The classification and application potential of motion capture in animated films
The classification and application potential of motion capture in animated films
Introduction
Motion capture is a technique of digitally recording the movements and patterns of live actors or objects (Condell). It has applications in fields of biomechanics, rehabilitation/medicine, ergonomics, sports performance analysis, music, visual effects and computer animation (Furniss). Particularly in animation, it is used to record an actor 's movement for the purpose of creating a digital character.
In the recent years, motion capture has gained significant momentum in not just biotech and I.T industries but also across the broad cinematic spectrum. Motion capture technology is flourishing in the film industry with its prolific use in Hollywood. Its awareness has been brought to mainstream audiences through blockbusters successes such as James Cameron 's Avatar.
With the continued growth of the entertainment industry, there is a strong desire for faster and more fluid animation. Current techniques for 3D animation particularly frame by frame animation are time consuming and complex. Frame by frame animation is the industry standard for creating animated characters. It involves constructing a 3D model from scratch and tweaking the model’s action one frame at a time. The pressure to keep up with demand and lower production cycles has driven producers to push for and experiment with motion capture, which has grown to be a significant source of motion data for computer animation (Condell).
However with the revolution that motion capture has started, it has also ignited heated discussions in Hollywood about its classification and application. The controversy surrounding where motion capture should stand in animation has split critics into often polar extremes. This paper will zoom in on the animation industry, specifically animated feature films. There are two major issues that involve the use of motion capture in an animated feature. The first is the debate
Introduction
Motion capture is a technique of digitally recording the movements and patterns of live actors or objects (Condell). It has applications in fields of biomechanics, rehabilitation/medicine, ergonomics, sports performance analysis, music, visual effects and computer animation (Furniss). Particularly in animation, it is used to record an actor 's movement for the purpose of creating a digital character.
In the recent years, motion capture has gained significant momentum in not just biotech and I.T industries but also across the broad cinematic spectrum. Motion capture technology is flourishing in the film industry with its prolific use in Hollywood. Its awareness has been brought to mainstream audiences through blockbusters successes such as James Cameron 's Avatar.
With the continued growth of the entertainment industry, there is a strong desire for faster and more fluid animation. Current techniques for 3D animation particularly frame by frame animation are time consuming and complex. Frame by frame animation is the industry standard for creating animated characters. It involves constructing a 3D model from scratch and tweaking the model’s action one frame at a time. The pressure to keep up with demand and lower production cycles has driven producers to push for and experiment with motion capture, which has grown to be a significant source of motion data for computer animation (Condell).
However with the revolution that motion capture has started, it has also ignited heated discussions in Hollywood about its classification and application. The controversy surrounding where motion capture should stand in animation has split critics into often polar extremes. This paper will zoom in on the animation industry, specifically animated feature films. There are two major issues that involve the use of motion capture in an animated feature. The first is the debate
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