Image Metrics Performance Capture System Emerges as Production-Proven Solution at Siggraph 2007

Photorealistic Computer Generated Facial Animation System Used to Develop a Hologram of the Late Richard Burton for Hit Musical

SAN DIEGO, CA — August 8, 2007 — Image Metrics today announced at the Siggraph tradeshow in San Diego that its proprietary performance capture solution will provide the modeling and animation for a photo-realistic 11-foot 3D hologram of the late Richard Burton, for the Live on Stage! production of the multi-award winning, 15 million-selling album Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of The War of The Worlds.

“Image Metrics’ proprietary performance capture technology analyzes the motion data captured in any video recording of an actor, such as the performance of renowned theatre actor Brian Mallon that we’re using to develop the Richard Burton animation for the stage production of Jeff Wayne’s The War of The Worlds,” said Image Metrics Chief Operating Officer Kelvin Duckett. “Our unique performance capture solution removes the slow process of animation by hand required by other motion capture programs and eliminates the need for expensive motion capture camera systems while producing stunningly accurate results.”

Currently selling out large arenas around the world, The War of The Worlds is touring across the U.K. and Australia/New Zealand in the latter half of 2007. Image Metrics is animating the late Richard Burton for an eerily realistic encore performance in the show, reincarnating him in his mid-30s to mirror the age of journalist George Herbert, the role Burton plays in the musical work. Image Metrics is completing a total of 23 minutes of photo-real facial animation perfectly synchronized to the original audio recording of the international star of stage and screen. The company’s contribution to the production consists of 72 shots developed by a team of five artists.

Providing the first and only markerless and makeup free system in the animation industry, Image Metrics’ technology captures the minute details in each pixel of a particular individual’s performance, allowing the actor’s personality to shine through the digital character. Developed over the past seven years by a team of Ph.D. physicists, Image Metrics’ proprietary performance capture process uses pre-existing or newly recorded video of an actor’s facial performance that can be shot using any video or high definition camera. All detail seen in the recorded video is then analyzed and mapped onto the computer-generated head, including the movement of the teeth, tongue, lips and most importantly, the actor’s eyes. Human beings are extremely sensitive to the subtle timing of eye movements, making eye behaviour a critical and difficult component of creating believable digital characters. Animation of eyes by hand or other methods is an extremely exacting, costly and time-consuming process that becomes impossible to do well even when schedule and budget constraints are removed from the equation.