Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1539634
6 P E R S P E C T I V E | S E P T E M B E R / O C T O B E R 2 0 2 5 N E W S Reframing Previsualization: A New Approach to Design in the Art Department B Y B E N J A M I N N O W I C K I , A R T D I R E C T O R A A. THE AUTHOR SEEN IN A VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT USING LIGHTCRAFT'S JETSET SOFTWARE, RUNNING ON AN IPAD. THE COMPOSITED VIDEO FEED CAN BE STREAMED TO AN APPLE TV DEVICE TO ACCOMMODATE WORKGROUPS. FURTHER INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND AT THE AUTHOR'S WEBSITE: HTTP://BENJINOWICKI. COM AND THE DEVELOPERS WEBSITE AT HTTP://LIGHTCRAFT.PRO MEMBERS CAN ALSO ACCESS A LARGE LIBRARY OF TUTORIALS ON VIRTUAL PRODDUCTION THROUGH THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT'S VIDEO ARCHIVE. Previsualization has always been an inadequate word for what filmmakers do during the design stage of a show. How could a single term capture the models, sketches, renderings, drawings, animatics and virtual experiences that fuel the work of world-building? All of these techniques serve one purpose: inviting others into the worlds we create—to experience an alternate reality. For lack of a better term, "previs" is a catchall for this expansive, evolving tool kit. Because our work in the design phase is necessarily abstract, validation and iteration are essential. We apply our tools and talents to give structure to ideas—slowly bringing order to creative chaos. Sketches, while quick, are often low-fidelity. Rendered illustrations can take days and remain static. Animatics require specialized skills and long lead times. Virtual scouts offer high fidelity but come with significant overhead in hardware, software and labor. Herein lies the friction. According to the 2023 ADG Craft Survey, 33% of respondents cited inadequate prep time as the main cause of excessive hours. Schedule changes followed at 22% and unrealistic expectations at 17%. These responses point to a lack of time and systems—many outside the Art Department's control. Our only option is to adapt. The Art Department bridges concept and creation—and fast iteration is critical. Often you don't know what something is until you're in it—until you see it, touch it, move through it. Jetset gets you "in it" right away. Jetset is a virtual production app—but it's also a next-generation previs platform. It runs on any modern iOS device, odds are, you already have what you need in your pocket. Available on Apple's App Store, Jetset offers tiered pricing: -The free version includes a robust feature set and enables real-time feedback through interactive exploration of 3D model files. -The Pro Tier ($20/month) adds remote video monitoring, 3D set scanning via LiDAR on Apple's Pro devices and live iPhone position tracking into Unreal or Blender. -Jetset Cine ($80/month) is tailored for production footage acquisition and works with cinema cameras like RED and ARRI. You may have heard, "Writing about music is like dancing about architecture." I'd offer a revision: "Writing about previs is like dancing about architecture." So, while I'll briefly describe the workflow here, I encourage you to check out the video links found in this article. Upon launching the app, you'll first establish where the camera is in 3D space. You can either select a sample scene from the menu or use the default grid if you have your own model ready.