Iterative Pre-Production: Breaking the Linear Mold

Hey everyone, Elena Rodriguez here. I'm producing a couple of new short films, one animation and one live-action, and I'm genuinely wrestling with our pre-production pipeline. Traditionally, it's been a very linear 'Scout > Sketch > Build' for locations, costumes, props, even storyboarding. We gather all the info, sketch it out, then get to work assembling. The problem is, we often find ourselves needing to backtrack significantly when initial builds don't quite hit the mark, which costs us valuable time and budget.

I'm exploring ways to introduce more iterative design decisions earlier. We've dabbled with AI for generating initial visual concepts, which helps with scouting ideas, but integrating that into a truly agile workflow feels a bit clunky right now. How have you all adapted this traditional linear approach? Are there specific agile methodologies or AI tools you've found effective for allowing more 'test and refine' loops during pre-production, especially for visual development?