This video shows a comparison between PreVis and finished scene from the feature film The Accidental Rebel, which I worked on as Director of Photography.
When I started pre-production with director Randa Chahoud in 2017 for The Accidental Rebel, we wanted to shot list the more elaborate scenes first. There were a couple of scenes including VFX, SFX and action set pieces, like the escape from the Syrian torture prison.
To communicate more easily with different departments I was searching for a simple and cost effective PreVis software. After some research I decided to try the MacOS version of ShotPro. There are also versions for Windows, Android and iOS available (iOS comes with additional features like AR and Mocap).
The basic version of the app can be bought for less than 50 Euros. Numerous extension packs are available to purchase to add more models, effects and functions. But for my needs the basic version was sufficient.
Learning the software was relatively easy. You shouldn‘t be too ambitious when it comes to animation and design choices but that is not really important for a previs anyway. I did not use the camera cut function. Instead I exported all the different shots in full length and then edited the scene in FCP X.
In the end the previs was really helpful in designing the shots and communicating with the grip, light, SFX and VFX teams. Additionally I loved playing around with the camera in the 3D space and discovered some nice shots that I might otherwise not have thought of.
German Trailer for The Accidental Rebel
