200 THE GAME PRODUCTION HANDBOOK, 2/E
services you need and how much money you can spend. Include the following
items in a bid package:
■
How many actors are required.
■
How many motions require a single actor and how many require multiple
actors.
■
How many motions will be captured.
■
Length of time for each motion.
■
How many motions need edited.
■
How many motions are looped.
■
What props are required (if any).
■
Delivery deadlines.
■
Delivery format.
Figure 12.3 is an example of a motion capture bid that includes this
information.
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12.4 PREPARING FOR A MOTION CAPTURE SHOOT
After you have picked a vendor, cast actors, and booked studio time, start pre-
paring for the motion capture shoot. If you are planning to do 500 motions, the
motion capture shoot will last about five days if you are well organized. Before
the shoot, prepare the following:
FIGURE 12.3 Sample motion capture bid.
Motions Needed # of motions Avg. Length of time Looping File delivery format
Single person motions (male) 600 motions 2 seconds
Looping needed for
500 motions
.trc or .htr files, need
to be fully processed
and edited.
Single person motions (female) 600 motions 2 seconds
Looping needed for
500 motions
.trc or .htr files, need
to be fully processed
and edited.
Two person motions (male and female) 50 motions 5 secs no looping
.trc or .htr files, need
to be fully processed
and edited.
Two person motions (male and male) 20 motions 5 secs no looping
.trc or .htr files, need
to be fully processed
and edited.
Service
Actors needed
Props
Deadlines
Notes
Will need casting and pre-production
used for single person motions
Edited and processed files to be returned in
batches, with final delivery occuring on Nov
27, 2008
1 female, 2 males
Quantity
Desk, chair, basketball, rifle, pistol
Initial shoot scheduled for Oct 27, 2008.
MOTION CAPTURE 201
Final motion capture shot list: Sort this list by character and then
motion type. For example, you will do all the upright walking animations for
Bulletpoint first, followed by crouching animations, and then the running
animations. A motion capture actor should work no more than six hours a
day, especially if he is being used for more than one day. Anything longer
than six hours will wear out the actor, and the motions on the subsequent
days will not be as crisp.
Daily schedules: Create a schedule of when actors are needed each day
and which motions are being recorded. Circulate this schedule to everyone
involved in the shoot so everyone is on the same page about what the goals
are for that day.
When you are ready for the actual motion capture shoot, you will need to
have the lead animator, the producer (or associate producer), and the motion
capture director. The animator and motion capture direction will work closely
with the actors to get the desired motions. The producer is there to keep things
moving, so the session stays on schedule.
If the actors are not familiar with a move, they will need some time to re-
hearse it. Make sure that the animator can provide clear directions on what he
is looking for, and he should also be prepared to demonstrate the move when
necessary. The animator should think of movement examples beforehand, so
time is not wasted during the shoot while he thinks of the way to describe the
motion to the actor.
If necessary, multiple takes can be done for a motion. The motion capture
studio does not usually charge for multiple takes; they only charge for the final
motions they deliver to you. Therefore, at the end of each shooting day, the
studio asks the animator to go through all the day’s takes and select the ones he
wants. The studio might have the animator select takes throughout the day, so
their editors can start cleaning up the data.
WORKING WITH MOTION CAPTURE TALENT
Stuart Roch, Executive Producer
Activision
When looking for mocap talent, you can work off referrals or simply find tal-
ent through traditional Hollywood channels. In many cases, the mocap studio you
work with will have a roster of talent from which you can pull, so use the vendor
as a resource if you are unsure how to proceed. After you identify mocap talent, it
202 THE GAME PRODUCTION HANDBOOK, 2/E
12.5 MOTION CAPTURE CHECKLIST
Creating a checklist of what tasks must be completed for the voiceover session
can be helpful. Figure 12.4 is an example that can be used.
isn’t unreasonable to have them in for an audition to make sure that their movement
style matches your needs. Many times you can negotiate a test day with your chosen
mocap facility as a final due diligence step before signing a contract, so this can also
be a good day to have your talent audition.
When the day of the shoot arrives, your animation director will most likely be
the best person to direct the talent and get the motions you need. In the case of
working with a Hollywood production, it’s not unusual for them to assign a director
to direct primary talent, especially if you are on a union stage. It’s always a wise idea
to hire an experienced Hollywood assistant director to keep the day moving and the
call lists organized. Your primary director will be concerned about getting the shots
they need, so they’ll need help with the other director responsibilities like call sheets
and making sure everyone gets back from the catering truck after lunch on time.
FIGURE 12.4 Motion capture checklist.
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PRE-PRODUCTION
Is initial animation list design completed?
Are animations to motion capture identified?
Is initial motion capture schedule completed?
Is initial motion capture budget completed?
Is file naming convention established?
Is file management system established?
Are file delivery formats defined?
Have bid packages been sent to motion capture studios?
PRODUCTION
Is motion capture studio selected?
Have dates been tentatively booked with the motion capture studio?
Is initial motion capture list prepared?
Are final actor selections completed? Are they available for the tentative dates?
RECORDING SESSION
Are dates finalized and booked with the actors?
Is the motion capture list final?
Is game footage available to show the actors?
Is director booked for the session?
Are all final takes selected?
POST-PRODUCTION
Has motion capture studio edited the final takes of animation files?
Are files delivered in correct format? Are uncompressed versions available?
Has the raw data from the recording session been delivered?
MOTION CAPTURE 203
12.6 CHAPTER SUMMARY
As technology improves, game characters will start to look more realistic, and
the character motion is a big contributor to this. Motion capture is something to
consider if you want natural and realistic motions in your game. This is the best
way to capture all the little movements that occur when someone is walking,
running, jumping, or picking something up. Motion capture shoots can be com-
plex, but if you have a knowledgeable animator and lead artist, the producer’s
involvement is mainly finding the vendor and organizing the shoot. This chapter
discussed what to look for in a motion capture studio and how to prepare for the
actual shoot.
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