Performance Capture Vs Motion Capture

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Many people have heard of the term ‘motion capture’. Fewer have heard of the term ‘performance capture’ and fewer yet know the differences between them. Motion capture, in one form or another, has been around for many years, dating back to the invention of the Rotoscope by Max Fleischer in 1915, and has struggled for acceptance every step of the way.
Performance capture often gets referred to as motion capture (mocap) or performance animation. The variety of terms used to describe the process is indicative of a field that lacks a clear definition of its boundaries and the uncertainty of its role in film making.
The development of performance capture increasingly blurs the line between what is acting and what is animation so much so that people from both disciplines are threatened. Actors feel as though they are being replaced by animated characters and animators feel as though their craft is being polluted by technical cheats.
Performance capture fills in the void between live action and computer generated (CG) footage. As the technology improves we will find that performance capture will be seen, not as a replacement for traditional media but as a tool that empowers us as film makers to see our visions created to the fullest extent. While its use is not always appropriate, performance capture has a place in the film makers’ toolkit.

History of Performance Capture
The concept of using human movement as a basis for animated characters is not new. In fact, it began as early as 1919 with Max Fleischer’s Koko the Clown. Max, having taken video footage of his brother Dave in a clown suit, used his invention, the Rotoscope, to trace the action of his animated character. Though this was very time consuming, it resulted in amazingly li...

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Closing
Despite the reservations of some in the field, performance capture is here to stay. With any new development there are those who will be intimidated, and those who feel that the new methods somehow require less skill.
The success of any film, no matter what methods are applied to complete it, is based on the idea and execution. Often people get caught up in a purist view of an art form. So much so that they forget the purpose of the art, which is the message. All art serves the message, the techniques used to reach this end are of secondary importance.
Performance capture has the potential to save both time and money while sometimes delivering superior results. A true craftsman uses whatever tool is best for the job. Leaving a tool on the shelf because you feel it’s less pure doesn’t make you a better artist, it makes you irresponsible.

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