This undergraduate elective course introduces you to Motion capture (mocap) technology that digitally captures human movement as data for use in film, animation, visual effects, and games production as well as experimentation in media and creative disciplines relevant to your self-determined career practice.

You will gain theoretical and practical experience through a number of exercises and assignments, including a project which requires you to apply data from a motion capture session to render either an experimental animation sequence, digital animation character driven scene or similar creative outcome.

This course will induct you into the professional workflow process and technical/aesthetic issues involved in working with motion capture technology. You will be required to direct others in the capture of motion as well as be directed by other students. You will be able to explore the interface to motion capture technology through both historical and contemporary outcomes. Emphasis will be placed on learning the steps to run a successful shoot in a studio paced setting. You will take from this course the ability to use motion capture as a tool and an expanding knowledge of the industry (Media Arts, Film, Broadcast and Gaming). This course focuses on capturing human motion and props and provides initial training which may be later applied to areas like drawing, digital puppetry and facial motion capture.

The course provides proficiency for further use of the key equipment.

Students who do not meet the prerequisite conditions but have completed SOMA2412 - Video Document or SOMA3416 – Imaging Effects workshop may contact the course convenor to discuss their level of knowledge for entry to the course.