As the theatre industry grapples with optimizing production processes, companies like Preevue Ltd. are carving out a specialist niche, bringing advanced visualization technologies typically associated with film and architecture into the heart of theatre and live event planning. Preevue's website was created in 2016.[^8] Their stated work focuses on creating highly accurate "digital twins" of performance spaces and leveraging Virtual Reality (VR) to unlock new efficiencies and creative possibilities. The sign of this term emerging shows an expertise alignment with the other industries we have studied, as well as with larger global trends as observed by Deloitte[^6] or McKinsey. Visit: [preevue.com](https://www.preevue.com) --- #### Contents - [[#The Preevue Process|The Preevue Process]] - [[#VR Inclusion|VR Inclusion]] - [[#High-Profile Productions|High-Profile Productions]] - [[#Addressing gaps|Addressing gaps]] - [[#Analysis|Analysis]] - [[#Analysis#Pain Points|Pain Points]] - [[#Pain Points#Communication & Coordination:|Communication & Coordination:]] - [[#Pain Points#Late-Stage Integration:|Late-Stage Integration:]] - [[#Pain Points#Resource Scarcity:|Resource Scarcity:]] - [[#Pain Points#Managing Complexity:|Managing Complexity:]] - [[#Analysis#Tools & Workflows|Tools & Workflows]] - [[#Analysis#Cross-Industry Comparison|Cross-Industry Comparison]] - [[#Cross-Industry Comparison#New Challenges & Opportunities:|New Challenges & Opportunities:]] - [[#New Challenges & Opportunities:#Opportunities:|Opportunities:]] - [[#New Challenges & Opportunities:#Challenges:|Challenges:]] - [[#Cross-Industry Comparison#Transferability & Scalability:|Transferability & Scalability:]] - [[#Transferability & Scalability:#Transferability:|Transferability:]] - [[#Transferability & Scalability:#Scalability:|Scalability:]] - [[#Conclusion|Conclusion]] - [[#Conclusion#References|References]] --- ## The Preevue Process Preevue's team utilizes LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) 3D laser scanning technology to survey performance venues, mapping the physical space in depth and colour [^1]. This technology has seen an [accessibility boost in recent years](The%20Tech%20Industry%20-%20What%20is%20New.md#Accessibility%20of%20LiDAR%20Technology), though benefits from skilled operators, photogrammetry professionals, 3D artists and data wranglers. For Preevue, detailed point cloud capture data becomes the foundation for their core offering: the creation of meticulously crafted 3D CAD **Digital Twins**. Preevue's artists build these virtual replicas piece-by-piece, balancing high photorealistic detail with size and efficiency. This ensures the models are compatible with industry-standard software like AutoCAD, Vectorworks, and various lighting visualization packages (Capture, WYSIWYG, Augment3d) [^2]. An accurate digital twin will serve multiple purposes of the theatre production process. - It allows production teams to conduct virtual site visits, - plan complex logistics, - integrate designs from various departments into a single, reliable model And all of this, years before a show might open [^2]. ## VR Inclusion Preevue are optimistic in the future of XR, and attempt to bridges the gap between traditional planning and digital potential in the present day. Detailed digital twins can be used to create immersive VR experiences, allowing creative and production teams to 'step inside' a true-to-scale, true-to-perception virtual replica of a venue or set design [^3]. This addresses a key challenge highlighted in industry discussions: flat screens' inadequacy for certain insights into spatial data, i.e.: - truly understanding spatial relationships, - audience sightlines. In VR, team members can physically look around, walk the stage, or sit in any seat, gaining an intuitive understanding of the space without needing specialized CAD skills. This capability has proven invaluable for productions involving transatlantic teams, such as *Harry Potter and the Cursed Child*. Preevue set up VR suites in both New York and London, enabling split creative and production teams to collaboratively review design iterations within the virtual model of Broadway's Lyric Theatre [^3]. ## High-Profile Productions Preevue's impact is demonstrated through their involvement in numerous high-profile theatre productions, including *Bat Out of Hell The Musical*, *Come From Away*, and *Moulin Rouge! The Musical* [^3]. Digital twins have been created for an extensive list of prestigious venues, including The London Palladium, Glyndebourne Opera House, the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Manchester Opera House, and many West End theatres like the Lyceum and Savoy [^2][^4]. They also provided VR visualization for Southwark Playhouse's planned new venue, enabling internal design review and impactful fundraising presentations long before construction was complete [^3]. ## Addressing gaps The services offered by Preevue directly address many of the workflow challenges identified within the theatre industry, and that dovetail with the premise of this study. Specific challenges addressed here: - fragmented data - difficulties in exchanging information between departments - underutilization of visualization due to time or resource constraints By providing a high-fidelity, centralized digital asset, and the tools to explore it effectively, Preevue's 3rd party service essentially offers an integrated visualization solution. Their work spans beyond theatre into events and media, recently signing a multi-year deal with Paramount Pictures, demonstrating the widening application of their expertise [^5]. ## Analysis ### Pain Points #### Communication & Coordination: Preevue directly targets this by creating a **centralized, reliable digital twin** integrating multi-departmental designs. Their VR solutions facilitate collaborative reviews, even across geographically dispersed teams (e.g., transatlantic productions), breaking down communication silos and ensuring everyone is working from the same accurate model. #### Late-Stage Integration: This is significantly mitigated. Preevue's accurate digital twins, created via **laser scanning**, allow for detailed planning, virtual site visits, and crucial **sightline analysis** using VR long before physical set load-in, drastically reducing the risk of late-stage spatial surprises. #### Resource Scarcity: Preevue aims to improve efficiency. Accurate upfront planning reduces costly errors and changes later in the process. Virtual site visits save time and travel expenses. Providing intuitive VR access potentially speeds up design comprehension and decision-making for non-technical team members. #### Managing Complexity: The service helps manage the complexity of modern productions and venues by providing accurate spatial data (digital twin) and an intuitive way (VR) to understand intricate designs and sightlines without requiring universal CAD proficiency among the creative/production team. ### Tools & Workflows Preevue employs **LiDAR 3D laser scanning** for initial data capture, specialized software for building accurate **Digital Twins** (3D CAD models), ensures compatibility with industry standards (**AutoCAD, Vectorworks, lighting viz software**), and utilizes **VR platforms** for immersive experiences. ### Cross-Industry Comparison Preevue brings technologies and approaches common in **film and architecture** into the theatre space. Their expansion into **live events and media** (evidenced by the Paramount deal) demonstrates the cross-pollination of these visualization techniques across related creative industries. #### New Challenges & Opportunities: ##### Opportunities: Preevue represents a market-validated **commercial solution** addressing known industry pain points. They enable effective **remote collaboration**, provide accessible **spatial understanding** (especially sightlines via VR), and allow detailed planning long before venue access. Their extensive client list (major shows/venues) signifies growing **industry adoption** and trust. ##### Challenges: The primary implied challenge is **cost and accessibility**. As a specialized commercial service, utilizing Preevue requires a budget allocation that may be prohibitive for smaller theatre companies or productions operating on tighter margins (£50k-£100k range). Clients are also dependent on a third-party provider for a critical part of their planning data and tools. #### Transferability & Scalability: ##### Transferability: The _benefits_ offered (clear communication, early problem-spotting, better sightline understanding) are highly transferable and desirable across the theatre industry. Preevue's _service model_ makes the _outcome_ transferable without requiring clients to develop specialized in-house skills. ##### Scalability: Preevue's _service_ has demonstrated scalability to high-end productions and prestigious venues. However, scaling this _level_ of service across the _entire_ industry, particularly to lower-budget segments, likely depends on the cost of their services versus perceived value, or the emergence of lower-cost alternatives. The underlying technologies (scanning, VR) are becoming more accessible, but Preevue's value proposition lies in the _expertise_ to deploy them effectively, which is what their service model scales _for those who can procure it_. ## Conclusion Preevue stands as a clear example of how specialized expertise can leverage clear value at the top of the theatre and live events industries - particularly those concerning unique venue characteristics, and high artistic design installations[^7]. This is being met positively by the industries, and Preevue's star appears to be on the rise. By focusing on the creation of accurate digital twins through laser scanning, and focused VR sessions if necessary, Preevue are beginning to provide tangible solutions to long-standing production planning challenges outlined earlier in this series. Their work with major productions and venues demonstrates a growing adoption of these techniques, pushing theatre workflows towards greater efficiency, enhanced creative communication, and more informed decision-making. It is important to take note that this success is currently taking the form of a service contractor to professional productions. There are several characteristics here - Highly specialised offering provides niche performance - High skill ceiling and low osmosis model is optimised for providing value to the high end of theatre production - Many projects can be taken on at once This model looks similar to the way a movie VFX vendor would work. It can be reasoned that the only difference between the form of an 'external vendor company' and a 'freelancer on a creative team' is not as great as one might think. Could we see a future where optimised miniaturized forms of the service Preevue offers are taken on by a single Previs artist, or effectively shared on a centralized platform between a theatre technical team and show creatives, like CAD models would be in the present day? --- ### References [^1]: Event Preevue - Accredited Visualisation Partner: [https://www.preevue.com/events/event-accredited-partner](https://www.preevue.com/events/event-accredited-partner) [^2]: Theatre Digital Twins - Preevue: [https://www.preevue.com/theatre/theatre-digital-twins](https://www.preevue.com/theatre/theatre-digital-twins) [^3]: Virtual Reality For Theatre Planning - Preevue: [https://www.preevue.com/theatre/virtual-reality-theatre-planning](https://www.preevue.com/theatre/virtual-reality-theatre-planning) [^4]: Preevue - Laser Scanning and Digital Twin Specialists: [https://www.preevue.com/](https://www.preevue.com/) [^5]: Paramount Signs Multi-Year Deal With Digital Twin Studio Preevue - Preevue News: [https://www.preevue.com/news/paramount-signs-multi-year-deal-with-digital-twin-studio-preevue](https://www.preevue.com/news/paramount-signs-multi-year-deal-with-digital-twin-studio-preevue) [^6]: Spatial Computing explored in Deloitte Tech Trends https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/focus/tech-trends.html [^7]: This is a general way of describing a typical West End or Broadway show. Pop concerts tend to run lighter on design, and need to build in more venue get-in, than this so less impacted by the highly detailed approach as in this value-prop. [^8]: Preevue.com -The Wayback Machine https://web.archive.org/web/20250000000000*/preevue.com