FAST TRACKING CREATIVE ITERATION

“Technology needs to help us overcome barriers. We need tools that let filmmakers direct their characters and visualize ideas instantly. The great thing about the Vicon Markerless system is that we can put talent straight onto the performance capture stage and very early start testing creative ideas.”

Sarah Cauchois, Managing Director
Framestore Pre-Production Services (FPS)

PRE-PRODUCTION, ANIMATION AND VISUALISATION

Framestore Pre-Production Services (FPS) tested Vicon Markerless to see if it would speed up the creative decision-making process and optimise some of their pre-production services.

An internal project, named “Bishop“, was used to test the markerless system with Creatives, Animators, and Directors experimenting freely – treating the tool as their “creative sketchbook.”

With seamless integration into existing animation pipelines and tools like Shōgun, Maya and Unreal Engine, Vicon Markerless empowers Framestore to support early-stage creative iteration, and enhance their overall agility and pre-production efficiency.

Framestore Pre-Production Services’ real-time pre-viz testing is seen in both the Maya and Unreal “Bishop” videos, where a hybrid motion capture system was leveraged.

Fully body tracking was achieved without suits or markers, whilst markers were used for props at the same time.

“Bishop” : Maya

“Bishop” : Unreal Engine

THE SOLUTION: SPEED, FREEDOM, AND SMART WORKFLOW

In the world of visual storytelling, speed and flexibility can make all the difference between an idea that stays on the page and one that leaps onto the screen. But fast-paced VFX projects often collide with technological bottlenecks – especially during early-stage previsualization and creative development.

For Framestore, Vicon Markerless has become more than just a piece of technology – it’s a catalyst for creativity and a tool that empowers artists to work at the speed of their ideas.

By enabling faster previsualization, encouraging greater creative freedom, and integrating smoothly into existing workflows, Vicon Markerless is helping Framestore Pre-Production Services make smarter decisions with every project.

​GREATER ACCESSIBILITY & ENGAGEMENT

With no suits or markers to manage, Framestore’s capture lab became more accessible for directors, animators, and performers alike. Walk in, T-pose, and begin working immediately.

​​INSTANT VISUALISATION

Framestore captured and visualized performances instantly, letting Creatives and Directors experiment & iterate, and control scene blocking and character interactions in real-time.

​​EFFICIENCY & EFFECTIVENESS

With seamless integration into existing workflows and pipelines – whether markerless or optical – Framestore’s subsequent optical shoots can be 50% faster.