It’s only been over a year since we published Facial Capture 101, and the industry has already changed tremendously. With acquisitions and leaps in technology, let’s delve a little deeper and look at the most important updates in facial capture. Metahuman Animator In 2023, Epic Games introduced Metahuman Animator (MHA). A groundbreaking tool supported by the Unreal Engine software, MHA enables users to capture facial motions with an iPhone and transpose those movements onto a Metahuman. Its accessibility – using a simple iPhone or Head-Mounted Camera (HMC) is all that's needed to record perfor ..read more

Here at Animatrik, we like to challenge ourselves. Motion capture tends to be done in a controlled environment – of sorts – but when it comes to sports, that turns itself on its head. Particularly for some of the most fast-paced games in the world. Shooting full-contact sports that involve rapid turns and sharp movements makes motion capture challenging, but with proper preparation and by developing bespoke tools we were able to do just that. Our recent exploits saw us capture a live hockey game and, shortly after, a full speed football match with 150 cameras positioned around the action of ea ..read more

Filmmaking is challenging at the best of times, but add hundreds of extras, intricate sets, and iconic locations into the mix, and those challenges can become daunting. Which was precisely the case for Indian blockbuster, RRR, directed by S. S. Rajamouli. Set in early 20th century India, RRR follows two legendary revolutionaries and their fight to free India from the British Raj. It’s the age old rebellion story we all know and love, based on historical happenings with some fictitious hyperbole thrown in for solid entertainment value. And it’s ambitious, featuring intricate, large-scale action ..read more

Method Studios is an award-winning VFX company working on feature films, TV, commercials, and real-time experiences. We sat down with Karina Partington, Executive Producer, to talk about stunts, guns, and a history of working with Animatrik. How did you get introduced to Animatrik? Around two years ago we had been working with another mocap studio in Vancouver but we were looking for a change. Sam McGlynn, our Executive Creative Director, has previously worked with Animatrik when he was at Electronic Arts, so he suggested them and the rest is history. The quality and ease of working with Anima ..read more

Performance capture for game development is one of the most powerful tools at studios’ disposal. For years, Animatrik has been helping game designers around the world build realistic, believable motion right into their work quickly and without fuss. Which is crucial when, as every developer knows, you need to create hundreds, if not thousands, of unique assets for every game you make. From walking and jumping to fighting and falling off cliffs, performance capture has been the saving grace of animation pipelines the world over. With games becoming more complex, leaning into sagas and stories t ..read more

Performance capture utilizes sensors that track an actor's movements and expressions in order to translate them into digital form. As opposed to traditional keyframe processes, it results in nuanced animation that can authentically replicate movements. Filmmakers and game developers in need of realistic computer-generated characters are moving towards this animation technique. Are you looking to develop fantastical characters that still carry a sense of realism? Capturing specific movements for your gameplay, or adversely shooting extravagant set pieces for film and television? Maybe you want ..read more

We’re delighted to announce our new partnership with NantStudios, providing a state-of-the-art motion capture stage for film, TV, and games developers in Culver City, Los Angeles.  By taking space within NantStudios’ existing location, we’ll offer productions the most advanced performance capture technology, consultation, and post-process pipelines in the world. Animatrik’s partnership with NantStudios is an investment in the future of performance capture with a technology-driven creative hub in LA for domestic and international productions, including Technicolor Creative Studios’ new vi ..read more

Motion capture can be used to create hyper-realistic and believable fight scenes, recording the frantic movement of actors and translating it into computer-generated animation. These sequences have become increasingly complex, and in bringing them to fruition productions need to understand the requirements and technology involved in putting these pieces together. When developing lifelike movement and facial expressions for on-screen skirmishes, motion capture is ideal. But often greater detail is needed to achieve hyper-realistic results. This is where performance capture comes into play, a t ..read more

Real-Time Filmmaking on Carry Me Home (Images courtesy of Scopo Photography) Real-time filmmaking provides the capacity to experience a performance, as you might imagine, in ‘real-time’. It can be used for a variety of purposes, such as interactive experiences, live broadcasts, and live-streaming events – all of which Animatrik Film Design utilized during the production of Carry Me Home, the live and virtual circus. A relatively new production technique, real-time filmmaking involves the capture and display of visual and audio content simultaneously with its creation. Traditional visual effec ..read more

Digital Domain’s state-of-the-art performance and motion capture stage in Los Angeles gave space to Animatrik’s post-shoot mocap sessions for one of Marvel’s biggest blockbusters in recent years - Spiderman: No Way Home. Animatrik worked closely with the director’s team through two days of rehearsals, followed by one week of stunt work and a mix of motion and performance capture on the floor. The team at Animatrik created a dedicated editorial lounge with monitors within the studio, to watch the capture session in real time and make adjustments as needed. Spiderman: No Way Home (2021) From th ..read more