SHIROGUMI VFX Supervisor/CG Artist Takayuki Ueki, VFX Artist Shoichiro Sato
and Sony mocopi Product Manager Shota Minami
SHIROGUMI INC. (SHIROGUMI) has revolutionized its previsualization workflow for VFX production by introducing Sony's mobile motion capture system, mocopi® Professional mode, streamlining its entire filmmaking process. We spoke with VFX Supervisor/CG Artist Takayuki Ueki, along with VFX Artist Shoichiro Sato, about how they leverage mocopi.
A production challenge faced by SHIROGUMI
For many years, SHIROGUMI has been at the forefront of advanced film and visual production across a wide range of fields including films, commercials, games, and animation. A common challenge across all projects has been how to smoothly share the director's creative vision with the entire production team. To address this challenge, they used previsualization (previz), a process of turning a director’s storyboards into animated video scenes. A key challenge was to clearly visualize and share the nuances and emotional expressions—elements that cannot be fully conveyed by scripts or storyboards alone—with staff and cast.
In previz, film sets are recreated in CG to test elements like camerawork, framing, and how the CG characters will appear on screen. Then, by applying human motions to CG characters via motion capture, the previz scenes gain further realism, closely simulating actual filming conditions. This process is also invaluable for planning subsequent steps and determining necessary equipment, such as cranes or drones.
Previously, the team used a suit-based motion capture system and video-based motion capture system for previz, which required a dedicated space for equipment setup. The time-consuming preparation and day-of setup made it difficult to perform motion capture on the fly, prompting the team to seek a new solution.
Making motion capture more accessible
That’s where SHIROGUMI turned to mocopi Professional. While maintaining the conventional mocopi’s lightweight and compact convenience, this system includes six standard measurement sensors plus six additional ones (a total of 12 sensors), greatly enhancing expressive capabilities.
With mocopi, motion capture can now be performed in a confined space like a meeting room or around a desk, eliminating the need for a dedicated motion capture space. With easy setup and sensor attachment, creators can record or capture motions the moment inspiration strikes. Furthermore, by using motion data to give tangible form to movements that existed only in their minds, they can identify discrepancies between the intended and on-screen results in advance. For instance, they can catch the need for minor adjustments early on, such as adding more of a pause or hold for dramatic effect, allowing for quick, iterative retakes and experimentation.
Improved overall efficiency in film and visual production
In the past, the high barrier to using motion capture meant that for simple walking scenes not considered important enough for manual keyframing, the scenes were often reduced to basic, monotonous movements, like a figure moving one step at a time like a chess piece. While crucial action sequences were thoroughly covered in previz, more straightforward dialogue scenes were often represented only by storyboards, and the animation process was skipped. However, with the adoption of mocopi, applying human motion to characters has become easier, enabling a broader range of scenes to be animated. This has helped the team identify necessary preparations and communicate acting instructions more effectively, ultimately leading to a reduction in total work-hours and an increase in overall production efficiency.
These achievements, combined with SHIROGUMI’s long-standing expertise in filmmaking, serve to further strengthen their unique creative style.
“Being able to instantly reflect Director Yamazaki's intentions in the previz is a major advantage.
We can respond to minor directorial changes on the spot,
which dramatically deepens the entire team's understanding.”
— Mr. Takayuki Ueki, VFX Supervisor/CG Artist, SHIROGUMI
“I was impressed by the precision of mocopi with all 12 sensors connected.
Even simple movements can be rendered realistically,
making it much easier to convey the intended performance to the actors.”
— Mr. Shoichiro Sato, VFX Artist, SHIROGUMI
Looking ahead
With the recent adoption of mocopi, SHIROGUMI has not only broadened the scope of its previz applications, but also improved the precision of its visual storytelling. The team anticipates that the continued evolution of tools, including both software and hardware, will further broaden the creative possibilities on set. This will free creators from secondary tasks, allowing them to focus on more essential and creative aspects of the production process.
“Technology has steadily made our work more efficient, and leveraging powerful tools allows us to bring our ideas to life quickly. This, in turn, gives us the capacity to take on new challenges, which is incredibly encouraging.” (Mr. Takayuki Ueki)
Comment from Director Yamazaki
For example, capturing the motions of people fleeing with mocopi makes those scenes far more detailed in simulations, which is a huge help.
By using mocopi in previz, we can make concrete decisions about whether a set needs to be built, even for scenes with limited screen time. I also feel it contributes significantly to reducing work-hours.
Using mocopi in previz to visualize an idea I've written down allows everyone to share the same understanding of the filming situation and the final output.
Previz is essential for VFX shoots to manage many unpredictable elements, in contrast to the acting, which is performed in the moment during filming. The quality of the previz work can drastically change production costs, which is why it is so important.
The ability for our team to achieve the desired results with maximum efficiency is also extremely valuable.
About SHIROGUMI
Founded in 1974, SHIROGUMI is one of Japan’s leading film and video production companies. Headquartered in Sangenjaya, Setagaya, Tokyo, with an additional studio in Chofu City, the company specializes in a wide range of visual production, ranging from live-action and VFX to miniature model creation. Centered on a “spirit of craftsmanship” that fuses traditional hands-on techniques with the latest technology, SHIROGUMI continues to create new visual experiences.