Airbnb, with Passion Pictures · Character rigs and Python rig automation
Airbnb characters
For an Airbnb advert at Passion Pictures, I rigged a large cast of characters and props using an upgraded version of my automated Python rigging system. It built and rebuilt rigs from one setup and copied skin weights between similar models, so every character shared the same deformation and control standards. Over a month I rigged and rebuilt up to two characters a day.
- Client
- Airbnb
- Studio
- Passion Pictures
- Role
- Character rigs and Python rig automation
- Tech
- Python
The challenge
The Airbnb job needed a large cast of hero characters and props rigged quickly, with every rig built to the same standard. The pace was two hero characters a day, and at that speed hand-building each rig would have cost time and led to small differences from one character to the next.
What I did
I upgraded my automated Python rigging system and tailored it to this project, so the character and prop assets could all be rigged the same way.
- Create and rebuild. Rigs could be built, and rebuilt after model changes, from the same setup, while still handling each character's own attributes.
- Copied weights. A weight-copying system transferred deformation data between similar models, which cut down the manual skinning and adjustment work.
- Standard controls. Every character shared the same deformation and control standards, so animators got a consistent rig across the whole roster.
The outcome
Over the course of a month I rigged and rebuilt up to two characters per day. The automation let the project meet tight deadlines without dropping quality, and the consistent rigs left the animators free to focus on performance.
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