Simula Gets Into Motion

Posted: June 14th, 2003.

Europe’s most advanced motion capture studio opens in Bradford

Bradford June 2003: Simula, the Bradford agency dedicated to supporting theregion’s technology businesses, is pleased to announce the commercialopening of a Yorkshire Forward funded, state of the art Motion Capturesystem at its Bradford University HQ.

Businesses within the Yorkshire region will be able to hire out the studioat a vastly discounted rate.

Motion Capture is an advanced technique for capturing real movement in 3D.Subjects are filmed using 12 optical cameras and their movement isaccurately recorded and stored digitally. It can then be used to animate 3Dcomputer models.

These outputs or ‘captures’ can then be used in a range of differentmanners: from providing the movement for a computer generated character in afilm – like in Spiderman or The Matrix – or video game; to providing medicalresearchers with data to assess the progress of patients recovering fromdisability.

The system is identical to that used by George Lucas in the making of StarWars Episode II Attack of the Clones.

As the only commercial system in the North of England, this will prove ahuge benefit to animation, games and production companies throughout theregion, allowing them to become more competitive by providing them withaccess to technology that is usually only available to big Hollywoodfilmmakers.

Simula Project Manager Andy Curtis commented:

“Since we were founded in 1999 Simula has assisted over 250 businessesthroughout the region. The opening of this motion capture suite will prove ahuge boost to many of our clients enabling them to be much more competitive.

The fact is we have the finest facility in the country – you just can’t geta service of this quality anywhere.”

On behalf of Yorkshire Forward, Digital Cluster Manager Jim Farmery added

“Local industry is set to benefit immensely from the opening of thisfacility. It not only provides the region’s TV and film productioncompanies, games developers and animation with cutting edge resources but isexactly the sort of service that will attract external investors. Itcertainly makes the region much more attractive to external businesses inthe sector.”