Motion Capture for Art Education: CHINGMU Backs National Fund's Children's Playwright Training

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2025 Aug. 28

When the whimsical imagination of children's theater meets the cutting-edge technology of motion capture, what new creative possibilities will emerge? Recently, the National Arts Fund's 2025 Talent Training Support Project, "Children's Theater Character Design Talent Training," officially launched. On August 25, under the guidance of the organizing institution, Zhejiang University of Media and Communications, the trainees visited CHINGMU's MCP Motion Capture Creative Base at Shanghai Peninsula 1919 Film Studio. There, they embarked on an immersive journey into motion capture—where technology empowers art.

Group Photo of "Children's Theater Character Design Talent Training" – CHINGMU with Trainees from the National Arts Fund Program

Immersive Motion Capture Experience Drives Innovation in Art Education Practice

High-precision optical motion capture camera arrays, real-time rendering workstations, professional motion capture suits and facial capture equipment... Through intuitive device disassembly and principle explanations, the technical instructors at CHINGMU Vision's MCP Motion Capture Creation Base quickly helped trainees from the National Art Fund training program understand the core logic of "how motion capture converts real-life movements into digital signals to drive virtual characters." When these cutting-edge technologies met the creative demands of children's theater, they further revealed new possibilities for breaking through traditional creative limitations and revolutionizing character design.

It is worth noting that characters in children's theater often require more vivid expressions and exaggerated body language to captivate young audiences. Motion capture technology is precisely the key to bringing these imagined characters to life with realism. Traditional children's theater, however, often faces limitations in character presentation due to the physical constraints of costumes and props. For example, flying fairies, dancing animals... often require complex stage effects or highly challenging performances from actors, which not only increases costs but also makes it difficult to ensure consistency across every show. Motion capture technology effectively addresses these issues.

Xu Hang, Head of the Education Division at CHINGMU, Explains Optical Motion Capture Technology to Trainees

During the training session, the trainees personally participated in a hands-on motion capture experience: wearing motion capture suits and attaching positioning markers, they performed simple body movements and facial expressions under the guidance of CHINGMU Vision's professional technical instructors. Simultaneously, the virtual character on the system screen instantly replicated the same movements. This new real-time-driven creative model provided the trainees with fresh insights into dynamic character design for children's theater.

Real-Time Motion Capture Demonstration with Virtual Characters

University-Enterprise Collaboration: Building a Foundation for Children's Theater Talent Development

As an important vehicle for aesthetic education, theater arts—especially through creative character design in children's theater—can enhance stage expressiveness, stimulate children's imagination and creativity, and combine entertainment with education to support holistic personal development. Zhejiang University of Media and Communications, co-established by the Zhejiang Provincial People's Government and the National Radio and Television Administration, boasts a rich curriculum in arts-related disciplines and extensive experience in cultivating artistic talent. The National Arts Fund's 2025 Talent Training Support Project, “Children's Theater Character Design Talent Training,” hosted by the university, will significantly enhance participants’ creative and technical skills in character design, promote the prosperity of the children's theater market, and provide young audiences with diverse and educational visual experiences. With a focus on “AI + 3D” technology as the core driver, the project aims to foster technical and artistic innovation in character design, advance the development of children's theater in China, and realize the vision of “building a digital engine to power the future of children's theater.”

As a leading provider of optical motion capture technology in China, CHINGMU brings substantial experience in both the development and practical application of motion capture systems. This university-enterprise collaboration has not only allowed trainees to experience the appeal of motion capture technology up close but has also opened new creative avenues for “technology-enhanced artistry” in children's theater. By accurately capturing movement traits and combining them with exaggerated artistic design, characters can maintain their charm while conveying nuanced emotions—truly harnessing technology in the service of art.

Motion Capture Technology Empowers Aesthetic Education, Paving a New Future for Children's Theater

Children's theater plays a foundational role in artistic enlightenment for the young. CHINGMU aims to inject new vitality into children's artistic creation through innovative motion capture technology, helping to create more vivid and emotionally resonant roles. This collaborative initiative is also a reflection of CHINGMU's ongoing commitment to empowering higher art education with motion capture technology. Moving forward, we will continue to leverage our technical strengths and partner with more institutions to build platforms for practical learning and innovation, integrating cutting-edge technology into the talent development process. Together, we can cultivate more interdisciplinary talents who “understand art and master technology,” contributing not only to children's theater but to the broader field of digital arts.