Hey guys, please find a summary of my issue below:
I used MetaHuman Animator to record some mocap face animation in UE5. I then exported the face animation to Maya with no issues. Using animation layers, I tweaked the animation of the face mocap data.
The Issue: I am now struggling to export the facial animation from Maya into UE5 and apply it onto my MetaHuman. This is my main workflow:
- In Maya, I select the Set Members of the FacialControls set.
- I then do an FBX Export of the Facial controls (selecting both the base animation layer and my new animation layer). I do not bake the animation. This looks like it works as the timeline scrubs through and I can see that my FBX Exports have a file size of ~3,500 KB for a 10ish second animation clip
- I then go into UE5 where I have a Level Sequencer with my MetaHuman already tracked. I then right click on the Face_ControlBoard_CtrlRig and Import Control Rig FBX, selecting my exported clip from Maya and ensuring it is on MetaHuman Control Mapping Presets.
Despite this workflow, the animation does NOT appear to import in UE5, and the MetaHuman’s face remains static.
This is where I am stuck and have no idea what the issue is. My body animation export (and import into UE5) works absolutely fine but can’t say the same for the facial controls.
I have also tried using the facial transfer plug-in created by Sean Nolan (GitHub - swnolan/metahuman_facial_transfer: Extracts/Transfers Metahuman Facial from exported FBX onto Maya face control board) to export the FBX but this does not work properly either for different reasons. The Export works and can actually be imported into UE5 successfully BUT for whatever reason, the export messes up the poses of my mouth and the MetaHuman’s facial poses become deformed. I can even see this in my Maya file after I hit Export Facial FBX from the plug-in (the screenshots below are the same frame before and after I use the plug-in to export the facial controls)
Would really appreciate any insight whether it’s about the Plug-In or my workflow for getting the face animation into UE5. Thank you so much in advance.