Technological advancement is a double-edged sword. On one hand it enables us to explore uncharted areas of visual effects, and on the other it tempts us to use it purely because it exists. Given a suitable budget, almost anything can be achieved in 3D animation, but is often of questionable benefit over a live-action alternative.

A recent pair of films demonstrate this point well. The first, for Levi's, shows the talent jumping through walls to great effect. The other is a tongue-in-cheek remake for Lilt, and shows the same effect to a similar quality. One involved months of 3D animation, and the other was sensibly shot in-camera with little discernible difference resulting. I can't tell you why those particular decisions were made, but I think responsible creative dialogue is essential from any post house, even if it means losing work.

Integrity is in short supply as margins are squeezed tighter, and people are tempted to take advantage of the mystery surrounding 3D to exploit its profit potential. But 3D should be used as a complement to live action, not as a substitute for shooting.

Nature is both beautiful and complex enough to make faithful reproduction difficult. In spite of this, films use 3D to create water, sky, and natural flora and fauna where the cost/aesthetic equation simply doesn't work. The high quality of modern HD cameras makes plate photography for naturalistic elements a viable alternative to 3D, using a minimum of crew. A consequence of more plate photography is extra time in traditional post suites aiding interactivity and creativity for the director and agency.

I am not advocating a total absence of 3D in films, just a logical approach to working with its strong points. Use CGI to create characters, bring the impossible thought to life and suspend disbelief for a few seconds, but don't remake reality.

Pre-production time is the vital ingredient in successful 3D. The more time we spend discussing different approaches to ideas and testing their potential, the better. Advances are made so frequently that many things are now within reach that haven't been explored in the commercial realm before. So enter into dialog with the animators and explore their ideas.

Be prepared to make some leaps of faith, as working with material that doesn't look polished is integral to 3D. It may take most of the available time to see what the finished product will be like, so don't be put off by watching a flat grey shaded version of your character or scene. You can reduce costs by putting in time up-front and letting your imagination fill the gaps - changing ideas late in the process can be prohibitive. A level of trust not previously granted to post-production has now become essential to produce high-level animation. Forming close professional relationships is more crucial than ever.

Animation can also help to visualize complex multi-element live-action shoots, showing camera positions, the effects of differing lenses and object positions for optimum framing. Giving clients an idea of the final film by providing moving storyboards will sell concepts and give competitive advantage, while ensuring everyone knows what to aim for when shooting.

I predict that this represents a growth area as visual effects form a bridge between pre- and post-production, further integrating the whole process of film-making. The benefits of close collaboration always transfer directly to screen, and only we can make that happen.

Jonathan Privett is head of 3D at London's Rushes Post-Production.