Animating Bitmoji 3D

There are numerous ways how to animate Bitmoji 3D avatar:

• You may utilize 3D softwares such as Autodesk Maya or Blender 3D.
• You may leverage animation libraries such as Mixamo or Character Animation Library.
• Go further and animate Bitmoji head separately from body with Bitmoji Face Animator or drive them with user expressions using Bitmoji Head component.

Quick Links

• Autodesk Maya Rig

• Converter Tool for Autodesk Maya

• Blender Rig and Export Tools

• FBX file for Mixamo

Autodesk Maya

We provide a full Maya rig that features advanced controls, allowing you to create high-quality animations for Bitmoji avatars. This is the exact setup our team uses internally! We also provide a converter script required to process animations for optimal performance in Lens Studio.

Animate Avatar

1. Download the Maya Rig and the Converter
2. Copy the rig to your Maya project folder and open Maya
3. Go to File > Reference Editor

The Reference Editor in Maya is like a control center for managing files you've brought into your scene from outside sources.

4. Locate your bitmoji_rig.ma file. The Bitmoji Rig should be loaded in your viewport:

5. Make sure to set the scene to 30 FPS

6. Have fun animating!

Install Converter

This section explains how to install a converter depending on your system

MacOS

1. Open Terminal

2. Navigate to your Maya application file, for example

   cd /Applications/Autodesk/Maya2022/Maya.app/Contents/bin

3. Run the following command to install a library

   sudo ./mayapy -m pip install "pygltflib"

4. Make the FBX2glTF and MACFACT converter executable by running the following commands:

   chmod -R +x /Users/USER/Downloads/bitmoji_animation_converter/converter/FBX2glTF

   chmod -R +x /Users/USER/Downloads/bitmoji_animation_converter/converter/macfact

5. Enable FBX2glTF and MACFACT in "Privacy & Security" Settings:

Windows:

Open Maya Script Editor (Windows > General Editors > Script Editor). Then open and run the window_installer.py from the bitmoji_animation_converter folder to install the required libraries.

Export Animation

1. Open Maya Script Editor by navigating to Windows > General Editors > Script Editor
2. Open launch_bitmoji_export.py file in the converter folder
3. Run the Script!
   As this task will be performed repeatedly in different projects, scenes, and animations, utilizing Maya's Shelf Button function enhances efficiency. Simply select the script text and drag it to the shelf!

   Two files will be generated next to your Maya file:

• Animation FBX file containing keys on the skeleton & face blendshapes filename.fbx
• Optimized animation GLB file with dummy geometry for smaller size & blendshape keys copied to all possible geometry files (beard, lashes, etc) filename.glb

Import to Lens Studio

Import .glb file into Lens Studio, with Use Legacy Importer and Convert Meters to Centimeters disabled.

Blender

Bitmoji Export Tools are MacOS and Windows compatible and built in Blender v4.3.2.

Video Overview

Download

Download Blender Export Tools and rig here.

Animate Avatar

1. In order to use export tools on MacOS Blender will need to be launched from terminal:

   Example MacOS command in Terminal:

   /Applications/Blender.app/Contents/MacOS/blender

   

2. Open Bitmoji_blender_rig.blend or load it into your scene. blender_export_tools script is preloaded to scene.

3. Animate avatar:

   • Use Translate only on specified controls (TRS, COG, C_spine0001_CON, face, and IK).

   

   • Do not alter AVATAR, geo_GRP, rig_GRP, or bind_GRP.

   • Use bind_GRP bone collections to show/hide rig controls.

   

   • Place props (additional objects) in an Empty named prop_GRP. Use mesh objects bound to bones or armatures with standard bones.

   

4. Set your scene timeline range to the desired number of frames.

Animation must be at least 2 frames long [0-2].

5. Save your scene.

Export Animation

1. Navigate to the scripting workspace

2. If the script is not already available in the text editor, copy the full contents of blender_export_tools.py into the text editor.

   If working on Windows OS open the System Console to monitor export progress and errors: Windows: Window > Toggle System Console.

   

3. Run the script with the play button, blender will lock up, but report to the system console or terminal until the export is complete.

   

As a result you should obtain:

• filename.fbx: Animation for Bitmoji.
• filename_prop.fbx: Animation for props, if any.

Mixamo Animation Library

Another way of creating animations for Bitmoji is through a service like Mixamo.

Please don't forget to upload the custom model provided below!

1. Download .fbx file created for Mixamo
2. On the Mixamo website click on the Upload Character button and upload the .fbx file.

3. Once you've selected the animation - adjust settings and click Download. Select .fbx format and with or without skin option (we will use Bitmoji 3D model obtained in runtime).

Please note that static poses (animations with a length of 1 frame) are not imported correctly at the moment.

Lens Studio Setup

1. Drag and drop the .fbx or .glb files with animation into the Asset Browser to import it into Lens Studio.

2. Create a new scene object, and add Bitmoji 3D component to it. If your animation uses Mixamo like rig, toggle the Enable Adapt to Mixamo checkbox.

   

3. Add Animation Player component to the same scene object

   

4. Click Add Clip and add the Animation Asset that came in from your imported FBX with your animation.

   

5. At this point you should see your animation playing!

   

6. For more advanced animation control and blending check out Animation State Manager asset in the Asset Library

   

   You might have to change the scale of your parent object depending on your animation.

Tips and Tricks

To make sure your animation works well, make sure to:

• Set the Animation Player blend mode to Default instead of Additive.
• Set the object with Animation Player component to have an appropriate scale.

Playing the Animation

Take a look at the Animation Player guide to learn about playing animation automatically, programmatically, and more! Or check out the Animation State Manager custom component from Asset Library for easy animation control and blending!