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Motion Capture for Animation and Media


Course Description

Principles and techniques of motion capture. Exploration of motion capture as a technical medium. Development of rigs for capture sessions. Methods for capturing multiple performances in single sessions. Post-processing MoCap data for quality output, and making use of the captured data. Performance and camera capture in a green screen environment. Performance capture techniques.

Additional Requirements for Graduate Students:
Graduate students are graded at a higher standard of expectation, both for research and for practical projects. Graduate students are expected to research and present to the class a 20–30 minute presentation on a sound designer, a new technical aspect of sound design, or the business of work in the sound field. Research into this presentation must synthesize both critical and practical literature, and students will use knowledge gained from their research to inform other projects during the semester, especially the final class project, which is synthetic in nature. The project must use presentation software (e.g., PowerPoint), and the research must be documented.


Athena Title

Motion Capture Animation Media


Prerequisite

THEA 5810


Grading System

A - F (Traditional)


Course Objectives

Students are expected to show proficiency in the use of motion capture equipment and software and demonstrate the ability to perform for and/or record and clean up a capture session. Students are expected to show proficiency in transferring motion capture data to other software platforms for integration into larger projects. Students are expected to understand performance capture principles and techniques.


Topical Outline

Week 1 Intro Week 2 Motion Capture Hardware setup/Performance techniques Week 3 Motion Capture Software Week 4 Recording a Basic Mocap Performance Week 5 Recording a Basic Mocap Performance Week 6 Cleaning up Mocap Data Week 7 Cleaning up Mocap Data Week 8 Use of Intermediate Software with Mocap Data Week 9 Use of Intermediate Software with Mocap Data Week 10 Advanced Mocap Recording / Performance Week 11 Advanced Mocap Recording / Performance Week 12 Use of Final Output Software with Mocap Data Week 13 Use of Final Output Software with Mocap Data Week 14 Principles of Green Screen Recording Week 15 Use of Green Screen to Record Action Week 16 Camera Tracking in a Green Screen Setting Week 17 Cleanup of Green Screen Recording