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Becoming Previs Artist

  • Formation CG Animation & FX

How to become a Previs Artist ?   What is a Previs Artist or a Preview Artist ? The Previs Artist allows a director, or a FX supervisor through digital technology to experiment with different options for staging and artistic direction - such as lighting, camera placement and movement, or editing, without having to bear the costs of an actual production.

The Previs Artist allows a director, or a FX supervisor through digital technology to experiment with different options for staging and artistic direction.

In the field of pre-production, previsualization occurs before production even begins. During this step, the Previs Artist tests the idea of a project, its concept, the unfinished script, examines information about the camera’s location, the way it moves through space, and considers the best possible design and execution.

Organizing coherence

A Previs Artist is a technician, who usually works in 3D. His role is to enable the production team (including the producer and the director of a film, an advertisement or a television show) to realistically organize or visualize the scenes in a technically consistent manner.

He is a qualified generalist with extensive experience in digital animation and a keen sense of cinematography. He is part of the FX team and provides an approximate representation of the characters, the environment, the digital effects and other elements expected during the main shooting. He pays particular attention to the composition of animated sequences using virtual camera lenses, virtual camera movement, image composition, staging and editing.

 

Devenir Previs artist

A Previs Artist is a qualified technician with extensive experience in digital animation and a keen sense of cinematography.

Accurate and efficient

The position requires proven digital art and animation skills, including experience in modeling, rigging and character animation. Experience in using software applications such as Maya is required.

Understanding of cameras, staging, composition, cadence, timing and general shooting concepts, attention to detail, respect for studio, production and pipeline processes and requirements, clear and professional communication skills are all required for this precision and efficiency profession. The practice of English is a necessity, as it is often the case in this environment.

Preview artists are recruited by FX studios or digital marketing and advertising companies specializing in film trailers, title sequences, commercials and other short format productions.

As a reminder, the first use of 3D computer software to preview a scene for an important film was made in 1988 by Lynda Weinman for Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989). It has now become widespread.