Agenda

Pre-production is where ideas move, or stall. In this session, Cartwheel shares how AI-assisted motion tools can dramatically speed up early exploration for gameplay and cinematic teams. We'll walk through real examples of going from reference to usable animation in minutes, generating fast blockouts for combat moves, traversal, cutscenes, and character moments without disrupting existing Maya, Blender, or Unreal pipelines.

Attendees will learn where AI fits today, where it doesn't, and how teams are using rapid motion prototypes to test ideas earlier, reduce iteration time, and unblock downstream departments. We'll cover practical workflows, common pitfalls, and how studios of all sizes are integrating lightweight AI tools into their pre-production stack to move faster without sacrificing creative control.

Takeaway

Attendees learn how teams use AI-driven motion tools to generate fast, reliable animation blockouts for gameplay and cinematics, reducing early-stage iteration from days to minutes. The session shows concrete workflow e.g., turning reference footage into prototype combat moves or character beats while clarifying where AI meaningfully accelerates pre-production and where traditional methods remain essential.

Intended Audience

This session benefits gameplay animators, cinematic animators, technical animators, and directors exploring faster pre-production workflows. Attendees should have a working understanding of traditional animation pipelines in Maya, Blender, or Unreal. No AI expertise is required, only familiarity with early-stage animation or motion prototyping.