System and method for animating a digital facial model

Abstract

A system and method for animating facial motion comprises an animation processor adapted to generate three-dimensional graphical images and having a user interface and a facial performance processing system operative with the animation processor to generate a three-dimensional digital model of an actor's face and overlay a virtual muscle structure onto the digital model. The virtual muscle structure includes plural muscle vectors that each respectively define a plurality of vertices along a surface of the digital model in a direction corresponding to actual facial muscles. The facial performance processing system is responsive to an input reflecting selective actuation of at least one of the plural muscle vectors to thereby reposition corresponding ones of the plurality of vertices and re-generate the digital model in a manner that simulates facial motion. The muscle vectors further include an origin point defining a rigid connection of the muscle vector with an underlying structure corresponding to actual cranial tissue, an insertion point defining a connection of the muscle vector with an overlying surface corresponding to actual skin, and interconnection points with other ones of the plural muscle vectors.