The Previsualization Society,whose September 2009 launch was previously announced on StudioDaily, just went “live” with a new online portal and has started to formally accept membership applications. Both these initiatives are a ramp-up of activities and steps towards growing the Society as a non-profit, interdisciplinary organization dedicated to advancing previsualization (“previs”) in feature film, games, commercials and architecture.

The call for membership is aimed to expand the existing 300 charter members who represent a diverse cross-section of the entertainment industry.  For the 2010 membership cycle, applications have been opened at the following levels:  Previs Professional (full memberships for credentialed previs artists and supervisors); Associate (full memberships for industry professionals working in conjunction with previs); Educator (full memberships for accredited teachers and instructors); Student (full memberships for currently enrolled students); General (limited memberships for those interested in previs but outside of the previs industry).

Memberships provide tiered privileges and access to society documents, materials, information,  forums and events.  Company memberships and sponsorships are also offered.  Visit the Membership Section of the Previsualization Society website for full membership requirements, benefits details and to immediately apply.

The new online hub is intended to centralize previs content and topics.  The portal has been built out to facilitate presentation and exchange of information, ideas, news and contributions while also compiling historical timelines, reports, technical documents and galleries of previs work.  The online portal will be further augmented later this year with a strong social engine to enable user-to-user text and video chatting, chat rooms, a job board, enhanced forums, personal user blog pages, enhanced user profiles and more.  While many items are viewable via a free registered Web log-in, some content is offered to paid members only.

The Previsualization Society is currently in talks with key motion picture industry organizations to create and distribute previs information and presentations, and is also working with charter sponsor Autodesk to produce educational materials.  Colin Green, President; Brian J. Pohl, Secretary and Daniel Gregoire, Treasurer, have been named as 2010 Previsualization Society officers.

Formed in 2009, the Previsualization Society is a permanent non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement and development of previsualization, or “previs,” for all who participate in or benefit from the previs process.  Members of the Previsualization Society are engaged with the production or use of previs around the world within such fields as feature film, television, commercials, games, visualization and architecture.  Through a community that is as collaborative and interdisciplinary as previs itself, the Previsualization Society promotes effective applications, standards and practices, education and practical knowledge exchange and takes a leadership role in developing and articulating the capabilities of an evolving medium that is playing an integral role in how content is made.