Motion capture systems (also called mocap systems) are just one part of the growing field of technological advances in the world of television and film. Motion capture systems use a set of carefully placed sensors to track, record and reproduce motion on screen. These systems for motion capture are commonly used for medical purposes and for sports and film recordings as well as for video games. Motion capture systems simulate an actor’s movements without recording his image. This process can be highly effective in reducing the cost of animations.

Generally speaking, motion capture equipment can be quite costly to purchase for the average consumer, so make sure you complete plenty of research before committing to a particular system. In any case, there are many advantages to investing in this type of equipment.

1. Mocap systems allow a film director to shoot from any angle.

2. Motion capture systems give costume designers endless possibilities.

3. Motion capture systems allow for endless experimentation.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find the right motion capture system distributor

There are a great many motion capture equipment distributors that offer motion capture equipment for sale. Most motion capture methods and systems use active optical motion capture systems by using active LED markers and complex software to record movement.

I recommend: PhaseSpace advertises itself as one of the leading providers of equipment for motion capture at a most affordable cost. Their homepage also features an amazing example of motion capture animation. Organic Motion features a motion capture product that uses no marks or marker of any kind to detect and record movement. It is the first of its kind. Natural Point features complete motion capture system packages that provide every piece of hardware you’ll need to get started.

Locate the best motion capture software for your needs

In order to complete your project, you'll need dependable software that can deliver your data and images and allow you to extensively edit.

I recommend: Vicon provides complex imaging software that is consistently reliable. There are several types of Vicon software designed for motion capturing equipment. MetaMotion offers a variety of different software for your motion capture system needs. You can browse through the various offering and decide which suits your needs.

See if you can test the motion capture equipment before committing to the purchase

Making a large purchase takes some thought. It may be to your advantage to see a demo and try a free trial of your equipment or software before handing over your credit card.

I recommend: Autodesk and Northern Digital Inc. both provide potential customers with free trials of various pieces of motion capture equipment.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If the motion capture equipment cost is too prohibitive for your business, try investigating a radio frequency motion capture system, also known as rf motion capture. This new technique used radio frequency transponders to retrieve specific information. These systems are much less expensive than traditional motion capture systems but do tend to transmit data too fast to be calculated.