PREVIS SOFTWARE / COMPARISON / 2026
Previs Tools Compared in 2026Storyboards, 3D cameras, and AI video handoffs
Compare free, open-source, browser, 3D-camera and AI-video previs tools by the job each shot needs, not platform alone.
WHAT PREVIS DOES
Previs is how you decide a shot before you pay to shoot it.
Where the set pieces go, where the actors stand, where the camera sits, which lens it uses, how it moves and where the cut lands. The tool should match the amount of the shot you need to solve.
Previs has four practical levels.
- 01
Draw and plan | Start with boards, shot lists and references.
- 02
Generate | Create concept shots and sequences with AI.
- 03
Block and shoot | Decide lens, positions, camera paths and alternate takes.
- 04
Simulate | Solve sets, lighting, performance and VFX.
SIDE BY SIDE
Previs tools compared
Price and platform are not enough. Compare how each tool makes the camera, assembles the cuts and hands material to an AI video model or a production team.
| TOOL | Getting started | Connect your AI | Real locations | UI languages | Cost | Open source | 3D camera moves | Hand-off to AI video | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SHOT OF THE DEADTrying many quick camera ideas before you shoot or generate | Open the URL in Chrome (Mac / Windows) | Sign in from ChatGPT or Claude in the browser | GLB / GLTF, World Labs Marble, Gaussian splat | Japanese, English, Korean | Free (Pro: $49 one-time) | Proprietary app | Real focal length; move the camera to record takes; REV for reverse angles | Start/end frames, clay reference clip, camera-path.json and prompt | Trying many quick camera ideas before you shoot or generate |
| StoryflowShot lists and storyboards on one canvas | Browser | — | — | — | Paid early access / free plan announced | Proprietary | 2D overhead blocking; not 3D lens simulation | Boards, shot notes and references; not a 3D motion package | Shot lists and storyboards on one canvas |
| StoryboarderFast storyboards and edit rhythm | Install on Mac / Windows / Linux | — | — | — | Free | Open source | 3D composition and poses in Shot Generator; save per board | Stills, animatics, Premiere / Final Cut / Avid / PDF / GIF | Fast storyboards and edit rhythm |
| CozyClayLetting an AI compute and refine body motion | npx with Node.js 22.19+; a trial on cozyclay.org | Local MCP via npx, or the agent panel in the Studio | Imported 3D models | English, Korean, Chinese | Free | AGPL-3.0 | Rails, cranes, focal length and timeline cuts | First/last frame, greybox clip, prompt, mp4, depth/normal passes, OTIO cut list | Letting an AI compute and refine body motion |
| BlockoutCrowds, choreography and fights for AI video | Install on Mac / Windows (Linux from source) | Bundled MCP server for Claude Code, Codex and other MCP clients | Gaussian splat / photogrammetry scans | English | Free | Apache-2.0 | Real lenses, mark-based paths, 39 camera moves and auto-framing presets | Reference video, depth, normal, stills, prompt, ComfyUI workflow and metadata | Crowds, choreography and fights for AI video |
| Previs ProAnimate selected shots from 3D storyboards | Install on Mac / iPad / iPhone | — | — | — | Free version + paid features | Proprietary | Keyframes, time boxes, motion paths, pose and lighting animation | MP4 animatic mixing still boards and animated shots | Animate selected shots from 3D storyboards |
| LensBlockDetailed offline camera and pose animation | Open in the browser; one HTML file that also works offline | None | None (build with primitives) | English | Free | MIT | Real focal length, multiple cameras, keyframes, IK/FK and graph editing | Video via WebCodecs / MediaRecorder, plus JSON scene | Detailed offline camera and pose animation |
| BlenderFull control over sets, lighting and animation | Install on desktop | Third-party MCP add-ons | Imports 3D models and scan meshes | Many, including Japanese | Free | GPL | Combine cameras, keyframes, constraints, paths and rigs | Render and Video Sequencer output; manual AI handoff | Full control over sets, lighting and animation |
| FrameForgeDetailed camera-accurate 3D previs | Install on desktop | — | — | — | Paid | Proprietary | Camera-accurate 3D previs with real lens data | Stills and diagrams handed off manually | Detailed camera-accurate 3D previs |
| Unreal EngineVFX-heavy and virtual-production work | Desktop (large install) | — | Imports 3D models | Many, including Japanese | Free to use for previs | Source available / not open source | Sequencer, virtual camera and real-time 3D | Rendered output and virtual-production pipeline | VFX-heavy and virtual-production work |
Prices and specifications are an October 24, 2026 snapshot. A dash means the official sources did not say. Follow each product name to its official source.
PICK BY THE JOB
Pick by the job
- 01
Align the shot idea before building 3D
Storyflow or Storyboarder. Put frames, notes and references together and decide which shots to build.
- 02
Try camera ideas right now, with nothing to install
SHOT OF THE DEAD. Open the URL, place figures and record by moving the camera. Reopen a saved setup and record a closer, wider or reverse angle as another cut.
- 03
Stage crowds, choreography and fights for AI video
Blockout. Place crowds and choreography in one click and export reference video, depth and a ComfyUI workflow.
- 04
Let an AI compute and refine body motion
CozyClay. An agent writes a motion spec, and the browser compiles it and checks contacts and foot slide.
- 05
Solve lighting and VFX before the shoot
FrameForge, Blender or Unreal. Choose by the precision and production scale required.
WHERE SOTD FITS
Where SHOT OF THE DEAD fits
SOTD is for trying many quick camera ideas before you shoot or generate. Open the URL, place figures, change the lens and camera, record the move, and review it as one Cut List sequence. Choose it for how fast you can start and how many ideas you can try, not for precision or feature count.
SHOT OF THE DEAD grew out of real film productions made for theatrical screenings. We asked directors what slows them down before the shoot, and we keep turning requests from directors who use it into features — like a character who stops halfway, acts, and then walks on.
SOURCE NOTES
Tool notes
SHOT OF THE DEAD
Trying many quick camera ideas before you shoot or generate
Reopen a saved shooting setup, keep an alternative, and return it to the same sequence.
Cuts / sequence：Arrange and play in a Cut List; reshoot from a cut
Source used ↗Storyflow
Shot lists and storyboards on one canvas
A planning layer for deciding which shots need 3D before building them.
Cuts / sequence：Keep frames, shot notes and references together on a board
Source used ↗Storyboarder
Fast storyboards and edit rhythm
A draw-first previs workflow; continuous 3D camera recording is not its purpose.
Cuts / sequence：Arrange and time boards as an animatic
Source used ↗CozyClay
Letting an AI compute and refine body motion
An agent writes a motion spec; the browser compiles it and checks contacts and foot slide.
Cuts / sequence：Shots and cuts on a timeline; a storyboard mode too
Source used ↗Blockout
Crowds, choreography and fights for AI video
Designed for coverage: shoot shared action from several angles.
Cuts / sequence：Share scene blocking across shot cameras and export a stitched animatic
Source used ↗Previs Pro
Animate selected shots from 3D storyboards
Start with boards, then add keyed motion where it matters.
Cuts / sequence：Play still boards and animated shots together in the Player
Source used ↗LensBlock
Detailed offline camera and pose animation
For shot work where you want to edit keys and curves yourself.
Cuts / sequence：Save a scene as JSON and export timeline animation
Source used ↗Blender
Full control over sets, lighting and animation
The widest capability, with the previs workflow assembled by you.
Cuts / sequence：Edit multiple scenes with Scene strips in the Video Sequencer
Source used ↗FrameForge
Detailed camera-accurate 3D previs
Prioritizes handoff-ready precision over lightweight exploration.
Cuts / sequence：Manage shots as camera plans and storyboards
Source used ↗Unreal Engine
VFX-heavy and virtual-production work
Connect previs to a virtual-production stage.
Cuts / sequence：Edit shots and timing in Sequencer
Source used ↗FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Which previs tool connects to the AI I already use, with nothing to install?＋
SHOT OF THE DEAD starts from a URL in Chrome and connects to ChatGPT or Claude in the browser with a sign-in. Describe the place and it drafts a 3D location you can review and revise before placing figures and the camera. CozyClay runs its MCP locally with npx, and Blockout bundles an MCP server you register with your client.
Do I need one previs tool for everything?＋
No. Combine tools according to whether the shot needs a drawing, camera and lens decisions, or detailed body timing.
What is the difference between storyboards, 3D blockouts and AI previs?＋
Storyboards answer composition and intent; 3D blockouts answer space, lens and positions; AI previs tests mood and connected motion quickly.
How should I choose a tool when body timing matters?＋
When contact, reactions, dance or walking speed determine the cut, prioritize editable poses, choreography and timing.
Do tools hand different materials to AI video models?＋
Yes. Tools export different levels of material: stills, animatics, video, depth, camera paths or prompts.
Is free and browser-based enough to choose a tool?＋
Not by itself. Decide how much body timing, lens accuracy, set detail, export and collaboration you need.