History of Motion Capture Dr. Midori Kitagawa Arts and Technology Program University of Texas at Dallas
Pioneers Eadweard Muybridge ( ) Etienne-Jules Marray ( ) Max Fleischer (1883 – 1972) Harold Edgerton ( )
Eadweard Muybridge English photographer ( ). Pioneered photographic studies of motion and motion-picture projection.
In 1872 former governor of California Stanford hired Muybridge to prove all four feet of a horse were off the ground at the same time while trotting. Muybridge
Used multiple cameras to capture motion of animals and humans.
Muybridge
Etienne-Jules Marray French scientist, physiologist and chronophotographer ( ). Contributed to the development of cardiology, physical instrumentation, aviation, and cinematography.
Developed a single camera method chronophotography. Objective and precise for scientific measurements. Marray
The photographs of a subject wearing Marrey's motion capture suit with markers show striking resemblance to motion capture data shown with a skeleton. Marray
Max Fleischer Animator, film director and producer ( ). Produced Betty Boop, Koko the Clown, Popeye and Superman animation.
Invented rotoscope Fleischer
Affected greatly by the motion picture production code of 1930 (Hays Code). Lost competition with Disney. Fleischer
Harold Edgerton Electrical engineer ( ). First to take high-speed color photographs. Pioneered multi-flash and microsecond imagery.
Captured moments in time that were too fast to be seen by the naked with a stroboscope. Edgerton
Early digital attempts Brilliance (1984) Brilliance Total Recall (1990) Total Recall
Brilliance (1984) Produced by Robert Abel and Associates. Super Bowl commercial for the Canned Food Information Council. “Sexy Robot” was the first 3D character with realistic human movement. Model was rotoscoped, not motion captured.
Total Recall (1990) Based on Philip K. Dick’s short. Airport security shots were supposed to be motion capture animation. Replaced with keyframe animation. Won Academy Award for visual effects.
Dr. Midori Kitagawa ATEC 1.909