Look at traditional film; what Opera is talking about is a framing shot. One long shot to provide an overall capture of your intended action or setting, to be cut up with close-ups or break aways. This ensures that you don't have to deal with the dangers of screwing up your camera angles or lighting rig in recreating the overarcing shot that closeups knit together. It also provides a framework with sliding room; you aren't committed scene lengths, with only the option of cutting time. A closeup can be inserted into the framing sequence, and then literally slid up and down in the timeline until you get the effect you want...or find an effect you jazz on. It's a more traditional approach than the current 'plan and execute' mentality that exists in relation to CG in general. Take a look at the write ups that have been done on Pixar's 'The Incredibles'. The director for that one came from traditional cinema, and inflicted traditional workflow and methodology onto Pixar (including the long framing shots built upon with closeups and cutscenes). And it worked out beautifully.