Clear Angle Studios Acquires DI4D, Launching TopoTrack for Advanced Facial Capture
Clear Angle Studios, a leading provider of 3D and 4D capture solutions, has acquired the technology and intellectual property of DI4D, a specialist in facial imaging and performance capture. This acquisition introduces TopoTrack, a new service designed to enhance the processing of high-fidelity scanned data for visual effects (VFX) vendors.
Expanding Capabilities in 3D and 4D Capture
The integration of DI4D’s technology expands Clear Angle Studios’ end-to-end capture and processing pipeline for film and game production. Founded in 2003, DI4D pioneered markerless 4D facial capture systems, delivering performance-driven solutions for productions such as Blade Runner 2049 and Love, Death & Robots. DI4D developed proprietary technology including the DI4D PRO system, DI4D HMC, and the PURE4D machine learning pipeline.
Introducing TopoTrack
TopoTrack provides mesh tracking and stabilization for 3D FACS (Facial Action Coding System) expression sets and 4D performance sequences. It also supports the creation of high-resolution animation from head-mounted camera (HMC) footage. The service is designed to streamline production pipelines while preserving the detail and nuance of an actor’s performance. Animation Xpress reports that TopoTrack facilitates more efficient production workflows.
Industry Recognition and Collaboration
Clear Angle Studios has contributed scanning services to several productions recognized for their visual effects. These include F1, How to Train Your Dragon, Jurassic World Rebirth, The Lost Bus, Mickey 17, Superman, Tron: Ares, and Wicked: For Decent, earning recognition from BAFTA’s 2026 Special Visual Effects category. The company also contributed to Academy Award-nominated productions, including F1, Jurassic World Rebirth, and The Lost Bus in the 2026 Best Visual Effects category.
Leadership and Future Outlook
Dominic Ridley, Co-Founder and Director of Clear Angle Studios, stated that the acquisition represents a “seismic merging of specialties,” allowing studios to leverage the new service across their global infrastructure. GamesPress notes that DI4D Co-Founder Dr. Colin Urquhart has joined Clear Angle Studios as a Strategic Advisor, leading product development with a specialized team of DI4D engineers and processing experts.
Dr. Urquhart commented that the integration of DI4D’s technology has already yielded significant advantages in developing efficient solutions like TopoTrack. The companies previously collaborated on projects, including a 4D facial performance workflow presented at SIGGRAPH 2024 alongside TexturingXYZ, producing per-frame map data.