Faceware Upgrades Its Profeional Facial Motion-Capture Product Line

LOS ANGELES - Faceware, an innovator in markerless 3D facial motion-capture solutions, has launched new upgrades to its Professional Facial Motion Capture Product Line, a start-to-finish facial mocap tool suite built to capture, analyze and transfer human emotion into digital facial performances.

The new product line now includes two versions of Analyzer 2.0, Retargeter 4.0 and two Headcam options, an entry-level GoPro Headcam Kit and more robust Professional Headcam system. Each product has been crafted to help artists achieve higher quality results earlier in the animation process. The new software versions also boast an updated pricing model with flexible options for fixed licenses and no longer a cost per second to export data.

With the downward pressure on production budgets and increasing expectations for more realistic CG, the need to achieve better results earlier in the production process has never been greater, said Peter Busch, vice president of business development at Faceware Technologies. With this brand new set of software and hardware, were giving animators at every budgetary level the tools to automate the first 60 to 80 percent of the facial mocap process. By helping animators get farther in the process sooner, they can now focus on fine-tuning and adding the subtleties that define character performances.

Analyzer 2.0 Faceware Analyzer is a stand-alone, single-camera facial tracking software application that converts any video of an actors performance into facial motion files for use in Faceware Retargeter. With the updated Analyzer 2.0, what used to take hours now takes minutes. Analyzers newly integrated core algorithms draw from thousands of minutes of facial performance data taken from real actors from years of real projects in nearly any lighting and capturing condition.

Analyzer 2.0 is now available in a basic Lite version (starting at $795 per seat) and a full-featured Pro version. The entry-level Lite version allows users to automatically track facial movements that can then be applied to CG face models using Faceware Retargeter. Any data that is exported out of Analyzer Lite will be compatible with the Lite and Pro versions of Retargeter.

With Analyzer Pro, users also have the ability to add shot-specific custom calibrations, import/export global actor data, and auto indicate tracking regions. For team settings, Analyzer Pro also features server and local licensing options, and scriptable batch functionality.

7-days trials of Faceware Analyzer 2.0 Lite and Pro can be requested from the Faceware website.

Retargeter 4.0 Announced just prior to GDC 2013, Faceware Retargeter 4.0 is a plug-in for Autodesk animation tools (2011-2014 Max, Maya, MotionBuilder and Softimage. See it being used on Max and Maya) that utilizes the facial tracking data created in Analyzer to help animators create facial animation through a quick and intuitive pose-based workflow. This updated software includes several new features such as one-button automatic solving, advanced character Expression Sets, Visual Tracking Data, Shared Pose Thumbnails and Batch Processing. These additions focus on automating more of the facial motion-capture process, as well as simplifying creative collaboration.

Like Analyzer 2.0, Retargeter 4.0 is now available in two versions: a basic Lite version (starting at $395 per seat) and a feature-rich Pro version. Retargeter Lite allows users to automatically solve performances quickly onto their characters as well as reduce and smooth keyframes for optimal use. With Retargeter Pro, users have access to several additional features, including custom poses to improve solving, intelligent pose suggestions, shared pose libraries, columnized keyframe solving, and script functionality. Users of Retargeter Pro also have the ability to backup and restore jobs and retarget specific objects or attributes.

After an extensive beta period, Retargeter 4.0 is now available for use by animators everywhere. 7-days trials can be downloaded from the Faceware website.

Faceware Headcams With over eight years of development, the Faceware Headcam systems capture crystal-clear video reference of any acting performance that is ideal for use in Facewares software products. Two main hardware options are now available for rent or purchase: the entry-level GoPro Headcam Kit and the Professional Headcam System.

The GoPro Headcam Kit offers a one-size-fits-all helmet with three camera- mounting options and includes everything budget-conscious users need for facial performance capture -- including a license of Analyzer 2.0 Lite and Retargeter 4.0 Lite. It can also be combined with the GoPro iOS, Windows, and Android app for remote start and stop as well as remote monitoring and easy camera framing.

The Professional Headcam System (from $300 rental per day) is a sturdy, professional-grade system that offers multiple helmet, padding, lens, mounting bar and capture options for ultimate adaptability on-set. With a unique drop-arm design, easy access to CCU settings, and maximum stability, the system captures high-quality facial data in any size volume, looking in any direction. The entire system is lightweight for long-term actor comfort-- weighing in at just 15 ounces for the camera, mounting arm and helmet and 27 ounces for the camera belt, CCU, battery, and cabling. There are options for rental or purchase of the Professional Headcam system.

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