VFX - A breakdown of Previz & Postviz
Handy "go to" guide to talk through Previz & Postviz written by a 1st Asst Editor
Jan 18
This article was kindly contributed by Phil Eldridge.
Previs and Postvis are production tools that are being used ever more frequently in feature film and high-end television production. They are usually carried out by a dedicated company (such as Proof, The Third Floor etc) under the supervision of the Visual Effects department, and can scale from just 2 or 3 people to dozens, often working embedded with the visual effects team on-site during pre-production and production.Previs is 3d animated Pre-production Visualization generated by 3d animators in software such as Maya and using assets (sets, props, animated characters etc) that are representative of those being used in the production.
Originally conceived as a means of planning complex vfx work, the role of previs on modern productions has increased enormously. Broadly, the aim of previs now is to provide a technically and creatively useful animatic – a computer generated 3d animation – that can function as a blueprint for the shoot. This can then be distributed to other departments, allowing them to plan in more detail any relevant work at a shot specific level – for example allowing the vfx department to plan the size and position of bluescreens, stunts to rehearse at the correct position in relation to camera, and even allowing camera and production design to explore their sets prior to construction.
This is often further facilitated by the production of techviz – a collection of stills and animated technical breakdowns of shots detailing camera position and movement, lens choices, set position and blocking for the performers which acts as a detailed map for creating the shots as visualized.
Postvis is Post-production Visualisation – quick, highly informative 2d and 3d visual effects work applied to production footage and performed by animators and compositors in software including Maya, After Effects and Nuke. It allows the director, editor and vfx supervisor to more fully develop their ideas prior to turning the shots over to vfx vendors.
The level of work and detail is once again show specific, but could include simple 2d additions such as adding explosions, removing wires etc. all the way to the adding complex animated 3d characters, detailed set extensions etc.
The work is usually completed only to the quality being used by the editors (generally 1080p HD), and is no long-term substitute in terms of quality for the finished work; it is however enormously useful to the Director and Editors as a tool for working out storytelling, and then throughout post-production as temps for screenings, moving the cut into a world where an audience can focus solely on the story.
The extent to which these tools are used varies enormously between productions, dependent upon numerous factors such as budgetary and time constraints, the visual and technical complexity of the production and also the preferences of the key creative team. Some shows may only use previs for one or two key sequences and rely on traditional storyboarding techniques for the majority of scenes, whereas other shows (particularly modern vfx-heavy tentpole studio movies such as Marvel, Star Wars etc) often create previs for nearly the entire film. What is certain though, is that previs and postvis are tools that have been embraced by modern filmmakers, and are now seen as key central tools in the pre-and post-production processes.
Written by the brilliant VFX, Previz Editor / 1st Assistant Editor Phil Eldridge.
Previs and Postvis are production tools that are being used ever more frequently in feature film and high-end television production. They are usually carried out by a dedicated company (such as Proof, The Third Floor etc) under the supervision of the Visual Effects department, and can scale from just 2 or 3 people to dozens, often working embedded with the visual effects team on-site during pre-production and production.Previs is 3d animated Pre-production Visualization generated by 3d animators in software such as Maya and using assets (sets, props, animated characters etc) that are representative of those being used in the production.
Originally conceived as a means of planning complex vfx work, the role of previs on modern productions has increased enormously. Broadly, the aim of previs now is to provide a technically and creatively useful animatic – a computer generated 3d animation – that can function as a blueprint for the shoot. This can then be distributed to other departments, allowing them to plan in more detail any relevant work at a shot specific level – for example allowing the vfx department to plan the size and position of bluescreens, stunts to rehearse at the correct position in relation to camera, and even allowing camera and production design to explore their sets prior to construction.
This is often further facilitated by the production of techviz – a collection of stills and animated technical breakdowns of shots detailing camera position and movement, lens choices, set position and blocking for the performers which acts as a detailed map for creating the shots as visualized.
Postvis is Post-production Visualisation – quick, highly informative 2d and 3d visual effects work applied to production footage and performed by animators and compositors in software including Maya, After Effects and Nuke. It allows the director, editor and vfx supervisor to more fully develop their ideas prior to turning the shots over to vfx vendors.
The level of work and detail is once again show specific, but could include simple 2d additions such as adding explosions, removing wires etc. all the way to the adding complex animated 3d characters, detailed set extensions etc.
The work is usually completed only to the quality being used by the editors (generally 1080p HD), and is no long-term substitute in terms of quality for the finished work; it is however enormously useful to the Director and Editors as a tool for working out storytelling, and then throughout post-production as temps for screenings, moving the cut into a world where an audience can focus solely on the story.
The extent to which these tools are used varies enormously between productions, dependent upon numerous factors such as budgetary and time constraints, the visual and technical complexity of the production and also the preferences of the key creative team. Some shows may only use previs for one or two key sequences and rely on traditional storyboarding techniques for the majority of scenes, whereas other shows (particularly modern vfx-heavy tentpole studio movies such as Marvel, Star Wars etc) often create previs for nearly the entire film. What is certain though, is that previs and postvis are tools that have been embraced by modern filmmakers, and are now seen as key central tools in the pre-and post-production processes.
Written by the brilliant VFX, Previz Editor / 1st Assistant Editor Phil Eldridge.
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