing you ever did.

If you need a storyboard artist you might also enjoy this resource I created: a list of storyboard artists from all over. Features both pro's and beginners. And you can see their likelihood of being available.

And yes; it is free to use.

Here's a sample profile by the legendary Jim Cornish (James Bond, Harry Potter, Batman)
http://jorgenslist.com/artist/jim-cornish/



Hope that helps!
 
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