INDUSTRY FIRESIDE CHAT
The CEO of Clear Angle Studios (CAS) discusses its revolutionary scanning work, the promise of radiance fields in VFX and why CAS is prioritising real capture over AI-driven generation FIRESIDE CHAT DOMINIC RIDLEY
DEFINITION: CAS SEEMS TO BE EXPANDING AROUND THE WORLD – HOW HAS BUILDING A GLOBAL NETWORK OF STUDIOS SHAPED THE WAY YOU APPROACH YOUR PROJECTS? in response to the needs of studios and VFX teams and now have facilities in London, Atlanta, Vancouver, Athens, Cape Town, Budapest and LA. Another layer of consideration is that our regional facilities are often located in studio lots, with our London facility housed within Pinewood Studios, and our Atlanta facility operating out of Trilith Studios. Thanks to our roving scanning units (we call them scantainers, and each one has its very own industry-themed name, including Jean-Claude Van Scan and Scanny DeVito), we aren’t limited to our static facilities. If you have seen some of our recent LinkedIn posts, you will see that we can pretty much scan anywhere that we can transport one of our scanning units – and that includes Jordan’s deserts! Having teams on the ground in key production hubs worldwide means we can offer our clients unparalleled consistency and availability across time zones, and that we can embed deeply into the productions we work across, wherever they are on the globe. It also allows us to respond faster and maintain our high production standards regardless of location. DOMINIC RIDLEY: We’ve built our systems and locations
DEF: YOUR PROPRIETARY DOROTHY HEAD RIGS HAVE BEEN CRITICAL TO YOUR SCANNING WORK. HOW HAS DOROTHY EVOLVED, AND WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE TO HIGH-RES FACIAL CAPTURE? DR: Dorothy has undergone several evolutionary changes since its launch in 2018. From improvements in camera fidelity and synchronisation to enhanced rig calibration and portability, each version is designed to push the limits of realistic 3D scanning. One of Dorothy’s more exciting updates was the collaboration on 4D capture with DI4D and Texturing XYZ; this collaboration allowed us to push the boundaries of what is possible with 3D scanning. What sets Dorothy apart, though, is its ability to capture incredibly nuanced expressions and micro-movements. These details are absolutely essential for creating the most believable digital doubles possible. The result is not just high-resolution scans, but emotionally resonant performances that translate seamlessly to the screen. Vitally, these micro-movements and
micro-expressions are what bring the actor or actress’ double to life on screen, preventing doubles from feeling unnatural. It’s not just about being technologically advanced, it’s about performance preservation. SCANNING IN COLLABORATION WITH DI4D AND TEXTURING XYZ. CAN YOU SHARE SOME MORE ABOUT THIS ACHIEVEMENT AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE FOR THE FUTURE OF FACIAL PERFORMANCE CAPTURE? DR: T hese collaborations represent a major leap forward for the whole industry. By combining our precise volumetric capture techniques with DI4D’s motion fidelity and Texturing XYZ’s unparalleled texture data, we’ve been able to create a 4D pipeline that delivers incredibly lifelike, production- ready facial assets. What we’re most excited about is the sheer accuracy and expressiveness that this can now achieve; we’re able to capture scans down to the pore level while in motion. DEF: YOU SHOWCASED A BREAKTHROUGH IN 4D
WE’RE OPEN TO INTEGRATING AI, BUT never at the cost of realism ”
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