Top budget-friendly previs tools for pro filmmakers
Posted on May 5, 2026 by Admin
Our round-up of the top budget-friendly previs tools for pro filmmakers
Words Katie Kasperson
We have all heard the phrase ‘fix it in post’, but what about pre-production?
From ideation and development to storyboarding and previsualisation, this crucial planning phase is key to getting things right in-camera and – in a perfect world – on the first take. Thanks to virtual production and other technology-heavy filmmaking methodologies, tasks once reserved for the post stage are moving forward in the pipeline, making previs more vital – and productions more top-heavy – than ever before.
We survey the market for the latest, greatest tools designed to simplify the previs process.
Storyboarder.ai – Storyboarder.ai
Storyboarder.ai is an all-in-one solution that blends storyboarding, animatics and AI-driven image generation. Whether starting with a polished screenplay or an unstructured idea, the software takes that input and turns it into a complete picture, broken down into scenes and individual shots. It then allows for infinite fine-tuning; add characters, tech specs, dialogue and art styles, and keep making changes at any step.
Generative AI makes Storyboarder sing, letting users edit their prompts, spontaneously redesign shots and
add audio to any scene in essentially no time. Each plan – from Starter to Production Unlimited – supports this endless iteration.
Polycam – poly.cam
Polycam is a spatial AI program that can scan and develop a 3D digital model of any environment. While it services myriad industries, this software allows filmmakers to scan props, sets and locations, as well as create unlimited 3D assets – which, if they so choose, will live in Polycam’s shared library – from their smartphone.
It even supports aerial mapping through drone data.
Critically, Polycam is compatible with the industry’s most popular engines, including Unreal, Maya, Blender and Unity. Export files in mesh and point cloud formats like OBJ and PLY, or view them in-app on the Apple Vision Pro headset.
Previs Pro – previspro.com
Available on Apple devices, and used by productions including Riverdale, Previs Pro is a complete previs solution that, like Storyboarder.ai, blends storyboarding, animatics and 3D asset creation. It also supports LiDAR location scanning and offers an AR-based virtual camera, AI-powered style selection, in-app markup and more. With a tagline that aptly reads ‘fix it in pre’, Previs Pro handles just about every element of previs, including custom imports and 3D exports to Unreal, Unity and other popular engines. Unlike many other tools, Previs Pro can be purchased as a subscription or outright.
ShotDeck – shotdeck.com
Developed by cinematographer Lawrence Sher, ASC, ShotDeck is the largest library of high-definition film stills, containing millions of shots from thousands of titles. The online platform comes in handy from pitch to production, ensuring teams are following a shared visual language.
ShotDeck categorises images by genre, composition, camera, lens, focal length, aspect ratio, time of day and more; users can also search by keyword like ‘eye’ or ‘extreme close-up’. Then, they can create decks of their favourite shots and export them instantly. While useful for DOPs, ShotDeck can aid all types of crew people, including set decorators, art directors, hairdressers, costume designers, SFX and the like – anyone
who might be building a reference list.
Interested users can start a two-week trial before committing to a subscription, and film students and professors are eligible for educational discounts.
Cineflares – lenses.cineflares.com
Cineflares, founded by Markus Förderer, ASC, is an online database and interactive lens test library that allows filmmakers to compare cine lenses side by side, seeing differences in flares, focal lengths and T-stops on the same base frame – all of which are shot in 8K and under controlled lighting conditions by pro filmmakers. Nothing is AI-generated, so accuracy is always a given.
Cineflares offers both a free and paid version, the latter containing over 100 lens sets, with new lenses added on a regular basis. If you don’t see your favourite lens in the database, you can suggest one via webform; lens manufacturers can put in requests too.
canSCAN – canscan.co.uk
Designed with the purpose of serving the production industry, canSCAN is a UK-based company that specialises in virtual recces and worldwide 3D location capture. Its range of different handheld, drone and vehicle-mounted scanners can deliver photorealistic 3D models in lots of different formats, including Gaussian splats.
A standard scan could be as simple as a canSCAN technician arriving at your location, walking through the space with a scanner in hand. This can be with or without your production team. The scan is then processed and moving objects, such as people and vehicles, will be automatically removed.
Utilising canSCAN viewer, its secure web-based viewing platform, all departments can collaborate during all stages of production. This simplifies decision-making and saves significant time and money.
With canSCAN’s tools, the director and DOP can use the virtual viewfinder to simulate a wide variety of cameras and lenses, and create storyboards and animations. The art department can take precision measurements and visualise sets, grip and lighting can check if their equipment fits in the space, and locations and transport can benefit from generated 2D floorplans. It also provides more detail to aid the risk assessment process. Industry-standard file formats can be provided to departments for previsualisation, VP modelling, VFX and more.
Contact canSCAN, which is based at Shepperton Studios, at canscan.co.uk
RADiCAL – radicalmotion.com
RADiCAL lets filmmakers previs in real time and collaborate on concepts before stepping on-set. First, they can import a LiDAR scan or start from scratch, building their own set and dragging and dropping digital objects – either original assets or those from RADiCAL’s library – to populate it. The web-based platform provides a virtual camera, letting users choose their lens, customise lighting and mimic real-world movements such as pans and zooms.
RADiCAL also supports markerless motion capture and character blocking, so users can duplicate, position and scale animations with a few simple clicks. This no-fuss platform stands out for its ease of use – no prior technical knowledge needed.
This article appears in the April/May 2026 issue of Definition
