AccuPOSE Realizes Game-Changing Techniques with AI-Driven Motion Models
Make It Move Media
Hey everyone! I’m the creator behind Make It Move Media, where I specialize in 3D scanning and animating action figures. On my channel, I bring iconic action figures to life through 3D animation by creating epic action sequences and cinematic moments.
Around 2023, Reallusion found me over Instagram and asked me about my most wanted animation. Without a second thought, I answered Spider-Man because I had already made a whole series of short films with Spider-Man as the lead hero. Spider-Man’s motion is incredibly challenging, even for the most experienced animators, which is why it had always been a goal of mine to perfect it. To my surprise, my wish came true!
Reallusion’s Wall Crawler motion pack was released, and it exceeded all my expectations. It contains nearly every Spider-Man action I could imagine, such as crawling, swinging, hanging, and even his special web fighting style.
And as if that wasn’t enough, Reallusion also released AccuPOSE, an AI-trained posing model that makes posing much easier and more natural. Fortunately, I got access to the “Wall Crawler” model, which comes with the AccuPOSE Infinity Extension and works perfectly with the “Wall Crawler” motion pack.
Whether you’re new to 3D scanning or an experienced animator, this guide covers techniques for scanning, animating in iClone 8, and using Blender Auto Setup for a seamless workflow from iClone to Blender 3D.
What You’ll Learn:
- Using AccuRIG: How to scan and quickly create animated rigs for your action figures.
- Importing Figures into iClone 8 & Using AccuPOSE: Bringing your models into iClone and applying animations.
- Post-Processing & iClone 8 Blender Auto Set Up: Refining your figures and animations for use in Blender.
Step 1: 3D Scanning Your Action Figures
To start, 3D scan your action figures using tools like Polycam, which turns photos into high-quality scans.
Using Polycam:
Polycam captures your figure using photogrammetry, turning multiple photos into a 3D model.
- Tips: Capture all angles, including undersides. More photos lead to a better scan.
- Trick: Use a turntable for better precision and a stable setup.
Cleanup in Blender:
After scanning, import the model into Blender to clean up any imperfections.
- Tips: Use Blender’s sculpting tools to smooth rough areas. Apply the Subdivision Surface modifier for detail without adding polygons.
- Trick: Use the Decimate modifier to lower polygon count without losing quality.
Importing into AccuRIG:
Once cleaned, import your FBX file into AccuRIG for rigging. AccuRIG auto-aligns joints, making your model ready for animation.
- Tips: Ensure the model is symmetrical for best results.
- Trick: Set key joints (elbows, knees, shoulders) correctly to make the rigging smoother.
Step 2: Rigging the Character with AccuRIG
After importing into AccuRIG, you can start the rigging process, which sets up bones for animation.
Set Points and Adjust:
Manually place points for elbows, knees, and neck. AccuRIG adds the bones based on these points.
- Tips: Focus on areas with dynamic movement like the shoulders, knees, and hips.
- Trick: If your figure has clothing or armor, adjust bones to avoid clipping during animation.
Finalizing the Rig:
Once you place the points, AccuRIG adds the skeleton and previews the movement.
- Tips: Always preview poses in AccuRIG to check for natural movement.
- Trick: Pay extra attention to spine and neck joints for fluid, acrobatic poses.
Step 3: Animating with iClone
With the rig set, we move to iClone 8 to animate. iClone offers a range of motions, from pre-set animations to custom movements.
Uploading to iClone:
Upload the rigged figure to ActorCore and select animations, like Spider-Man’s wall-crawling action.
- Tips: Adjust the animation’s scale to fit your figure.
- Trick: For actions like web-slinging, tweak the pose in AccuPOSE for natural motion.
Using iClone’s Motion Capture Integration:
iClone 8 lets you apply motion capture animations – Wall Crawler from ActorCore content store, and use AccuPOSE Infinity – Wall Crawler for AI-assisted Posing.
- Tips: Adjust timing to ensure smooth transitions.
- Trick: Use ease-in and ease-out for seamless motion transitions.
Step 4: Refining Animation and Adding Realism
Next, we fine-tune the movements to add fluidity and realism.
Fine-tuning Movement:
Adjust keyframes in iClone to ensure smooth motion, especially during high-speed actions like swinging or shooting webs.
- Tips: Use ease-in and ease-out for smoother frame transitions.
- Trick: Add secondary motion to the head and torso to make the character’s actions feel more lifelike.
Rotation and Realism:
Use AccuPOSE and manual adjustments to ensure weight distribution is accurate. For Spider-Man, his rotation and arm movement while swinging or shooting webs should look natural.
- Tips: Adjust keyframes for limbs to avoid stiff movements.
- Trick: Apply secondary motion to smaller parts like fingers, wrists, and ankles to add realism.
Step 5: Final Rendering and Exporting
After animation, we finalize everything by rendering the animation. Instead of manually exporting to Blender, iClone’s Blender Auto Set Up feature makes it seamless.
Exporting with iClone 8 Blender Auto Set Up:
Instead of exporting manually, the Blender Auto Set Up feature sends the character and animation directly from iClone 8 to Blender.
Final Adjustments in Blender:
In Blender, make final adjustments like lighting or camera positioning.
- Tips: Ensure lighting is set up for realistic shadows and details.
- Trick: Use motion blur in Blender for fast-paced actions like swinging or punching.
Finally, render the animation, producing a polished 3D action figure animation, ready to share.
Conclusion
This tutorial showed how you can easily 3D scan your action figures and animate them using AccuRIG, iClone, and Blender. These tools simplify the process of bringing action figures to life and making them part of an epic animated story!
A special shout-out to Reallusion for fulfilling my wish! When they released the Spider-Man “Wall Crawler” motion pack, it was exactly what I had been hoping for. The inclusion of the AccuPOSE feature, particularly the “Wall Crawler” AccuPOSE model, completely changed the way I approach Spider-Man animation. The ability to pose Spider-Man in a natural, fluid way has been a game-changer—something that I had been struggling to achieve for years.
I’m excited to keep pushing these tools to their limits, and I hope this tutorial helps you do the same with your own figures and animations. Whether you’re just getting started or looking to refine your techniques, the combination of AccuRIG, iClone, and AccuPOSE provides a powerful workflow for animators of all levels.
Learn More
Visit ActorCore 3D Motion Store
Subscribe to AccuPOSE INFINITY Expansion
Related Posts
