Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/813438
www.postmagazine.com 26 POST APRIL 2017 Some previs is so detailed, it's almost like a finished project — what's the level of detail you typically need to provide? Smith II: "With previs, we need to supply the best-looking product within the tight timeframe we are given for a sequence. With the advance- ments of computers, software and game engines we are able to do the same amount of work that best tells the story with a much more polished render. At the end of the day it is always about telling the story first and hopefully making it as detailed as we can." Frankel: "Some of our work is created with a high level of visual detail, approaching the realism of video game cinematics. Other projects employ a more stylized look, with some using very flat shading and limited color palettes. Some clients prefer us to add in as much detail as possible so they can really see their film. Others are more comfortable with abstraction and find that the creative conversation flows more smoothly when there is less detail to distract the eye. The right look and the right level of detail really depend on the personalities of the filmmakers and the goals of the project." Floch: "Every project has different needs and every director has a preference. I've been on proj- ects where there was a desire for as much detail as possible, including facial animation, lighting, effects, sound design, music and atmospherics, etc. It would be financially impractical for every sequence to be done to that level of detail. I've been on other projects where the director didn't want to see any emotions or facial animation because of the potential for distraction. Another show used hand drawn storyboards for close-up shots on actors. Generally speaking, most projects find a middle ground." Brown: "I've never been involved in a project that requires that much detail, but I imagine that would be the penultimate, next only to complet- ing the finished shots themselves. Being able to see the film before the film is made must be quite an accomplished feeling." Burbidge: "It ranges from production to pro- duction. At The Third Floor, we generally like to set the bar pretty high as we feel it helps better communicate the director's intent. You want people to feel like they're watching an early preview of the project they are making and get excited by it, so the previs needs to have good animation, camera work and editing. That said, you sometimes need to make compromises due to budget and schedule or because the needs of the production dictate something different. One of the most important talents of our artists is the ability to communicate a lot quickly, so having that degree of flexibility only makes the team better and more efficient." Do you offer techvis as a service, and if so, in what capacity? Smith II: "Yes, at Halon Entertainment, we offer everything from camera lens, camera height, distance to subjects, speed of objects and accu- rate locations. With the help of Google maps, we can find the locations, build them out to spec, figure out what camera package the DP is using, know the heights of all the actors, we even do the likeness based off photos of them. With all the information, once the director approves the sequence, we have an overview of where all the cameras are in real space and can turn that over to the production. That way, when they shoot, they have a pretty accurate understanding of what is needed on set for that day." Frankel: "Techvis is inherently part of all of our work. Our scenes are all built to proper scale and are animated to conform to the appropriate laws of physics — whether real or fantastic. If the client requests detailed 'blueprints' for specific shots, then all we need to do is generate a few images, add some dimensions and send them a PDF. If the client wants us to export animation data to drive a motion-control camera or a robotic arm, it's sim- ply a matter of formatting the data so that it can be read correctly by the other device. Techvis isn't some other thing that we do — it's at the core of our production-centric approach to visualization. And because of that approach we end up spend- ing a good deal of time on-set, working closely Proof used previs to help design the swarm ship sequences in Star Trek Star Trek Star Beyond Trek Beyond Trek . Proof's workspace in LA.