An essential part of the animation and visual effects process is previsualization. Planning and blocking out shots can prove both time and cost-effectiveness. It can help provide the production with a clear to develop a sequence that “link a variety of departments, technologies and points of view” that will create the finished product ( Okun et al, p.53).
Pan Shot
Below is an example of a panning shot, using a virtual camera set up to replicate real-life cameras. In order to add another level of realism, the camera needs to be delayed slightly, to give a more human feel to the movement, as no live-action camera movement is perfectly timed. when viewing CG animation this can cause an unnatural look when everything is perfectly smooth, as the human eye is not exposed to that type of movement.
Roll Shot
Traditionally associated with film noir, the roll shot can help add further meaning to a story visually. Interestingly, the previs shot has a dual meaning depending on the direction in which the camera moves. In the first video, there is an implication that the character is overwhelmed by the number of steps he has to potentially climb. The second reversed video implies more that the character has made a stark realisation, or is confined as the camera closes in on his face.
Pitch Shot
The pitch shot follows the character, in this case, superman, fluidly through a pan down without accidentally clipping the character out of frame.
Dolly Shot
The dolly shot is a camera setup that follows a track in order to keep the camera still and fluid in motion. In this example the camera replicates a classic western scenario, introducing a fight between two characters.
Crane shot
Once again, following traditional mechanisms of a crane in real film footage, this shot highlights the use of a crane show coving two stories of a building.
Contra Zoom
The Contrazoom is created by zooming in or out while simultaneously moving the camera backwards or forward. This creates a jarring somewhat unnerving effect that is often used in action or horror movies to create a feeling of tension.
References-
Okun, J., Zwerman, S., McKittrick, C. and Sepp-Wilson, L., 2010. The VES handbook of visual effects. Amsterdam: Focal.