Studio Profile : Motus Digital - Part 2


... Technologically speaking, 3DoubleTake™ is the only application of its kind in the motion capture industry that provides a complete 3D game engine utilizing Microsoft's DirectX 9.0c technology. This allows the users to see the marker cloud data for the performers and/or props in a true 360-degree 3D environment utilizing dynamic lighting, shadows, textures and the ability to display 3D head models within the marker cloud data. This feature set is unrivaled within the motion capture industry. Finally, the 3D viewport is completely customizable; the size and color of the marker cloud data, lighting, shadows, etc. are all customizable down to the take level; each take saves the custom settings of the 3D viewport utilized when the take is loaded in future sessions.

Persona™ is a groundbreaking facial animation solution, combining facial motion capture and key framing, both working in real-time with their Vicon MX-F40 system or in post. Aptly named Persona™, it applies the motion capture actor's facial performance to a CG character with all its dynamic subtleties, and has a full set of key frame controls that would make any key frame artist feel at home—both working harmoniously together and in real-time. Persona™ operates inside Autodesk Motionbuilder, and is truly a 100% mocap and key frame hybrid rig; it can be driven effectively and completely by mocap, used as a solid standalone key framing rig, or any combination of both. In post, additional controls are available for even more detailed tweaking or key framed animation. Its ability to realize the detailed performance from motion capture and artist friendly controls makes Persona™ a powerful set of tools. Our Persona™ hybrid mocap/keyframe facial animation system is creating a lot of interest; especially when people come by and see firsthand what it is capable of doing. We get the comment "Wow!" often.



IA: Motus is able to develop a large range of animation services and you've demonstrate some of these capabilities in your last short movie, Ninja Toy. What went into the production, team, pipeline and time spent on it?

B.K.B: Ninja Toy started out as some internal fun before becoming a specific idea. We motion captured an extremely talented martial artist boy Shane Williams (Creative Director at Motus) knew so we would have some cool ninja motion to play with. It turned out so well that we knew we had to do something special with it. One of our in-house ninja models looked like an awesome action figure, so Shane suggested we have him come to life on the modeler’s desk. We liked the concept and immediately ran with the idea! When we began, we realized we needed the additional opening motion of him waking up and grabbing the pole. One of our staff suited up and we captured him acting out the ninja coming to life and getting ready for action. Crispin edited the original and new motions together and animated him breaking his bonds of stiff clay. Crispin and one of Motus' Mocap Animators, Anthony Cross edited and perfected the rest of the pole movement and hand/finger placement.

We created the camera movement with our virtual camera technology. The finished ninja animation was scaled down to the size of the toy on the table in Autodesk's Motionbuilder, and we motion captured a hand held camera with a video viewfinder showing us the virtual 3D tabletop and ninja moving around in real-time. We chose a loose and amateurish feel for the camera, conveying an impression as if an unsuspecting home video enthusiast caught the toy in the act.



Crispin handed off the animation and camera files to Shane, who set up the scene with other objects he modeled to look as real as possible. He keyframed the rolling tool and other items on the desk, and used rigid body dynamics for the other toy being knocked over. Other Motus staff helped with modeling too, and photos were taken of Crispin's office (he has many toys!) for use as background texture maps. Shane experimented with lighting and final textures until we had a final render we all liked. A somewhat shallow depth of field and some rack focusing were added to push the feel of a close up home video camera. Newtek's Lightwave 3D was used for most modeling, object animation, and all rendering. Autodesk's Motionbuilder and Maya were used for skinning and all character and camera animation.