"The Secret Life of Mannequin"
Our project was born out of the idea of bringing the secret lives of mannequins to light, which are 3D models commonly provided by game engines like Unreal Engine. These models are intentionally designed to blend seamlessly into any scene with minimal distinguishing features. We wanted to imagine that each mannequin had its unique personal life with a sense of humanity. The project aimed to showcase one mannequin's 24-h routine, both at work in the game scene and outside of work in their personal life.
Inspirations
The inspiration for our project came from the idea of exploring the personal lives of mannequins. We drew inspiration from films such as Zombie and Iron Man to shape the project's creative direction and provide a visual reference for the team. The project aimed to incorporate various genres, including art, action, and film, to showcase the mannequin's diverse interests and routines. We explored five different scenes, including Iron Man(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9neXn3Ok74), Zombie, Subway, and Home, to portray the mannequin's daily routine. Each scene was designed to explore a range of environments and activities across different genres, providing a unique and exciting experience for the audience.
Storyboard
List of Tools, Plugins, and Assets Used
To create the project, the following tools, plugins, and assets were used:
1.Unreal Engine's Cinematic was used to create the film format of the project.
2.Motive, Motion Builder, and Unreal Engine were used to create the mannequin's motions and animations.
3.Various assets, including 3D models and sound effects, were used to create the different scenes, environments, and activities.
Technical Approach
We created a 24-hour routine for our mannequin character, which explores a range of environments and activities across different genres. The format of our project is a film, the technical approach used in the project involved using three software programs: Motive, Motion Builder, and Unreal Engine. The team utilized motion capture technology to capture various unfeasible motions that could be used in the project. This approach aimed to create dynamic and realistic motions that would give the mannequin character a sense of human embodiment.
To achieve this, the team used Motive to capture motion data from an actor wearing a mocap suit. The captured data was then imported into Motion Builder, where it was cleaned up and applied to the mannequin character model. Finally, the animation data was exported into Unreal Engine, where it could be used in the film.
The goal of using motion capture was to avoid key-based animation and create a more realistic portrayal of the mannequin's movements, making the character appear more like a real human being. The team hoped that this approach would make the character more relatable and appealing to the audience.
It’s worth mentioning that in order to make the mannequin look more like a human, we adjusted the skin weight in Maya to re-sem-ble real human skin and muscles.Left
*picture (before modification), right picture (after modification)
Mannequin's daily work in the studio (original scene based on Unreal 4)
Mannequin often plays certain roles, the most classic of which is the zombie.
When it was on the subway on its way home, it saw the news about the release of Unreal 5 and was very angry because it meant that its Mannequin, which was the default for Unreal 4, would be replaced.
Challenge
One of the key challenges that the team faced during the development of the project was the need to create a sense of coherence and continuity between the different scenes. Since each scene was designed to showcase a different aspect of the mannequin's life, it was essential to ensure that the transitions between them were smooth and seamless. The team achieved this by incorporating similar visual elements and themes across the different scenes, such as color schemes, lighting, and camera angles.
Another challenge was creating a character that would be relatable and appealing to the audience while still maintaining the mannequin's distinct and unique features. The team accomplished this by incorporating various human-like elements, such as facial expressions, body language, and emotions, while still retaining the mannequin's distinctive physique.
The project's success lies in its ability to provide a fresh and engaging perspective on mannequins, giving them a sense of humanity beyond their typical role as game or film props. It showcases the potential of motion capture technology in creating realistic and dynamic characters, bringing them to life in ways that were previously impossible.
In conclusion, "The Secret Life of Mannequin" project is a testament to the creativity and technical prowess of the team behind it. It offers a unique and engaging viewing experience that challenges our perceptions of mannequins and their place in the world of entertainment. The project is a prime example of the potential of 3D animation and motion capture technology to create engaging and relatable characters that capture the hearts and imaginations of audiences worldwide.