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ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE - ISSUE 3.11 - February 1999
A Roster of Motion-Capture Companies
Companies A-K | Companies L-P | Companies Q-Z
Actisystem
41, Quai Gauthey
21000 Dijon
France
http://www.actisystem.fr
animation@aisystem.fr
33 3 80450974 (phone)
33 3 80451571 (fax)
Adaptive Optics Associates
54 Cambridge Park Drive
Cambridge, MA 02140
(617) 864-0201 (phone)
(617) 864-5855 (fax)
http://www.aoainc.com
info@aoainc.com
Contact:Anderson Maddocks
Ascension Technology Corporation
107 Catamount Drive
Milton, VT 05468
(802) 893-6657 (phone)
(802) 893-6659 (fax)
http://www.ascension-tech.com
productsales@ascension-tech.com
Contact: Gregory Erdmann
B & L Engineering
3002 Dow Avenue
Suite 416
Tustin, CA 92780
(714) 505-9492 (phone)
(714) 505-9493 (fax)
http://www.bleng.com
sales@bleng.com
Contact: Norman P. Smith
norm@bleng.com
Company Description: For over thirty-three years, B & L Engineering has been a recognized leader in the development, sale, and distribution of products and services to Motion Capture studios, Biomechanics labs and Hospitals. As former distributors of a major motion capture system, B & L Engineering offers unparalleled expertise in hardware systems as they relate to Motion Capture, Computer Animation and Game Development.
B & L Engineering is the exclusive North American distributor of the CODA mpx30 motion capture system. The real time, non-tethered design of the CODA mpx30, offers superior flexibility, portability, resolution and accuracy, making it a natural for motion capture as it relates to Computer Animation. The active marker technology of the CODA mpx30 requires no after-acquisition marker identification and no time consuming editing of data. The real time processing of data allows for an unlimited number of uses requiring an interactive environment. When coupled with a graphics package like Filmbox, BioVision or proprietary software, the CODA mpx30 represents the leading edge in motion capture/editing technology.
Beam International
14 Queens Road
Melbourne, Victoria 3004
Australia
61 3 9866-8300 (phone)
61 3 9866-8674 (fax)
http://www.famoustech.com
gordonl@beamsoft.com
Contact: Zac Jacobs
zacj@beamsoft.com
Company Description: Beam is the developer of the new FAMOUS facial animation software. FAMOUS accepts mocap data directly from Motion Analysis, Vicon, Xist and most 3D optical vendors, where the data can be applied to a user's mesh (from Soft, Maya, MAX and others). FAMOUS then allows users to allocate mocap markers to control the movement of clusters on the face. The size, shape and intensity of movement can all be made using the FAMOUS paint-on tools. On top of all this, FAMOUS has its own keyframer so that users can keyframe right over the top of the recorded animation - giving the artist complete control over the animation. The system even includes an audio, keyframe and mocap data track, along with a synched video avi as a reference. For real time apps, FAMOUS can accept 2D mocap input as well as NTSC video to control the animation of a character. Since its release last year, studios in the US, UK, France, New Zealand and Australia are now using FAMOUS in projects as diverse as games to broadcast and feature films.
Biomechanics, Inc.
200 N. Cobb Pkwy
Suite 216
Marietta, GA 30062
(770) 424-8195 (phone)
(770) 424-8236 (fax)
http://www.biomechanics-inc.com
info@biomechanics-inc.com
Contact: Matt Madden
BioVision Motion Capture Studios
1580 California St.
San Francisco, CA 94109
(760) 341-5007 (phone)
(760) 773-4004 (fax)
http://www.biovision.com
sportscenter@earthlink.net
Contact: Ken Kline
Brilliant Interactive Ideas Motion Capture Studio
8/620 Botany Road Alexandria
NSW 2015
Australia
Tel: 61 2 8338 0241 (phone)
Fax: 61 2 9667 3691 (fax)
millerm@ozemail.com.au
Contact: Mark Miller
Data Tec Co., Ltd.
4-42-12 Kamata
Ota-ku
Tokyo 144-0052 Japan
81 3-5703 7041 (phone)
81 3-5703 7043 (fax)
http://www.datatec.co.jp
market@datatec.co.jp
Contact: Michiyasu Tano
Digital Image Design Incorporated
72 Spring Street
New York, NY 10012
(212) 343-2442 (phone)
(212) 343-0440 (fax)
http://www.didi.com
info@didi.com
Contact: Greta Peterman
Digits 'n Art Software Inc.
305 de la Commune Ouest, Suite 100
Montreal, Quebec H2Y 2E1
Canada
(514) 844-8448 (phone)
(514) 844-8844 (fax)
http://www.DnAsoft.com
info@DnAsoft.com
Contact: Marcel Achard
marcel@DnAsoft.com
Company Description: A wholly-owned subsidiary of Taarna Studios, Digits 'n Art is a recognized leader in the design and development of advanced software solutions for the high-end 3D animation industry. Having forged a prominent presence in key markets in Asia, Europe, Canada and the U.S., DnA supplies its uniquely innovative products to the broadcast, computer animation, game development, graphic design, multimedia and visual effects market sectors. DnA develops and markets two complete solutions for the motion capture market: flesh 3D paint, is a UV map optimizer, a material editor and a 3D paint, LIFEsource is a complete [FACE, BODY (Wired or Wireless), HANDS (18 or 22 sensors) & audio] motion capture solution which can be used for both LIVE and Post-rendered performance animation.
DreamTeam Ltd.
3 Maskit Street
Herzliya Pituach 46733
Israel
97 2-9955 9855 (phone)
97 2-9955 9615 (fax)
http://www.dreamteam-ltd.com
sales@dreamteam-ltd.com
Contact: Raphael Marmor
eMotion Studios
85 Liberty Ship Way
Suite 110
Sausalito, CA 94965
(415) 331-6975 (phone)
(415) 331-6124 (fax)
http://www.emotionstudios.com
info@emotionstudios.com
Contact: Paul Lundahl
General Reality Company
124 Race Street
San Jose, CA 95126
(408) 289-8340 (phone)
(408) 289-8258 (fax)
http://www.genreality.com
sales@genreality.com
Contact: Arthur Zwern
hOuse of mOves motion capture studios, LLC.
5318 McConnell Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90066
(310) 306-6131 (phone)
(310) 306-1351 (fax)
http://www.moves.com
sales@moves.com
Contact: Jarrod Phillips
Company Description: hOuse of mOves provides motion capture services for commercials, film, broadcast, and video games. The studio (featuring a 3,500 sq. foot capture stage) is headquartered in Los Angeles, CA, although HOM frequently goes on-location to meet the needs of specific projects. HOM has the capability to capture up to 5 characters simultaneously and the capacity to use a practically unlimited number of markers. Their staff specializes in finding solutions to help clients get the most out of their motion capture session and data. Clients include: Warner Bros., Threshold Entertainment, Digital Domain, Electronic Arts, Sega, In Sight Pix, Rhythm & Hues, Digital Anvil, Microsoft, and many others. With over 20 motion capture experts, animators, programmers, and engineers on staff, hOuse of mOves is ready to meet the demands of any character animation project.
ID8 Media
731 Market St.
San Francisco, CA 94103
(888) 662-7238 (phone)
(415) 495-4970 (fax)
Contact: Brent McMicking
Company Description: ID8 Media, Inc. is a leading developer and solutions provider to the 3D design and visualization industries. The company specializes in tools, services, and training that allow their clients in the Film, Broadcast, Advertising and Gaming fields to create superior output. ID8 Media supports and integrates 3D Studio MAX, Plug-ins, SGI, Intergraph and Compaq Workstations and Motion Capture systems as well as other leading 3D applications. Key technologies include the new Gypsy v2.5 Motion Capture System, SGI NT Workstations, Kaydara Filmbox, and Afterburn - a volumetric particle system for 3D Studio MAX. As seen in this summer's hottest blockbuster film, "Armageddon," Afterburn delivers true 3D photorealistic volumetric effects at a low price to the 3D Studio MAX community. It provides the ultimate system FX control. Afterburn turns any MAX 2 particle system to incredibly realistic clouds, fire, smoke, explosions, and nebula. The film-quality results are fully 3D and Volumetric, so there is no problem flying the camera through effects. Afterburn's volumetrics are self-shadowing and can interact with volumetric lights.
Kaydara Inc.
4428 St. Laurent
Suite 300
Montreal, Quebec H2W 1Z5
Canada
(514) 842-8446 (phone)
(514) 842-4239 (fax)
http://www.kaydara.com
info@kaydara.com
Contact: Dan Kraus
dkraus@kaydara.com
Heidi Lowell, Lowell Public Relations
hlowell@europa.com
(503) 234-7436
Company Description: Kaydara Inc. was founded in 1993 by innovators in the field of motion capture, real-time systems, 3D animation and video editing. Kaydara's vision is simple: to provide the best set of software tools possible for 3D animation and motion capture. Kaydara's goal is to be among the leading companies developing motion capture to as a key technology for creating real-time 3D characters in games, film and television. The combination of these creative forces has made Kaydara one of the top developers of high-quality software tools for creating real-time 3D animation. Kaydara develops, markets, and supports a fully integrated family of software products that enables for real-time animation and motion capture editing. The company's software line consists of its flagship base product, FiLMBOX and add-on modules Audio/Video, Cartoon Reality, and Voice Reality. Kaydara FiLMBOX is a Real-Time Production System, incorporating an advanced suite of Animation, Motion Capture, and Interactive Rendering tools. FiLMBOX is a high-performance production system designed for use both at content creation time (motion capture and animation creation) and at playback time (interactive rendering & broadcast).
Note: Readers may contact any Animation World Magazine contributor by sending an e-mail to editor@awn.com.