Modus FX Opens Previs Division
Building the Bridge from Planning to Post
Modus FX has opened a new previs division at its production facility north of Montreal. Since Modus first got involved with previs with its work on the 2011 sci-fi thriller Source Code, the company has been refining its tools and techniques to launch this new service offering. Now using concept artistry, stunt choreography, and other techniques in previs, Modus has accomplished one of its original goals: bridging preproduction to post.What we've added are excellent tools for planning, inspiration and communication, said Yanick Wilisky, VP Production at Modus. This now allows us to offer artistic solutions to filmmakers before shooting begins, saving them valuable time and resources once they're on set.
The process begins differently for each project, often with the writing itself. Previs is great because it connects us with the creative aspect of the writing, explained Wilisky. We start from text and ideas, figuring out how we want to tell the story and in what order.
The previs crew at Modus visualizes how the shots could be done, then communicates that to the production team. They suggest camera angles, as well as the distance of the camera from the actors, making it easier for the director to determine the sequence of shots and how to film them. The timing and number of shots is all worked out in previs, so the director can accurately schedule each day's shooting.
On films, we have preproduction meetings with the heads of all departments at the production office, said Wilisky. We show them the previs set-ups, which help clarify for everyone how to organize the filming. Even the actors are able to block out what they are going to need to do in each shot.
Another innovation is that shots can be designed so that the camera is moving instead of the actors, using previs data to drive motion-control camera rigs. The process saves valuable production time because filming occurs in a studio instead of on location.
We can have an actor sitting on a motorcycle on a static rig with a greenscreen behind him, Wilisky explained. The camera will move, mimicking what we set up in previs, making the motorcycle look like it's going 100 mph. Or, for a shot of the devastating effects of an earthquake, we reversed the normal process, moving a camera around stationary actors. It meant we didn't have to build an expensive on-set rig and shoot for days.
On-set Concept Art Reduces Production Time
Modus is also extending and developing the role of concept art for visual effects work by bringing an illustrator on set for preproduction and production work. Working at tremendous speed, concept artist Nicolas Cloutier delivers sketches and visual ideas to help the director craft scenes, design CG and practical elements and set the ambience for different sequences. Cloutier's images are then passed on to the VFX team for development, ensuring optimum efficiency in the realization of the director's vision.
At Modus we use sketching to help filmmakers clarify their ideas, explained Cloutier. On set the VFX supervisor takes a picture and then I sketch into the image to see what we can do with the shot, for example, to rough in a set extension or to visualize CG characters.
Cloutier's sketches provide a direct connection to postproduction, serving as a reference for the VFX team, as well as a starting point for their work. The illustrations serve other purposes as well, for example for bidding on jobs both to present ideas to the client, and to help Modus cost out new projects.
Nicolas is a very gifted artist, but the thing that most amazes people is how fast he can work, said Wilisky. This is great for directors and producers because it allows us to test ideas for shots during development, while were checking out locations and even camera positions.
Choreographing Stunts in Previs
For an upcoming Hollywood production, Modus gave the previs to the stunt coordinator so he could choreograph all the stunts accordingly, shot by shot with the stunt actors, before production even began. When they got to the set, the stunts were not only choreographed, but everyone knew what angles to use.
Doing this stunt choreography in previs brought our work to another level, Wilisky added. It accelerated shooting time, helped communication between different departments, and saved the filmmakers money.
In addition to the ability to plan the angle and timing of each shot, Modus is finding the previs process works for directors and cinematographers who prefer to shoot on the fly and capture the moment. We're working with some directors who are inspired by the previs, not following it shot by shot, Wilisky said. Rather, they use it to give them an idea of angles before shooting.
What I love about previs is the way it bridges the preproduction world to postproduction, allowing VFX artists to be closer to the reality of the filmmaker, Wilisky said. It has always been our goal at Modus to integrate everything we do with production. With these previs solutions, we just moved a whole lot closer.
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
09/10/2026
September 10 2026, 06:00 (PDT) Dolby Expands Dolby OptiView Platform with New Capabilities at IBC 2026
New Sports Intelligence helps providers better unders...
08/10/2026
Modern venues have come a long way since the tinny, echoing audio of the mid 20t...
08/10/2026
ESPN's first Super Bowl production will stream in English and Spanish on Disney+, while the ESPN App carries the full slate of game, ManningCast, studio, an...
08/10/2026
From high-school videoboards to War Eagle Productions, the Opelika native is learning how to lead shows and capture big moments
The future of live sports produ...
08/10/2026
The Television Academy and Prime Video have announced a six-year agreement making Prime Video the exclusive global home of the Emmy Awards beginning with the 20...
08/10/2026
Techex will exhibit at NAB Show New York 2026 (Booth 623, Javits Center, October...
08/10/2026
X Games has announced the appointment of Steve Rogers as Chief Operating Officer. Rogers previously served as COO of World Supercross and spent nearly a decade ...
08/10/2026
Fonn Group has appointed Trevor Spielmann as Sales Director for Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Spielmann joins from EVS, where he held sales and business de...
08/10/2026
The flagship program will originate from major PG events with a four-camera production, live distribution across PGTV, social platforms
Perfect Game is bringin...
08/10/2026
Innovation rarely happens in a vacuum. More often, it happens at the point of collision: when worlds that have run on separate tracks begin to converge. That is...
08/10/2026
For decades, the production and broadcast services business has run on a familia...
08/10/2026
Uplynk, Zixi, BroadView Software, and Grass Valley have published The IP Converg...
08/10/2026
The NFL has announced the return of the Big Data Bowl, the league's analytics competition, now in its ninth year and again powered by AWS. Registration is o...
08/10/2026
Eutelsat has renewed its partnership with T l diffusion d'Alg rie (TDA), Algeria's national broadcasting network operator, for continued distribution of...
08/10/2026
Disney will livestream Super Bowl LXI on February 14, 2027, alongside the game's broadcast on ESPN and ABC. All Disney subscribers in the United States wi...
08/10/2026
RHStv and Red House Streaming have announced an expansion of their partnership w...
08/10/2026
Gray Media has announced a distribution agreement with TEGNA and DAZN to simulca...
08/10/2026
SVG readers can save 10% on registration and receive a complimentary Solutions H...
08/10/2026
PROTON Camera Innovations GmbH has been named a recipient of a 2026 Technology a...
08/10/2026
Industry leaders discuss real-world cloud workflows for live game production, pl...
08/10/2026
The next-gen audio technology joins Dolby Vision as part of Apple TV's immersive F1 experience...
08/10/2026
David France, Jesse Short Bull, Mato Wayuhi, N. Bird Runningwater, Jodi Archambau, Jhane Myers, Paul McGuire, Amber Morning Star Byars, Holly Macarro, Nick Tils...
08/10/2026
Dynamic panning plug-ins get an upgrade
Sound Particles have just announced major updates for two of their popular dynamic panning plug-ins. Energy Panner 2...
08/10/2026
New expandable instrument boasts full DMNO engine
UDO Audio have just announced the upcoming release of a new, expandable synth that packs the power of the ...
08/10/2026
Two new subwoofers added to monitoring line-up
ADAM Audio's monitoring range has just been expanded with two new DSP-equipped subwoofers, the Sub8 PRO a...
08/10/2026
eds3_5_jq(document).ready(function($) { $(#eds_sliderM519).chameleonSlider_2_1({ content_source:......
08/10/2026
Calrec gives broadcasters freedom of choice at NAB Show New York We're looking forward to meeting up with you all at NAB New York on 21st-22nd October.
Cal...
08/10/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/10/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/10/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/10/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/10/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/10/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/10/2026
Globecast, a leading provider of broadcast, media and entertainment managed services, will showcase its next generation of media orchestration services at NAB S...
08/10/2026
Clear-Com played a critical role in the production communications infrastructure for Rock in Rio 2026, one of the world's largest and most recognized music...
08/10/2026
Sohonet Launches ClearView Rush: A Leap Forward in Studio Review, Built for Crea...
08/10/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/10/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/10/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/10/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/10/2026
Ikegami announces a major expansion to its range of broadcast-quality live production cameras. Scheduled for introduction on Ikegami booth 708 at NAB New York, ...
08/10/2026
Calrec will be located at Booth 444.
Freedom to choose
The media landscape is evolving quickly, and the broadcasters best placed for what comes next will be...
08/10/2026
LiveU has announced that CRD Audiovisuel relied on LiveUs LU900Q intelligent production unit, with built-in native LiveU IQ (LIQ ) connectivity, to deliver live...
08/10/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/10/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/10/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/10/2026
Marshall Electronics, a globally recognized provider of high-performance video solutions for broadcast, streaming, AV and professional production, will exhibit ...
08/10/2026
14-hour package also includes A Remarkable Place to Die season 2 as well as libr...
Modus FX Opens Previs Division
