A method for use in a coating process includes pre-heating a substrate in the presence of a coating material and shielding the substrate during the pre-heating from premature deposition of the coating material by establishing a gas screen between the substrate and the coating material. An apparatus for use in a coating process includes a chamber, a crucible that is configured to hold a coating material in the chamber, an energy source operable to heat the interior of the chamber, a coating envelope situated with respect to the crucible, and at least one gas manifold located near the coating envelope. The at least one gas manifold is configured to provide a gas screen between the coating envelope and the crucible. A second manifold provides gas during a later coating deposition to compress a vapor plume of the coating material and focus the plume on the substrate to increase deposition rate.