Project Proposal
Lego-d00d!
The Effect (Summary)
Motion capture a normal size human being and using this data to animate a 1.3" Lego person. Our goal is to automate the process of alterating the mocap data to fit a Lego person. This is challenging since points of articulation and the range of motion would be different between a human being and a Lego person.
What is the input?
Mocap data from a human skeleton. Generated Lego model.
What is the output?
A Lego model driven by human mocap data.
How many layers? what?
There will be two possible layers: Maya world and real world. Maya world containing our primary actor and real world containing our background setting.
This project could potentially be one layer if background set is constructed in Maya [Lego World].
Storyline/board
A Lego Maiden is sitting at her desk and looks over longingly at a picture of a ballerina on her wall. The maiden stands and attempts to dance like her idol. Restrained by her Lego-joints, she is unable and collapses to her seat in despair. Camera dollies back from the depressed Maiden at her desk
(voiceover)
"Held back by your Lego-heritage? Can't wait to break the surly bonds of rigid joints? Try JointPlus 3000 and free yourself!"
Scene fades to white then fades from white to same scene only now, Lego Maiden has added joints.
"With JointPlus 3000 you can dance the night away!"
Lego Maiden stands up, throwing back her chair, and begins dancing.
"Free yourself for only $19.95 plus shipping and handling"
Maiden looks at camera and winks. Freeze and fade to black.
Who will do what
All team members will learn Maya and help each other =)
- Doria: Render basic Lego model, key framing of initial dance, and providing mocap data. (Providing background and textures to the models in Maya)
- Johny: Takes mocap data and model that Doria created and generates a mocap driven Lego model.
- James: Providing background and textures to the models in Maya. Audio manager and voice of salesperson. (Rendered basic Lego model)
To Do:
Fix Lighting
Face Texture
Timeline
Week 8: Settle on final effect. Schedule mocap appointment.
Week 9: Spring Break!!
Week 10: Basic Maya model generated and mocap data created. Begin algorithm generation.
Week 11: Complete filming [reference footage].
Week 12: Keyframing dance finished. Background finished.
Week 13: Mocap driven dance completed.
Week 14: Thursday-Internal Screening.
Possible Ways to do the Effect (that we can implement)
1. Mocap the motions of the actors for our film in the mocap lab.
2. Clean up mocap data to implement it on Lego person.
3. Use Maya script to translate between the mocap data and a animated lego model.
Progress
Week 10:
Basic Lego model created in Maya. (screen shot)
Story board created.
Analyzation of sample mocap data.
Scheduled Mocap lab time.
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