.png)
Motion capture services for VFX
Performance data that fits a VFX pipeline
Mimic Productions provides motion capture services for VFX teams that need more than clean data. We work across facial motion capture, body mocap and realtime capture so performances can move from set or studio into character animation with clear handoff points for downstream VFX work. For visual effects productions, the useful question is rarely whether motion can be recorded. It is whether the capture plan matches the asset, the shot schedule and the integration path. That is why we support planning, performer casting, system setup, solving, motion editing and export in industry standard formats. Our portable setup can come to a preferred location, or we can accommodate projects in Berlin. VFX teams may need subtle facial acting for digital doubles, broader body action for creatures and stunt work, or live performance capture for realtime characters used in projections, digital communication or interactive sequences. We support those applications with optical and markerless body capture, wireless head-mounted cameras for facial work, and realtime preview when a production needs immediate direction on performance. The studio approach is practical: capture the performance, keep the data readable, and prepare it for animation and post-production without forcing the VFX team to rebuild the workflow.
Production challenges
Where VFX capture plans usually get stuck
These are the common pressure points we are set up to handle.
01
Facial acting that has to survive close-up scrutiny
For digital characters and doubles, small eye movements, blinks and lip sync need to read naturally once they are integrated into the final shot.
03
Shoot conditions that change after planning begins
VFX schedules move. We offer portable capture and on-location support so performance capture can adapt to the set, space or talent call sheet.
02
Body performance that must stay usable in post
Action, dance and creature movement need clean tracking and sensible output so the animation team can refine rather than rescue the performance.
What your team gets
Why VFX teams bring us in
01
Facial and body data in one workflow
Wireless HMC facial capture can be used with optical body capture to record full performances together.
02
Realtime feedback when timing matters
Live preview supports productions that need immediate direction for characters, projections or other realtime use cases.
03
Portable setup for set or studio
Our system can be relocated to your preferred location, which helps when the visual effects pipeline is built around an existing shoot.
04
Export that fits the handoff
We can deliver final data in common industry formats, including FBX, C3D, Maya and 3ds Max.
Capabilities and deliverables
Core capture options
-
- Facial motion capture with wireless head-mounted cameras. Plan framing and movement around the subject and viewing format.
-
- Body mocap with optical marker tracking. Plan the session around action references and performance requirements.
-
- Realtime facial motion capture. Identify the expressions and close-up detail required by the performance.
-
- Realtime markerless body mocap with Xsens MVN Animate. Plan the session around action references and performance requirements.
-
- Optical body capture with high-speed cameras. Plan framing and movement around the subject and viewing format.
-
- Multiple performers tracked simultaneously. Plan the session around action references and performance requirements.
-
- Rigid prop tracking for action beats. Review proportions, range of movement and the animation handoff.
-
- Motion solving, editing and export support. Agree the required refinement and the checkpoints for reviewing movement.
Production approach
Built for character work, not just data collection
Mimic’s motion capture service is shaped for VFX production realities. We can record facial and body performance in the same session, support realtime review, and prepare motion for character animation, cleanup and integration. Large capture spaces, portable deployment and performer support help productions that need flexible scheduling without losing control over the quality of the captured performance.
For teams building digital doubles, stylised characters or creatures, the important handoff is the one between capture and post-production. We help keep that transition clear by handling tracking, solving and motion editing before delivery. If your shot requires live direction, we can also support realtime use cases, including digital communication and projected character performance, without implying any hardware beyond the capture service itself.
Prepare an action list with references for timing, contact points and character proportions. Identify continuous performances, repeated cycles and facial requirements separately, then agree how takes will be reviewed and which cleanup or animation work belongs in the delivery scope. For film and visual-effects work, include shot references and the relationship between digital characters and live-action footage.
Explore our Motion Capture services and VFX production.
Related production services: 3D Animation for VFX · Character Rigging for VFX · Motion Capture for Gaming.
How we work
How we work
01
Plan the capture
We review the performance requirement, space, cast and delivery format so the capture setup matches the VFX workflow from the start.
02
Set up and rehearse
Our team can work in Berlin or on location, handling system setup, pre-production testing and technical preparation before the main session.
03
Record and guide the take
We capture facial, body or realtime performance, with live preview where needed and support for multiple performers and props.
04
Solve, edit and deliver
We refine the motion, complete motion editing where required and export the data in an agreed industry format for the animation team.
Frequently asked questions
Questions VFX teams ask
Can you handle both facial and body capture in one session?
Yes. The service is set up to record facial motion capture with wireless head-mounted cameras and optical body motion capture together, so a performer’s full movement can be captured in a single take. That helps when VFX teams want one coherent performance rather than separate facial and body passes.
Do you only work in Berlin studios?
No. The motion capture system is described as fully portable and adaptable to almost any environment. That means we can work in the Berlin studio or relocate to a preferred shoot location, which is useful when the VFX schedule is tied to an existing production space or set.
What kind of performance capture is useful for VFX characters?
It depends on the shot. Facial capture suits expressive close-ups, digital doubles and lip sync, while body capture suits action, choreography and creature movement. Realtime options can help when a production wants immediate playback or live character performance for projections or digital communication.
Can multiple performers be tracked at once?
Yes. The body capture setup supports multiple actors at the same time and can also track rigid bodies such as props. That makes it suitable for scenes where the interaction between performers matters, rather than only isolated movement on a clean stage.
What do you deliver to the animation team?
We can solve, edit and export motion data in standard formats including FBX, C3D, Maya and 3ds Max. The goal is to hand over data that fits into the next stage of your VFX pipeline without unnecessary rework or file translation problems.
Do you offer documented VFX project references for mocap?
The source material documents the founders’ background in facial motion capture and lists VFX projects on the studio site, but it does not confirm a motion capture contribution for each named title. For that reason, we present this page as a practical service fit for VFX workflows rather than claiming those productions as specific mocap case studies.
Frequently asked questions