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French studio noOne had already made a name for themselves with a series of projects combining 3D, motion capture, and a wide range of concepts, from post-apocalyptic to contemplative, including an alternate version of the Pokemon franchise.
The team is back with Aether Saga, a proof of concept for an upcoming full CG series.
Here is the pitch:
Holda, a völva, and Einar, a young man, witness the attack of a Viking village by what appears to be dragons.
This encounter will lead our two characters on a quest for answers and truth, which might not take them where they expected.
Aether is a mini-series of three episodes animated in CGI, set in the Viking era.
About twenty artists worked on the project, as well as motion capture/performance capture specialists (Mocaplab and Di4D). Scan Engine was tasked with scanning the actors.
NoOne told us that the major challenge was to ensure that the dialogues were believable, as the relationship between the two main characters is central to the series.
The team, accustomed to projects created using affordable motion capture suits (Rokoko, Xsens), also shared their experience collaborating with Mocaplab and Di4D, which use optical solutions that are traditionally more expensive. NoOne clarified that indeed, the difference in quality is very clear: the data from Mocaplab, for instance, required almost no retouching and was “near perfection” from the start. The finger animations, however, were done manually and not through motion capture.
