MOTION CAPTURE
A technology of increasing popularity and interest – in the film and video game industry, it refers to recording the movement of actors and translating the resulting information into 2D or 3D character animation. Motion capture is also used in military, entertainment, sports, and medical and robotics.
The process allows a special apparatus to “capture” an actor’s movements and record them. The actor is dressed in an outfit to which bright markers known as markers are attached. The markers’ movements are tracked by appropriately placed cameras – the more cameras in the room, the more detailed the recording of movement. Capture is often based on recording only the actor’s movements, ignoring the surroundings. The computer then analyzes the data and synchronizes it with a previously prepared 3D model.
motion capture
With this technique, the recorded characters move very naturally and realistically, and the captured data is ready for further processing. Complex and realistic movements, produced through body interactions as a result of movement, weight and detailed physics of the characters can be easily and accurately reproduced.
Mocap
Mocap allows you to get real-time images. It does not fully replace the work of an animator, but it significantly speeds up the animation process. This contributes to both lower production costs and facilitates timely completion of the task.
motion capture outfit
The system also has its drawbacks. If the computer model of a character differs in proportions from the actor whose movement was captured, problems can occur. For example, when a cartoon character has unnaturally large hands, they may cut through the character’s body if the actor did not pay enough attention to this when recording the movement.
Besides, the capture system may also have specific requirements for the space in which it will be installed, related to the camera’s field of view and magnetic interference. You also have to keep in mind the high costs associated with the purchase of software, hardware and the possible hiring of a shooting crew.
Motion capture is, so to speak, a development of the idea of rotoscopy. It was used, for example, by Ralph Bakshi in animations such as 1978’s Lord of the Rings and 1981’s American Pop, where an actor’s movement was filmed and then used as the basis for creating hand-drawn frame-by-frame animated characters.
Capture began to be used widely for movie production, which set out to simulate or approximate live-action cinema by creating almost photorealistic models of digital characters. In “The Polar Express,” motion capture was used to allow Tom Hanks to play many different characters.
During the filming of “Avatar,” created by James Cameron, all scenes using motion capture were shot in real time using Autodesk Motion Builder software, which allowed for the creation of a preview screen that allowed Cameron and the actors to see the effect after the animation of the characters’ bodies had already been applied, making it possible to prepare the film immediately as it was to be presented to the audience. This method allowed for a closer look at the effects, which was not possible when looking at just sketches of virtual characters.
The director was so proud of the effect he achieved that he invited Steven Spielberg and George Lucas to the set to see the system in action live. Television relied entirely on motion capture technology for the production of such series as “Laflaque” in Canada, “Sprookjesboom” and “Cafe de Wereld” in the Netherlands, and “Headcases” in the UK.
The use of mocap in film:
