DreamWorks animation facial motion and deformation system

DreamWorks Animation's Premo animation system enables a direct manipulation of controls in real time on the geometry of the character. To support this workflow a new approach for our facial system needed to be developed as a typical shape driven system with macro controls could not take advantage of the new software.

This paper introduces a free-form facial control shaping system, a new in-house motion system approach coupled with a curve based pose interpolation system in a layered deformation rigging system. The resulting rigs are capable of producing a larger amount of facial shapes while offering more control to the animator. A freely designed set of Featurelines defining either main control areas or layers of minor controls is driven by the posing system. A highly layered Deformation System using a new curve based deformer type at its base is then used to transfer the motion into the Face. Several additional layers allow for a very art directable rigging system and provide a necessary level of abstraction for the artist. This system in its various stages has been used on productions using Premo at DreamWorks.