Prince Caspian provided another instructive case study. © Disney Enterprises Inc. and Walden Media LLC.

"In essence the Previs Society will be the gateway to educating filmmakers who are increasingly working in a digital production in how to fully exploit new processes to make films whose emotional and storytelling content is fully supported by technology. As a production designer who has worked with and alongside previs since 1998 I'm honored to be a charter member of the society and to support their good work."

Edwards emphasizes that previs needs to be adaptable to any situation."You have your generalist, skill set team that can respond to any changes, any request and cohesively pull together the vision from multiple inputs with different collaborators: visual effects, art department, camera, editorial, the director, the studio, the budget all have to be considered when crafting an effective previs sequence. It's a very difficult and demanding job and an important role in the production process. And so we hope this society will begin to further education of productions about how to take advantage of that potential."

2012 provided a further case study. Courtesy of Sony Pictures.

That includes the ASC, according to Green, and the society is continuing dialogue with them. "DPs don't always see the previs process as a place where they have a role. So their involvement is something we hope to emphasize -- that if DPs are involved making the creative and technical decisions in the previs process, previs can provide more benefit for the actual shoot."

"We want to reach out to everyone that engages in previs," Edwards adds. "If we can build a community that is as interdisciplinary and collaborative as the actual previs process, then we will be well on the way to achieving our main goals."

Bill Desowitz is senior editor of AWN & VFXWorld.