Real-Time | Virtual Characters
Brief
How can we expedite the traditional timely and costly character animation process to develop fast, reactive and interactive character-based content?
Approach
Combine cutting-edge game engine technology with a variety of motion sensors, developing a pipeline that enables virtual characters, creatures and humans to be performed, live.
Impact
Limitless creative possibilities, interactive brand experiences and cutting edge PR moments, live performances and instant audience feedback.
Production Company
The Mill
Capabilities
Virtual Characters / Digital Avatars / Characters / Real-time / Live Events
Welcome to The Mill’s real-time character animation solution – a new paradigm in how to interact with high-quality CG characters live.
We have leveraged The Mill’s years of character expertise in visual effects by applying that artistry and design to the latest real-time game technology to innovate how we are telling animated character stories live.
Whether your CG character is branded, or original design, photoreal or stylized, our real-time character team will bring your characters to life and allow them to be directed and perform live for a truly interactive way to produce animated performance.
FAST. INTERACTIVE. FLEXIBLE.
Real-time Animation is a solution for CG character animation created live without the need of time-consuming keyframing, rendering, or compositing phases.
A performer “animates” a CG character in real-time by controlling them with motion capture that is rendered in a game engine for output of final pixels.
The process is live, allowing for interaction with an audience or feedback from a Director.
We make the “animation” process more efficient and more collaborative as it happens in front of you. Our character team brings their artistry and expertise to guarantee that your character is on brand and delivering the best performance!
ARTISTRY + PERFORMANCE CAPTURE + GAME ENGINE TECHNOLOGY
We use performance capture technology married with cutting-edge game engine tech to animate characters live. Various motion capture methods are used depending on your need. Full-Body – Face – Hands all performed to control your character.
Characters can be viewed as AR overlays onto existing footage, or a Live Feed. Each character is scalable and can be created for any platform.
BRING YOUR CHARACTERS TO LIFE FASTER THAN EVER BEFORE
Using this method, we can create animated footage at the speed of live-action production. Never before have CGI characters been able to perform live and allow for this level of interactivity with the director or the audience. It’s perfect for social media, live events, episodic content and TV stunts.
- Generate more content
- Integrate CG into the real-world live
- Respond to your audience live
- Invite your characters to live events
You can speak to our team about Virtual Characters by contacting us here.