A Preoccupation with Previsualisation: Director Josh Cohen’s Passion for Preparation
Josh Cohen is a British director with an effortless style, a knack for dynamic camerawork, and meticulous sense of colour, composition, and production design. Represented by OB Management, Josh has directed commercials for brands such as Heinz, adidas and Samsung, and has worked with legends from David Beckham to Gordon Ramsey.
One part of his craft that he takes particular pride in is shooting his own previsualisation. It’s testament to Josh’s vision - seeing how accurate they are next to the finished spots. His main aim in this process is to ensure both he and the client are fully prepped before they even step on set.
Check out the video below and read his interview with LBB’s Alex Reeves to understand this part of Josh’s process.
LBB> When you first started directing, what was your process for pre-viz?
Josh> In my mind, 2D drawn storyboards are a great way to keep things on track throughout the shoot, but they only get you so far during the planning stage. And, as I’ve always been very hands on with a camera, picking one up and actually shooting something felt more instinctive. I think one of the first versions of my pre-viz came in the form of sellotaping my phone to the inside of a Pepsi bottle and spinning it around like a ‘spin the bottle’ game, multiple times… until eventually it landed perfectly on my face staring through the lid opening.
LBB> And how has that changed to become what it is today?
Josh> In the early days, I would just use my phone to test-shoot parts of the film. Simple tests in the treatment phase just to prove to myself that what I was promising in my treatment would actually work… thus the spinning Pepsi bottle contraption mentioned above! Today it feels more of an integral tool that helps bring the storyboard to life as a progressive next step, helping myself, the agency, client and crew all align on the plan ahead of the shoot. When boarding, you can visualise it in your head. You can draw the frames and give them a theoretical duration… but how long does it actually take? For example, is there enough time to take in a performance, get out the dialogue and then shoot up into the air before transitioning into the next scene? This is where a full pre-viz is really helpful!
LBB> How commonly do directors go this far with pre-viz? I get the impression that most don't go as far as this! Why do you think it's important to you as a filmmaker?
Josh> For me personally, it plays into my style of filmmaking, which is why it’s so helpful. Often I’m planning to be ambitious with dynamic camera movements and transitions, taking the viewer on a visual journey whilst trying to fit everything into a 30” or a 60”.
For me, there’d be nothing worse than getting into an edit and realising only then that something doesn’t fit or doesn’t work. As my camera is often on the move, I want to know ahead of time that everything I have planned seamlessly and slickly cuts together. The other thing that I want to ensure I’m getting right is performance. Within these short-form films, I’m always conscious about not rushing through performances, or having to move on before taking in those comedic beats.
LBB> What are some examples of when shooting your own pre-viz has helped you to figure out how you're going to bring the vision in your head to life?
Josh> My pre-viz process is usually something that goes through development as the project goes on. Version onemight be shooting myself in my kitchen, and the final pre-viz is usually one I’d make with my DOP during the tech recce. It’s great to take the DOP through that process as it can throw up ideas or even potential problems that otherwise may have occurred on the actual shoot day. It gives us a chance to frame up shots and discuss specific camera movements and how we achieve them.
For example, a camera move I’ve been able to achieve using my phone may not be so easy when it comes to rigging a proper camera. It allows crew members like a grip, for example, to see exactly how I want the camera to move and enables them the time ahead of the shoot to plan out any custom-made rigs that will help us achieve that movement.
Generally speaking, shooting the film in its entirety through a pre-viz not only helps the agency and client visualise the ad, but also helps the crew to feel super prepared and confident in executing it!
Of course we leave room for those creative moments that happen 'on set’, but what the pre-viz does even further is give us a base level understanding and knowledge of whether those spontaneous ideas will work or not.
LBB> How does it help when it comes to performances? You've already had to give your own performance before you even get into casting, so it must give you some empathy.
Josh> Absolutely. ‘LOVED the performance on that one, however that ran at five… Do you think you could get it down to three’ is often the kind of thing I might find myself saying to cast on set, knowing full well if we don’t get it in three seconds, it could knock everything else out of sync! It’s tough to get the right performance within a certain time frame, and having tried it myself through that pre-viz process of course gives me that empathy with the cast.
One thing I am conscious of, if I do decide to show the pre-viz to the cast, is inadvertently pushing my own performance on the actors, as of course I want to rely on their own performance to hold true. However, sometimes showing them my pre-viz can help them just visualise the ad in its entirety, which sometimes does give them that “‘ohhhhh I totally get it now!’ moment.
LBB> Finally, what advice would you give to clients looking at your pre-viz work and trying to imagine what the finished film will be like?
Josh> It's mostly me and the crew being silly on camera, so the caveat is always: ‘Please take it with a pinch of salt!’.
