Interactive 3D interface

Character, face, and speech animation rendered in detailed environments with Flexible Rapid (FlexRap) production

FlexRap is a flexible and rapid real-time-based animation production and rendering workflow/pipeline to characterize (create character controls) for various types of skeleton/bone structures, such as Maya, Motion Builder, Mixamo, Unreal, Cinema 4D,… characters, animate and render them in detailed environments using keyframed and nonlinear animation.
It allows rigging/creating skeletons skin weights and character controls for 3D character models; and allows retargeting animation among various characters.
The workflow is non-destructive, allowing modifying models, accessories, character subdivisions, or blend shapes during the animation, or rendering process.
The blend shapes are decoupled from the character, and they can be changed/re-applied non-destructively even after the animation completion to conform to the new shapes.
Human characters have generated blend shapes for rapid speech and facial animation setup. Characters with alien, non-human facial features may require blend shape creation for speech animation.
The characters can have non-destructive layered textures, dynamic wrinkles, and changeable face painting, where dynamic wrinkles deform the face and face painting upon muscle movement and speech.
Characters can have asymmetrical facial muscle suppression under the facial metal plate for cyber-styled characters.

It allows for creating character interaction with the use of various constraints and allows for creating hair and clothing simulations.
In most cases, the characters are pushed through various stages of the pipeline in FBX format with auto texture assignments throughout the modeling, texturing, animation, and rendering stages.
It allows relatively quick creation of environments, their texture, and transfer materials to integrate characters with rich and detailed environments using USD file format for real-time or near real-time rendering for storytelling.
The new pipeline carries over and improves upon the best features of legacy animation applications, such as 3ds Max CAT Footprint, Softimage FaceRobot Lip Sync, viseme, or Speech Clip, Softimage Species, Maya Human IK rigging, MotionBuilder Characterization or Auxiliary pivot system, Mixamo style auto skinning with correct fingers, MotionBuilder like non-linear animation system, simplified constraint system, an improved version of Maya-ZBrush’s blend shape system in a non-destructive workflow.
ZBrush GoZ style Live Link interaction between multiple applications such as Maya, Cinema 4D, Character Creator, iClone, Unreal Engine Editor, Unity, Blender, Substance Painter, and ZBrush to transfer and auto setup blend shapes, textures, and shaders, or create UVs. This is significant because a scene can have over a hundred textures files and many blend shapes to transfer and set up through the pipeline.

Body and face animation-ready character design and shading with Flexible Rapid (FlexRap) pipeline.

The Cyber Alley Fight 4K video demonstrates character, face, speech, and camera animation in detailed environments rendered in 4K resolution using the Flexible Rapid (FlexRap) animation production workflow and pipeline with sunset and nighttime lighting.

Anti Aliasing rendering techniques to render noise-free dark and dim-lit alleys with thin metallic elements and with a constantly moving camera.

Demonstrating cinematography choices of Univision’s 2:1 aspect ratio, a film format unifying theatrical and television film formats into one respective aspect ratio. Choices of shallow and deep depth of fields. Minimized motion blur to have sharp images during character actions and camera motions.

Demonstrating the use of multi-layer, non-destructive face textures, dynamic wrinkle deformation to deform the face, and the changeable face paint layer. Asymmetrical facial muscle suppression under the facial metal plate, for a cyber-styled character.

With the use of the FlexRap pipeline, the animated blend shapes are decoupled from the character, and they can be changed/re-applied non-destructively even after the animation completion to conform to the new shapes. It is a semantic space solution.

Cyber Alley Fight Intro shot with highly detailed environment.

Lighting and rendering in 4K resolution in various conditions.

Modeling unique characters with various sizes, shapes, and faces with Flexible Rapid (FlexRap) workflow.

Character creation with Flexible Rapid (FlaxRap) workflow.

Shallow vs. deep depth of field in an animated action scene.

Character action scene with a shallow depth of field, suggesting a scary and focused vision of danger.

Character keyframe animation action scene with a deep depth of field, suggesting a relaxed or clean shot of the scene.

Dynamic wrinkle deformation to deform the face and the changeable face paint layer. Asymmetrical facial muscle suppression under the facial metal plate, for a cyber-styled character

The Lost Bay with Zoe and Conall characters 4K video demonstrates character, face, speech, and camera animation in detailed environments rendered in 4K resolution, along with wind-animated vegetation. Application of constraints for character interaction. Presenting highly detailed assets, surfaces, and textures, such as palm trees, rocks, leather clothing textures, skin,…

Anti Aliasing rendering techniques to get details in close and distant shots for hair, and thin bamboo construction elements.

Presenting cinematography choices of Univision’s 2:1 aspect ratio, a film format unifying theatrical and television film formats into one respective aspect ratio. The deep depth of field allows viewers to look and discover details even in a distance, behind characters, creating a more immersive viewing experience, similar to real-world viewing. For a calming shot, a view to distance is more relaxing, than a narrow depth of field for a tense shot. The detailed environment enhances this experience. Minimizing motion blur to have sharp images during character actions and camera motions.

“The Future of Animation: Exploring the Latest Techniques in Character Animation” 4K video is another demonstration of character creation and animation with FlexRap workflow. It demonstrates animation-ready human and humanoid character creations and texturing. It explores the differences between card hair and Unreal Engine groom hair. It presents detailed environment creation.