ABSTRACT
Arguably, the single largest innovation in game animation has been the widespread adoption of motion capture—the process of capturing the motion of live actors. While not absolutely necessary for great results, an understanding of the mocap process will only aid the game animator in finding ways to speed up the pipeline and get motion capture in the game faster and to a higher quality in as little time as possible. A shot list is invaluable both on the day of shooting and in the run-up to the shoot, as it’s the single best way to evaluate everything animators need to capture, so it helps plan out the shoot. Another excellent way to avoid costly wasted time on set is to previsualize the actions before even going to the shoot. Before starting shooting, the correct casting can make or break the quality of the game, especially in a narrative-heavy project.
