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AI Animation API

Use Kinetix AI Animation API to build creators tools!

Introduction

The AI Animate API is organized with REST providing a simple and secure way to retrieve an animation from a video or a text. Our API accepts form-encoded request bodies, returns JSON-encoded responses, and uses standard HTTP response codes, authentication, and verbs.
AI Animate API transforms any avatar-based video and any text prompt into a 3D animation.

Processing characteristics for videos

  • Average processing time for a 10 sec video = 3min
  • No limitation on video duration input, animation file in output will perfectly match the video duration input
  • All input videos are reencoded in 30 FPS to match with output technical characteristics

Input characteristics

AI Animate API handles any avatar-based video into a 3D animation with the following characteristics:

Video content characteristics

  • Multiple characters in the video:
    • Only 1 character will be processed and transposed.
    • If the video contains more than 5 characters at the same time for at least 1 sec, the AI processing is aborted and an error message is sent.
      • If the video contains less than 5 characters, the following rules apply:
        1. 1.
          The model keep the character associated with the longest animation file
        2. 2.
          In case of equality of animation durations, the model keeps the one with the largest bounding box
  • Full body, half-body: API handles both setup as input.
  • Character clothing: Maximize the output quality with fit clothes that contrast with the background
Make sure to check Optimise Video for Kinetix to maximize video input quality.

Video technical characteristics

  • Video file size: Any size supported, the bigger the video, longer the process
  • Video formats supported: AVI, FLV, MKV, MP4, TS, MOV or WebM.
    • 4K videos are not supported
  • Edited video: Avoid scene cuts or complex edited video that will alter character detection and animation processing
Only 1 character will be processed and transposed into the animation output.

Text content characteristics

  • Multiple characters in the prompt:
    • Only 1 character will be processed and transposed in the output animation.
Make sure to check Optimise Text for Kinetix to maximize text input quality.

Output characteristics

Animation output characteristics based on the video or text input are the following:

Output content characteristics from a Video input:

  • Only one animation file output: 1 .fbx or .glb or .usdz file
  • Full body frames only: if half-body provided in input, the API creates a full body animation composed of the half-body animated input and other half-body static

Output technical characteristics from a Video input:

  • Animation format: FBX, GLB, USDz
  • Retargeting: Output is retargeted on a standard Ready Player Me skeleton or Omniverse avatar. You can also enjoy a contact aware retargeting on the avatars you have uploaded via the Animate Portal.
  • Number of frames: 30 Frames Per Second (FPS)

Output technical characteristics from a Text input:

  • Animation format: FBX, GLB, USDz
  • Retargeting: Output is retargeted on a standard Ready Player Me skeleton or Omniverse avatar. You can also enjoy a contact aware retargeting on the avatars you have uploaded via the Animate Portal.
  • Number of frames: 20 Frames Per Second (FPS)
(coming soon) Emote standards can be applied to the output animation on request in API call

Pricing plans for AI Animation API

There a 2 options to test and use the AI Animation API:
  • Limited: free version of the AI Animation API that lets you output up to 20000 animation frames in total.
    • If a video input makes you overpass the 20000 limits, the process is blocked and API sends back an error message (Frame Limitation reached).
    • Once reached that limit, you are invited to switch to Unlimited option.
    • Remaining number of free frames are displayed in Animation Creator tool portal
  • Unlimited: paid version of the AI Animation API that lets you output as many animation frames as you want.
    • Price per frame starts at 0.0005€
    • Kinetix refunds all the frames charged if the API process is unsuccessful
Go to the Animation Creator tool portal to review and select your preferred plan.

Rig characteristics to maximize retargeting and animation quality

Skeleton structure

  • A seperate group containing all of the skeleton's joints, independant from any curves or other kind of controlers.
  • Clean joints will all transformation channels (translate, rotate and scale) unlocked and easily acessible, to ease the remapping process.
  • Have a logical joint hiearchy (example: L_shoulder>L_arm>L_forearm>L_hand)
  • Ideally, have a consistent joint orientation (+Y axis is the most optimal), and be wary of joint mirroring (example: left arm and right arm should

Compatibility

  • Avoid "Maya exclusive" tools and solvers (ex : lattices, ribbons, etc...) or their equivalent in Blender, etc… if possible, for better compatibility (character rig should be convertible to an .fbx or .glb file)
  • Removing controllers if possible, as existing control rigs affecting the skeleton can hinder the retargeting process.

Facial animation