"You can never plan the future by the past."
- Edmund Burke
Hey there! Welcome to the world of MoCap (Motion Capture Animation). We'll be spending the next 6-7 weeks together as I enter the universe of MoCap, which is when the actions of human actors are recorded and that data is used to animate digital character models in 2D or 3D computer animation. Let me tell you, coming to the conclusion of learning motion capture animation was no easy task.
A little bit about me: my name is Daniel. I've been an avid photographer, a semi-professional cuber, and have found myself involved with the ins and outs of logical and creative thinking for my entire life. From juggling devil sticks to cooking exotic cuisine, my interests have no bounds. Some would say this makes me a well-rounded person. I would say that it makes pursuing just one skill a much more daunting task.
A few of my initial ideas to pursue for this extensive Genius Project included furthering my juggling abilities, cubing with one-hand/blindfolded, and learning sign language. These were all intriguing ideas that presented unique paths, but I decided against each of them, considering my pre-existing knowledge of those subjects. After weeks of research and many, many late nights of Google searching, I was able to create a final list comprised of two ideas: flair bartending and other uncommon forms of juggling, or motion capture animation. Being underage and not allowed to mix my own drinks, I landed on motion capture animation. And let me tell you, I couldn't have been happier with my choice! This video says it all:
The "Daniel, what the hell are you talking about?" looks from my friends and family were honestly more encouragement for me to continue on this track. I want to do something cool and unique, that nobody else would have thought of. I want to show people the insane amount of work that goes behind movies like Avatar and Planet of the Apes, and video games like Call of Duty: Black Ops.
Now you may be thinking Daniel, how on Earth are you supposed to do all of this in the 6-7 weeks allotted? Where is this knowledge coming from? How do you plan to move forward in your project? What are some words in other languages that express feeling we don't have words for in English?
Relax, relax. It's all going to be okay. To answer the latter question, the word "Iktsuarpok" is Inuit for the feeling of anticipation when you're expecting someone at your house so you keep checking outside to see if they are there.
I have provided a general timeline/outline to my project, with resources and a potential professional for interviewing. Hopefully this puts your mind at ease:
A little bit about me: my name is Daniel. I've been an avid photographer, a semi-professional cuber, and have found myself involved with the ins and outs of logical and creative thinking for my entire life. From juggling devil sticks to cooking exotic cuisine, my interests have no bounds. Some would say this makes me a well-rounded person. I would say that it makes pursuing just one skill a much more daunting task.
A few of my initial ideas to pursue for this extensive Genius Project included furthering my juggling abilities, cubing with one-hand/blindfolded, and learning sign language. These were all intriguing ideas that presented unique paths, but I decided against each of them, considering my pre-existing knowledge of those subjects. After weeks of research and many, many late nights of Google searching, I was able to create a final list comprised of two ideas: flair bartending and other uncommon forms of juggling, or motion capture animation. Being underage and not allowed to mix my own drinks, I landed on motion capture animation. And let me tell you, I couldn't have been happier with my choice! This video says it all:
The "Daniel, what the hell are you talking about?" looks from my friends and family were honestly more encouragement for me to continue on this track. I want to do something cool and unique, that nobody else would have thought of. I want to show people the insane amount of work that goes behind movies like Avatar and Planet of the Apes, and video games like Call of Duty: Black Ops.
Now you may be thinking Daniel, how on Earth are you supposed to do all of this in the 6-7 weeks allotted? Where is this knowledge coming from? How do you plan to move forward in your project? What are some words in other languages that express feeling we don't have words for in English?
Relax, relax. It's all going to be okay. To answer the latter question, the word "Iktsuarpok" is Inuit for the feeling of anticipation when you're expecting someone at your house so you keep checking outside to see if they are there.
I have provided a general timeline/outline to my project, with resources and a potential professional for interviewing. Hopefully this puts your mind at ease:
- Research the history and world of MoCap, learning its significance in the world (week 1)
- Read up on books and watch documentaries
- Download Cinema 4D, which will be referred to as C4D in the future, and familiarize myself with the user interface (week 2)
- Utilize Greyscalegorilla for tutorials and tips (will be a potential expert for interviewing)
- Work with animating still objects (week 3)
- Learn about textures, dynamics, lighting, and more!
- CHECK-IN 1: Do I have a basic understanding of the program? The graphics?
- Import pre-made motion capture data and begin to animate it (week 4)
- Turbosquid
- Mixamo
- Unity Asset Store
- CHECK-IN 2: Am I on track for a short film? Do I need more time to practice this? Can I prove my understanding of the program and the aspects of good animation?
- Install C4D Plug-Ins and learn their ins and outs (week 5)
- HDRI, TOPCOAT, etc.
- CHECK-IN 3: Does the addition of Plug-Ins make things too complicated? Can I prove I have a good grasp on the concept of animating motion capture data?
- Rig an in-home motion capture studio IF TIME AND COST SEEM FEASIBLE (week 6)
- If #6 seems too overbearing, then I will continue utilizing the albums of downloadable motion capture data to broaden the animations I create (week 6)
- Finally, I hope to create a short film displaying all I have learned and how far I've progressed from the start of the project (week 7)
- CHECK-IN 4: Final Check-In! What have I learned? How has my knowledge grown? How have I grown? What does my current understanding tell me about the process?
Stick around, and I will reveal to you the world of Motion Capture Animation from the perspective of an amateur animator. Trust me, there's more to it than meets the eye.
Thanks for listening to my spiel!
Good start, Daniel. Looking forward to seeing your progress.
ReplyDeleteYou seem to have everything you need to actually create a video. Outside of the studio, which may be easier to construct that you expect, you know what you could make the video this week. If the software is at all similar to still 3D modeling software, many of the features will be quite literal and easy to find a use for. I thought my lock picking idea was crazy, but this might just outshine it. And for the sake of other gamers in gifted, avoid Call of Duty, it's a sensitive subject.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your input Jerry! I was hoping to do something out of the ordinary :D
DeleteIM SO EXCITED FOR THIS!!
ReplyDeletedo you know what kinds of animations you're going to do (like the chimps, COD characters, etc.)? And how complex/long do you think you're going to be able to make your videos? What I'm getting at is... are you going to make the next Transformers movie??
Anyway, what kinds of equipment do you need to make an at-home studio? Is it more than just a Kinect and some big white dots that go all over your body?
So glad you're excited! In terms of equipment, I am still determining between an Xbox Kinect or a few PS3 Cameras. Either way, accessing the camera is the easy part. The challenge comes when I have to tamper with the visuals of the camera and have to connect the camera software on my computer. Stay tuned for more!
DeleteWhenever I think of visual effects I instantly think of long hours on the computer thus leading to my initial reaction of, “how on earth are you going to do all this in such a short time frame!?!?”
ReplyDeleteHowever the way you set about your time line shows the amount of passion you have for this topic. This idea is by far one of the most intriguing considering the limitless possibilities in MoCap. A question that arose while reading your post was what sparked your interest into MoCap or just animation in general?
Your determination to succeed succeed really shows and I can’t wait to see your final project!
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DeleteThank you so much Hanson! I'm thrilled that my eager and passionate spirit is coming through my posts, and I'm so excited that you want to see more!
DeleteDaniel! I enjoyed "listening" to your spiel! You seem to be very passionate about your topic. I think it suits you well, and you will be able to go very far with it. It seems like a great way to show your creativity to the world through a unique medium. If you find yourself advancing very quickly, maybe try more complex captures like animals (your sisters' dogs) or (possibly simpler but could be really cool): programmed robots. I hope you commit yourself, and more importantly, have fun!
ReplyDeleteHahaha I don't know about doing an animal or a robot - they aren't really what I aim to create. But I have a feeling this passion may continue past the project, so there is the potential to create them at a later date.
DeleteI might be a little bit late but this seems like a cool idea... I remember in enrichment back in middle school where we tried to make our own versions of stop motion film. It was tedious and rather uneventful and pretty low quality in the end. Hope to see you master this process and bring us some actual high quality content.
ReplyDeleteWow this is really interesting. What part of CGI animation interests you the most? What is your favorite movie that uses CGI?
ReplyDelete