Motion Capture Technician

Reel Opportunities

Motion Capture Technician

Also known as: Mocap Tech

What does a Motion Capture Technician do?

Motion capture jobs, often shortened to Mocap, focus on using a special camera and set of tracking systems to record movement for later animation.

In the capture, cleanup, and processing of high-quality 3D motion capture data for both real-time in-game animation and pre-rendered cinematics, a Motion Capture Technician works closely with the Lead Animator and animation teams. Before, after, and during shooting, the Motion Capture Technician is in charge of setting up and maintaining the motion capture studio. During shots, Motion Capture Technicians will be in charge of running the capture station and ensuring high-quality marker tracking and motion capture.

When appropriate, the Motion Capture Technician can also provide direction, comments, and support to the performers on site. In preparation for the animation team, they’ll also be responsible for cleaning up the marker data and processing it using a custom pipeline. Mocap experts collaborate with the animation team to design, refine, and optimize the studio’s motion capture method and pipelines.

What's a Motion Capture Technician good at?
  • Being accurate

    Be methodical in your work, pay close attention to detail, have strong problem-solving skills

  • Technical knowledge of cameras and animation

    Have an in-depth understanding of all motion picture equipment, cameras, lenses, monitors, and lights

  • Understand the animation pipeline

    Know the process through which animation productions are made

  • Using software

    Use the data sharing application, be able to operate and maintain your data collecting equipment yourself

  • Being efficient

    Work quickly and accurately on set so that the physical production can run smoothly, organize and prioritize your tasks

  • Programming and coding skills

    Have knowledge of programming with a high level of technical ability

  • Communication and teamwork

    Communicate well with the other technicians, and animations artists, when necessary so that there is a cohesive and structured file storage system

  • Organization

    Be attentive to the detail of the files and data that you process and store, maintain a working system of file storage

  • Efficiency

    Work quickly and accurately, organize and prioritize your tasks

Who does a Motion Capture Technician work with?

Motion Capture Technician works closely with the Lead Animator and animation team. They communicate with all of the other departments in the animation company, as well as the talent. On set, they work with the Director and specialized camera team.

How do I become a Motion Capture Technician?

Like many roles in film and TV, there are many routes to becoming a Motion Capture Technician. From getting degrees, diplomas, certificates, internships, apprenticeships, or even freelancing and volunteer work, there is no standard recipe. Training on set is also a great route, and there are lots of ways to do it, both extended and short-term.

More tips

For more tips on finding job opportunities, lists of training programmes, and other great resources, check out our Career Resources page.

Learn More
Motion Capture Technician

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A Motion Capture Technician works in the Effects Department

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