The Simpsons recently broke new ground in animation television history, as the beloved TV program successfully aired television’s first ever live animation segment, on May 15. Yes, you read that correctly. After 27 years of pre-taped episodes: The Simpsons went live!
The “Simprovised” episode, featured a three-minute segment where Homer answered questions from viewers live. With a little help from his voice actor, Dan Castellaneta, Homer responded directly to questions submitted by fans and shared his take on a few current events. Questions ranged from the type of car he drove to the type of pizza that he preferred, Chicago deep dish or New York thin crust. His response? “I drive a hybrid, which is a combination of old and terrible,” followed by, “I prefer Chicago deep dish because I like Italian better than Chinese”. Homer did not fail to keep his viewers laughing.
How did they pull it off, you ask?
Thanks to Adobe’s Character Animator, the process was made fairly simple. Using motion capture technology (similar to that found on snapchat), the production team was able to animate Homer’s voice actor, Castellaneta, as he took calls from viewers.
The Adobe Character Animator software gives designers the ability to bring 2D characters to life. The process involves creating a layered character in Photoshop CC, bringing them into a Character Animator scene, and then acting out the character’s movements in front of a webcam. Could it get much more fun than that?! With this software, designers have the ability to create animations that have real-world, real-time elements.
The applications for 3D animation and motion capture are plentiful. Here at Studio 44 Productions, we can animate anything in 3D from simple text to complete characters and scenes. With cutting edge holographic imagery, Studio 44 can generate any visual effect necessary for your presentation, show booth, or online video. Taking anything from basic objects to abstract designs, the possibilities are endless with 3D animation and motion capture.
Whenever you are challenged with a show or presentation that stretches the imagination, call Studio 44 to obtain unreachable heights of mind expanding entertainment.
Check out our website for more information on 3D animation and motion capture! ? Studio 44 Productions: Animation
Any further questions? Give us a call or send us a message. We would love to hear from you!
Post written and researched by Megan Carlson, an intern for Studio 44 Productions.