Animation & Motion Capture II
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ANIMATION & MOTION CAPTURE II
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Unit 11: Motion Capture Foundations
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Unit Materials
Optional:
- SMALLab Calibration Manual
- OptiTrack Quick Start Guide
- Small Bluetooth monitor or secondary display to mirror the Motive viewport or show a full-screen virtual camera feed. A cell phone with a screen-casting app may also be used.
- Acrylic film slate clapboard
- Cinema shoulder camera rig
- Apple boxes for propping up items on set
- Physical Education crash pads for stunts
- Nerf props (e.g., baseball bats, swords)
- Capture and Calibration Tutorial (16:10)
- Live Link in MotionBuilder Tutorial (10:11)
- Calibration Quick Start Guide
- Capture Quick Start Guide
- Production Callout Quick Reference Guide
- Mocap suit with 50 markers
- Calibration wand
- Calibration square
- Camera tripod
- Webcam or cell phone and holder (for reference video)
- Extra mocap markers and Velcro stickers
- Plastic chairs
Testing System Limits
- Using the Production Callout Quick Reference Guide, students practice standard production callouts and cues, developing an understanding of when and why each is used (e.g., “T-Pose!” for calibration, “Mocap speed!” to initiate motion capture recording, “Camera speed!” for reference video sync, “Sound speed!” for audio recording, and “Action!” with a slate clap to mark the start of a take).
- Emphasize that Camera speed refers to the reference video camera, which records a visual record of each performance to support later review and mocap cleanup.
- Students then record a range of challenging actions to intentionally stress the system and observe limitations, including:
- Sitting
- Dancing
- Hugging
- Rolling on the floor
- Walking beyond camera range
- Performing slow versus fast movements
- Students analyze tracking failures and discuss why errors occur.
Live Link in Unreal
- Students observe how motion capture data is sent into MotionBuilder to drive a digital character, and how Live Link sends that animation from MotionBuilder into Unreal Engine for real-time visualization. This introduces the idea that animation data can be shared between software tools as it is being created. Students may experiment with Live Link informally to build familiarity.
No formal assignment is associated with this segment.
Instructor Notes
REMINDER: Reinforce the File Naming and Versioning Standard established in Unit 11 to ensure takes and iterations remain organized.Practice
- Teachers may choose one of two approaches depending on student experience:
- Option 1: Instructor-Led Walkthrough
- For students new to calibration, guide them step by step through masking noise, wanding, setting the ground plane, applying naming conventions for capture sessions, applying markers, performing the T-pose, and capturing skeletons and rigid bodies.
- Option 2: Calibration Czar
- Goal: In two-person teams (Calibrator and Brain Board Operator), students compete to achieve an Exceptional calibration in the shortest time.
- Optional Extension: After completion, have a marked performer strike a T-pose, then practice capturing both the performer and rigid bodies in OptiTrack Motive: Body.
Animation & Motion Capture II builds on foundational animation skills to immerse students in professional performance motion capture and 3D character animation workflows. Students work within a real-world production pipeline using industry-grade tools such as OptiTrack motion capture systems, Motive:Body, Maya, and Unreal Engine. Through project-based learning, students explore how performance, technology, and visual storytelling intersect. Emphasis is placed on production planning, data management, collaboration, and intentional creative decision-making as students develop cinematic and game-ready animation projects. The course prioritizes professional workflow habits, technical accountability, and applied originality in preparation for portfolio development, postsecondary study, or entry-level industry pathways.
Course Description
- Set up, calibrate, and operate a full-body motion capture system.
- Clean and refine motion capture data for accurate performance representation.
- Retarget motion capture data to custom 3D character rigs using Maya, Mixamo, and Unreal Engine.
- Apply visual storytelling principles and render high-quality animation sequences.
- Showcase a final animation project that demonstrates proficiency in both the technical and creative aspects of mocap-based animation.
By The End Of The Course, Students Will Be Able To:
Instructor Syllabus
Evaluation Criteria
Assignments will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
Understanding
Process
Adherence
Communication
Originality
Effectively conveying ideas through animations and accompanying documentation, such as clear storyboards or detailed shot lists.
Producing unique work that reflects personal creativity while adhering to assignment guidelines. Plagiarism or the use of generative AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, DALL·E, Midjourney, Stable Diffusion) for generating assignment content is prohibited.
Following directions, such as meeting deadlines and including all required elements (e.g., minimum frame counts for animations).
Demonstrating comprehension of class principles, such as correctly applying squash and stretch or ease-in/ease-out techniques.
Plans and manages work using a production mindset. Students follow file naming and versioning standards, submit organized project files, and make intentional decisions during capture, cleanup, retargeting, and rendering.
Understanding
Communication
Originality
Process
Adherence
Unit Materials
- Google spreadsheet or in-class sign-up sheet for reserving recording time slots
- Pre-calibrated mocap stage
- Motion capture suits with 50 markers
- Access to Motive (for recording)
- Access to Maya (for later cleanup and retargeting)
- Flash drives or external storage for backups
- Cloud storage access (school-approved)
- Project Showcase Teacher Grading Rubric
Instructor Notes
Final Project Overview
- Introduce the Final Project
- Explain that the course will culminate in a Project Showcase, where students present a short motion capture–based animation.
- à Final projects will be presented during a class Project Showcase near the end of the course.
- Students will create a short animation (approximately one minute) that incorporates motion capture or mocap-inspired techniques.
- Projects may be completed individually or as part of a group.
- Possible Project Directions
- Animated Short: A fun or dramatic scene featuring a stylized character performing an action (e.g., cinematic moment, dance, or virtual camera move).
- Game Character Animation Set: A set of essential movements for a game character (e.g., walk, jump, land, crouch, attack).
- Motion or Physics Study: A focused animation or capture exploring movement or physical behavior.Open Concept: Students may propose an original idea.
- Guided Brainstorming
- Emphasize creativity, technical execution, and effective mocap integration.
- Reinforce the importance of clear motion and visual storytelling, even in short clips.Discuss possible characters, actions, and overall style (realistic, stylized, or experimental).
- Encourage students to sketch rough ideas or create a brief outline.
- Students or groups share initial concepts and receive peer and instructor feedback.
- Planning Notes
- Nothing is due for this lesson.
- This session is intended to establish early direction, not finalize ideas.
- Encourage students to jot down notes, questions, and early concepts.
Behind-the-Scenes
- File Naming and Versioning Standard
- Before starting any mocap session, establish consistent filenaming habits. This helps prevent files from being overwritten or misplaced when multiple students are capturing takes on shared machines.
- Students must use the following naming format:
(Project_Action_Performer_Take##_Stage) Stages include RAW, CLEAN, REFINED, RETARGET, and RENDER. Teachers may select from two approaches based on students’ prior experience:
Option 1: Instructor-Led Walkthrough
For students new to motion capture:
- Guide students step by step through marking up a volunteer in a mocap suit according to the Motive model skeleton and Capture Quick Start Guide.
- Ensure markers are correctly placed, making corrections where necessary.
- Capture the properly marked performer in a T-pose in Motive: Body.
Option 2: Marker Mania
For students new to motion capture:
- If students have previously played during Mocap Madness sessions in AMC I, play a round of Marker Mania.
Goal: Teams of 3-4 students race to correctly apply all 50 motion capture markers to a suited performer, ensuring proper placement for an accurate digital skeleton capture in Motive:Body.
- Post Mocap Session Housekeeping. Save and close the mocap project, remove markers, store mocap suits, and return props and equipment to their designated locations.
Behind-the-Scenes
- View one or more Behind-the-Scenes videos.
- To introduce the viewings, use the optional voice-over or Discussion Prompts below:
- Look for moments, techniques, or details that stand out.
- Notice anything that surprises you or feels especially innovative.
- Pay attention to what looks challenging about capturing these
performances.
- Observe how performance, technology, and storytelling work
together.
- Jot down brief notes. The goal is not to capture everything, but to
begin building a clearer picture of how real-world motion capture
productions come together.
Intro to Motion Capture
- Use either the instructional video or interactive online module.
- Present as a high-level overview of what motion capture is, where it is used, and why it matters.
- Have students take brief notes and jot down questions or observations to discuss at the end, establishing foundational context before hands-on work.
- Map Skeleton in HumanIK
- Demonstrate how to assign bones in the HumanIK window to match the character rig.
- When mapping is correct, the HumanIK diagram turns green.
- Connect Source (Mocap) and Target (Character)
- Set the mocap skeleton as the Source.
- Set the Mixamo character as the Target.
- Confirm the avatar snaps into place and follows the mocap animation.
Instructor Notes
Retargeting Tutorial
- Retargeting is the process of transferring motion capture data from one skeleton to another, so a character rig moves correctly using that motion. It allows cleaned mocap data to drive different characters with different proportions.
- View Retargeting Tutorial.
Retargeting Tools
- Maya is used to prepare characters and skeletons for animation and retargeting. Students use Maya to check rig setup, align poses, and verify that motion is transferring correctly onto the character.
- Mixamo is an automated retargeting tool that quickly maps motion capture data onto different character rigs. It provides a fast way to test and apply motion to characters with minimal setup.
- HumanIK is a retargeting system inside Maya that gives students more control over how motion is transferred between skeletons. It is used to fine-tune retargeting and improve pose alignment and movement quality.
Retargeting Workflow
- Export Mocap as FBX
- Demonstrate how to export an FBX file from the cleaned mocap take.
- Navigate to File > Export and ensure the rigged skeleton is included.
- Avoid exporting empty transforms.
- Rig Character in Mixamo
- Students upload their character model to Mixamo.
- Students use Mixamo's guided rigging process to generate a character rig for use in Maya.
- Import Mocap and Character into Maya
- Guide students through File > Import to bring in:
i. The mocap FBX fileii. The Mixamo character rig
- View 3D Character Rigging & Animated Walk Cycle Tutorial (Unit 8) if students need a refresher.
Optional: Additive Mocap RefinementsThis step is optional and intended for students who finish early or want to further polish performance.
- Technical Cleanup (IK-Based)
- Introduce the Bake to Control Rig feature in the HumanIK window.
- Use Shift/Ctrl + Click to select IK controllers.
- In the Channel Box, navigate to the Animation Layers tab and create a new layer from the selected controllers.
- If done correctly, keyframes will disappear from the main timeline, allowing students to refine the animation additively.
- Performance Polish (Keyframe Techniques)
- Students recall techniques from the keyframed 3D walk cycle assignment.
- Begin making additive changes to mocap data using animation layers.
Project Showcase Planning (Assignment)
- Introduce students to the Pre-Production for Final Project assignment, which will be used to guide planning for their final project.
- Explain that students must organize their project ideas into clear visual and technical planning documents before starting any recording or animation.
- Emphasize that this planning establishes which animations will be created and how each animation supports the final project.
- Review the two available deliverable formats and allow students to choose one: Storyboard and Shot List or Animation State Machine Flowchart
- Deliverables:
- Storyboard (template included) and Shot List or
- Animation State Machine Flowchart (example included) and Shot List (for game-ready animations).
Unit Materials
- Character Modeling Tutorial (55:54)
- Character Design Template
- Avatar Creation Assignment
- Optional Extension: Supplemental Creative Tools (e.g., sculpting or character generation tools)
Course Materials
This course utilizes industry-standard software, motion capture tools, and high-performance workstations to support animation and motion capture learning.
Instructor Notes
Cinematography Critique Session
Review final rendered animations as a class and guide discussion using the following focus areas:
- Shot Composition
- Framing of the character and environment
- Use of wide, medium, and close shots where appropriate
- Lighting Choices
- Whether lighting helps define the subject
- Basic use of light to create mood or separation
- Camera Movement
- Purposeful camera movement versus static shots
- Smoothness and readability of motion
- Render Quality
- Image clarity and absence of major visual artifacts
- Appropriate resolution and output format
- Clarity of Motion
- Motion capture performance is readable
- Additive keyframing (if used) improves the motion rather than distracts
- Encourage students to briefly explain one creative choice they made in their render.
- Emphasize constructive feedback and practical suggestions for improvement.
Rendering Pipeline
- View Rendering in Maya tutorial.
- View Maya to Unreal Rendering Tutorial.
- Lighting & Camera Setup Workshop (Maya)
- Conduct a step-by-step demonstration on creating a basic lighting and camera
setup in Maya.
- Walk students through rendering an image sequence of their retargeted mocap animation scene.
- Include demonstrating exporting the rendered image sequence from Maya and importing it into Unreal Engine.
Your Rendering Practice
- Students work with an existing retargeted mocap animation scene developed
in prior units.
- The goal is to finish and polish one scene by applying basic lighting and camera choices, then produce a final render.
- Instructor Tip: Remind students they can press the ESC key to cancel an active render.
- Assignment Tasks:
- Apply basic lighting and camera adjustments to improve the look of the scene.
- Experiment with different light types (point, directional, spot, etc.).
- Test lighting and camera setup using single-frame renders before running full image sequences.
- Render an image sequence of the scene.
- Convert the image sequence into a single video file (using Maya and/or
- DaVinci Resolve).
- Optional Extension: Import the Maya scene into Unreal Engine to explore real-time rendering and presentation.
Unit Materials
- PC workstations with Maya
- Retargeting Tutorial (19:10)
- 3D Character Rigging & Animated Walk Cycle Tutorial (Unit 8) (13:34)(refresher)
- Pre-Production for Final Project Assignment
- Storyboard Example and Template
- Shot List
- Animation State Machine
- Mixamo
- HumanIK
Instructor Notes
Production Lab Time
- Recording sessions focus on capturing raw performance data for later cleanup, retargeting, and rendering.
- Clarify that cleanup and animation work may be completed in the computer lab or remotely, using Motive and Maya
Pre-Recording Checklist
- Verify students arrive with a clear recording plan and notes for directing their scene
- Confirm required actor(s) and any props are ready
- Ensure mocap suits are fully pre-markered
- Confirm students understand the calibrated stage layout
- Verify students have reserved a recording time slot
- Ensure students are prepared to back up data using both flash drive and
cloud storage Project Showcase Rubric
- Review the Project Showcase evaluation categories with students before and during lab time
- Use the rubric to frame expectations for performance quality, technical cleanup, camera choices, and creative intent
- Reinforce that the Project Showcase is evaluated across four areas:
- Motion Capture Performance & Execution (7 points)
- Animation Cleanup & Technical Functionality (5 points)
- Camera Viewpoint & Framing (4 points)
- Personal Expression & Effort (4 points)
- Encourage students to use the rubric as a checklist while refining their work
Unit Materials
Behind-the-Scenes videos:
- Sifu – Behind the Scenes: Making-of Kung Fu and Mocap (6:01) → Motion capture in
game development
- How “The Lion King”’ Remake was Animated (10:54) → Virtual production and motion capture
- Making of AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER – Behind the Scenes (12:38) → High-end performance capture for film
Intro to Mocap
- Video Tutorial (24:05)
- Online interactive presentation
Brainstorm Final Project Idea Assignment
Motion capture suit with 50 markers
Motion Capture Quick Start Guide
Instructor Notes
View Character Modeling Tutorial
Design Your Character
- Explain that the Character Design Template is used to plan character proportions, features, and overall design before modeling.
- Review example templates shown in the online unit module.
- Have students complete or begin a Character Design Template prior to starting their 3D model.
Character Design Review
- Conduct a critique session focused on character design, following the format used in Units 5 and 9 of AMC I.
- Students present their Character Design Templates.
- Peers and instructor provide feedback on silhouette, proportions, clarity, and appeal.
- Students revise character designs based on feedback.
Avatar Creation
- Introduce the Avatar Creation Assignment and review deliverables.
- Students create a 3D character model following the tutorial and their approved design.
Optional Extension: Supplemental Creative Tools
- Introduce as optional resources for exploring additional character creation workflows.
Unit Materials
- PC stations with Maya, DaVinci Resolve, and Unreal Engine
- Rendering in Maya Rendering Tutorial (10:39)
- Maya to Unreal Rendering Tutorial (27:19)
- Rendering Assignment
Unit Materials
- PC stations with Maya and DaVinci Resolve
- Film Roles in Virtual Production (online presentation)
- Optional: Instructor Script
- Visual Storytelling Readings
- Basic Camera Shots (2:33)
- Basic Editing Cuts (2:37)
- Lighting Basics (4:22)
- Editing in DaVinci Resolve Tutorial (25:16)
Instructor Notes
Student Project Showcase
- Each student presents their final animation project to the class using the projector or display system.
- Students introduce their project and may briefly describe:
- The idea or goal of the animation
- Key creative choices (performance, camera, lighting, etc.)
- One thing they are proud of or learned
- Keep presentations focused on sharing and celebrating work, with constructive critiques framed to support growth.
Event Atmosphere
- Create a positive, celebratory environment.
- Emphasize encouragement and respect for all work.
- Avoid critical feedback unless specifically requested by the student during the showcase.
- Optional: Consider providing pizza, popcorn, snacks, or other refreshments.
- Optional: At the teacher’s discretion, family and friends may be invited to attend and celebrate student work.
Optional: Future Opportunities Discussion
- Share free educational resources, industry tools, and platforms for continued learning.
- If possible, provide a short, teacher-curated list of local or in-state higher education programs with strong offerings in animation, game design, virtual production, or related fields.
- Emphasize that these are optional exploration paths for students who are interested.
Closing Remarks
- Celebrate the students’ hard work and progress.
- Remind them that this showcase marks the conclusion of AMC II and a steppingstone toward future opportunities.
Instructor Notes
Pre-Trip Preparations
- The Motion Capture Society's Facebook group is a helpful resource for finding local studios and motion capture professionals worldwide. Local universities may also offer motion capture and virtual production stages within their animation, cinema departments, and research labs. Lastly, gamedevmap is a living map and catalog of game development organizations worldwide.
- Confirm the field trip date, time, and details with the studio.
- Secure studio permission for facility access.
- Send out and collect signed parental permission slips.
- Arrange school bus transportation and consider recruiting parental volunteers.
- Brief students on the studio, its projects, and key personnel they will meet.
- Set behavior expectations: “Respect the space, do not touch equipment unless instructed, and remain professional.”
Day of the Trip
- Headcount before boarding the bus.
- Arrival and welcome at the studio.
- Guided tour and Q&A session with studio staff.
- Express thanks to studio hosts.
- Headcount before departing back to school.
Unit Materials
- Permission slips (if in-person)
- Transportation (if in-person)
- Virtual meeting platform (e.g., Zoom, Google Meet) for remote tours
- Pre-prepared questions for studio professionals
- Studio guidelines for behavior and engagement expectations
Instructor Notes
Production Crew
- Present Film Roles in Virtual Production, providing an overview of key production roles and responsibilities and how each contributes to visual storytelling.
- (Refer to Optional Instructor Script in Materials.)
Visual Storytelling
- View Visual Storytelling Readings and discuss key concepts and takeaways from each, such as:
- How different camera shots influence mood, focus, and audience attention
- How basic editing cuts affect pacing and continuity
- How lighting choices help establish tone and visibility
Editing in DaVinci Resolve
- View Editing in DaVinci Resolve Tutorial
- Conduct a step-by-step demonstration focused on the core workflow:
- Importing a rendered image sequence into DaVinci Resolve.
- Confirming or setting the correct frame rate for the sequence.
- Placing the sequence on the timeline and making simple trims if needed
- Exporting the sequence as a video file.
- Keep the focus on essential editing tasks needed for this unit and avoid introducing advanced tools or features.
Unit Materials
- Student final animation video files
- Computer with projector or large display
- Speakers or classroom audio system
- Project Showcase Grading Rubric
- Optional: Certificates of completion or printed recognition
Unit Materials
- Motive-ready PCs
- Optional: With IT department approval, Motive-ready PCs may be configured for remote access using Chrome Remote Desktop or a similar cloud-based solution. If remote access is enabled, the PCs should remain powered on 24/7 to support student access from home.
- Mocap Cleaning Tutorial (3:53)
- Mocap Cleaning Quiz (6:53)
- Mocap Cleaning Quick Start Guide
- Mocap Cleaning Worksheet
- Clean a Motion Capture Take Assignment (using Unit 13 mocap takes)
- Optional Reference: OptiTrack Data Editing guide
Instructor Notes
6. Fill Gaps (Model motion)a. Use Fill Gaps to model trajectories for occluded markers (cubic is usually best).7. Final Cleanup (Noise + Review)a. Delete visible noise before filling when jitter is present.b. Apply smoothing sparingly to high-frequency jitter only.c. When motion has been modified, recheck against the reference camera video, if needed, to confirm the performance stillmatches the original action.d. Reinforce: Don’t oversmooth.Optional Reference: Use the OptiTrack Data Editing guide as an additional resource for motion capture data cleaning tools and techniques.
Mocap Cleaning Workflow
- View Mocap Cleaning Tutorial
- Introduce the Mocap Cleaning Quick Start Guide and Mocap Cleaning Worksheet as companion references students use while cleaning their takes.
- Emphasize the principle: Watch first. Fix Later.
- Workflow Stages: The steps below mirror the tutorial.
1. Orientation Pass (Get the lay of the land)a. Scrub through the entire take and call out any glitches, pops, or unnatural movements.b. When helpful, play the reference camera video alongside the mocap take and compare short segments to understand what the performer actually did and what the data should represent.c. Do not make corrections during this pass. Focus only on observing and noting issues.2. Focused Inspection (One body part at a time)a. Demonstrate tracking one body part through the entire take (hips, torso, head, R-arm, L-arm, R-leg, L-leg).b. When needed, compare the same body part against the reference camera footage to confirm correct motion and timing.c. Reinforce that isolating one area at a time helps prevent missed errors and overcorrection.3. Log Issues (Time codes + Notes)a. Make shorthand notes of detected issues and their timecodes for easy reference later.b. Make concise but specific notes: Timecode + body part + issue.4. Trim the Take (Clean the edges)a. Trim heads and tails before making corrections to remove frames where bad data commonly exists.5. Fix Structure (Markers first)a. Look for unlabeled markers at expected locations and reassign correct labels.b. Identify and correct swapped markers or delete incorrect ones.c. Reinforce selecting trustworthy nearby markers to define rigid bodies.
- Clean a Mocap Take (Assignment)
- Using the takes from Unit 13, students select a take to clean.
- Each student duplicates the take and renames it with their name.
- Students independently apply the cleaning workflow, referencing the Cleaning Quick Start Guide as needed.
- Mocap Cleaning Quiz
- Administer Mocap Cleaning Quiz after assignment submission
- Cleaning Lab Time for Final Project (Not included in the online unit module)
- While each student takes their turn cleaning (one class period per student), the rest of the class focuses on planning their final projects, including:
- Storyboarding
- Creating or collecting 3D assets
- Blocking scenes
- Rehearsing performances
Animation & Motion Capture II - Instructor Resources
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Transcript
Animation & Motion Capture II
Instructor Resources
Start
Course Details
Unit 14
Unit 15
Unit 16
Unit 17
Unit 18
Unit 19
Unit 20
Unit 11
Unit 12
Unit 13
Course Description
Evaluation Criteria
Course Materials
Instructor Syllabus
ANIMATION & MOTION CAPTURE II
Next
Back
Instructor Resources
Course Details
Unit 14
Unit 15
Unit 16
Unit 17
Unit 18
Unit 19
Unit 20
Unit 11
Unit 12
Unit 13
Unit 11: Motion Capture Foundations
Unit Materials
Instructor Notes
Launch Interactive Module
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Animation & Motion Capture II - Instructor Resources
Course Details
Unit 14
Unit 15
Unit 16
Unit 17
Unit 18
Unit 19
Unit 20
Unit 11
Unit 12
Unit 13
Unit 12: Field Trip - In-Person or Virtual
Unit Materials
Instructor Notes
Launch Interactive Module
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Animation & Motion Capture II - Instructor Resources
Course Details
Unit 14
Unit 15
Unit 16
Unit 17
Unit 18
Unit 19
Unit 20
Unit 11
Unit 12
Unit 13
Unit 13: Mocap Calibration and Capture
Unit Materials
Instructor Notes
Launch Interactive Module
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Animation & Motion Capture II - Instructor Resources
Course Details
Unit 14
Unit 15
Unit 16
Unit 17
Unit 18
Unit 19
Unit 20
Unit 11
Unit 12
Unit 13
Unit 14: Mocap Cleaning
Unit Materials
Instructor Notes
Launch Interactive Module
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Animation & Motion Capture II - Instructor Resources
Course Details
Unit 14
Unit 15
Unit 16
Unit 17
Unit 18
Unit 19
Unit 20
Unit 11
Unit 12
Unit 13
Unit 15: Character Modeling
Unit Materials
Instructor Notes
Launch Interactive Module
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Animation & Motion Capture II - Instructor Resources
Course Details
Unit 14
Unit 15
Unit 16
Unit 17
Unit 18
Unit 19
Unit 20
Unit 11
Unit 12
Unit 13
Unit 16: Retargeting
Unit Materials
Instructor Notes
Launch Interactive Module
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Animation & Motion Capture II - Instructor Resources
Course Details
Unit 14
Unit 15
Unit 16
Unit 17
Unit 18
Unit 19
Unit 20
Unit 11
Unit 12
Unit 13
Unit 17: Visual Storytelling
Unit Materials
Instructor Notes
Launch Interactive Module
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Animation & Motion Capture II - Instructor Resources
Course Details
Unit 14
Unit 15
Unit 16
Unit 17
Unit 18
Unit 19
Unit 20
Unit 11
Unit 12
Unit 13
Unit 18: Rendering
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Unit 19: Production Lab Time
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Unit 20: Student Project Showcase
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Optional:
Testing System Limits
- Using the Production Callout Quick Reference Guide, students practice standard production callouts and cues, developing an understanding of when and why each is used (e.g., “T-Pose!” for calibration, “Mocap speed!” to initiate motion capture recording, “Camera speed!” for reference video sync, “Sound speed!” for audio recording, and “Action!” with a slate clap to mark the start of a take).
- Emphasize that Camera speed refers to the reference video camera, which records a visual record of each performance to support later review and mocap cleanup.
- Students then record a range of challenging actions to intentionally stress the system and observe limitations, including:
- Sitting
- Dancing
- Hugging
- Rolling on the floor
- Walking beyond camera range
- Performing slow versus fast movements
- Students analyze tracking failures and discuss why errors occur.
Live Link in Unreal- Students observe how motion capture data is sent into MotionBuilder to drive a digital character, and how Live Link sends that animation from MotionBuilder into Unreal Engine for real-time visualization. This introduces the idea that animation data can be shared between software tools as it is being created. Students may experiment with Live Link informally to build familiarity.
No formal assignment is associated with this segment.Instructor Notes
REMINDER: Reinforce the File Naming and Versioning Standard established in Unit 11 to ensure takes and iterations remain organized.Practice
Animation & Motion Capture II builds on foundational animation skills to immerse students in professional performance motion capture and 3D character animation workflows. Students work within a real-world production pipeline using industry-grade tools such as OptiTrack motion capture systems, Motive:Body, Maya, and Unreal Engine. Through project-based learning, students explore how performance, technology, and visual storytelling intersect. Emphasis is placed on production planning, data management, collaboration, and intentional creative decision-making as students develop cinematic and game-ready animation projects. The course prioritizes professional workflow habits, technical accountability, and applied originality in preparation for portfolio development, postsecondary study, or entry-level industry pathways.
Course Description
By The End Of The Course, Students Will Be Able To:
Instructor Syllabus
Evaluation Criteria
Assignments will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
Understanding
Process
Adherence
Communication
Originality
Effectively conveying ideas through animations and accompanying documentation, such as clear storyboards or detailed shot lists.
Producing unique work that reflects personal creativity while adhering to assignment guidelines. Plagiarism or the use of generative AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, DALL·E, Midjourney, Stable Diffusion) for generating assignment content is prohibited.
Following directions, such as meeting deadlines and including all required elements (e.g., minimum frame counts for animations).
Demonstrating comprehension of class principles, such as correctly applying squash and stretch or ease-in/ease-out techniques.
Plans and manages work using a production mindset. Students follow file naming and versioning standards, submit organized project files, and make intentional decisions during capture, cleanup, retargeting, and rendering.
Understanding
Communication
Originality
Process
Adherence
Unit Materials
Instructor Notes
Final Project Overview
Behind-the-Scenes
- Students must use the following naming format:
(Project_Action_Performer_Take##_Stage) Stages include RAW, CLEAN, REFINED, RETARGET, and RENDER. Teachers may select from two approaches based on students’ prior experience:Option 1: Instructor-Led Walkthrough For students new to motion capture:
Option 2: Marker Mania For students new to motion capture:
- If students have previously played during Mocap Madness sessions in AMC I, play a round of Marker Mania.
Goal: Teams of 3-4 students race to correctly apply all 50 motion capture markers to a suited performer, ensuring proper placement for an accurate digital skeleton capture in Motive:Body.Behind-the-Scenes
Intro to Motion Capture
Instructor Notes
Retargeting Tutorial
- Retargeting is the process of transferring motion capture data from one skeleton to another, so a character rig moves correctly using that motion. It allows cleaned mocap data to drive different characters with different proportions.
- View Retargeting Tutorial.
Retargeting Tools- Maya is used to prepare characters and skeletons for animation and retargeting. Students use Maya to check rig setup, align poses, and verify that motion is transferring correctly onto the character.
- Mixamo is an automated retargeting tool that quickly maps motion capture data onto different character rigs. It provides a fast way to test and apply motion to characters with minimal setup.
- HumanIK is a retargeting system inside Maya that gives students more control over how motion is transferred between skeletons. It is used to fine-tune retargeting and improve pose alignment and movement quality.
Retargeting Workflow- Export Mocap as FBX
- Demonstrate how to export an FBX file from the cleaned mocap take.
- Navigate to File > Export and ensure the rigged skeleton is included.
- Avoid exporting empty transforms.
- Rig Character in Mixamo
- Students upload their character model to Mixamo.
- Students use Mixamo's guided rigging process to generate a character rig for use in Maya.
- Import Mocap and Character into Maya
- Guide students through File > Import to bring in:
i. The mocap FBX fileii. The Mixamo character rigOptional: Additive Mocap RefinementsThis step is optional and intended for students who finish early or want to further polish performance.
- Technical Cleanup (IK-Based)
- Introduce the Bake to Control Rig feature in the HumanIK window.
- Use Shift/Ctrl + Click to select IK controllers.
- In the Channel Box, navigate to the Animation Layers tab and create a new layer from the selected controllers.
- If done correctly, keyframes will disappear from the main timeline, allowing students to refine the animation additively.
- Performance Polish (Keyframe Techniques)
- Students recall techniques from the keyframed 3D walk cycle assignment.
- Begin making additive changes to mocap data using animation layers.
Project Showcase Planning (Assignment)Unit Materials
Course Materials
This course utilizes industry-standard software, motion capture tools, and high-performance workstations to support animation and motion capture learning.
Instructor Notes
Cinematography Critique Session Review final rendered animations as a class and guide discussion using the following focus areas:
Rendering Pipeline
- View Rendering in Maya tutorial.
- View Maya to Unreal Rendering Tutorial.
- Lighting & Camera Setup Workshop (Maya)
- Conduct a step-by-step demonstration on creating a basic lighting and camera
setup in Maya.- Walk students through rendering an image sequence of their retargeted mocap animation scene.
- Include demonstrating exporting the rendered image sequence from Maya and importing it into Unreal Engine.
Your Rendering Practice- Students work with an existing retargeted mocap animation scene developed
in prior units.Unit Materials
Instructor Notes
Production Lab Time
- Recording sessions focus on capturing raw performance data for later cleanup, retargeting, and rendering.
- Clarify that cleanup and animation work may be completed in the computer lab or remotely, using Motive and Maya
Pre-Recording Checklist- Verify students arrive with a clear recording plan and notes for directing their scene
- Confirm required actor(s) and any props are ready
- Ensure mocap suits are fully pre-markered
- Confirm students understand the calibrated stage layout
- Verify students have reserved a recording time slot
- Ensure students are prepared to back up data using both flash drive and
cloud storage Project Showcase RubricUnit Materials
Behind-the-Scenes videos:
- Sifu – Behind the Scenes: Making-of Kung Fu and Mocap (6:01) → Motion capture in
game development- How “The Lion King”’ Remake was Animated (10:54) → Virtual production and motion capture
- Making of AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER – Behind the Scenes (12:38) → High-end performance capture for film
Intro to Mocap- Video Tutorial (24:05)
- Online interactive presentation
Brainstorm Final Project Idea Assignment Motion capture suit with 50 markers Motion Capture Quick Start GuideInstructor Notes
View Character Modeling Tutorial Design Your Character
- Explain that the Character Design Template is used to plan character proportions, features, and overall design before modeling.
- Review example templates shown in the online unit module.
- Have students complete or begin a Character Design Template prior to starting their 3D model.
Character Design Review- Conduct a critique session focused on character design, following the format used in Units 5 and 9 of AMC I.
- Students present their Character Design Templates.
- Peers and instructor provide feedback on silhouette, proportions, clarity, and appeal.
- Students revise character designs based on feedback.
Avatar Creation- Introduce the Avatar Creation Assignment and review deliverables.
- Students create a 3D character model following the tutorial and their approved design.
Optional Extension: Supplemental Creative ToolsUnit Materials
Unit Materials
Instructor Notes
Student Project Showcase
- Each student presents their final animation project to the class using the projector or display system.
- Students introduce their project and may briefly describe:
- The idea or goal of the animation
- Key creative choices (performance, camera, lighting, etc.)
- One thing they are proud of or learned
- Keep presentations focused on sharing and celebrating work, with constructive critiques framed to support growth.
Event AtmosphereOptional: Future Opportunities Discussion
- Share free educational resources, industry tools, and platforms for continued learning.
- If possible, provide a short, teacher-curated list of local or in-state higher education programs with strong offerings in animation, game design, virtual production, or related fields.
- Emphasize that these are optional exploration paths for students who are interested.
Closing RemarksInstructor Notes
Pre-Trip Preparations
Day of the Trip
Unit Materials
Instructor Notes
Production Crew
- Present Film Roles in Virtual Production, providing an overview of key production roles and responsibilities and how each contributes to visual storytelling.
- (Refer to Optional Instructor Script in Materials.)
Visual Storytelling- View Visual Storytelling Readings and discuss key concepts and takeaways from each, such as:
- How different camera shots influence mood, focus, and audience attention
- How basic editing cuts affect pacing and continuity
- How lighting choices help establish tone and visibility
Editing in DaVinci ResolveUnit Materials
Unit Materials
Instructor Notes
6. Fill Gaps (Model motion)a. Use Fill Gaps to model trajectories for occluded markers (cubic is usually best).7. Final Cleanup (Noise + Review)a. Delete visible noise before filling when jitter is present.b. Apply smoothing sparingly to high-frequency jitter only.c. When motion has been modified, recheck against the reference camera video, if needed, to confirm the performance stillmatches the original action.d. Reinforce: Don’t oversmooth.Optional Reference: Use the OptiTrack Data Editing guide as an additional resource for motion capture data cleaning tools and techniques.
Mocap Cleaning Workflow
- View Mocap Cleaning Tutorial
- Introduce the Mocap Cleaning Quick Start Guide and Mocap Cleaning Worksheet as companion references students use while cleaning their takes.
- Emphasize the principle: Watch first. Fix Later.
- Workflow Stages: The steps below mirror the tutorial.
1. Orientation Pass (Get the lay of the land)a. Scrub through the entire take and call out any glitches, pops, or unnatural movements.b. When helpful, play the reference camera video alongside the mocap take and compare short segments to understand what the performer actually did and what the data should represent.c. Do not make corrections during this pass. Focus only on observing and noting issues.2. Focused Inspection (One body part at a time)a. Demonstrate tracking one body part through the entire take (hips, torso, head, R-arm, L-arm, R-leg, L-leg).b. When needed, compare the same body part against the reference camera footage to confirm correct motion and timing.c. Reinforce that isolating one area at a time helps prevent missed errors and overcorrection.3. Log Issues (Time codes + Notes)a. Make shorthand notes of detected issues and their timecodes for easy reference later.b. Make concise but specific notes: Timecode + body part + issue.4. Trim the Take (Clean the edges)a. Trim heads and tails before making corrections to remove frames where bad data commonly exists.5. Fix Structure (Markers first)a. Look for unlabeled markers at expected locations and reassign correct labels.b. Identify and correct swapped markers or delete incorrect ones.c. Reinforce selecting trustworthy nearby markers to define rigid bodies.