A Generative Motion Rig for Artist-Driven Motion Authoring

Abstract

The recent success of generative modeling has led to entirely new capabilities to author 3D motion. By manipulating only a few sparse handles and poses, it is now possible to generate entire motion sequences, at scale and with many variations. To bridge the gap between model research and real-world integration, we developed a Generative Motion Rig as a Blender plugin, built atop a general motion model. Our rig supports a new “generative keyframing” workflow, where artists author movements by manipulating sparse poses, handles, window lengths, and noise sampling. We show in our accompanying video how artists use these controls to rapidly make a short animation. We also show how the same rig can support generative motion editing, allowing one to edit and extend mocap clips. Finally, we share insights and future challenges to help close the gap between generative and traditional animation workflows.