Self-Reflective-Journal: Week One: 6/03/25
For the first week back we got an introduction to our brief on recording a live actor and a motion captured virtual actor (vactor) integrated into a performance on a new motion capture system called Vicon Shogun. With the possibilities of finger tracking, new range of motion and live tracking, the possibilities of this project were enhanced. We would use photogrammetry to capture our live actor which seemed so exciting to do and be part of. Seeing the new equipment that we could use seemed so vast. This year would be the first time I properly use Unreal Engine which seems a little scary but exciting to learn about.
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For this project we would be in groups. We would be doing a scene from I, Robot a 2004 movie starring Will Smith. We would be replicating a scene In 2035, whereas Detective Del Spooner interrogates Sonny, an NS-5 robot suspected of murdering Dr Alfred Lanning. Spooner, already distrustful of robots, found Sonny hiding at the crime scene.
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During this class we formed groups. Me, Medina, Izzy, Hannah and Jasmine decided to be in a group as we were all friends with each other and knew each others work ethic and skills. Jasmine was very keen to be the performer, so she was our appointed actor. I would be the assistant actor who just played Sonny when Jasmine needed another character to act with. Other than that I'd be helping behind the scenes with the rest of the group helping film/take photos or document.
I then added to my pervious production blog adding a new tab and page for each week to add to. We then would have to do a facial ROM capturing of Dr Kennedy's face for week 2 in Faceware Analyser. I wasn't to worried with that appointed task as I was pretty comfortable using the software so I was ready to follow the tutorials.
← I, Robot scene
In the second half of the lesson we went and had a introduction to the Virtual Production Studio. We got to see a demo of a pre-prepared Meta-Human in augmented reality with a Unreal Engine background.
← Unreal Engine background
← Main Studio Environment
← Vactor with performance actor.
Then we headed over to the main MoCap room with the new Vicon system. The system would be able to do hand tracking. At the moment they were using a glove with markers as temporary hand tracking glove. There were also props that worked in the virtual system. One of the students in class helped give a demonstration of the technology. She wore the head tracking helmut and finger gloves. We went over the body calibration. We were told we could do a 'A' pose instead of a 'T' pose.
← Live body tracking with head gear and hand tracking.
← Sword Prop
