Performing for Motion Capture: A Guide for Practitioners

Want to be the next Andy Serkis as Gollum in Lord of the Rings? Or Zoe Saldana in Avatar? How about Seth MacFarlane in Ted? Or do you want to star in video games such as Fortnite, Call of Dutyor Halo?

If so, this book will tell you everything you need to know about acting for motion capture.


This is the first book to provide an invaluable resource for the education of the next generation of performers in this exciting medium. Over the last 10 years, a revolution has occurred in digital production - video games have overtaken the film and TV industries in terms of production and revenues. Many video games derive their digital animation from human performance by means of motion and performance capture. Actors such as Andy Serkis and Troy Baker have won critical acclaim for their digital performance in games and film.

The book includes contributions from practitioners working across the globe, including: actor Kezia Burrows; software developer Stéphane Dalbera; director Kate Saxon; a group of Japanese games directors; Jeremy Meunier, Head of Motion Capture at Moov studios, Montreal; Marc Morisseau, motion editor for Avatar; and a Chinese Motion Capture suit manufacturer.

John Dower is co-founder of The Mocap Vaults and runs workshops with students and consultancy with developers worldwide in motion capture. He directs in film, television drama and motion captured animation. He is on the Get Directing! team at Directors Charitable Foundation (UK) inspiring the next generation of directors in all mediums.

Pascal Langdale is a regular voice and motion capture actor at Ubisoft Toronto, also providing facial capture consultancy and services. He is engaged as a movement director with a specialism in nonverbal behavior. Pascal is head of canadian operations for The Mocap Vaults workshop providers.