Seven to Eleven
Director, Character Rigger
OptiTrack, LiveLink, Motive, Autodesk MotionBuilder, Unreal Engine
Character Rigging, Calibration, Virtual cinematography, Motion Capture cleanup
April 2024
Summary
In this project, my team of three set out to create a 3D animation exploring themes of existentialism and personal freedom from the constraints of time and modern society. Using motion capture technology and Unreal Engine, we crafted the story of a convenience store worker journeying through metaphysical realms. Over the course of three weeks, we integrated motion capture data, 3D modeling, and animation to produce a short film that seamlessly merges reality with imagination.
Concept
Our narrative presents a surreal journey of a convenience store worker, unfolding over several contrasting scenes laden with metaphorical and literal elements.
Characters
- Worker: A man who works long hours at a convenience store and is unhappy with his current life.
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Angry Lady: A disgruntled customer whose interaction triggers the worker's dissociation.
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Entity: An omnipresent "boss" that the worker encounters in a transcendent realm
- Little Boy: A child who appears at the end, guiding the worker back to reality.
Scene Breakdown
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Scene 1: The worker performs mundane tasks like mopping and sweeping, then takes a smoke break.
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Scene 2: An altercation with an angry customer causes the worker to dissociate.
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Scene 3: He awakens in his memories as a gateway to a void.
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Scene 4: Meets a glowing entity who imparts wisdom.
- Scene 5: Returns to reality but encounters a child resembling his younger self, leading to reflect.
Pre-Production
Storyboard and Moodboard: Before shooting, we organized a document that included a checklist of actions, sounds, and moodboards matching our storyboard. This guided our visual and thematic direction.
Environment Selection: We chose a convenience store setting to explore themes of monotony in everyday work life. A 7/11 model from the Unreal Marketplace served as our main environment.
Production
Equipment and Setup: We utilized NYU's motion capture studio equipped with approximately 20 optical-passive OptiTrack cameras interfaced with Motive software. After suiting up, we placed 41 markers on our actor's body to ensure precise tracking of movements.
Recording Sessions: We captured various movements corresponding to our storyboarded scenes. Due to time constraints, we isolated each movement instead of using LiveLink during every session.
Post-Production
Data Export and Rigging: We exported the recorded motion data to Autodesk MotionBuilder, and baked the skeleton onto avatars rigged using Adobe Mixamo. The process was repeated for over 15 motion capture files.
Customizing the Environment: We used Unreal Marketplace Items to rearrange assets within multiple scenes, as well as developed our own effects using Unreal Engine Blueprints.
Camera Cuts: Multiple cameras within Unreal Engine were used to create dynamic camera cuts and transitions. The team learned to transition between camera cuts and keyframes to enhance the storytelling.
Audio and Editing: Sound effects were sourced from freesound.org, and stitched together into Adobe Premiere Pro where captions were added to enhance accessibility and narrative comprehension. All animated scenes were combined ensuring continuity and coherence, adjusting timing and pacing to match the emotional tone of each scene.