Motion Capture

Give your teams the tools to create realistic character movement quickly and easily.

Superalloy Interactive

What is motion capture?

Motion capture is the process where actors’ physical movements are captured and then recreated on digital character models. This allows actors to give realistic movement to fantastical CGI creatures, bringing them to life.

Superalloy Interactive

How motion capture is used

  • Video games

    By recording human actions and using them to animate digital models, 3D artists bring deep realism to video game (US Site) characters.

    Image courtesy of Yosir El Hadidy

  • Film and television

    Performance motion capture technology allows artists to create animated image models directly from actors’ movement and facial expressions.

    Image courtesy of Artur Szymczak Radoslaw Pyzel

  • Previsualization

    Motion capture is integral to previsualization (US site), the mapping or pre-planning of scenes before principal photography.

    Image courtesy of Jonatas Ferreira

MotionBuilder for Motion Capture

Generate motion capture data from a live actor and import it into MotionBuilder for quick and accurate animations. MotionBuilder provides animators and directors with an interactive environment for fine-tuning character movement.

Making realistic game characters: Rigging and body deformation

Designing compelling 3D characters for your game is one thing; making sure they look and behave realistically is another. Santa Monica Studio shares their best practices for animating characters for games, including popular AAA franchise, God of War.

Image courtesy of Santa Monica Studio

Motion Library in Maya

Rokoko’s Motion Library is now a native plugin in Maya, providing access to thousands of affordable, high-quality character animations from the world’s top motion capture studios. The plugin allows artists to search, preview, and purchase motion assets natively, right in Maya.

Up Close & Personal with Maya: The Do’s and Don’ts of Motion Capture

Learn everything you need to know about the Motion Library plugin from the team at Rokoko, and hear about the do’s and don’ts of motion capture in a live Q&A with Zac Swartout, co-founder of SuperAlloy Interactive, and Eric Jacobus, actor and stuntman.

Relevant software in the collection for motion capture

The Media & Entertainment Collection delivers advanced motion capture utility.

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Motion Capture Resources

  • A Guide to Getting Started with the Motion Library Plugin

    In this step-by-step guide, see how to install the Motion Library plugin, browse and preview high-quality motion capture assets, and bring them into your Maya projects.

  • Facial Rigging Best Practices

    Character facial expressions can make or break a gaming experience. Read these best practices from Santa Monica Studio for creating realistic 3D characters.

    Image courtesy of Santa Monica Studio

  • How to Retarget Motion Capture in MotionBuilder

    In this tutorial, learn everything you need to know to retarget motion capture to your character in MotionBuilder.

Learn More about Motion Capture

MotionBuilder Forum

Share your knowledge, ask questions, and explore popular MotionBuilder topics.

Free Motion Capture Software for Students

Students and educators can get free one-year educational access to motion capture software from Autodesk.