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Previs Pro
Previs Pro emerged from the Brooklyn-based studio Freeverse, which Ian Lynch Smith founded and grew to over 35 developers before its acquisition by...
Previs Pro
Previs Pro emerged from the Brooklyn-based studio Freeverse, which Ian Lynch Smith founded and grew to over 35 developers before its acquisition by ngmoco/DeNA. Freeverse earned more Apple Design Awards than any other company, shipping over forty Mac OS titles. That lineage of technical craft now powers Previs Pro, a storyboarding and animatics tool built natively for Mac, iPhone, and iPad. The platform unifies script import — supporting Final Draft, Fountain, Celtx and Open Format — with a full animation timeline, customizable 3D props and characters, and camera simulation that dials in settings from full-frame 35mm to Micro 4/3. Directors can use LiDAR scanning to capture real-world backdrops, then drop AR characters into location. A generative-AI module creates props and actors from text descriptions, and an in-app enhance function converts 3D scenes into photorealistic or ink-sketch frames. Confirmed productions powered by Previs Pro include work by Osiris19CC and Bred11six. The tool exports to Premiere, DaVinci and Final Cut, and generates password-protected web links for cast and crew review. The development team remains small, with award-winning application makers including Mark and Kevin, who previously worked at Freeverse. Previs Pro maintains over 1,000 positive App Store reviews. The firm operates from Bern, Switzerland, and does not disclose AUM or investment deployment figures — it is a product company, not a pooled investment vehicle. Recent adjacent launches under the same studio umbrella include Fotomoji, a GPU-powered emoji portrait app, and After Ice, an AR climate-simulation tool used by Al Gore. Previs Pro sits at the intersection of production software and generative AI, a structural position that differentiates it from traditional previs suites tied to expensive studio hardware. By marrying a full NLE-ready timeline with on-device generative tools, the firm gives independent filmmakers and small crews the same iterative visual-logic workflow that was previously locked inside large post-production houses.
General information
Firm type
Pension Fund
Year founded
1958
Location
Region
Europe
Country
Switzerland
City
Bern
Corporate office
Bern, Switzerland
Principals
Ian Lynch Smith
Founder and CEO
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs product and engineering decisions at Previs Pro?
Founder Ian Lynch Smith leads product direction as CEO. Development is handled by a small team that includes two former Freeverse colleagues, Mark and Kevin, who have shipped Apple Design Award-winning applications with Smith for over two decades.
How does Previs Pro source its proprietary technology?
The tool's core timeline engine and mobile-first architecture were built in-house, inheriting the graphics and UI expertise developed at Freeverse. Generative-AI features for prop and actor creation, scene enhancement, and LiDAR scanning integration are all developed internally rather than licensed from third-party providers.
Is Previs Pro a venture-backed startup or an independent studio?
Previs Pro operates as an independent product studio. Smith's prior company, Freeverse, was acquired by ngmoco/DeNA, but Previs Pro has not publicly disclosed external funding and maintains a lean team building multiple creative applications concurrently.
What production formats does Previs Pro support on export?
The software exports storyboards as print-ready sheets, generates MP4 animatics for review, and writes timeline files compatible with Adobe Premiere, DaVinci Resolve, and Final Cut Pro. It also produces password-protected web links for cast and crew collaboration.
Does Previs Pro participate in any film-industry standards bodies or open-source projects?
Participation has not been publicly disclosed. The software reads industry-standard screenplay formats — Final Draft, Fountain, Celtx — but the internal file format and rendering pipeline remain proprietary.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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