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The Dragon Slayer
Director: Shimeng
Actor: Siqi
MoCap Technician: Baiyuan
Cinematic Artist: Shimeng
Editor: Baiyuan



Mocap project |  2024
Mocap director | Cinematic Artist
Software: Unreal Engine 5, MotionBuilder, Blender, Mixamo

PROJECT DOCUMENTATION

Dragon Slayer is a comedy short created in Unreal Engine 5 about a timid “dragon slayer,” built using motion-capture animation to recreate and reinterpret the physical movement language of video game characters.


PROCESS

We studied the movement patterns of video game characters and captured all required performances through motion capture to support the story. Origami-style characters and environment assets were generated using Meshy to establish the visual world.

The character was rigged in Mixamo and imported into MotionBuilder for animation cleanup and organization before exporting the animations as FBX files. The character and animations were then integrated into Unreal Engine 5, where scenes were assembled and cinematic shots were recorded for editing.


RESEARCH & STUDY

The project draws inspiration from physical comedy and silent film traditions. While exploring how to tell a comedic story through movement alone—without facial expressions or dialogue—we found that video game characters provided strong references. Their stiff and exaggerated motions naturally create humor through timing and physicality.


ART & DESIGN

The world and characters were designed in an origami-inspired visual style to support exaggerated comedic actions. This stylization echoes silent film aesthetics, guiding audience attention toward body language and movement, which became the central focus of the experiment.