Assessing the Value of 3D Software Experience with Camera Layout in Virtual Reality

Abstract

Preproduction is a critical step in creating 3D animated content for film and TV. The current process is slow, costly, and creatively challenging, forcing the layout director (LD) to interpret and create 3D worlds and camera directions from 2D drawings. Virtual reality (VR) offers the potential to make the process faster, cheaper, and more accessible. We conducted a user study evaluating the effectiveness of VR as a preproduction tool, specifically focusing on prior 3D modeling experience as an independent variable. We assessed the performance of experienced 3D software participants to those with no experience. Participants were tasked with laying out a camera shot for an animated scene. Our results revealed that the experienced 3D software participants did not significantly outperform their non-experienced counterparts. Overall, our study suggests that VR may provide an effective platform for animation pre-production, "leveling the playing field" for users with limited 3D software experience and broadening the talent pool of potential LDs.