I’m reminded of an old commercial that went something like, “ When EF Hutton talks…people listen.” The “EF Hutton” in this case is Laura Frank. When someone with the level of experience and accomplishments of Laura suggests that I spend some time getting to know a new workflow tool, I listen. She is at the top of her craft in the world of screen management, having directed screen content on some of the largest projects in television and live entertainment.
And yet, despite all these accomplishments, she continues to streamline her workflow, refining it over time with newer solutions that increase productivity and efficiency. One such product catching her eye (and now mine) these days is Previz. Available now, Previz was in Beta testing phase at the time I was writing this article. But I had the opportunity to get a sneak peek to find out more.
What is Previz?
Previz (previz.co) is a web-based content review tool that allows everyone to see a project at various stages in the creative process. With features like file uploading, model sharing and commenting tools, it can improve collaboration between all members of the team as well.
Whether the client knows what he or she wants or doesn’t, Previz can be used for testing looks, giving a sales pitch, showing set designs, etc. And most importantly, creative team members can use Previz to show the client concepts early in the creative workflow, long before content is created and time wasted on unusable designs.
Previz creators Niall Thompson and Nils Porrmann, partners in the digital design and projection mapping firm dandelion + burdock, have handled some of the largest and highly visible video mapping projects across the globe at locations that range from Buckingham Palace to the Hoover Dam and beyond. As a result, they recognized their own need for a tool that would allow clients and all creative team members to feel included in the creative process. So they set out to develop a tool that does not only that, but also allows all parties to collaborate in real-time.
How it Works
Previz is a web browser-based interface that offers a 3D working environment, content management, storage and more. There are four distinct workspaces:
1. 3D Viewer
2. Scene Config
3. Content/Media management
4. Sequencer
The interactive 3D Viewer is typically what the client wants to see. It allows the creative team to share a new idea or a requested change with the client and get their immediate feedback. Creative team members can upload a 3D model created in third-party applications like Cinema4D and Blender into the viewer; then the client can interact with the model in real-time, previewing it from all angles. Previz will also have templates available for people to practice using Previz on their own, making it a practical tool for people without 3D application knowledge.
The timeline is used for creating “cues” and sequencing them on a timeline for playback. This can be a great tool for all team members, especially when trying to explain something that is easier to convey visually than with words. In this workspace, creative team members can set up multiple scenes and tracks in sequences that can be easily shared with the client throughout the pre-production process. These timeline sequences are intended specifically for previewing content via the web browser and are only used for planning and previewing content. Previz is not intended to be used for actual show playback; it is not a media server, but a pre-production and planning tool. In fact, it does not favor any particular media server and can be integrated into the workflow easily regardless of your media server preference.
The content management workspace is the area where creatives can upload all 3D models, video and audio files associated with the project that are to be shared with the client. Whether it’s to send a link to a piece of content to the client for approval or sharing a content idea with a team member as a preview, Previz easily fits into the workflow. All media uploaded to Previz will be automatically transcoded, ensuring that playback on any type of viewing device is consistent and performs as expected.
As for specifics about the web interface, Previz can be used with most web browsers, but Chrome is recommended. No matter what browser you use, however, WebGL must be enabled for Previz to work correctly. The only downside of being web browser-based for me is that it puts limitations on the possibility of Previz one day supporting lighting as well as video sequencing. Currently, Previz does not support lighting, and the working solution for now would simply be to create lighting scenes in another application and upload renderings or screen captures if you need to convey a lighting change in a look.
Shift in Workflow
This product signals the start of a change in the content creation and management workflow. With Previz, both content creators and project managers can consolidate several steps in the creative process and manage them all in one location. Up until now, this has been one of the biggest challenges in the world of creating and managing content. This is a highly complex industry with lots of options for achieving the same end result. Previz, however, is intended to put all of those important steps into one location with the added plus of being able to be shared with the client during all stages of pre-production.
Lucky for all of us, Laura Frank is very open about sharing her workflow processes. Possibly the simplest way I can sum it up might be “creating all content and screen management documentation necessary in whatever way necessary.” And this is why Previz is worth her time. When I asked her if she would share about how she sees Previz fitting into her workflow, she replied, “I have been using web browser-based 3D tools for the last several years as a way to create better understanding of how video screens will appear in a scenic environment. What sets Previz apart from other tools I use is, Previz was purpose-built to display video on the model and provide playback tools for those videos. This will be immensely useful to content designers as well as producers when reviewing developing content for their production.” And that pretty much says it all.
At a Glance
A New Web Tool for Sharing Visual Concepts
If a picture is worth a thousand words, think of how many words could be saved with a web application that provides a 3D look at event visuals along a show’s timeline. The people behind Previz identified a need in this industry, and the tool they have come up with is and easy-to-use and helpful way for production team members to share visual concepts. Perhaps its most powerful feature is its ability to allow more people to be involved earlier in the design process, which in turn, helps content designers create better experiences for everyone. And that ultimately means smoother, more successful events and very happy clients.
Previz
- Creators: Niall Thompson and Nils Porrmann
- When Launched: Sept. 2017
- Format: Web browser-based interface with four 3D workspaces: 3D Viewer, Scene Config, Content/Media management and Sequencer.
- Pricing: By subscription, from $249 per month for a freelance user to $499 per month for professional users.
- More Info: www.previz.co
