Blank Canvas Visuals presents a slideshow on how best to prepare for your next 3D project, including the benefits of early planning and organisation.

1. How to Prepare for
Your Next 3D Project

2. So you’ve got to prepare CGI’s for
your next project which is about to
launch. Your next step will be to
engage a studio to create these CGI’s,
and you want their graphics to be a
smashing success (of course). The
question you might be asking yourself
is this: “What do I need to do in order
to make that happen?”

3. Well, as the saying goes, ‘Preparation is the key
to success’. Simply put, if you are prepared, you’ll
give yourself and the CGI company you’re
working with a much better chance of knocking
the brief out of the park.
Don’t fret, this preparation can be easy, and
doesn’t have to take up a lot of your time. There
are a few essentials to have ready, and it’s
important to be aware of how long this sort of
project can take. If you’ve got that down, great!
Here, we share the key points of preparing for
your next project so you can help ensure its
success.

4. Prepare Your Team... Early
It’s important to have a good understanding of your project team and who is responsible for what.
What does a typical project team look like? A standard team might be as follows:
● Development & Marketing Manager (Developer)
● Creative/Marketing Agency
● Lead Architect (Architect)
● Interior Designer
● Landscape Architect
● Consider the following (which can also be managed by your appointed person):
● Photographers (drone & lifestyle)
● Stylists
● Sales Agents (Recommend for input/guidance)
The larger the team, the longer the process will be, due to more opinions and filtering. Every project is
different, but consider the following:

5. Decide who’s
calling the shots
Choose one person in your
company that leads the project.
They’ll have the final say on
approvals, and they’ll be the main
point of contact. This will cut down
on confusion and delays due to
differences in opinion. You’ve heard
the saying “too many chefs in the
kitchen”... this applies directly to
production of CGI’s. You need a
head chef!

6. Organise your
contractors and
creatives early
Ensure you have the right people in
place – such as the photographer
and the furniture stylist - ready to go
as soon as you engage a CGI studio.
If your team is ready to go, the
project will go faster, and you’ll get a
better end result.

7. Understand
where your
design is at
Too often, the delays in the CGI
process, is that certain areas of the
development have not been
designed or finalised. The CGI
studio can’t visualise what does not
exist yet, so keep this in mind. Some
things might be able to start, but this
could become your bottleneck.

8. Choose the
right CGI Studio
Be wary of offers that sound too
good to be true. You often get what
you pay for, so going cheap could
be a big waste of time and energy,
then you find your rushing or
spending lots with another
company.

9. Understand Standard Timeframes & Process
The timeframes for the production of CGI’s can vary greatly,
so with this in mind it’s always better to allow as much time as
possible. While every studio will have their own process and
timings, the below is true for the majority with minor tweaks
here and there.
Our wish-list time allowance is between 8-10+ weeks,
however due to commercial realities we find that this ends up
being between 5-8 weeks. This is based on a typical project
of around 10-15 still images, animation/film and virtual reality
all follow different timelines.
The number of images, changing of design, size of project
team (too many chefs), lack of clear vision and being over
critical, can and will lead to time delays.

10. The reason for this, is due to the process required to get from nothing to a set of
beautiful crafted images.
Below is a quick outline of a standard process (The example below is our studio’s
outline, remember everyone can be different). Black represents fixed times, while
the dashed can show simple blow-outs and the knock-on effect.

11. Prestart - Simply all the admin, introductions, collection of the required information. Everyone underestimates how
long this stage can take, because the render studio can’t start without certain information.
Creative brief - Camera angles/Whitecards/Wireframes, time of day, style of furniture & mood are all discussed
here. Some studios may just do a simplified version as not every project requires the full monty.
Draft 1 - Once you have approved the camera angles and brief, the studio will move into the first big of grunt work -
this part is the most intensive for the render studio. This is where they take it from Whitecard/Wireframe to full
blown colour.
Draft 2 - You and the project team will review the images and provide feedback. Feedback can be one of those
things that blows out your project. Try to appoint one point of contact (head chef) and be reasonable with your
comments.
Final - After all changes and everyone is done, finals! Please beware, while computers these days are fast, there are
still limitations on computing power and there is the often overlooked process of ‘post-production’. You need allow
for a few days, similar to sending something to ‘print’.
Note: The timing of a project will be dependent in part on receiving required information when it’s needed. This is
why it is very important to have all of your information ready to go.

12. Have Your Information Ready
Providing as much detail as possible to your CGI Studio will
help to ensure the final result is what you desire (and will
prevent delays). Ideally, this should include:
● A detailed brief with visual references (although
not critical, it is helpful to have a clear brief
before engaging a studio, as this step eliminates
some briefing time).
● A checklist of essentials
● A wishlist of additional (but nonessential) wants
It is very important to ensure you get all the information that
your CGI Studio asks for in a timely manner. Not being tardy
at this stage will save you time (and also money!) and helps
to ensure your project is successful.

13. Consider the Context and Purpose of Your Project
Think about the big picture here. What are you looking to use the individual
CGI’s for?
This is an early discussion which your agency can also provide guidance on.
Understand that this can help the project manager perfect the process. You
should consider focussing on particular goals so that you can stage your
launch:
● What is the desired end result?
● Is this a big project launch?
● Is it a smaller project?
● What will you be using the 3D visuals for in terms of marketing?
● Social Media?
● Website portfolio?
● Banner Ads?
● Other Digital Marketing Materials?
All of these factors will determine what visuals you need from the 3D
visualisation company. If you’re doing a social campaign, a ‘vignette’ like
below is something to consider.

14. You’ve got the Basics Covered!
If you consider all of the above, you’ll be prepared to launch a
successful 3D visualisation project. If you’re looking to make
sure the project will truly amaze and impress, take a look at the
7 Common Mistakes in the Production of 3D Renders for details
on common pitfalls and how to avoid them on your next project.

15. Once the Project has Started
It is vital to set aside time to review each draft thoroughly and then provide clear
and concise feedback. See our blog on ‘How to Create Great Feedback on 3D
Visuals’ for more detail.
Blank Canvas is a Perth-based visual communication company offering high quality
3D imagery of architectural and interior designs. Go to http://blankcanvas.studio/ to
learn more about how we can help with your next CGI project.