Smith Micro Tools
August 7, 2012, Siggraph, Los Angeles—We talked with Steve Cooper of Smith Micro Software about their graphics creation and control tools. This interesting set of tools offer an entry point into the various functions needed for characters and bodies.
The tools are not all inclusive, but can interface to other tools in the workflow to create good looking pictures and pre-visualize motions. The tools, Poser, Manga Studio, Anime Studio, and Photo Animation suite, take inputs from other tools and show a flow of motion for a character. It is used as a reference stage for movie shots and is used for some effects in TV shows like “Bones”.
The tools use a library of characters with various resolutions. The library currently contains over 300 people and consumes 5 GB of storage. The models can be viewed as wire frames, body schematics, full bodies, or body parts. The models can be animated through direct manipulation, or can link to motion caption data.
The default settings limit motions to those of normal people, but they can be modified for hyper-mobility. The software includes camera and lighting tools for better viewing approximations, and a morphing tool for fine-grain animations like expressions. The user can export some of the motions, like walking, to other tools
The tools are used in teaching, medical imaging and surgery pre-visualization, and is helping many researchers animate data to better understand underling functions. they have an interface to python for programming and motion definition. The latest versions will have more functions including interfaces to tablets and to Z-Brush. The go-Z function bridges data to Z-Brush. A new pair of characters include Miki 4 and Tyler GND (Guy Next Door).
Another tool is the Motion Artist, currently in beta. This tool enables assets like, photos, video, etc. to be connected into a string of panels. The tool takes the panel set and animates panel-to-panel transitions as well as internal panel motions. The various functions include edit, word and thought balloon insertions, and multiple viewing and operating modes. Panel functions include camera movement, slicing, and layer manipulations. You can download a copy at http://motionartist.smithmicro.com/
