Dive into the dynamic world of real-time animation with our comprehensive Udemy course, specifically designed to harness the power of Unreal Engine’s cutting-edge virtual production capabilities. This course is a revolutionary opportunity for aspiring animators, directors, visual effects artists, and game developers looking to master the art of real-time animation using world-class motion capture systems.
What am I getting into?
Professional in-studio Mocap sessions: Get hands-on training using real footage from professional studio motion capture sessions. Learn to animate with high-quality data captured from industry-leading systems like OptiTrack, Vicon, and Rokoko suits. Includes access to Unreal Project files!
Metahuman Animator: Develop your character animation skills using advanced MetaHuman Animator footage, plus exclusive performance footage from actresses for hands-on experience.
Markerless motion capture with Move ai. Dive into innovative animation with markerless motion capture technology, integrating Move and Rokoko video into your workflow for greater flexibility.
Real-World Examples: Get hands-on experience with examples that reflect industry requirements, including using Unreal Engine’s Control Rig to mix and clean up animation.
Comprehensive Curriculum: From basic principles to advanced techniques, our curriculum provides a deep understanding of real-time animation in Unreal Engine.
Budget-friendly learning: Discover Rokoko’s cost-effective marker-free capture devices and mockups, perfect for those working on a budget.
Who is this course for?
– Beginner and professional animators
– Visual effects artists
– Filmmakers and content creators
– Game developers
– Anyone interested in animation and virtual production
Course Requirements:
Software: Unreal Engine (latest version). Download for free from the official Unreal Engine website.
Additional Materials: PC or laptop with the minimum system requirements to run Unreal Engine, including a suitable graphics card.
Skill Level: Intermediate knowledge of 3D animation or game development recommended.
Mindset: Be willing to experiment and embrace the evolving world of virtual production and real-time animation.
What will you achieve?
Mastery of real-time animation techniques in Unreal Engine that work in real time.
Ability to work with professional mocap data out of the box from this course!
MetaHumans animation skills using markerless mocap technology, inertia suits and optics.
Understanding of a professional virtual production process based on industry standards.
Scripted (how to) mixed with unscripted course content – it’s as live as it gets on a mocap studio set, and you get to not only watch actors and directors work, but also practice on the same assets and animations!
You’ll build a powerful portfolio showcasing real-world examples and get tips to help you visualize scenes as you go!
The course is supported by Bartosz Barlowski, an official Unreal Engine instructor, to ensure the best workflows. Remember, if you don’t have the space or budget for your own mocap studio/suite, this course is a great starter pack. You can even use our high-quality mocap in your own project to learn step by step!
What you’ll do here:
Mastering Unreal Engine for Animation: Gain comprehensive skills in using Unreal Engine to create real-time animation, focusing on both the technical and creative aspects.
Learning Motion Capture Technology: Learn the fundamentals and advanced techniques of motion capture (mocap) technology, including direct facial rigging and markerless motion capture.
Animating Realistic Characters: Develop your ability to animate realistic human characters, focusing on acting and skateboarding movements.
Virtual Production Techniques – Understand and apply virtual production techniques to animation, improving the quality and efficiency of your projects.
Using Metahuman Animator: Get hands-on experience with Metahuman Animator and learn how to create high-quality character animation.
Budget Animation Solutions: Discover cost-effective animation techniques and tools that make high-quality animation accessible on a budget.
Practical Applications of Mocap: Apply mocap technology to real-world scenarios by learning how to effectively integrate motion capture data into your animation projects.
Animation Cleanup Strategies: Learn animation cleanup and enhancement techniques to achieve a polished, professional final product.
Interactive learning experience: Engage in an interactive learning environment, enhancing understanding through hands-on examples and live demonstrations.
Networking and Collaboration Opportunities: Connect with fellow animators, visual effects artists, and game developers to create a community for learning and collaboration.
Join me and Emanuelle Bance to explore real-time animation in Unreal Engine: Acting and Skateboarding in Mocap. An experimental 3D experience, and I’m SO excited to share it today. Shot 100% live with a live audience. Interested in virtual production using digital characters? We’ll cover tools like UE5 and many others like Blender with real-life examples. Like using cool gear? The course covers how the 6-axis space mouse and keyboard ecosystem in Unreal is SO helpful when working with virtual cameras or #realtime animation.
What am I getting into and why?
You can see how performance capture works on different levels. You will also learn that you can change the content in your own way thanks to the provided mocap and source files + a quick guide + hands-on training with actual data from professional motion capture sessions in the studio + a video reference.
Once you’ve got your feet wet with high-tech, you’ll learn the indie way of mocap using apps like Move AI or dual camera setups. Cleanup is essential no matter how good the technology is, so by providing high-quality data from industry-leading systems like OptiTrack and Rokoko, you can see what works best for your animation needs, and most importantly, you can play with it as you go! Classes include Unreal Project files to explore.
Metahuman Animator: Tips and tricks for getting the best performance data. Develop your character animation skills using advanced Metahuman Animator footage, plus exclusive actress performance footage for hands-on experience. iClone8’s connection to Unreal, working with metahumans.
Dive into innovative motion capture animation using just an iPhone in real-world examples: Then work entirely in Unreal, using Unreal Engine’s Control Rig for cleanup strategies and additive blending to clean up animation.
Cost-Effective Learning Experience: Discover the cost-effective solutions I review, perfect for those working on a budget.
Why did we create this course?
I saw a gap in online courses that were materials based on high-quality resources and guided by experienced instructors.
Finally, is it for me? Who is it for?
Beginner and professional animators
Visual effects artists
Filmmakers and content creators
Game developers
Anyone interested in animation and virtual production
That’s not all there is to this course, which also includes additional materials!
Increased focus on IK Rig and animation retargeting (including Unreal 5.3 project files):
IK Rig Animation: Added an in-depth module to Unreal Engine’s IK (Inverse Kinematics) Rig system. This will cover how to create and manipulate IK rigs for dynamic character movement and animation. It includes hands-on tutorials on setting up IK chains, solving common IK problems, and using IK to enhance the realism of character movement.
Animation Retargeting: Learn advanced animation retargeting techniques in Unreal Engine. This involves adapting the animation of one character model to another, allowing for a wide range of motion capture data to be used across different character shapes. The course will provide hands-on experience with animation retargeting, including adjusting skeletal meshes and ensuring smooth movement between different character rigs.
These more advanced topics will be woven into the existing course structure with source files and finished .uasset files, complementing the comprehensive curriculum with additional practical examples and exercises. By understanding IK Rig and animation retargeting, students will be able to take their animation skills to the next level, ensuring adaptability and the ability to solve a variety of animation problems in Unreal Engine.