If you’re planning to work with a VFX studio in Manchester to bring your creative vision to life in the world of film or TV, it’s important that you understand all the parts of the process. 

It can be easy to think of VFX as a post-production job only. But if you’re planning to overlay computer-generated imagery with scenes shot in real life, you want your VFX team to be involved from the start. 

This is where previsualisation comes in.

What is previsualisation in the context of VFX? 

Previsualisation is a vital step in any VFX project. It comes after the storyboard has been drafted and it’s a chance for your VFX artists to create rough 3D models of the characters and elements that will be created using digital means. 

If you’re planning to film a scene where, for example, a human actor talks to a computer-generated character, you can use the previsualisation stage to work out what camera angles you need to shoot and how to frame the scene so that the real and the digital can blend seamlessly in post-production. 

Previsualisation is also a great opportunity for the director to start working with the visual effects team and to build a strong working relationship. When this part of pre-production is done well, it can save money and time filming the live action sequences, not to mention ensuring that the director’s vision can be brought to life.

Does previsualisation show you the final graphics? 

No, previsualisation is a chance to test different concepts and decide what will work in the context of the scene or wider project you are making. It’s not designed to be polished from the point of view of the graphics. 

By working collaboratively with other members of the team, the VFX artists on your project can make alterations to improve the eventual look and feel of your TV or movie project. This stage is a chance to make sure everyone is on the same page and, as the director, to check that you’ve communicated your vision clearly.

The aim is to streamline the rest of the production process, ensuring that once you’ve got all the footage ready for post-production, your VFX team knows exactly what they need to do and can add their animations or graphics into the live action footage with minimal fuss. 

What happens after previsualisation?

Once you’ve completed the previsualisation stage, it’s time to shoot the footage you need to bring your project to life. As soon as the filming is finished, you can hand everything over to your VFX team to work their magic. 

If you were thorough in your previsualisation stage, this should mean that they can get straight to work and already have a good idea of what they need to do to add the finishing touches to the scenes. 

In some cases, your VFX team may have been able to start the 3D model creation before they receive the footage so that these elements or characters are ready to be inserted into the scene.