Making “all the world a stage” with dynamic motion capture solutions for theatre production

Project partners: Centre for the Analysis of Motion, Entertainment Research and Applications (CAMERA) at the University of Bath

Experts from CAMERA will work with RSC creatives, performers and production specialists to explore artist-centred workflows for the next generation of performance capture, combining high resolution motion tracking and machine learning solutions. 

The CAMERA project team will investigate if motion capture technology can be developed to deliver the nuances of live performance under dynamic stage conditions and in real-time to enhance in-house and globally broadcast audience experiences across multiple platforms.

Existing marker-based systems (where physical markers are placed on an actor’s body) track and interpret the movement data captured from the “skeleton”. However, for theatrical performance, many of the subtleties of artist motion and expression are lost, leading to avatars that appear robotic or wooden.

The CAMERA team will use their state-of-the art motion capture system to develop custom tooling and a bespoke full-body rig containing a significantly larger set of smaller, discrete markers.

By using traditional motion capture marker sets in a new way, with arbitrary and discreet positioning, CAMERA will create systems that performers can control themselves (rather than being controlled) and use to enhance their performance.

The markers will be captured by high-resolution cameras to allow for higher quality data that will accurately convey the subtleties of performance – breath, muscle, poise, touch – to enhance the dynamics and nuances of the performance in a digital space. 

The resulting toolset will be an artist-centred ‘actor engine’. One of the aims of the project is to take the motion capture technology into chaotic spaces. The system will be put into the rehearsal process, making the technology part of the creative process.

The project team will prototype and test software and workflows to develop a showcase demo using CAMERA’s extended motion capture volume. The demo will highlight how multiple performers can be captured simultaneously and in real time to produce compelling immersive content for theatre performances. 

About CAMERA

CAMERA performs world-leading research in Intelligent Visual and Interactive Technology for applications including creative industries, healthcare, sports performance and psychology.

Photo credit to CAMERA

Categories: Arts, Performance, Research, Technology