MOVA unveils Contour Reality Capture System
MOVA's new Contour Reality Capture System enables accurate digital capture of full-motion, photorealistic characters and visual effects for film and video games.
MOVA introduced its Contour Reality Capture System at SIGGRAPH in Boston, a technology designed to transform the production of computer-generated imagery. The system allows for the precise capture and representation of full-motion, photorealistic characters and visual effects using digital cameras for film and video games.
The Contour system utilizes two synchronized camera setups to simultaneously record both visual and geometric data of a subject. This information is combined to create a high-resolution 3D digital image. The markerless, optics-based process can capture the most subtle details of human performance in real time. According to Steve Perlman, founder and president of MOVA, the system moves from "motion capture to reality capture," providing directors and producers with unprecedented creative control.
Director David Fincher described Contour's potential as enormous for mapping facial subtleties. The high-quality 3D data generated by the system can be imported and manipulated in standard CGI animation software. This bridges traditional cinematography with digital animation, expanding possibilities for both the film and video game industries.
Ed Ulbrich of Digital Domain and John Riccitiello of Bioware/Pandemic Studios highlighted the system's ability to reduce post-production work and make photorealistic, computer-generated human performances more accessible. Stephen Regelous of Massive Software and Marc Stevens of Softimage emphasized the system's superior precision for facial animation, with seamless integration into Softimage's tools.