American Cinematographer - March 2022 - 58

The Virtual World By Noah Kadner
Techvis: Visualizing the 'How'
Previsualization has traditionally
referred to the preliminary presentation
of the director's vision
for a given scene. A less-frequently
discussed subset of this
field, however, is the visualization
of how the shooting of this scene
will be accomplished. Known as
" technical visualization, " or " techvis, "
the process involves creating
a simulation, which can be a 2D
image or a 3D-animated version
of the production elements -
both physical and CG - required
to realize a shot or sequence. This
simulation is used to illustrate,
and then help coordinate, the
physical-production approaches
necessary to achieve the desired
material.
Unlike traditional previs, which
serves to imagine a finished shot,
techvis imagines the physical
components and techniques that
will be needed to create that shot.
Techvis can be generated at
58 / MARCH 2022
multiple phases of production. It
can be produced within the virtual
art department (VAD) to block
the physical location and explore
parameters related to the physical
space that the set or digital components
will occupy. It also often
accompanies the previs process,
where shots that the filmmakers
have designed and approved are
then examined in order to develop
a shooting methodology, which
is ultimately agreed upon by the
key collaborators and heads of
departments.
Techvis comprises a virtual
camera's view of a simulated
shot, with digital representations
of physical components such as
cameras, dollies, cranes, lighting,
actors, set pieces and props - as
well as CG characters, creatures
and effects. The system provides
a cost-effective and low-pressure
preproduction testbed to explore
different technical approaches
to achieve the desired imagery
- before the high pressure and
expenses of full production begin.
For productions that will
incorporate an LED volume for
in-camera visual effects, the
accompanying (and increasingly)
complex workflows call for even
more elaborate and accurate
techvis to account for a set that
will combine physical and simulated
environments.
This installment of The Virtual
World focuses on the applications
of techvis - including its
use in planning for LED-wall
virtual-production shoots, and the
importance of the cinematographer's
involvement in the techvis
process.
Field Specialists
Two seasoned companies providing
techvis and other visualization
services to filmmakers are The
Third Floor and Happy Mushroom.
Steven Tom, who serves as a
virtual-production supervisor at
The Third Floor, has collaborated
on techvis for projects such as
Eternals, WandaVision, Shang-Chi
and the Legend of the Ten Rings,
The Mandalorian, and Jungle
Cruise. " Techvis is best used as
a tool to visualize a shooting plan
that has been collectively agreed
upon by department heads, and
is a synthesis of all their insights
and requirements, " he says. " It
provides a visual reference that
allows key contributors to organize
gear, map out logistics, and
determine filming order for the
shots to make the shoot day as
efficient as possible. When everyone
has a clear understanding of
what will be lensed and how it will
be done, the time savings from
using techvis become apparent. "
Felix Jorge serves as CEO and
co-founder of Happy Mushroom,
which contributed techvis and
American Cinematographer - March 2022

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