“We wondered what we could do and then step by step pursued that wonder to learn and bring what we imagined into reality. All the motions and beats that the actors performed were how they imagined they would fly,” explained MMAD Lab student worker Ethan Schurman (Narrative Digital Arts ’24). “Then, on the team's side, it was a wonder in how our technology works, the pipeline in taking motion tracking data and turning it into a narrative 3D animation, and how we can show the world a hint of what goes into these films and what the lab can do.”
The MMAD Lab and Viz Lab at UMD are creative “sandboxes” for all students and professors on campus to collaborate together with emerging technology, including experimental art, music, biology, physics, and computer science.
Director Lisa Fitzpatrick elaborated, “We wanted to create a fun project to help the students learn the motion capture system and animation. During the pandemic, we did not use the motion capture and animation systems, and so we were rusty at creating with motion capture. The MMAD Lab group just set out wondering and exploring with curiosity how to learn and share about motion capture. We decided to make a synchronized split screen video showing the process of motion capture animation; displaying 3 camera angles, Blade motion capture, greenscreen technology, and the completed animation."
Ultimately, the project aimed “to capture the motion and improvisational dialogue of UMD Theatre students, Thressa Schultz and Jake Lieder, who were thrilled to do the improv for ‘How to Fly’ and just play around in the motion capture space, as were the MMAD Lab student assistants,” Lisa said.
MMAD Lab student workers Brendan Rood (Computer Science and German Studies ’25), Haeun Lee (Digital Arts ‘24), and Schurman, as well as Lisa Fitzpatrick and video producer Dan Fitzpatrick, shot the video over three hours on February 28, 2023, but they didn’t finish editing, creating animation, and putting everything together until September 2023. Lisa explained, “We were a little surprised with how long it took just to learn everything, but we created everything in the MMAD Lab, using Vicon Motion Capture hardware and Blade software, as well as Final Cut Pro video editing software, and Blender rigging and animation software.”
Schurman reflected, “As someone who has tackled most learning / projects by myself, it was really cool to work as a team. Being able to trust my coworker with the motion tracking data and then Dan with the video edits allowed me to pour the necessary long hours into the 3D model character rigging and the post production work of 3D animation and modeling. A person can achieve a lot by themselves, but it is otherworldly what people can achieve as a team.”
Collaboration also offered the opportunity to learn effective communication skills. Schurman explained, “An unexpected challenge was coordinating visions. I ended up being the director of the project, and I did not initially realize I needed to find ways to communicate the idea and plan we all had so we were unified in expectations. Through storyboards and different ways to explain a scene, I helped convey the plan / story we were making in a way that everyone understood in their respective roles.”
Ultimately, it seems everyone’s goal in the MMAD Lab is to have fun and create a good product: “The MMAD Lab is the coolest place on campus,” asserted Schurman. “Anyone should know the lab and see it because you never know the connections / possibilities that can happen through the lab.”