{"id":105481,"date":"2020-01-06T10:47:28","date_gmt":"2020-01-06T15:47:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/news\/?p=105481"},"modified":"2025-06-25T16:06:16","modified_gmt":"2025-06-25T20:06:16","slug":"motion-capture-to-on-screen-acting-theatre-animation-and-film-programs-team-up","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/news\/motion-capture-to-on-screen-acting-theatre-animation-and-film-programs-team-up\/","title":{"rendered":"Motion Capture to On-screen Acting: Theatre, Animation and Film Programs Team Up"},"content":{"rendered":"

Some collaborations come about naturally, while others require out-of-the-box innovation. In many creative fields, developing specialized skills requires collaborating with those outside your discipline. Two collaborations within the 麻豆原创 College of Arts and Humanities<\/a> highlight the intersection of performance, technology and production: musical theatre students are suiting up in motion capture suits to work with animation students, and film students are working with stage acting students to create original projects. By working together, theatre, animation and film faculty are providing opportunities for students to create higher-quality educational projects and preparing students to work in professional collaborative environments.<\/p>\n

Motion Capture + Acting<\/h2>\n

Theatre Assistant Professor David Reed, who specializes in stage combat and movement, is \u201croutinely looking for projects that will challenge and inspire\u201d his acting students. He reached out to Cheryl Briggs and Rich Grula, animation faculty members from 麻豆原创’s Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy<\/a>, with his idea: to give his acting students the chance to be involved with motion capture technology, simultaneously providing student animators mocap footage for their projects.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe hope is for students to walk away from the process with animation footage samples showcasing their ability, as well as new connections that bridge industries,\u201d says Reed.<\/p>\n

Grula and Briggs were on board, and the collaboration was born.<\/p>\n

Acting<\/a> professors Be Boyd and John Shafer joined Reed to take their students to the 麻豆原创 Downtown<\/a> campus for mocap workshops. Theatre students were given a behind-the-scenes lecture by Briggs before select students developed a performance for mocap. By wearing a specially-designed suit that captures the imprint of the performer, the acting students gain storytelling experience they wouldn\u2019t have had inside the Theatre building.<\/p>\n

Briggs, an animation professor, wanted to better prepare her students for the intricacies of the modern animation process. One of her senior character animation classes attended an acting workshop with Boyd where they learned more about the art and intention behind motion. Student Crissy Peters was thrilled to take part.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis collaboration is really important for us. It helps to know more about acting and human motion so that we can make our animation more realistic and believable,\u201d Peters says.<\/p>\n

Another student, Kenna Hornibrook, agreed.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe best way to understand how the body moves and works is to experience it firsthand. It\u2019s exciting to do things like professionals and see the results.\u201d<\/p>\n

To Briggs, collaboration is always a good thing.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are a lot of possibilities. The key is finding a mutual benefit for everyone involved,\u201d Briggs says.<\/p>\n

Her students now have mocap footage from actors that can be put in a \u201clibrary of motion\u201d to be used in future projects.<\/p>\n

\n