This class is an introduction to the various ways one can produce live animation. We will focus on techniques that utilize motion capture (aka MoCap), taking movement from the real world and applying that movement onto digital forms. We will go over the basics of programs including Adobe Character Animator, Blender, Unity, and others to help you get started. Some of the techniques can be done using your very own laptop or phone. Other mentioned methods (such as depth cameras or inertia suits) might involve additional resources for those interested in taking it a step further. We will go over the pros/cons of these methods and discuss price-points and ease-of-use to help you determine which may be best for you. This class aims to be beginner-friendly so no prior knowledge is necessary, but some general understanding of coding or game engines may be beneficial.

The first two hours will be lecture and demonstration, with the final hour of the class being an optional workshop component. The workshop will primarily introduce students to using Adobe Character Animator, though students unable to use Adobe may be given additional options to best suit their tech needs. Students interested in participating in the workshop should bring their laptop (ideally with Adobe Character Animator already installed) and an iOS tablet (optional)