Systems and methods for motion capture (Lucasfilm/ILM).
Embodiments of the disclosure provide systems and methods for motion capture to generate content (e.g., motion pictures, television programming, videos, etc.). An actor or other performing being can have multiple markers on his or her face that are essentially invisible to the human eye, but that can be clearly captured by camera systems of the present disclosure. Embodiments can capture the performance using two different camera systems, each of which can observe the same performance but capture different images of that performance. For instance, a first camera system can capture the performance within a first light wavelength spectrum (e.g., visible light spectrum), and a second camera system can simultaneously capture the performance in a second light wavelength spectrum different from the first spectrum (e.g., invisible light spectrum such as the IR light spectrum). The images captured by the first and second camera systems can be combined to generate content.
SUMMARY
Embodiments provide systems and methods for motion capture to generate content (e.g., motion pictures, television programming, videos, etc.). In some embodiments, an actor or other performing being can have multiple markers on his or her face that are essentially invisible to the human eye, but that can be clearly captured by camera systems of the present disclosure. Embodiments of the disclosure can capture the performance using two different camera systems, each of which can observe the same performance but capture different images of that performance.
For instance, a first camera system can capture the performance within a first light wavelength spectrum (e.g., visible light spectrum), and a second camera system can simultaneously capture the performance in a second light wavelength spectrum different from the first spectrum (e.g., invisible light spectrum such as the IR light spectrum). The images captured by the first and second camera systems can be combined to generate content, such as animated content. Because the markers are invisible to the first camera system but clearly visible to the second camera system, images captured by the first camera system may not need to be significantly edited to remove any markers on the actor's face and can be used for various content production activities, such as generating movement of a digital or animated character. And, images captured by the second camera system can be used to position the head of an actor wi
1. A computer-implemented method of capturing motion with a motion capture system, the method comprising: emitting first light at wavelengths within a first spectrum towards an actor in a performance area; capturing a first plurality of images of a performance using a first set of one or more cameras operable to capture the first light at wavelengths in the first spectrum, the first plurality of images representing captured emitted first light that has been reflected off of at least one marker applied to the face of the actor; identifying locations of at least one marker applied to the face of the actor by analyzing at least some of the first plurality of images captured by at least one camera from the first set of one or more cameras; generating position and motion data for a digital character based on the identified locations of the at least one marker applied to the face of the actor; capturing a second plurality of images of the performance using a second set of one or more cameras operable to capture second light at wavelengths in a second spectrum different from the first spectrum, the second plurality of images representing at least a portion of a body of the actor and the set surrounding the actor; and generating content based on the generated position and motion data for the digital character and the second plurality of images.
10. A computer product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that when executed control a device including one or more processors, the instructions comprising: emitting light at wavelengths within a first spectrum towards an actor in a performance area; capturing a first plurality of images of a performance using a first set of one or more cameras operable to capture first light at wavelengths in the first spectrum, the first plurality of images representing captured emitted first light that has been reflected off of at least one marker applied to the face of the actor; identifying locations of at least one marker applied to the face of the actor by analyzing at least some of the first plurality of images captured by at least one camera from the first set of one or more cameras; generating position and motion data for a digital character based on the identified locations of the at least one marker applied to the face of the actor; capturing a second plurality of images of the performance using a second set of one or more cameras operable to capture second light at wavelengths in a second spectrum different from the first spectrum, the second plurality of images representing at least a portion of a body of the actor and the performance area; and generating content based on the generated position and motion data for the digital character and the second plurality of images.
16. A computer system for a motion capture system, the computer system comprising: one or more processors; and memory containing code for instructing the one or more processors to: emit light at wavelengths within a first spectrum towards an actor in a performance area; capture a first plurality of images of a performance using a first set of one or more cameras operable to capture light at wavelengths in the first spectrum, the first plurality of images representing captured emitted light that has been reflected off of at least one marker applied to the face of the actor; identify locations of at least one marker applied to the face of the actor by analyzing at least some of the first plurality of images captured by at least one camera from the first set of one or more cameras; generate position and motion data for a digital character based on the identified locations of the at least one marker applied to the face of the actor; capture a second plurality of images of the performance using a second set of one or more cameras operable to capture light at wavelengths in a second spectrum different from the first spectrum, the second plurality of images representing at least a portion of a body of the actor and the performance area; and generate content based on the generated position and motion data for the digital character and the second plurality of images.