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Level Up with AI-Generated Animated Backgrounds in iClone

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Layering different shots and media have been around for a long time. Many beginners don’t realize the extent to which some productions rely on compositing and not filming the entire scene as it happens. After Effects is a compositing program that elevated this type of production by making it available to the masses. There is a reason Adobe identified After Effects as an effective software solution way back in 1994 when it purchased the company, CoSA – Company of Science and Art, to make it part of Adobe.

According to Wikipedia:

Compositing is the process or technique of combining visual elements from separate sources into single images, often to create the illusion that all those elements are parts of the same scene. 

To be clear, iClone is NOT compositing software. However, it can be used as such when you consider we have the workspace background, image planes, image billboards and image layers to take the place of actual layers like we have in After Effects, Photoshop and similar applications. In fact, I use the workspace background and image planes more than anything and it can add a dramatic and cinematic touch to a simple scene.

The Workspace Background

We can access the workspace background by going into the Project tab and looking for background which can be a solid color, image or video. All you have to do is drag and drop the AI generated video onto the project background area in the Project tab or even faster just drag and drop it visually to workspace background. It should map the background space and play with the regular playback controls.

It is recommended you line up the 3D workspace with the background where the grid matches the ground plane of the video. This starts the process for a smooth working experience. This doesn’t mean you need to angle the grid to match a road, which you can do, but it’s more important to line up the grid to the viewport at background horizon level.

Dragon Slayer Breakdown

Let’s take this simple dragon slayer example and break it down. It only has one character (the Knight), five particle effects, both legacy and PopcornFX, along with an AI-generated background. This background is from the new video generation service from Midjourney based on an image of a Dragon challenging what is in front of it.

To be clear, the background was first generated as an image with Midjourney then animated by pressing a button. You can have Midjourney choose what to animate in the image and how it will animate which isn’t always right the first time. There are ways to control this with manual prompting versus the automatic animate feature. We can also set the beginning and ending frame to the same image in Midjourney to stop most camera movement.

This type of scene can draw a viewer deeper into the story with the visuals even when it only lasts a few seconds. It can immediately set the tone for whatever follows, and it is beginners level work in this example. While there is a lot of movement in the scene it boils down to those canned motions dragged and dropped onto the Knight character while the animated background does the rest.

The particle FX are optional but are easy to use and add more flair to the scene. In a manner of minutes, you can put together a scene like this. It will most likely take more time in Midjourney or the AI video generator of your choice than you will spend in iClone.

Dust Off

 This example like the Dragon slayer above is a simple scene that only involves a few more characters (all duplicated from the original character) with different poses. The two standing characters watch the aircraft lift off and depart by looking at it and following an invisible box dummy that moves with the aircraft to mimic that character following the aircraft lift off with their heads.

Don’t overcomplicate things.

As beginners we already have a lot to keep up with when we work with the feet or lower legs of the characters in full view. This can turn into a chase-our-tails task where we fight one little problem only to create another trying to meld the 2D video background to the 3D assets. Keep the ground plane contact with character’s feet OFF SCREEN. Place the feet or props in positions that don’t show the full contact point of 2D and 3D assets. Problem solved and no chasing our tail.

The goal is to have the viewer not even realize you have used a video or where that video may start compared to the 3D work in the scene. The tutorial also shows how to hide parts of the background footage with props to cover up any strange AI-related happenings like a person walking in the background with their head backwards. Hiding and eventually masking these anomalies will become a common tool or skill if it doesn’t improve.

Both the demo and tutorial videos have one thing in common. Without the animated background they are not usable. They are not even a scene.

Quick and Dirty Color Grading (Color Matching)

A big problem with using different media in iClone is the sharp contrast in the color pallets of the media. We aren’t always able to use or find assets in the same color pallet, so we use Color Grading which on the pro level is a skill in itself. We don’t need pro level color grading so much as we need blending of colors along with color overlays like image layers that match the main color of the scene.

This is an old-school work-around that has been around since digital art existed and can come close to color grading which didn’t exist back then. It’s a simple concept to tie disparate media together for continuity. I’ve written about this method before in various contexts over other articles.

For example, we take a stock piece of footage for the animated background, and it has an orange tint to it. Then we add iClone characters that may have a brown tint to them. Adding props makes this even more complicated as each prop could have a different colored “look”. A purplish piece of furniture along with green tinted lamps or floors.

I don’t mean the lamps or floors are green. I mean they have normal colors but have a slightly green tint or palette compared to assets that are around them.   These assets all need to have the same overall tint to them so we can use overlays as a quick and dirty method of achieving this effect.

LUTs are another important piece to the puzzle as they keep the image layer color from bleaching or washing out the image. These are effects that use images to project a color or combination of colors. While a color based image layer can work in most cases, lighter colors can washout the scene if dialed up too much.

In the color grading example below, I show you what it looks like in native iClone lighting, what it looks like with just an image overlay and the final look with is a combination of three LUTs and the image overlay to achieve the dusty look I wanted. The demo also shows some variations between the LUT layers as they are turned on.

While true color grading is an advanced skill, we can use this much simpler method to get more continuity of color. Color grading can be a hard a concept to explain as all props and characters have their own colors so the short tutorial below should help to visualize this.

The tutorial covers this quick and dirty color grading/matching process using the same scene as in the above tutorial.

New AI Render Beta Plugin Now Available

Not only can we use AI-Generated and animated backgrounds we can also try out the new AI Render plugin now in open beta. I will cover this exciting new plugin in a future article but for now the future looks very bright for iClone rendering with the power of AI. Like other iClone features this plugin can be as simple as just using it right out the box following directions or you can jump off into the deep end of data and customize your own look.

This is an integration of ComfyUI for the ability to use almost any model with the AI Render. The potential is huge. If you have no idea what I’m going on about… don’t worry. There will be tutorials and discussions to get all of us up to speed on AI rendering.

AI models included with the plugin are:

  • Photorealism Image
  • Cinema Image
  • Films Image
  • 2D Manga Image
  • 2D Anime Image
  • 2D Brushwork Image
  • 2D Game Visual Image
  • 3D Anime Image
  • 3D Cartoon Image
  • 3D Concept Art Image
  • 2D Clean Line Image
  • Photorealism Video
  • Cinema Video
  • Films Video
  • 2D Manga Video
  • 2D Anime Video
  • 2D Brushwork Video
  • 2D Game Visual Video
  • 3D Anime Video
  • 3D Cartoon Video
  • 3D Concept Art Video
  • 2D Clean Line Video
Images from the new iClone AI Render Plugin

Reallusion has automated the ComfyUI install to the point where almost anyone can do it without AI experience. Its all packaged up in a nice little installer that takes care of all the tech nerd stuff that makes the magic inside our little boxes. While that is a bit flowery it is the truth as Reallusion has made the plugin ridiculously easy to install. You’ll need about 80 Gigs of space if you download all the models provided.

Summary

One thing I’ve covered many times is the little bits of easy-to-produce eye candy like these AI-animated background scenes that can make a lot of difference in getting and keeping the attention of viewers. Whether we are just starting out as animators or are seasoned pros… A few easy seconds of eye candy can go a long way to filling in gaps while maintaining the focus of the viewer.

It doesn’t have to be Midjourney as they are new to video generation for consumers as of this writing. Any AI video generator will work if they have compatible resolutions or close enough to look smooth.

Compositing is still the lifeblood of moviemaking. Nothing may be what it seems after it comes out of the hands of a good compositor. Might as well start picking up on this technique now so you will be prepared for it in the future as your animation skills grow.

MD McCallum - WarLord

MD McCallum – WarLord

Digital Artist MD “Mike” McCallum, aka WarLord, is a longtime iClone user. Having authored free tutorials for iClone in its early years and selected to write the iClone Beginners Guide from Packt Publishing in 2011, he was fortunate enough to meet and exchange tricks and tips with users from all over the world and loves to share this information with other users. He has authored hundreds of articles on iClone and digital art in general while reviewing some of the most popular software and hardware in the world. He has been published in many of the leading 3D online and print magazines while staying true to his biggest passion, 3D animation. For more information click here.

WarLord’s Workshop
Learning

From 2D to 3D: Building My First Custom Character in CC4

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Animation Journey: From Drawing Cartoons to 3D Worlds

This article is the third installment of my Garry’s ongoing journal series, From 2D to 3D. If you haven’t read previous posts, then we recommend starting there:

In the first post, I shared the pivotal moment that led me to transition from a decade of 2D work into the world of 3D animation. In the second, I explored the tools, challenges, and creative breakthroughs that shaped my early steps. Now, in this third entry, I take on my biggest test yet—building my first fully custom 3D character from scratch.

Entry 3 – Make or break 

By now, I’d played with my new toys, iClone and Character Creator (CC4). I’d clicked all the buttons just to see what they do. I’d binge watched every Youtube tutorial Reallusion had ever posted, and I’d even reached out to some of the pros for advice.But the honeymoon phase was over. It was time to knuckle down and see if I could actually make something. A full 3D actor. From scratch. By myself.

I opened up Character Creator 4 and took a deep breath. I knew I wanted to create a stylised character that kept the look and personality of the 2D actors I have made. A cartoon character with exaggerated features, custom proportions, and a head that looked like it belonged in a Pixar short.

I generated a 3D head model in the AI software Meshy, saved it as an FBX file and applied that skin mask to the HeadShot 2.0 base model. And even hearing myself say that sentence out loud puts a smile on my face and demonstrates just how far I have come in such a short space of time, because a couple of months ago, none of that would’ve made the slightest bit of sense to me. 

The decision to do as much of the heavy lifting as possible directly inside Character Creator was the right decision for me, because the more I used CC4 the more comfortable I was using it. Processes became more instinctive, although there were still plenty of times I needed to refer back to the tutorials and I now use ChatGPT so much that we are best friends. 

With the help of CC4s morph sliders I was able to make instant changes to my characters look, both for his face and body. And when I had maxed out the sliders and needed to push the extremes, I had tools on hand like the Proportion tool and Edit Mesh which allowed for precise control of even the smallest details. 

Working in 2D character design requires hours of drawing and redrawing mouth shapes and eye sprites. Now I found myself modelling my actors face to accommodate these shapes, making sure that his teeth were in the correct position when he smiled and that his eyes stayed in his sockets when they rotate. The biggest advantage of working in 3D was the opportunity for more subtle face movement as well as the most extreme. I already had the feeling that if I could see this character through to the end that he was going to be more expressive and have more personality than almost any character I have been able to make in 2D. 

I had named my first 3D actor Carl. Carl now had a face, but he was going to need a body. Naturally, I started with the default male base in Character Creator. He was tall, chiseled, and clearly went to the gym more than I ever have. But this wasn’t going to be that kind of character. I wanted to create something stylised. So instead of chasing perfect anatomy, I decided to do something much more cartoony and goofy.

This is where the morph sliders and the Proportion tool in CC4 came into play, both of which are incredibly powerful. You start with a few innocent tweaks, like bringing the waist in or rounding out the shoulders. But then you start exceeding the parameters of the sliders like a mad scientist just to see what your character would look like with a giraffes neck or six foot long legs. Whatever you do, there is nothing more fun than seeing your changes happen in real time. 

I wanted a 3D cartoon style version of my own 2D characters. Something that could live in the same exaggerated world as my 2D characters but still feel grounded in reality.

The morph sliders let me dial in specific details like a softer jawline, broader nose, flatter chest, slightly hunched shoulders. The Proportion tool helped me fine tune the overall body shape including a shorter torso, longer arms, slightly bowed posture. 

I was building a custom character in 3D that felt like mine. Not just in style, but in shape. He wasn’t a template anymore. He was starting to feel like a cartoon reflection of my style. I wasn’t just learning the tools, I was connecting to them.

What followed was hours of experimentation, frustration, small wins, and spectacular failures. Sliders were pushed. Meshes were mangled. Eyeballs were accidentally deleted. But slowly, something began to take shape. I wasn’t just clicking anymore, I was making choices. The chin needed to be wider? I could do that. The ears a little lower? Too easy. Make the eyes match my style and vision, not just a generic preset? Done.  Suddenly, I was no longer following the tutorial, I was breaking away from it.

I decided to export my actor into Blender to start tweaking the mesh. Ten minutes later, I was questioning every life choice I had ever made and quickly went back to CC4. Blender was going to have to happen, but not today. 

The lesson I learnt at this point in my journey is that it’s not about perfection, it’s about commitment. I told myself “You’re going to finish this actor, no matter what. No backing out. No abandoning the file in a WIP folder that you never open again.”

I have a long way to go. And so does Carl. But he was starting to take shape and my first steps into the 3D world were more than exciting enough to make me keep going.

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Garry Pye – 2D/3D Animator, Cartoonist, Content Developer

Garry Pye – 2D/3D Animator | Content Developer

Garry Pye is an Australian illustrator, animator, and Cartoon Animator instructor with over a decade of experience in the animation industry. Known for his unique blend of creativity and humor, Garry’s work spans from teaching animation techniques to creating innovative content that helps both novice and experienced animators improve their skills.

Garry’s enthusiasm for storytelling and animation shines through in all his projects, whether it’s creating animated shorts, preparing educational tutorials, or sharing his expertise by teaching. With a passion for making animation accessible and fun, Garry has built a community of learners who not only appreciate his knowledge but also his infectious sense of humor and dedication to his craft.

Follow Garry Pye’s iClone Page｜2D Animation Page｜2D Marketplace

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From AI to Animation: 3 Ways to Bring Hunyuan3D Characters to Life in CC4

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José Antonio Tijerín

José Tijerín, a digital illustrator and 3D sculptor, is the creator of the video game “Dear Althea” on Steam and the content pack “We’re Besties” available in the Reallusion Content Store.

The world of digital sculpting is in a constant state of flux, and artificial intelligence is no longer a futuristic promise, but a revolutionary tool that is redefining the foundations of 3D creation. Far from replacing human creativity, generative AI accelerates workflows, allowing us to reach levels of complexity that previously required an exorbitant investment of time and resources. The real power lies not in a single tool, but in the synergy of a production pipeline that merges the speed of AI with the precision of professional tools.

At the epicenter of this new wave is Hunyuan3D, the 3D generation AI developed by Tencent. Its v2.5 version stands out for offering one of the highest geometric resolutions and texture qualities on the market, even generating Roughness and Metallic maps, essential for standard rendering. However, the AI-generated model is not the end of the road, but a formidable starting point.

In this article, we will explore three professional workflows that demonstrate how to transform an AI-generated 3D model into a fully functional, animation-ready character, using the Character Creator 4 ecosystem as a backbone.

The Starting Point: Hunyuan3D

Before diving into the workflows, it is crucial to understand the strategic distinction between the web version of Hunyuan3D v2.5 and its local installable counterpart. This is not a simple choice between quality and speed, but two complementary tools.

The v2.5 online version is the precision tool. Its ability to generate high-density meshes and PBR textures makes it the ideal choice for creating a model of maximum fidelity. On the other hand, the local version, especially its “Mini” model that requires only 3 GB of VRAM, is the engine of agility and creative exploration. Running it in seconds on our own PC, without relying on credits or internet connection, transforms it into a rapid prototyping machine, ideal for iterating accessory designs or frictionless armor components.

A crafty artist will use v2.5 to establish the main vision of their character at the highest quality, and will turn to the local version to populate that design with details, props and variations.

Workflow 1: Auto-rig AI-generated model with Advanced AccuRIG in Character Creator

This is the most direct and efficient method to bring to life an AI-generated model that already has a good humanoid form. It is ideal for when time is short and the goal is to have a character animated in minutes.

Step-by-Step Guide

Generation and Export: Create your character design in Hunyuan3D v2.5 with enough detail and volume to capture your intended concept. Once generation is completed, export the model as OBJ or FBX.

Import into Character Creator 4: Bring the exported model into CC4 and Advanced AccuRIG will analyze the mesh and automatically identifies the key anatomical points. In seconds, it generates a functional skeleton. The tool allows you to manually adjust bones, customize the structure for non-human proportions, and define finger articulation precisely.

Animate: After rigging with AccuRIG, you can easily animate your AI model with the motion in CC4.

Workflow 2: Sculpt CC Base from AI Reference Using GoZ and ZBrush

This workflow represents the industry standard and is designed to overcome the main limitation of AI models: their topology. AI-generated mesh is often dense, irregular, and not animation-friendly. Instead of directly animating it, we treat the AI model as a high-quality design reference.

By leveraging Character Creator’s well-balanced topology, we can reshape the base mesh in ZBrush and conveniently send it back via GoZ plus.

Key Steps

Sketch-to-3D Generation: Begin with a 2D sketch or concept art, and use Hunyuan3D to convert it into a high-detail 3D mesh. This allows for creative exploration while retaining the original silhouette and proportions.

Project AI Details: Import the Hunyuan3D model into ZBrush and use it as a reference. Using ZBrush’s projection tools, transfer proportions and sculptural details onto the CC4 mesh. The organization in polygroups of CC4 models is crucial here, allowing us to isolate and work with precision in areas such as the face or hands.

Send it back to CC4 with GoZ: Once the sculpting on the CC base is complete, send the character back to CC using GoZ. In CC, use the Adjust Bone Auto Position feature to realign the skeleton.

Head Morph and Final Sculpt: To handle the head shape, first deform the CC base head to roughly match the AI-generated head. Use CC’s Morph tools to further refine the head shape. Once the shape is close, send the character back to ZBrush using GoZ and finalize the head sculpt.

Enhance AI Textures: Hunyuan3D’s textures are a solid starting point but often lack resolution. To enhance them, capture orthographic views in Substance Painter and import them into a generative AI editor like Krita AI Diffusion or Photoshop.

By painting over the captures and applying low creativity strength (40–55%), you can add realistic detail while retaining control. The enhanced images are then projected back onto the model in Substance Painter to produce high-quality final textures.

Add Armor: Use the same technique—piece by piece—to generate armor components in Hunyuan3D. Import and fit each piece onto the character in ZBrush or CC4. This modular approach allows you to build a complete, poseable character fully equipped for animation.

The result is a clean, animation-ready mesh with the design fidelity of your AI concept.

Workflow 3: Convert AI-Generated Head to CC Character Using Headshot 2

When focusing on facial fidelity and expression, Headshot 2 is the ultimate shortcut. This AI-powered plugin of Character Creator allows you to generate realistic, animation-ready heads from a photo or 3D reference model.

Step-by-Step Guide

Generate 3D Reference Head: Use Hunyuan3D or other tools to produce a clean frontal view of the head.

Import to Headshot 2 in CC4: Load the model in Headshot 2 Pro. Align key points (eyes, nose, mouth, chin) during the guided setup.

Generate Head Mesh: Headshot 2 creates a clean, rigged head with functional blendshapes. Minor refinements can be made in ZBrush via GoZ.

You’ll end up with a head that has perfect topology, base textures, and full support for facial animation—without modeling or retopology.

A New Paradigm

The intelligent integration of AI into our production pipelines does not turn us into mere machine operators; it frees us to focus on what really matters: art, design, and storytelling. These three workflows demonstrate that AI and professional tools do not compete, but enhance each other. The barrier to entry into the 3D world has been drastically lowered, and for established artists, the creative possibilities have expanded to infinity. The revolution is here, and now is the time to master it.

FAQ

Can I animate a Hunyuan 3D model directly?

There are three professional workflows covered in this article:

  • Headshot 2: To convert an AI-generated 3D head into a CC-compatible head with full facial rig and generate a full body.
  • AccuRIG: For quick auto-rigging of humanoid meshes directly in Character Creator.
  • GoZ & ZBrush: To use AI models as reference and sculpt over clean CC topology for full control and deformation.

How to rig an AI-generated model?

You can use the built-in rigging functions from tools like Hunyuan3D or Meshy, but we recommend using AccuRIG in Character Creator for more accurate, customizable, and animation-friendly results

Does Headshot 2 work with stylized faces?

Yes, Reallusion Headshot 2 supports both realistic and stylized characters through its adjustable Pro Mode.

What if my AI model is not human-shaped?

AccuRIG allows manual adjustment for non-humanoid skeletons, giving flexibility for stylized or creature designs.

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Smart Search in iClone & CC: Test 3D Assets Before Buying

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Alejandro de Pasquale – Motion Graphic Artist / 3D Animator / Filmmaker / Content Creator

Alejandro de Pasquale

Since the age of 9, Alejandro de Pasquale has been weaving stories across various mediums—from comics to motion graphics, filmmaking, and now immersive 3D animation.

Today, Alejandro leads his sci-fi series, The EVA Project, built in Unreal Engine and powered by Reallusion tools like iClone, Character Creator, and ActorCore.

His latest video review shines a spotlight on one game-changing feature that 3D animators, content creators, and indie filmmakers shouldn’t overlook—Smart Search.

What Is Smart Search in iClone & Character Creator?

Reallusion’s Smart Search feature, recently upgraded, bridges the gap between creative vision and production efficiency. Available directly within iClone and Character Creator, Smart Search lets users instantly preview and test thousands of assets from:

You can search via keywords or even images, then preview assets on your character before buying. It’s a huge leap from the days of static thumbnails and blind purchases.

“What it lets you do is visualize all the content from the Reallusion Marketplace right inside the program—either in iClone or in Character Creator.”

Alejandro de Pasquale

Visualize Before You Buy: Why It Matters

One of the biggest frustrations in 3D content shopping is asset mismatch. What looks great in a promo render may not work in your scene or fit your character.

Smart Search Solves This

  • ✅ Real-Time Previews: Try before you buy directly inside your project
  • ✅ Visual Matching: Match textures, colors, and styles with your existing scene
  • ✅ Filter by Compatibility: See what works with your base mesh or rig

“You don’t know if what you’re seeing in a photo will actually look good on your character… this approach solves that.”

Alejandro de Pasquale

Reallusion’s Return of iContent—Up to 70% Off

Another big announcement Alejandro covers is the return of iContent at massive discounts—up to 70% off.

If you’re someone who mainly renders inside iClone, this file format makes sense. Unlike FBX or USD formats for export, iContent is:

  • 🚀 Optimized for in-app use
  • 💰 More affordable
  • 🔄 Integrated into Reallusion’s content ecosystem

“For people who are just using iClone and don’t need to export stuff—it’s super convenient.”

Alejandro de Pasquale

ActorCore Integration = Smarter Motion

Alejandro highlights that Smart Search isn’t just for assets like clothing or props—it also extends to animations from ActorCore, Reallusion’s vast motion library.

  • Search and test motions instantly
  • Preview how ActorCore moves look on your character
  • Drag and drop into your iClone timeline

“I didn’t even need to buy it right away. I could test everything first.”

Alejandro de Pasquale

Enhancing Indie Filmmaking Workflows

Alejandro, known for creating cinematic scenes on limited budgets, is the perfect use case. In his EVA Project, Reallusion’s Smart Search and affordable .iContent gave him the flexibility to:

  • Build character wardrobes quickly
  • Customize and test assets in context
  • Save time on rigging and compatibility fixes
  • Seamlessly blend into Unreal Engine via CC/iClone-to-Unreal pipeline

Tools Mentioned in the Review

  • ✅ iClone 8
  • ✅ Character Creator 4
  • ✅ ActorCore
  • ✅ Reallusion Marketplace
  • ✅ Reallusion Content Store
  • ✅ MetaHuman (considered, but opted against)
  • ✅ Unreal Engine (for final production)

Who Should Care About Smart Search?

This workflow benefits:

  • 🎞️ Filmmakers creating pre-viz or final renders
  • 🧑‍🎨 3D artists who need fast iteration
  • 💼 Studios looking to reduce pipeline bottlenecks
  • 🧪 Indie creators juggling limited budgets and tight timelines

Alejandro’s own creative journey—from no-budget shorts to building the EVA universe—demonstrates how powerful tools like Smart Search and .iContent can be leveraged for high-end results.

Conclusion

Alejandro de Pasquale’s review reveals how Reallusion’s Smart Search is more than just a new feature—it’s a workflow revolution for 3D creators. From easy content previews to discounted iContent, Reallusion continues to lower the barriers for professional-grade animation and indie filmmaking.

Whether you’re working in Unreal, iClone, or Blender, Smart Search helps you make faster, smarter creative decisions.

Explore Smart Search for yourself in iClone or Character Creator, and transform how you find, test, and use 3D assets. Visit Reallusion Marketplace and try it out today.

Follow Alejandro de Pasquale

https://www.youtube.com/user/alerendersoc

https://www.facebook.com/aleRENDER

https://www.instagram.com/alerender_ae

https://www.artstation.com/alerender

FAQ

What is Smart Search in Reallusion tools?

Smart Search allows users to find, test, and preview marketplace and content store assets directly within iClone or Character Creator.

How does Smart Search benefit animators?

It saves time, money, and hassle by showing you what assets look like on your characters before purchase.

What is iContent and why is it back?

iContent is a proprietary format for iClone/CC. It’s optimized for internal use, now offered at discounts up to 70%.

Can I use ActorCore animations with Smart Search?

Yes, Smart Search supports motions from ActorCore, allowing you to preview animation clips live.

Is Smart Search available for MetaHuman?

No, Smart Search is part of Reallusion’s ecosystem and works within iClone and Character Creator.

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iClone Delivers Production-Level Control for AI Generation

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Industry Pros Explore Next-Gen AI Rendering Pipeline with iClone

Max Thomas and James Martin from Georgia State University’s Creative Media Industries Institute (CMII)—both faculty members and active industry professionals—have been working with Reallusion to develop advanced AI production workflows. Their latest focus is the AI Render plugin for iClone and Character Creator, which integrates seamlessly with powerful AI generation in ComfyUI.

In their early experiments, they built custom workflows using high-end models like Flux1Dev and FusionX. By incorporating structured 3D inputs—lighting, animation, posing, and camera angles—they achieved far greater control over AI output. Moving beyond prompt-only workflows, their goal is to bring AI image generation closer to the precision and reliability expected in professional animation production.

FREE AI Render Webinar on Aug 22 — Learn more & register HERE

From Film Sets to AI Pipelines

Based at CMII in Atlanta, Georgia, Max and James stand out for bringing real-world production experience into their academic roles. Their expertise stems from their work with Actor Capture Studio, where they’ve collaborated with Hollywood-caliber productions and gained valuable industry insight.

Their experience includes work on The Electric State (Netflix), Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile (Sony Pictures), The Suicide Squad (Warner Bros.), and Replicas (Entertainment Pictures). Beyond film, their work has also played a key role in viral media—most notably Cardi Tries, featuring Cardi B and Offset, which has amassed over 6.8 million views.

Now, the duo is leading Actor Capture’s exploration into AI-assisted production, developing new workflows that combine real-time CG tools like iClone and Character Creator with generative AI platforms such as ComfyUI, Flux, and RunPod. Their long-term goal is to make AI generation viable for live performance capture in a way that is accurate, directable and scalable.

Seamless Integration of 3D Guidance into ComfyUI

Under the hood of AI Render, Reallusion’s custom nodes in ComfyUI handle the heavy lifting. They create a direct link between the 3D scene in iClone or Character Creator and the AI render setup in ComfyUI. These nodes ensure that every element of the scene, including animated characters, lighting, camera angles, and even facial expressions, is accurately translated into the final AI-generated image.

Using the AI Render Panel, creators can export key data for AI processing (such as depth, pose, canny, and normal maps) from the 3D viewport. These maps are then passed to Reallusion’s custom nodes in ComfyUI, providing the generative AI with structured visual input. This helps reduce hallucinations and improves accuracy and consistency in the final image output.

“You’re not just describing a scene in words anymore, you’re staging it in CG—and seeing that flow directly into your AI output.”

Max Thomas, AI Specialist / Creative Technologist

Auto-Generate LoRA Datasets for Character Consistency

Character Creator has long been the perfect environment for building IP characters—offering simple yet powerful tools to design unique faces, outfits, and personalities. Now, those same characters can be brought to life as realistic actors for AI-generated films or commercials.

To ensure they keep their signature look across different scenes, styles, and outputs, the best approach is LoRA (Low-Rank Adaptation) training. Max and James use iClone to generate clean, structured training datasets tailored to each character’s design, enabling LoRAs to accurately replicate key visual details—such as facial features, expressions, and costumes—across varied AI-generated images.

This is done by exporting a custom set of 26 staged images per character, capturing various angles, lighting conditions, expressions, and costumes, all rendered directly from their 3D scenes.

These images are then captioned using ChatGPT for clear, descriptive metadata, and trained via FluxGym on RunPod. The result is a lightweight, reusable LoRA that maintains identity, style, and facial structure across varied prompts.

Guide AI Through Real-Time Scene Direction

In one of the team’s showcase tests, a character named Camila is created entirely from scratch in Character Creator (including facial structure and wardrobe to skin texture and hairstyle). She is then animated in iClone, where the team sets up the scene with lighting, props, camera angles, and motion.

Once the shot is ready, it flows directly into ComfyUI through Reallusion’s AI Render plugin, which injects a structured prompt stack and layered ControlNet maps (depth, canny, pose) to guide the final AI output in Flux1Dev.

The result is a cinematic-quality render in the form of a hero frame that captures the artist’s original vision without relying on traditional rendering pipelines. Naturally, this structured approach is already proving valuable for pitch decks, content branding, product visualization, and any workflow that demands high-quality concept frames with quick turnaround.

Precise Interaction Powered by a Massive Motion Library

Multi-character interactions have traditionally been difficult to achieve using prompts alone. To address this challenge, the Actor Capture team leveraged detailed imaging data with WAN FusionX to enable consistent AI video generation.

The process began by blocking out the scene in iClone, animating each actor with motions from ActorCore’s library of tens of thousands of animations. Users can simply drag and drop these motions onto characters, making it fast and easy to stage complex interactions. Once animated, the team exported synchronized poses and depth maps for multiple characters—ensuring clear interactive motion, controlled silhouettes, and precise facial expressions in the final AI-generated output.

Maintaining consistency in identity, pose, and spatial coherence across frames has long been a challenge for traditional prompt-based generation. To address this, the team generated short-form cinematic sequences that preserve structure throughout, achieving a level of continuity that overcomes these common limitations.

Flexible Deployment: Local and Cloud Ready

The Actor Capture team found it effective to use NVIDIA RTX 4090 GPUs for testing, previewing, and small batch rendering. Once a test shot is finalized, they offload the video rendering tasks to cloud-based compute farms like RunPod to achieve faster turnaround times.

The size and complexity of a project determine the kind of computer power needed. For example, creating detailed high-resolution images, long video clips, or training AI models like LoRA requires a lot of memory and processing ability. Cloud-based services with specialized graphics processors available online have large memory capacities that can handle these demanding tasks better than typical local computers. This allows them to run advanced AI tools like Flux Realism and WAN FusionX smoothly, with fewer slowdowns or errors.

Shape the Future: Join AI Render Beta

Reallusion is inviting CG creatives from all industries to try AI Render through an open beta program. Whether you’re a professional or an avid dabbler, this is a unique opportunity to provide valuable feedback that will help shape AI Render’s development. Our goal is to create a tool that’s not just cutting-edge, but also a true extension of your creative expression.

What’s more, Max Thomas and James Martin will be hosting a series of live Reallusion webinars on advanced AI-integrated workflows, with the first session kicking off on August 22.

Registration is now open for our first AI Render webinar, happening Aug 22, 2025 (PST/PDT)! In this session, we’ll show you how to set up Flux 1 Dev on cloud GPU and connect it with iClone, unlocking production-level AI image generation with precise 3D guidance. Learn more & register HERE .

Upcoming Webinar Topics

Image Generation WorkflowsLearn how to build structured pipelines in ComfyUI using Reallusion’s custom nodes, ControlNet, and LoRA for precise image generation.
LoRA Training WorkflowExplore how to create training datasets in Character Creator and iClone, then train identity-consistent LoRAs using RunPod.
Video Generation WorkflowsDiscover how to build structured AI video pipelines in ComfyUI, using motion, depth, and pose data from iClone for multi-character control.

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Featured Story

Dom Fred Unveils Cutting-Edge 3D Animation at Cannes 2025

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A Visionary in Action: Dom Fred at Cannes Film Festival

Dom Fred – Director / Producer / Editor / 3D Animator / Martial Artist

Dom Fred, a seasoned 3D animator, director, and producer, continues to reshape the future of digital storytelling. With deep roots in television advertising, music videos, and action-packed documentaries, Fred has forged a career out of fusing technical excellence with creative boldness. This year, his innovative spirit was spotlighted at the Cannes Film Festival, where the Africa Pavilion hosted ANIMATION DAY, a special digital focus session highlighting the convergence of animation and emerging technologies.

Invited to speak and present his latest short film, UNI-T Extinction, Fred took the stage to share insights on virtual production, AI in animation, and real-time workflows. The event, themed Animation & Technology: AI, Virtual Production & the Future, celebrated voices like Fred’s who are redefining how stories are told in the age of intelligent tools and real-time rendering.

From showcasing cinematic fight scenes built in MAYA to integrating Reallusion’s Character Creator, iClone 8, and ActorCore 3D motion packs, Dom Fred’s approach demonstrates what’s now possible for today’s character designer or independent studio.

“We are at the heart of technological innovation. These Reallusion tools don’t just help us animate—they help us imagine bigger.”

Dom Fred – Director / Producer / Editor / 3D Animator / Martial Artist

How Dom Fred Leverages New-Age 3D Animation Software

Fred’s DOM ANIMATION STUDIO has built a reputation around blending traditional storytelling with cutting-edge 3D animation software. Whether you’re looking to create your own character from scratch or need a human creator solution that integrates seamlessly into Unreal Engine, Fred’s workflow is a blueprint for success.

For UNI-T Extinction, Fred leaned heavily on Reallusion’s ecosystem:

  • ActorCore motion packs, such as martial arts and SWAT stunts, streamlined high-energy combat choreography.
  • Character Creator helped establish a realistic character base, enabling detailed avatars ready for real-time animation.
  • iClone 8 powered the animation pipeline with precision controls and facial animation tools, ideal for lip sync animation.

These tools allowed Fred to complete a 9-minute action short in record time—without sacrificing quality. He demonstrated how this production model reduces overhead and increases creative flexibility, making it a powerful case study for indie creators and larger studios alike.

Spotlight on UNI-T Extinction: Real-Time Production in Action

The star of Dom Fred’s Cannes presentation, UNI-T Extinction, is an experimental animated short blending action, sci-fi, and futurism. The film was met with enthusiastic reception during its screening at the Cannes Film Market and Africa Pavilion.

Using real-time workflows from Character Creator to Unreal Engine, Fred’s team achieved:

Accurate lip sync animation using facial mocap and AI-driven dialogue tools.

Fast pre-visualization with realistic characters and environments.

Dynamic camera work traditionally seen in high-budget productions.

The entire project illustrates how today’s 3D character animation is no longer limited by render farms or outdated pipelines. Instead, artists now wield tools that empower them to iterate, test, and deliver cinematic-quality animations faster than ever before.

Why Reallusion Tools Are Revolutionizing the Character Designer Workflow

One of the highlights of Fred’s panel was his demonstration of how Reallusion tools elevate the work of any character designer. With Character Creator, users can design detailed humanoid avatars with intuitive sliders and customization options. These characters can then be rigged, animated, and exported directly into iClone or Unreal Engine, forming a streamlined workflow.

The addition of ActorCore’s motion packs allows for plug-and-play action sequences—saving time and money without compromising realism.

Fred emphasized that this model is perfect for creators who want to:

  • Build a character base that’s reusable across projects.
  • Rapidly create your own character for games, films, or VR experiences.
  • Integrate mocap and lip sync animation tools into a real-time production pipeline.

Empowering the Next Generation of Digital Storytellers

Fred’s message at Cannes resonated with creators from across Africa and beyond. His ability to merge storytelling with technology serves as an inspiring reminder that with the right tools and vision, global filmmakers can stand alongside major studios on prestigious stages like the Cannes Film Festival.

His session concluded with a heartfelt thanks to Karine Barclais, Reallusion’s Director of Partnerships Enoc Burgos, co-producer and screenwriter Alick Macaire, and the many technicians who support DOM ANIMATION STUDIO’s ambitious projects.

As Fred put it: “We are at the heart of technological innovation. These tools don’t just help us animate—they help us imagine bigger.”

Conclusion: A New Era for 3D Character Animation

Dom Fred’s Cannes appearance signals a broader shift in the animation world—where artists equipped with 3D animation software and innovative workflows can achieve world-class results. His use of tools like Character Creator, iClone, and ActorCore exemplifies how modern filmmakers can create their own characters, control their production pipeline, and deliver content ready for the global stage.

As Fred continues to champion this movement, one thing is clear: The future of digital storytelling is here—and it’s powered by creators like him.

Follow Dom Fred

Website:
https://www.domfredfilm.com/accueil

LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dom-fred-films-81904194/

YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaEVZPzkWUsg9Wti9Cao4Vw

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063571358642

Vimeo:
https://vimeo.com/spaceagentsmysteriousax/videos

FAQ

What software did Dom Fred use for UNI-T Extinction?

He used a combination of MAYA, Reallusion’s Character Creator, iClone 8, ActorCore motion packs, and Unreal Engine.

What is Character Creator used for?

Character Creator is a powerful tool to build custom 3D avatars. It serves as a base for further animation in tools like iClone and Unreal.

How does ActorCore help in 3D animation?

ActorCore offers high-quality motion capture animations that plug directly into iClone or Unreal, ideal for realistic character movements.

What is lip sync animation in this context?

Lip sync animation is the process of matching animated mouth movements with dialogue audio, made easier by iClone’s AcuFace and mocap tools.

How can indie studios benefit from this workflow?

Indie studios can reduce time and costs by adopting real-time workflows, empowering them to produce high-end content without a Hollywood budget.

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News

Reallusion Celebrates 25 Years of 3D Innovation and AI Acceleration: Empowering Creators for a New Era of Real-Time Storytelling

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Reallusion proudly marks its 25th anniversary with a transformative leap into the future of animation, launching a wave of new innovations and policies that empower creators like never before. From pioneering 3D animation to leading AI-enhanced storytelling, Reallusion has spent the past quarter-century redefining how artists and studios bring stories to life—and the next chapter is unfolding at lightning speed.

3D Innovation to AI Acceleration

Since its founding, Reallusion has helped millions of creators animate faster, design smarter, and push the boundaries of real-time 3D. Now, the company is ushering in a new era of AI-accelerated animation—seamlessly blending its robust real-time tools like iClone and Character Creator with enhanced AI rendering, search, and storytelling capabilities.

“Our commitment to creators has always been rooted in giving them the power to move fast and tell stories with precision and heart. The future is AI integrating into deep layers of our pipeline—from scene control and camera animation to character casting and deep asset search. We’re not just evolving—we’re giving every artist the force of a full studio, accelerated by AI, and guided by human creativity.”

John Martin II, VP of Marketing at Reallusion

New Content Policy: Freedom, Flexibility, and Control

To coincide with its anniversary, Reallusion introduces a major update to its Content Policy, giving creators unprecedented freedom to export and reuse assets across platforms.

Liberalizing the Standard License — No More Extended License

The new Standard License now allows unrestricted use of purchased content in Unreal Engine, Unity, Maya, Blender, and more—eliminating the need for extended licensing and unlocking a seamless cross-platform workflow.

All Extended License privileges are now fully integrated into the Standard License. This change allows creators to freely export content to third-party applications while enjoying these benefits:

  • Distribute assets as images or videos, in games or XR projects at scale.
  • Export content to any third-party platform, software, tool, or engine
  • Reuse purchased characters and assets across unlimited projects
  • Expand your content library without restrictions or confusing rules

Cost-Saving iContent for Internal Workflow

For internal teams, students, and concept artists, Reallusion’s new iContent License offers a cost-effective solution for working entirely within the Reallusion ecosystem—priced at just 30% of the Standard License while providing access to the same high-quality content.

Choose iContent when:

  • Looking to leverage convenient in-app purchasing
  • Rendering directly in iClone or Character Creator
  • Saving and sharing projects exclusively within iClone or Character Creator
  • Building scenes for previsualization or storyboarding
  • Export to third-party workflows or cross-platform deployment is not required

Explore the new licensing option >>

Smarter Search. Limitless Creation.

AI innovation continues with the launch of AI Deep Search—a powerful new feature in the Reallusion Asset Store that uses natural language input and visual search to describe your creative goals, and our AI will surface highly relevant characters, clothing, motions, props, and more.

Combined with new trial access to all store assets, creators can now test before they buy in iClone or Character Creator, streamlining the creative process from idea to execution.

Try AI Deep Search >>

AI Render: From CG to AI Innovation

Reallusion introduces AI Render, a powerful new plugin built on the ComfyUI ecosystem that fuses the precision of 3D with the creativity of AI image generation. This innovative tool enables the re-visualization of characters and scenes through a streamlined pipeline that supports both rapid visual exploration and consistent AI-driven re-imaging for stills and video production.

AI Render allows creators to render 3D characters and environments with AI while maintaining complete control of animation, lighting, and cameras through iClone and Character Creator.

Join the AI Render Open Beta >>

Looking Ahead: The Next 25 Years

As Reallusion celebrates this milestone, it invites creators around the world to step into a new era of storytelling—where 3D innovation meets AI acceleration, and creative freedom knows no bounds.

The company’s vision remains clear: AI breakthroughs are designed not to replace, but to empower artists—turning their vision into reality, faster than ever before.

“The human is elemental to AI generating compelling content. That’s why our AI breakthroughs are designed not to replace, but to empower artists—to turn their vision into reality, faster than ever before.”

John Martin II, VP of Marketing at Reallusion

Visit the 25th Anniversary webpage >>

Featured Story

Character Creation with Maya, V-Ray, ZBrush & Reallusion Tools

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Zoltan Barati / Digitone Pictures

Zoltan Barati / Digitone Pictures

I am a 3D Artist and Animator with experience in various Digital Content Creation tools.

My work includes environment and character production using software such as Blender, ZBrush, Maya, Substance Painter, Marvelous Designer, Cinema 4D, Character Creator, iClone, Cascadeur, and others.

I build levels/scenes in Unreal Engine or in Maya and render characters and animations within detailed environments.

Production with Director’s Vision

In the age of Artificial Intelligence (AI), while AI excels at creating concepts, consistent character production across multiple shots with a directed vision remains crucial. Creating animatable characters in DCC applications (Maya, 3ds Max, Cinema 4D, Blender, Houdini) is a lengthy process. Reallusion’s Character Creator and iClone apps significantly speed up this process, working in tandem with ZBrush, Blender, and Marvelous Designer to shape characters, create accessories and clothing.

The Main Reallusion Tools

Character Creator

Character Creator offers a CC3+ template to start with, optimized for real-time production but can be subdivided as required for cinematics. Character Creator features traditional polygon editing and brush tools, but it can seamlessly integrate with ZBrush and Blender as well. Typically, exchanging characters between applications involves lengthy processes like setting up textures, shading, and facial blend shapes. A single character can have over 60 textures (diffuse, bump or normal, transparency, roughness) for body parts, accessories, and clothing.

Character Creator or iClone can automatically transfer models, textures, blend shapes, and setup shading with Auto Setup tools for ZBrush, Blender, Substance Painter, 3ds Max, Maya, Unreal Engine, Unity, and Omniverse. This allows fine-tuning the look in the target applications with details, skin pores (micro details), and wrinkles. The approach allows round trips to update characters and animations. These Reallusion tools are among the most user-friendly tools in the 3D production pipeline.

iClone

iClone combines some of the best animation capabilities developed over decades by many applications. Though some traditional animation tools have disappeared, critical features have been reborn and evolved in iClone:

  • Softimage, Face Robot features were reborn and enhanced in Character Creator Facial Profile Editor and in iClone’s AccuLips to create facial and speech animation with dynamic facial wrinkles.
  • Maya and ZBrush blend shape system live in Character Creator Facial Profile Editor. Characters can be seamlessly transferred to iClone for body and face animation or back to Character Creator for update.
  • Motion Builder and Maya’s non-linear animation system for motion clips and motion capture have been reimagined in iClone’s Motion Clip System.
  • Motion Builder and Maya characterization system lives in Character Creator and iClone Motion Layer Editor, this allows creating control rigs on most of the major character bone structures, (Maya, Motion Builder, Mixamo Bone System, etc.)
  • Motion Builder and Maya Human IK system lives in iClone’s Motion Layer Editor
  • Maya Animation Layer system lives in iClone Animation Layer Editor.
  • Maya Animation Curve editing lives in iClone’s Curve Editor and in Motion Trail system to edit function curves, and to edit bone motion trail in the viewport.
  • Motion Bulder’s Constraint system lives in iClone’s Reach Target system with similar non-linear editing capabilities.
  • Unreal Engine’s interactive character control lives in iClone’s Motion Director Control system for interactively triggering and recording movement direction, jumps, etc.
  • 3ds Max CAT Footprint is mirrored in iClone’s Motion Corrector’s Editor.
  • Mixamo style auto rigging and skinning are available in Character Creator’s AccuRIG, or in the standalone AccuRIG application, with roundtrip transfers to iClone for animation

iClone is also highly compatible with other animation production pipelines. With a few clicks, it can send animations to Cascadeur for fine-tuning with Auto Physics, and returning the animation as a motion clip for non-linear editing. iClone also offers “characterization” to create character controls for AI based motion capture rigs, such as Cascadeur, Motion LIVE, Meshcapade, etc.

iClone can hand over animation for cinematic rendering to many applications via Auto Setups, Live Links, or by exporting FBX, USD, and Alembic file formats. It creates camera sequences and shot clips for rendering in Unreal Engine.

Reallusion Ecosystem

The Reallusion ecosystem offers a character template (CC3+) as a starting point, which can be sculpted into unique humanoid characters. The template is ready for facial animation even after sculpting the character. Blend shapes are automatically adjusted to the new shape if the base polygon topology kept intact.

Such characters can be used in cinematics but are not permitted for AI training or as characters in games. Reallusion tools support custom topology characters with manual blend shape creation, without the use limitations. Character Creator provides roundtrip connection with ZBrush or Blender to create the facial blend shapes. In the following image, the female character was sculpted from the Reallusion CC3+ template, while the sturdy male character has custom polygon topology and his facial blend shapes were created in ZBrush for facial and speech animation. Both of the characters’ facial animation were created with AccuLips:

The animation: Lost Bay Zoe and Conall 4k: Lost Bay Zoe and Conall 4K

The following is an example of iClone’s Motion Director Control system for interactively triggering walk and jump, recoded into a motion clip for further mixing:

There are many outstanding tutorials on these tools on the Reallusion’s YouTube channel. I would like to highlight the features that are particularly valuable for cinematic production.

Character Face Creation

Artists can efficiently create characters using the Reallusion CC3+ template by reshaping it or importing custom models, benefiting from auto blend shape adjustments and an automated Substance Painter workflow. They can use Headshot 2 Image or Mesh modes for quick head shape creation, and the legacy Image Pro mode allows for initial shape generation from an image, which can then be adjusted for a 3D illustration style.

In general, the face projects well for the front view but need shaping the face for the desired facial profile, as seen from the side. Character Creator has face shaping mode to improve the shape. Artists can also use Modify panel’s Headshot morph sliders. When you select a region, the related morph sliders get in focus on the right. This allows you to adjust the shape by dragging in the viewport or adjusting the morph sliders:

The face can be reshaped and fine-tuned in ZBrush. The recent update to GoZ Plus, makes the ZBrush workflow very versatile. As with other tools’ GoZ workflow, you can adjust the base shape. With the Reallusion GoZ Plus solution, you can regenerate higher ZBrush subdivision levels from the character’s normal map from Character Creator. On the way back, the sculpted higher subdivision levels can be automatically baked back to normal maps. Before sending the characters to ZBrush, you can define the desired subdivision level:

In the GoZ Setting panel, I prefer setting “Match ZBrush Model Scale” to ON to ensure ZBrush uses common brush sizing:

After sculpting the face, you may want to sculpt the body then send it back to Character Creator as described in the next section.

To improve texture projection problems from the image, you can edit the projected texture in Photoshop or edit the head diffuse texture with ZBrush Polypaint tool. However, I used Reallusion’s SkinGen to recreate skin details, pores, and makeups.

This method eliminates lighting effects baked into the facial image, allowing for high-quality camera close-ups in different lighting conditions. For this model, the best starting skin template was the Skin tab \ Full Skin tab \ Realistic Human Skin \ Female Thin preset:

After that, I added makeup:

If you already have a 3D head model or a bust created In ZBrush, you can wrap the default template around it to create extreme humanoid shapes in HeadShot 2 Mesh mode:

Character Body Creation

You can shape the body in Character Creator’s Modify Editor:

You can fine-tune the body shape with GoZ Plus, similar to how you would with the face:

When you send the character back, you can set whether you want to return the model with Polypaint as a Diffuse texture or if you want to project higher subdivision details back to the normal map. You can also define the texture resolution.  Use the “All” button to send it back:

On the Character Creator side, you need to verify the receiving data and set whether you want to update the body parts. If you matched the scale for ZBrush on the way out, make sure to activate “Match CC Model Scale (x 100)” option on the receiving side to keep the correct character size:

Hair Creation

Reallusion offers various hairstyles in hair card formats, which you can quickly apply to the character from the Content Browser. An artist can create custom hair cards in Blender. The card’s transparent texture makes the cards look like hair:

Optionally, you can create strand-based hair in Maya XGen, render it in V-Ray, or export it to Unreal Engine as Alembic curves for rendering:

Clothing Creation

Reallusion has clothing library, which is automatically fitted to the shaped character. Artist can create clothing in other applications and import them as Accessories, then convert them to skin weighted clothing.

For example, the male clothing was applied from the Reallusion library, while the female clothing was created in ZBrush and Substance painter and transferred to Character Creator with the GoZ and Substance workflow:

The Reallusion’s Character Creator also works well with Marvelous Designer to create clothing. Marvelous Designer has a patterned-based clothing design. The clothing may have multiple layers for packets, buttons, and decoration. Stitches can be maintained as another geometry layer or normal texture, which helps the cloth simulation process:

Characters with Marvelous Designer’s clothing can be posed, animated and rendered with this Reallusion-focused pipeline along with detailed environments:

When using Marvelous Designer and exporting from Character Creator, export the character in Maya FBX format. When importing into Marvelous Designer, select the “cm DAZ Studio” scale setting. Ensure that Marvelous Designer is opened with the default ‘mm’ unit.:

In Marvelous Designer, you can use its fairly new Auto Fitting feature to fit existing clothing to the imported custom character and quickly fit multi-layered clothing patterns. This involves creating a tight fitted suit from which Marvelous Designer can recalculate pattern placement automatically for various sized custom characters:

You can set the cloth polygon resolution at any stage within the Marvelous Designer session and use polygon quads. Character Creator or iClone can further subdivide this and hand over for rendering to get smooth folds:

Clothing can contain of multiple items such as tops, pants, etc. To maximize the texture space for each clothing item within the first UV quadrant, it is advisable to export each item individually. This approach allows a single item (shirt, pants, etc.) to utilize the full UV space, which is ideal for cinematic applications.

For cloth simulation, using a thin version of the garment is more practical. A thick version can be created in Blender from the thin version. Then the thin version simulation can drive the thick version. Alternatively, you can simulate a thick like version by retaining the edge but removing the back side:

The most common Marvelous Designer export setting is activating Zipper if you have one, setting “Unified UV Coordinates” to ON to create the pattern’s UV in the first quadrant.

Even if Weld option set to on, some patterns remain detached, which could cause visual separation problem when subdividing later in the pipeline. This can be easily corrected in Blender by merging close vertices. Select all the faces in Edit Mode and press M and select By Distance. Set the last digit of the distance value to 5 (0.0005). After this, you can use Subdivision in the pipeline.

The first image shows the separation after subdivision, while the second image shows the corrected subdivided object ready for cinematic presentation:

Examples of clothing and character rendering in detailed environment:

Shading and Rendering Setup for Multiple Applications

Artists have several options to rendering character in any environments. Reallusion offers Auto Setup (Blender, Unreal Engine, Unity, 3ds Max, Maya in progress, Omniverse via USD) to set up shader network and Live Links tools (Unreal Engine) to send out to render or receive models for location reference. Common exchange formats (FBX, Alembic) are also provided.

At the time of this article Auto Setup for Maya was not available, the shading setup was done manually.  A Reallusion CC3+ character has separated body parts with their own UV space for high quality presentations. These parts include the head, body, arms, legs and nails. The head, body, arms, and legs skin textures need to seamlessly blend, requiring synchronized color and texture settings. V-Ray offers a VRayMultSubTex node to collect all textures and output them as if they were a single object texture. When processing this output for further tuning, all body parts are treated the same way:

The diffuse textures are collected via VRayMultSubTex node:

Body parts can be identified by an assigned ID in the VRayMultSubTex node (Head = 1., Body = 2, Arm = 3 Legs 4 and Nails = 5):

Similarly, you can collect the Roughness and Normal maps with the same ID in separate VRayMultSubTex nodes so that, for example, the head’s normal map will be tied to head diffuse map with the same ID = 1. Then connect the VRayMultSubTex’s Out Color to the appropriate material slot (Diffuse, Roughness Amount, Normal Map inputs):

To set skin’s subsurface scatter, adjust the material’s Refraction and Translucency channels. When connecting the collection of Diffuse to the SSS Color, you may use VRayColorCorrection node first to adjust subsurface color then output that to the material node’s SSS Color input:

As a result, V-Ray allows reference quality rendering with detailed environment
Reallusion pipeline allows transferring character with auto shading setup into 3ds Max

While traditional DCC application rendering can take some time (many minutes), FlexRap (Flexible Rapid) rendering workflow takes advantage of Unreal Engine and V-Ray capabilities to render character with complex environment, typically under 10 second. It took 5 second to render the following image:

Posing and Animating Characters

iClone offers non-linear animation of motion capture files, similar to Motion Builder. In addition, it provides keyframe animation. The recently introduced AccuPose feature offers AI assisted posing and animation, trained on Reallusion’s vast library of motion capture files, the ActorCore library.

iClone also offers AI assisted, text or voice to lip-sync speech animation. What differentiate iClone from some other tools is that it allows editing viseme timing and strength, or allows changing speaking style for narrative to drama, or singing:

iClone allows smoothing out mouth and jaw movement to make it look more natural:

AccuLips animates the jaw, mouth, teeth and tongue. Additional facial emotional expressions need to be superposed for the rest of the face. Head movement and expressions can be keyframed or added from Digital Soul library. These expression clips can be cut and blended the same way as motion capture clips.

iClone also offers facial control from video or live camera via iPhone facial motion tracking.

With the Unreal Engine workflow, iClone offers two-way data transfer. For example, an artist can export a chair or a room at certain location from an Unreal Engine scene into iClone. (R-click select Transfer to iClone / Transfer to iClone):

Then the artist can position, pose and animate the character on that chair, at the exact location, in iClone. The reference objects come in without textured shading to preserve iClone’s real-time animation ability, while the character to be animated remains textured:

Then the artist can send the animated character into Unreal Engine’s sequencer at the correct location to sit on the desired chair at the reference location.

In the Unreal Live Link panel, you can select the character to send over by activating the appropriate checkmarks. You can also choose to send the character with animation within the defined time range:

iClone’s pipeline friendliness allows setting up quickly, and rendering the scene with exceptional speed (5 second) and quality via the FlexRap Rendering workflow. In the image below, the larger displays screens act as light sources projecting and illuminating the scene with their screen images’ luminance. It renders hair, skin subsurface scatter, detailed clothing, many light sources and a complex environment, while keeping the dark regions relatively noise-free:

The followings are more examples with FlexRap rendering workflow. The characters were transferred into a complex environment using iClone’s Live Link:

With such a flexible workflow, the sunlight source can be unlinked and more intricate lighting can be linked with the character, refining micro details, such as pores:

The following is a cinematic Sci-Fi environment with many light sources and with characters created using the Reallusion focused pipeline:

Advantages of Such Workflow

The Reallusion focused pipeline presents significant time-saving advantages over the traditional   DCC application pipeline:

  • Character Creator offers a CC3+ template to start with, optimized for real-time production but can be subdivided as required for cinematics. Unlike other DCC applications, it does not lock down polygon vertices upon skin weighting and blend shape creation. This flexibility allows setting subdivisions during the rendering phase while maintaining optimal resolution for real-time animation.
  • It is inevitable to use multiple applications for modeling, texturing, rigging, clothing and hair design and rendering in a cinematic production pipeline. A single character can have 60 or more textures. Moving those within applications can take some time to setup. The Reallusion Auto Setup tools, GoZ Plus, and Substance Painter Auto Texture Pickup features significantly speed up this process.
  • When using the Reallusion CC3+ character template for cinematic applications and shaping characters, the blend shapes are automatically adjusted for the new character design. This is significant time saver during production. At the same time, Character Creator can work with custom polygon topology and helps creating custom blend shapes for facial animation.
  • During character production with clothing, it is common to experience clothing penetration into the body toward the end of the production pipeline. This may be due to applications calculating skin weighting and deformation differently, or it can be caused by different polygon resolution of the body and clothing above it. The traditional DCC applications lock vertices after skin weighting, requiring substantial rework to fix clothing penetration problems. With Character Creator, you can paint over the cloth to pull it out in the Modify panel, with the Edit Mesh brush tool, even after skin weighting or at any time during the animation. This preserves the polygon face offset throughout the animation. (Character Creator also allows hiding the mesh below clothing, but this may cause problems if you simulate and calculate cloth collision in an external application.):

Changing the shoe height after skin binding and cloth fitting with the traditional DCC applications can cause problems. With Character Creator, you can freely change shoe sizes if you set your character into the bind pose:

  • Pipeline friendly with the ability to collaborate with most other tools.
  • Fast speech animation, which would normally take a long time to keyframe. The AI assistant solution speeds up this process, while giving option to edit visemes and speaking style.
  • The Unreal Live link round trip feature allows matching animation position to a specific location in the scene when using multiple apps.

Related Posts

Learning

GI & Mesh-Based Lighting for Beginners

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Global illumination (GI) and mesh-based lighting is an underrated and easy to use lighting source for beginners. Most quickly grasp the main lighting tools like the Directional light, Spotlight and Point light. Mesh lighting has similar qualities but requires Global Illumination (GI) to be enabled before they cast any light.

Global Illumination is not a replacement for standard lighting but rather a companion to it in most cases. While we can light a scene with only GI, its main usage would fall into the hybrid category of complimenting or otherwise working with standard lighting. This is not always the case as it just depends on your needs.

Let’s take a look at some of the stock projects that come with iClone and how they work. We’ll also look at some custom projects to see how mesh-based lighting works in general.

Videos as Light Source

Project 3. Self-illumination TV
If you do not see this project in the Content Manager, you need to go to the Pack tab and search for the Project Part 3 pack and install the pack. 

Videos can generally be dragged and dropped onto almost any surface. I say generally, because some surfaces aren’t mapped properly, and wont display the video in the right manner even though you can drop it onto it. In a lot of cases, flat surfaces are mapped right and provide a great place to put videos to add more motion or lighting to your scene.

With Global Illumination turned on and some glow or self-illumination added, any video can project light just like your television or monitor does. The light will dance on the walls and other objects, flicker, go on and off, fade in and out depending on the video source and project the effects of the video on the surrounding environment.

This is a very simple but important method for beginners to level up on their production quality leveraging iClone’s ability to do most of the work while making the us and our production look good at the same time.

As in most tasks involving Global Illumination, there are very few things to do and only a slider to adjust the intensity. Placement is critical for good lighting and so is common sense to check out as many placement positions as possible but in some cases like the scenario below… it’s easy to home in on the TV as a single light source.

There is only one intensity slider since it is associated with the video simplifying the process.

Particle Effect as Light Source

Project 4. Particle_02
If you do not see this project in the Content Manager, you need to go to the Pack tab and search for the Project Part 3 pack and install the pack. 

This project demonstrates lighting the entire scene with a particle effect (Torch Fire in the Scene Manager) and the Illumination intensity strength slider located in the GI Settings section of the Modify tab. These two items combine to create the effect of the torch fire particle giving off light.

With Global Illumination off the scene goes black but when turned on the particle lights the room to varying degrees depending on the setting of the Illumination intensity slider. There are no other lights in the scene except the flickering torch particle.

Props as Lights

Custom Project. Props as Lights

Any prop in iClone can become a light source with Global Illumination. Just like videos the prop needs to be UV mapped properly or the entire light mesh like a lamp will glow instead of just the area of illumination where a bulb or candle would be. A lot of modern props are broken down into different texture maps that include a Glow map. This map only shows the section of the texture that would be used to generate light versus the entire prop.

In the example below I used several different methods of Global Illumination using mesh-based props. The table lamps were Meshy AI generated and had horrible UV maps making it impossible to use them for glow maps so I added a sphere primitive under the lamp shade using Global Illumination to turn the spheres into “lightbulbs” which I could then control via the texture illumination slider under GI Settings.

The entertainment center at the back uses a glow map for the lamp glows on both sides and Self Illumination for the lighting. The flat screen television is actually a wall prop fit into the screen area of the entertainment center and mapped with a video to project light.  The light intensity is controlled by the wall prop’s texture Self Illumination slider in this case. As is the case with GI props you can use the GI Intensity slider too.

The standing lamp uses only the Self Illumination with GI to project the light under and around the lamp. These props combine to light the scene without any physical lights or IBL lighting. The Tone Map is in use, but the white slider is toned down to where the effect darkens instead of lightens the entire scene.

Take a look at the video below for more information on this process. Keep in mind that we can use the Self Illumination slider or the GI Illumination sliders to mimic light or actually cast light. The tutorial uses both methods.

Passive Lighting

Project 3. Self-illumination
If you do not see this project in the Content Manager, you need to go to the Pack tab and search for the Project Part 3 pack and install the pack. 

Passive lighting is another form for using props, but they are usually hidden from the main view and provide basic lighting for the scene. It does not involve using things like lamp props for lamps but rather focuses on using props like floors or walls to passively light a scene.

This can be a main source of lighting or complement other lighting. Sometimes it can take a little time to drill down to the proper light source in scenes merged into one prop but it is possible as shown below using the texture channels and associated light settings.

Ready to Use Stock Mesh-Based Lights

Not only can any prop be used as a light source, iClone also provides three basic GI mesh props already set up as lights. GI Emissive Plane Oval, GI Emissive Plane Round and GI Emissive Plane Square are located in the Create -> Light submenu. See the video below for more details.

Be sure to set them as dummies or keep them out of sight of the camera as you don’t want these lighting props to show up in the render. Think of these props as just what they are… an alternative lighting system to the standard lights and a system that compliment standard lighting in the same scene. It is not unusual, and in fact is common, to use both of these lighting methods in the same scene.

NOTE: Setting these props to dummies only works for these particular stock props.

These mesh light props make it simple to add more lighting without wasting a lot of time as they can be deployed directly from the menu to the scene via clicking the item in the Create->Lights submenu. All we need to do after that is set the color and intensity.

Just make sure to have Global Illumination turned on to see the lighting effect. It’s easy for beginners to forget this when first using the props. If you see nothing happening, then check to make sure GI is on.

Attaching Mesh Lights

There comes a time when we need a light to follow along with a character or prop. Just like the standard lights we can attach mesh-based light props to these objects but even better we can attach the light to the camera, so it moves with the camera.

By attaching the mesh light to the camera, we don’t have to set up as many lights and we get the effect of the light moving in and out of the darkness as in the case of a flashlight or torch. Attaching can also be used to keep a certain highlighted or shadowed look to a character as it moves along.

Keeping the range of the light to a minimum will help facilitate this effect so the extra “hidden” light won’t show up on other objects. I also encourage you to experiment with attaching lights to the camera. This particularly works well when mapping out a project or quick proof of concept.

Try This – Turn Off ALL Lighting

This is a simple enough thing to do when starting but often overlooked. Once your scene is laid out and you know where things are…TURN OFF ALL THE LIGHTS in the scene. Especially if you are still in iClone default lighting as it is set up more for seeing the workspace then cinematic lighting.

Now start lighting by loading one light, global illumination mesh-based or standard and see how it affects the area it’s in and the immediate vicinity around it. This is not something you have to do but how can you really know how lights will affect a scene if you don’t start from scratch or at least do some tests first? This eliminates any confusion or accidentally leaving behind any of the default iClone lighting.

No… don’t delete the existing lights to do this! Just turn them off and try a few tests or start lighting from darkness then delete the pre-existing lights after you are satisfied with the results. You can keep these lights, if you wish, to help you light the scene more CLEARLY for working on or replacing something, but do not forget to turn them OFF when finished.

Summary

There can never be enough said about lighting… of any kind. Lighting will make or break a scene or project if not given careful consideration and given enough time to experiment and try out different ways of lighting that scene. Don’t be timid here. Experiment!

This is particularly true of mesh-based lighting that, like standard lighting, can stand on its own or be a hybrid use of both lighting types which is more common. There are about as many ways to light a scene as there are animators so you can only pick one that works for you or your client.

There is one thing to keep in mind about mesh-based lighting before we close this out and that is the fact that you have to be creative to use it because the light’s itself will render out. Unlike the stock GI props discussed earlier, if you set them as dummies the light will turn off. It’s not nearly as bad as it sounds though.

After a short time working with them you become adept at hiding them out of camera site or integrating them into the environment in ways that mask their presence while still emitting the light you. You have seen some of that in action in the short tutorials embedded into this article.

So, let’s not get in a hurry when it comes to lighting. Patience is key and experience builds with every new scene we light.

Manual

Tutorials

Global Illumination

GI Basics Part 1

GI Basics Part 2

GI Voxel Introduction

GI Anchor Follow

MD McCallum - WarLord

MD McCallum – WarLord

Digital Artist MD “Mike” McCallum, aka WarLord, is a longtime iClone user. Having authored free tutorials for iClone in its early years and selected to write the iClone Beginners Guide from Packt Publishing in 2011, he was fortunate enough to meet and exchange tricks and tips with users from all over the world and loves to share this information with other users. He has authored hundreds of articles on iClone and digital art in general while reviewing some of the most popular software and hardware in the world. He has been published in many of the leading 3D online and print magazines while staying true to his biggest passion, 3D animation. For more information click here.

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