The Michigan State University School of Journalism is excited to announce a new strategic partnership with Reallusion, a Silicon Valley-based animation and software content developer. The company is helping outfit the new Immersive Media Studio, located in the College of Communication Arts and Sciences, with their full production pipeline of 2D and 3D animation software and plug-ins for motion capture.
The MSU School of Journalism is the cutting-edge home students to learn non-fiction Augmented and Immersive storytelling. Students in the School of Journalism’s animation courses are blending reporting traditions with new digital tools, allowing them to capture motion, puppeteer facial expressions and lip-synching in real time to characters. The School of Journalism’s Animation and Comics Storytelling in Media courses and minor are open to all Michigan State undergraduates, with no prerequisites, to enable exposure and collaboration in the creative technology mediums.
“The students are so excited to work with the Reallusion software pipeline,” said Stacey Fox, MSU’s professor of animation, mixed realities and immersive journalism. “The tools give them the industry type of production experience they can use to move from initial storyboard to full animated film, as well as 360 degree film production, which also fits in with MSU Journalism’s Immersive initiatives. The additional plugins also allow for the students to utilize the motion capture hardware generously donated from Perception Neuron, one of our other strategic partners.”
The power of setting scenes, documenting emotion, and relaying information is one of the most ancient of human traditions, dating back to pre-historic petroglyphs drawn in caves. Technology has evolved, but the innate desire to share experiences and moments will always remain central to the human experience.
"Reallusion is honored to partner with the Michigan State University School of Journalism,” said Reallusion Vice President John Martin. “MSU Journalism’s progressive curriculum engages students with Reallusion's 2D & 3D real-time animation, motion capture, and production technologies that will equip students with vital industry experience. The six courses currently offered at the School of Journalism leverage iClone, Character Creator, CrazyTalk Animator and popVideo as tools to learn and apply innovative media production skills that are at the forefront of television, film, virtual reality, and interactive media.”
More information on the School of Journalism Animation and Comics storytelling in Media Minor: https://www.msuanimation.com
MSU JRN Students Live Motion Capture to Character with Reallusion and Perception Neuron: https://youtu.be/t0DdbNoY4Hg
More information on Reallusion: https://www.reallusion.com