Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/834195
m ay . j u n e 2 0 1 7 c g w 1 9 F E A T U R E Combined with the improved artistry of the practitioners is the improved per- formance of the hardware and so- ware. Faster machines mean we can get more done in less time. And lastly, there is risk. As film budgets increase and schedules contract, previs and postvis remain the best ways to ensure that the production's time and money are well spent. That applies to big Hollywood tent-pole extravaganzas, as well as to smaller films. If there is some complex stunt, elaborate visual effect, or even a challenging location, it is extremely helpful to previs the shots first. That way, the filmmakers can foresee any possible production issues, find solutions, and show up on the day with the confidence that they have a good plan. Floch: "There's an increasing awareness and acceptance among producers and VFX supervisors as to the cost benefits of previs. Months ahead of the shoot, you have the capability to quickly explore various creative ideas and technical approaches to the shooting of the film. Stunts, camera VFX, and art departments can all benefit from the agility inherent in previs and the techni- cal data it can provide. Good use of postvis can save a lot of back and forth with VFX vendors, quickly inform the editorial process, and provide decent VFX placeholders for internal screenings in the initial phases of postproduction. Brown: Previs enables a director to visually see the story before going to camera, which may sound like a novelty to some, but when you're planning something either technically or practically challenging, it helps immense- ly to see how things play out beforehand. Anything dangerous or expensive that you may only get one chance at shooting, for instance, might be something you want to invest some previs time into. I won't go so far as to call previs an insurance policy, but the value of seeing and evaluating challenges could be immeasurable down the road. In visual effects, we're well accustomed to solving problems using art, technology, and technique, mixed with a little know- how and a whole bunch of innovation. So why not try and solve some of those prob- lems before they even materialize? Previs enables us to encounter some of these problems and plan for their resolution. Beyond that, previs plays a major role in storytelling, which is what we're all here to do in the end. Directors can play with light- ing, cameras, and sets before production to help them discover how to tell the story the way they want to, and I cannot imagine a more important reason for previs than to enhance our storytelling ability. Burbidge: Modern entertainment cre- ators face all sorts of challenges – from the push to show things audiences have never seen before to draw people back to the cinemas during an increasing tightening of budgets and schedules. Previs has come into its own more and more because it pro- vides a 'comfort blanket' of sorts, enabling the creatives to rapidly prototype shots and scenes. Does the story work? Is that action sequence exciting enough? Does everyone buy off on what the goal is? Can we afford it? How do we shoot the sequence? Direc- tors from a new tech-savvy generation who really enjoy and embrace the previs process are now working on bigger films. And pro- ducers these days really 'get it,' as using pre- vis helps them keep control of the budget. We're also finding that productions are becoming ever more reliant on postvis, and the demand to turn shots over more quickly while raising the bar of visual quality has increased. Where once audience, studio, and director's cut screenings were le with greenscreens, missing creatures, and early- Halon: Alice Through the Looking Glass Halon: Alice Through the Looking Glass Halon: Alice Through the Looking Glass