The following post was written for and included in the TNG Visual Effects October 2011 newsletter.
You’ve heard the terms body doubles, and photo doubles, but digital doubles? Here’s a tip to get you ahead of the learning curve. Digital doubles can soon be another fundamental part of the production process. The benefit of ensuring your peace of mind also means having continual access to your talent.
Imagine you are getting close to wrapping on production. All is going well until the unthinkable happens. Your principal talent suffers an injury that will delay production for weeks while he/she recovers. What will the total costs be to hold up production?
Production can use digital doubles as insurance in the event some unforeseen circumstance makes talent unavailable, in addition to any original intended purposes for the digital double in post production. The cost of scanning your principle talent in preproduction at a fixed rate will be worth more than just a matter of saving the day when the models are needed. Use the peace of mind your digital doubles will bring you to continue to focus on areas of your production that really need your attention.
By 3D scanning your talent in preproduction, you are creating a library of digital assets to be used at any other time throughout the production process. Your 3D scanning company should let you choose to order all, none, or some of the models as needed. Need textures? No problem! Your 3D scanning company should offer a wide range of output data to meet your specs.
After the scan and reference photography session is complete, your 3D scanning company can provide you with a contact sheet. This organized list of talent/objects scanned will serve as both a reference and pricing sheet. When you need a model, just place your order. If all goes perfect on your production and you don’t need the models, talk to your 3D scanning company about archiving the models for possible use in your sequel, prequel or next project.
We’ve made it sound simple, since it really can be. Whether you’re preparing for unforeseen circumstances early in production, or dealing with an incident in crisis mode, you need a 3D scanning company that is on your side. Let them do what they do best, serve you. Your peace of mind is just a phone call away.
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