Motion capture is one of those new fads everyone’s trying to use in their animation or video games! It’s a technique that records the movement of humans or objects and translates it into digital data.
That data can be used for various purposes, such as creating realistic characters for video games, movies, or TV shows, performing previsualization for production, conducting biomechanical research, or developing virtual reality applications.
The technology is becoming more mainstream now that everyone’s talking about it, but it’s still far from affordable for everyone. That’s what this article is about!
We’ll break down the costs into categories, compare three prominent companies in mocap, and then propose our solution to lowering your mocap expenses.
Understanding Motion Capture Costs
Motion capture can be done using different types of systems, such as optical, inertial, or hybrid. Each system has its own advantages and disadvantages, and the choice of the system depends on the project requirements, budget, and preferences.
We have another article if you’re interested in delving deeper into the pros and cons of motion capture systems. Otherwise, let’s continue with four main categories in motion capture costs: hardware, software, personnel, and studio.
Let’s start with what most people first think of in motion capture: the hardware.
Hardware costs
Have you ever watched a behind-the-scenes video from your favorite mocap-powered game or movie? Then you have definitely noted the physical equipment needed on traditional motion capture sets. This equipment includes cameras, sensors, suits, gloves, markers, cables, etc.
The costs for these physical components vary depending on the type and quality of the system.
- An optical system typically requires more cameras and markers than a standard inertial system, but it might provide higher accuracy and resolution.
- We use high-end markerless inertial systems that outperform optical systems but come at higher prices to buy.
- And, of course, there are hybrid systems that combine optical and inertial components to balance performance and convenience. (You can read more about these systems in our guide to motion capture technology.)
According to a 2022 guide from Rokoko, a prominent motion capture tools provider, a full-fledged optical mocap setup typically costs between $25K and $500K. An inertial mocap system can start from around $2K for a basic setup and rise to about $25K, depending on the software and mocap tool provider. A hybrid mocap setup can cost anywhere from $10K to $100K, depending on the complexity and integration of the components.
Let’s also take a look at what iPi Soft, another motion capture company, proposes in terms of hardware. Based on their required hardware page:
Note that these numbers are for mocap hardware only. The estimates here exclude your own PCs and the software needed to interpret and clean up the data, which are also significant expenses.
Software costs
Once you have the proper equipment, you also need to acquire software licenses or subscriptions that you need to operate, process, edit, export, or stream the motion capture data.
The software costs largely depend on the type and provider of the motion capture system. Some systems require proprietary software compatible only with their hardware, while others offer more flexibility and compatibility with third-party software.
According to Rokoko’s pricing page, their software ecosystem plans range from $0 to $50 and above per month for annual commitments. These plans include features such as real-time mocap visualization, retargeting from one 3D model to another, live streaming to various platforms, export options, etc.
iPi, the motion capture company mentioned above, offers three software product configurations. The price for each configuration depends on the number of cameras and the license duration. For example, a one-year license for their Basic configuration with one camera costs $345, while a perpetual license for the Pro configuration with 16 cameras costs $6,995.
Now, you have an idea of both hardware and software. Let’s go to the next expense: paying the people who will make it all happen!
Talent & Personnel Costs
These are the expenses of hiring the actors or performers who will wear the motion capture suits or devices and perform the desired actions.
Personnel costs also include the salaries or fees of the specialists who will operate, supervise, or assist with the motion capture system. These also include the people who specialize in working with mocap data.
The talent and personnel costs depend on factors such as the project’s duration, complexity, and standards, as well as the actors’ and staff’s availability and expertise.
According to Glassdoor, the average salary for a motion capture technician in the US is $65K per year. The average salary for a motion capture animator is $83K per year. The average salary for a motion capture technical director is $98K per year. These salaries may vary depending on the location, experience level, company size, etc.
Don’t forget the fees for hiring freelance actors or performers! These costs vary depending on their skills, reputation, demand, etc.
Next, let’s put everything and everyone so far in a studio where you shoot the scenes.
Studio & Props Costs
This is the hardest of the costs to estimate, but it’s a must if you’re doing motion capture from scratch. A physical place is doubly important if you’re using an optical mocap systems because a busy background could interfere with the data’s capture and cleanup.
The studio costs include the rental fee of the motion capture facility and possibly utility bills. The props costs include the items that are used to enhance the realism and accuracy of the motion capture endeavor, such as stairs, weapons, furniture, vehicles, etc.
Depending on the size and complexity of the project and even the country you’re shooting in, the studio and props costs can vary significantly. Have these factors in mind for the project:
- The scope: The larger the scope of the project, the higher the studio and props costs. For example, a project that involves multiple actors, locations, and scenes will have a higher studio and props cost than a project that only involves one actor, one location, and one scene. (See here for different types of motion capture.)
- The type: Different types of projects have different studio and props costs. For example, a live-action project that requires hyper-realistic motion capture will have a higher studio and props cost than an animated project that requires stylized motion capture. (See here for a longer comparison: animation or live-action?)
- The duration: The longer the project, the higher the studio and props costs. For example, a feature film requiring several months of motion capture will have a higher studio and props cost than a short animation that only needs a few days of mocap.
- The quality: The higher the quality of the project, the higher the studio and props costs. For example, a high-end motion capture system that can capture subtle facial expressions and body movements will have a higher studio and props cost than a low-end motion capture system that can only capture basic gestures and poses.
That’s the last factor to consider when planning a motion capture project.
In conclusion to the categories section, a conventional on-site motion capture project requires you to pick your motion capture facility, equipment, software, staff, technicians, and props. Each of these items affects your final budget.
Let’s take a closer look at hardware and software together from three companies.
Vicon, OptiTrack, & Xsens Compared
Here are three prominent mocap providers throughout the world. They are each their own hardware and software producers.
Vicon
Vicon is a leading provider of high-end optical mocap systems that use cameras and markers to track the motion of actors or objects.
Vicon’s products are suitable for large-scale and complex projects that require high accuracy and fidelity. However, they are also very expensive, ranging from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars depending on the system configuration and the number of cameras and markers needed.
Vicon’s software solutions include Shōgun, Blade, CaraPost, and Evoke. Each app has a different purpose and functionality, depending on the type and scope of your project.
Shōgun is designed for live performance capture and real-time visualization, while Blade is optimized for post-production editing and animation. CaraPost is a specialized software solution for facial motion capture, and Evoke is a tool for automating the data processing and solving pipeline in VR experiences.
These apps are compatible with Vicon’s equipment and can export the motion capture data in various formats, such as FBX, BVH, or C3D, for further use in other 3D software or game engines. (And if you’re wondering, you can use Unreal Engine for animation!)
Their software pricing varies by system and license, and it isn’t available on their website. Still, the hardware costs should give you an idea.
Xsens
Xsens is a provider of inertial mocap systems that use sensors and suits to capture motion. Xsens’ products are more portable and flexible than optical mocap systems, as they do not require a fixed studio space or a line of sight between the cameras and the markers.
Xsens’ products are also more robust and reliable in outdoor or challenging environments, as lighting or occlusion issues don’t affect them. However, they are also quite costly, starting from around $12,000 for a basic suit to $40,000 for a full-body suit with 17 sensors.
They have two main applications: MVN Animate and MVN Analyze. MVN Animate is designed for 3D animation, data streaming, and reference video recording. It supports live-streaming to third-party 3D packages, such as Unreal Engine, Unity, Maya, or MotionBuilder. It also offers HD reprocessing.
MVN Analyze is tailored for biomechanical analysis, sports science, ergonomics, and rehabilitation. It provides advanced tools for data visualization, reporting, and export. Both applications are compatible with Xsens’ hardware. (You can read more about motion capture’s use cases.)
Xsens’s software has different pricing options depending on the features and the number of actors.
- MVN Record is a free subscription that allows you to record motion capture data with one actor. However, to export and process your data, you need to pay for MVN Processing in Xsens MotionCloud, which costs $295 per month or $2,950 per year.
- MVN Animate Plus supports two actors and live-streaming to game engines and costs $3,790 per year.
- MVN Animate Pro supports four actors and HD reprocessing and costs $5,990 per year.
- MVN Analyze has pricing options similar to MVN Animate but with different features and integrations.
OptiTrack
OptiTrack is another provider of optical mocap systems that use cameras and markers to capture motion.
OptiTrack’s products are more affordable than Vicon’s, starting from around $5,000 for a basic system with six cameras and up to $50,000 for a more advanced system with 24 cameras. Their products are also easier to set up and use than Vicon’s, making them more accessible for smaller studios and independent creators looking for low-cost motion capture solutions.
OptiTrack’s apps include:
- Motive: A powerful and versatile software for optical motion capture. Motive has two versions: Tracker and Body. Tracker is designed for rigid body tracking for applications such as drones, robots, VR, AR, and virtual cameras. Body is designed for full-body and finger tracking for animation, biomechanics, and sports. Motive’s pricing depends on the version and the number of cameras. A perpetual license with one year of updates costs $999 for Tracker and $2,999 for Body. Additional years of updates cost $499 and $1,499 respectively.
- Arena: A software for real-time motion capture and analysis for interactive applications such as games, simulations, etc. Arena can stream data to third-party software like Unity, Unreal Engine, MotionBuilder, and Maya. Arena’s pricing is based on the number of cameras and the number of users. A single-user license with six cameras costs $4,995, while a multi-user license with 24 cameras costs $49,995.
- Expression: A software for facial motion capture and animation. Expression uses a head-mounted camera and markers to capture the subtle movements of the face. Like Arena, Expression can export data to popular animation software like Maya, 3ds Max, and Blender. Expression’s pricing is based on the number of cameras and the number of users. A single-user license with one camera costs $1,495, while a multi-user license with four cameras costs $5,995.
Our Counter-Offer: Remote Motion Capture
Still too expensive? We think so, too.
But even so, motion capture is an extremely powerful, widely used technique. Can you somehow bypass the costs?
Yes, with remote motion capture! You can now record the movements of actors or objects from anywhere in the world using only a laptop and an internet connection.
We will provide you with everything else remotely, including the studio, hardware, software, actors, props, technicians, and real-time rendering and direction.
We’ve previously introduced the service in our intro to remote motion capture. But let’s take another look at some of the factors that are relevant to this article!
No-Hassle Creative Control
In a remote mocap project, you and your team supply the storyboards. We’ll set up and shoot the scenes according to the storyboards. You and your team could direct the set from anywhere in the world!
- You’ll have live, hi-res videos from the set to see exactly what the actors do. Comment based on your expertise!
- You’ll also get your 3D models move immediately! Our systems clean up most of the mocap data in real time, so you can get a glimpse into the final movements and change things up as you see fit.
No astronomical rental costs, no tens of personnel interviews, and no hardware or software purchases! Let’s just create something amazing.
We’re also consistently honing the experience, so you’ll feel more and more like you’re physically with us. You’re also more than welcome to have some of your own people on the set.
Even Lower Personnel Costs
We’ve already covered that you don’t need to hire actors, technicians, or directors to perform the motion capture on-site. That’s already a huge save, but we can still take it lower.
We have many years of experience in motion capture. We’re also based in Turkey, where the cost of living and labor is much lower than in many countries. So, we can offer you competitive prices and quality results!
Latest AI Solutions in Use
Speaking of experience, know that we’re constantly updating our technology and methods to provide you with the best quality and efficiency possible.
In one of our latest workflow updates, we’ve incorporated artificial intelligence even further. (You can read more about our stance in AI & Animation Jobs, and we have another article about AI motion capture.)
AI integrations let us enhance the accuracy and realism of the same motion capture data and optimize the pipeline to reduce errors or noise. We also use AI to automate tasks that would otherwise require manual human intervention, such as cleaning, retargeting, or blending the data.
This also reduces the price for our remote motion capture services because our experts will be busy creating more exciting things than retargeting data by hand!
Conclusion
Motion capture has improved beyond our dreams when we first invented it, but it’s still very expensive to do it on-site. We propose you do it remotely with us, where you’ll get professional results without worrying about all the different expenses!
If you’re interested in the service, drop us a message and let’s talk!
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