Mocap Training Resources?

[tvining]

Are there any resources for learning best practices/techniques for motion capture?

For example, if you wanted to capture somebody sitting down at a table and leaning their elbows on the table, it seems like an actual table and chair might occlude the markers/cameras, but that having a person "mime" the movement in thin air wouldn't really work either, since their interaction with the "chair" and "table surface" wouldn't be truly consistent. How would this be done? Is there a way to create "low occlusion" props and/or custom camera setups to compensate for physical environments?

Thanks--Tim

[markdc]

What you're look for will be tough to find. The mocap club has some tutorials but they're mostly about MB: http://www.mocapclub.com/Pages/Tutorials.htm

Try asking your question at: http://www.motioncapturesociety.com/mcsforum/

[tvining]

Thanks! I actually kind of figured it wouldn't be an easy thing to find, seeing that ARENA will be breaking new ground by allowing consumers to do mocap. Perhaps there will need to be a Mocap Techniques forum here at NaturalPoint, for ARENA users to share ideas/experiences, since I'm not sure the big mocap houses are going to share as readily

I'll check out these sites.

Thanks again--Tim

[VincentG]

O', I'm sure that something will be posted/created, when the software starts to be released to the general user.

[digitizer]

How about a transparent table, like plexiglass?

[VincentG]

[quote=digitizer]How about a transparent table, like plexiglass? [/quote]

I haven't done any testing with a plexiglass table, not sure how much reflection the cameras would be getting of the object itself.

[trahan]

I came across the same problem-I needed a character to stand up from a sitting position. I used a barstool- the open legs created no occlusion.
For future projects, I will be constructing "open framework" props from metal pipe painted flat black. These should allow me to capture a person laying down,rising,or sitting with very little occlusion.

M

[bsteagal]

Morning!

Not very long ago, I rented the Beowulf directors cut dvd which has a very interesting "special features" clip which showed how the movie was shot using mocap. Although it didn't go into technical detail, it did show how they approached different problems and how they solved them.

For example, all props in the scene were constructed out of a wire framework, with weights in the prop to give the person using it the illusion of weight. One that particularly made me laugh... to simulate a chicken leg (which someone would bite and tear into) they used a whisk with rubber bands attached to it.. the person would bite on the rubber bands to simulate the chomping action.

It gave some interesting insight on how to go about captures, so I would recommend it for everyone (the movie itself was...eh.. ok I guess)

Bryan

[eggboy]

That would be greatly appreciated. As you say is not easy to find technical contents related to facial capture techniques. It would be nice to share our experiences and find out the best working tricks/techniques for every situation.