WeightShift: Accelerating Animation at Framestore with Physics
Danny Chapman, Tim Daoust, Andras Ormos, Joseph Lewis · Computer animation and simulation · 2020
Framestore and WeightShift created a full-body physics simulation to deliver art-directed shots in highly dynamic scenarios in several days instead of several weeks. Our technique combines ragdoll simulation and keyframe animation in a new control scheme that is integrated in a standard Maya rig to produce a hybrid simulation workflow. The new workflow was used in over 50 completed shots, and is in production on numerous current projects. In this session we share our experience with full-body simulation, and discuss the numerous advantages and challenges of the technique.