first.stage · Project

Fast, Gesture-Based Pre-Visualization Tools That Cut Costs for Film and Stage Productions

digitalTestedTRL 6

Imagine you're directing a movie or a theatre show and you want to plan out scenes before spending money on sets, actors, and cameras. Right now, doing that digitally requires expensive software and trained specialists most small productions can't afford. This project built tools that let directors and artists sketch out scenes using hand gestures, physical figurines scanned into 3D, and natural body movements — almost like playing with a digital dollhouse. The result is a faster, cheaper way to see what your production will look like before you commit real resources.

By the numbers

EUR 3,031,510

EU funding for toolset development

Consortium partners across 5 countries

89%

Industry partner ratio in consortium

SMEs in the consortium

Demonstrator deliverables produced

Minimum hardware sensors supported

The business problem

What needed solving

Small and mid-size film, TV, animation, and theatre productions waste time and money because digital pre-visualization requires expensive specialized software and trained operators. Creative directors and artists cannot quickly test scene layouts, camera angles, or choreography digitally — they either skip pre-visualization entirely or pay premium rates for technical specialists. This means costly changes happen late in production when sets are built and actors are on set.

The solution

What was built

The project built a complete gesture-based pre-visualization toolset through 6 demonstrator iterations: from initial mock-ups to a final system supporting 3D object scanning from at least 3 hardware sensors, asset library browsing, physical simulation, camera planning, advanced animation via performance capture, and a pipeline connecting different previs tools. The final demonstrator incorporated all evaluation feedback and supports natural user interface interaction throughout.

Audience

Who needs this

Independent film production companies struggling with pre-visualization costsTheatre and stage production companies planning complex choreography and set designsAnimation studios looking to speed up early-stage scene layoutArchitecture firms needing quick spatial visualization for client presentationsGame studios and VR content creators prototyping environments

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Film and TV Production

SME

Target: Small-to-medium film production houses and animation studios

If you are a mid-size film production company spending weeks on pre-visualization with specialized software and trained operators — this project developed a gesture-based toolset that lets directors and concept artists plan scenes directly, without specialized training. The toolset supports camera planning, advanced animation, and physics simulation across 6 demonstrator iterations with 9 consortium partners.

Theatre and Live Stage

SME

Target: Theatre companies and stage production firms

If you are a theatre or stage production company that relies on physical mockups and imagination to plan choreography and set layouts — this project built a demonstrator that scans real-world objects into 3D, lets you arrange them with gestures, and animate characters by demonstrating movements. It interfaces with at least 3 hardware sensors and was tested across 5 countries with industry partners.

Architecture and Product Design

any

Target: Architecture firms and industrial design studios

If you are an architecture or product design firm that needs quick spatial visualizations for client presentations — this project created natural user interface tools that let you scan physical models, arrange elements with gestures, and define camera views intuitively. The consortium included 8 industry partners ensuring real-world applicability beyond the entertainment sector.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to adopt these pre-visualization tools?

The project received EUR 3,031,510 in EU funding across 9 partners to develop the toolset. Specific licensing or per-seat pricing is not published in the project data. Contact the coordinator at Universität Bremen for commercial availability and pricing terms.

Can this scale to large production pipelines with multiple departments?

The final demonstrator supports a modelling workflow that connects different previs tools through a pipeline, suggesting it was designed for multi-step production processes. It supports advanced animation, camera planning, and physics simulation in an integrated environment. However, stress-testing at enterprise-scale production volumes is not documented in the deliverables.

Who owns the intellectual property and how can I license it?

The project was funded under Horizon 2020 as an RIA (Research and Innovation Action). IP is typically shared among the 9 consortium partners according to their grant agreement. Universität Bremen coordinated the project; contact them for licensing discussions.

What hardware do I need to run this?

Based on deliverable descriptions, the system interfaces with at least 3 hardware sensors for motion recognition and 3D scanning. It supports different hardware for motion capture and uses asset libraries and engines compatible with industry-standard setups. Specific hardware requirements would need to be confirmed with the development team.

Has this been tested with real productions?

The project produced 6 demonstrator deliverables progressing from mock-ups to a final demonstrator incorporating evaluation results. The final demonstrator for asset creation was described as ready for project-based evaluation, scanning complex 3D objects and supporting digital crafting. This suggests testing with real creative workflows, though large-scale production deployment is not documented.

Does it work with existing production software we already use?

The modelling workflow demonstrator was specifically designed to connect different previs tools through a pipeline, indicating integration capability. The system builds on state-of-the-art asset libraries and engines. Specific software compatibility details would need to be confirmed with the consortium.

Is there regulatory compliance to consider?

Pre-visualization tools for creative industries do not face specific regulatory requirements. Standard software licensing and data handling practices apply. The project operated under EU Horizon 2020 ethical and data management guidelines.

Consortium

Who built it

This is a heavily industry-driven consortium: 8 out of 9 partners are industry players (89% ratio), with only 1 university (Universität Bremen, the coordinator). Five of the partners are SMEs, which signals strong commercial intent — these are companies that need to turn results into revenue. The consortium spans 5 countries (Austria, Germany, Denmark, Spain, UK), giving it a solid Western European footprint in creative technology markets. The high SME and industry concentration suggests the tools were built with practical adoption in mind, not just academic publication. EUR 3,031,510 in EU funding was distributed across these 9 partners over roughly 3 years of development.

UNIVERSITAET BREMENCoordinator · DE

How to reach the team

Universität Bremen (Germany) coordinated this project. Use SciTransfer's coordinator lookup service to get the right contact person and email.

Order a report on this consortium See UNIVERSITAET BREMEN profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore licensing these pre-visualization tools or connecting with the development team? SciTransfer can arrange a direct introduction to the consortium partners best suited to your needs.

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