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Project Details
Project Details
Release: 2023 (Premiered at Gladstone Gallery)
Client: Ed Atkins / Gladstone Gallery
Artist/Performer: Ed Atkins
Services: Digital Double · Motion Capture · 3D Scanning · Animation
Project: "Pianowork 2"
Ed Atkins "Pianowork 2" - Full Pipeline Production
Mimic Productions collaborated with artist Ed Atkins to create a highly realistic digital double for his film "Pianowork 2," which premiered at Gladstone Gallery in NYC. We provided a full suite of services, including 3D scanning, motion capture, and animation, to bring the artist's digital likeness to life as the central protagonist.
Overview
For artist Ed Atkins' latest film, "Pianowork 2," Mimic Productions was entrusted with a unique and complex task: to create a photorealistic digital double of the artist himself. This project required a precise blend of our technical expertise and an understanding of the artist's creative vision. The goal was to produce a virtual performer that could serve as the film's central character, capturing the nuanced and intensely focused performance of a musician. Our work spanned the entire digital production pipeline, from initial 3D scanning to full-body motion capture and intricate animation, ensuring the digital human technology seamlessly supported the film's thematic exploration of humanity.
Campaign Experience
The creation of the digital double for "Pianowork 2" was an artistic endeavor that pushed the boundaries of realism, leveraging our motion capture expertise to capture a performance that was both physically and emotionally nuanced. The project focused on translating the artist's subtle, deliberate movements into a digital form, creating a character that exists in the captivating space between the real and the synthetic.
The creation of the digital double for "Pianowork 2" was an artistic endeavor that pushed the boundaries of realism, leveraging our motion capture expertise to capture a performance that was both physically and emotionally nuanced. The project focused on translating the artist's subtle, deliberate movements into a digital form, creating a character that exists in the captivating space between the real and the synthetic.
The project highlights the compelling narrative of human performance being translated into a virtual space. For "Pianowork 2," we utilized state-of-the-art motion capture technology to record every detail of the artist’s performance, including the delicate motions of his hands and the subtle expressions of his face, to create a final piece that is both a record of a performance and a meditation on technology itself.
Mimic’s Contribution
Digital Double & 3D Scanning
Our team began by conducting high-fidelity 3D scans of Ed Atkins' head and hands to create a foundation for his digital double. This process was critical for achieving the photorealistic fidelity necessary to anchor the film's narrative.
Motion Capture
We performed a full-body motion capture session with the artist, who wore an Xsens suit and a facial capture rig. This allowed us to record the precise movements of his body and face while he played the piano, providing the core data for the character's realistic performance.
Animation
Following the motion capture, our animation team meticulously cleaned and refined the data. This process ensured that the digital double's movements were perfectly synchronized with the audio and that every gesture—from a trembling hand to a slight shift in posture—was translated with complete accuracy, bringing the character to life.
Watch & Behind‑the‑Scenes
Credits
Client:
Ed Atkins / Gladstone Gallery
Mimic Role
Creative Partner:
Ed Atkins
Technology Partners
Digital Double
Motion Capture
3D Scanning
Animation
N/A
Platform
N/A
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