From Curiosity to Leadership

Mackenzie Kelly, a talented creative artist, senior, and president of the Motion Capture Club, shared her story. Her first experience with the Motion Capture Club began with curiosity:

“I kept seeing this room on one side of Montgomery Hall with the lights on…” a truly cool room you wonder about but never really know what it’s for. “People in full black outfits with markers on them, just doing something for class. I was like, what is this?”

Motion capture — an amazing tool professional industries still use today to track movement for games, movies, and VFX. Films like Avatar and games like Resident Evil rely heavily on motion capture technology. It quickly became the kind of environment Mackenzie wanted to be part of.

“By the next week, I was in the suit, acting for them. It all happened pretty quickly. I didn’t really know how to use anything yet,” which is a very similar experience for most students entering the Motion Capture Club. Getting to act like a fool while covered in a velcro suit is far more exhilarating than you might think.

“Motion capture gives you this grounded base that’s very hard to replicate any other way.” Anyone who has tried animating for the first time knows it is far harder than it looks. When animating rigid models, you often have to move joints one by one manually, but motion capture adds “a deeper emotional layer.” Mackenzie explains, “I can use it as a base, then shape it into the kind of performance I like.”

Motion capture is far from replacing humans. In fact, it makes the creative process feel more human and interactive while helping artists achieve more efficient and emotional performances.

Like many students, Mackenzie once thought motion capture was something too complicated or inaccessible to ever become a real opportunity. “I never thought motion capture would be an actual option,” she explained. However, over time, “Motion capture helped me realize I could take something I love doing in my free time and possibly turn it into a job.”

Due to the on-and-off nature of the club in the past, Mackenzie eventually made the difficult decision to take over leadership of the organization. One of her biggest goals became “to make sure people know this space exists—somewhere they can express the art form they want.” The club even hosted relaxed creative days where members would simply play Just Dance together. As a creative person, like many of us, Mackenzie says a large part of the excitement comes from “pulling inspiration from everywhere—games, shows, anything.”

Leading such a creative group was never going to be easy. “Honestly, just becoming a leader… I still don’t fully believe I’m in this role sometimes.” She describes the strange realization of leadership: “There’s this moment of, Wait, I’m in charge?” The responsibility of being a leader is significant. It’s about the example you set and the values you stress — even small things, like not eating in the motion capture room. “It’s not about being mean; it’s about making sure the space is respectful and functional.”

Now, as president of the Motion Capture Club and a senior graduating this year, she states, “I actually only have about a month left before I’m done, so I’m really in ‘passing the torch’ mode,” adding that “The hardest challenge is keeping people aware and engaged.”

One of the biggest lessons Mackenzie emphasized was the importance of reaching out to professionals. The club invited Katherine Dornbier, who worked as a motion capture character tech on Avatar 2 and 3. With more than 40 people attending the event, Dornbier spoke about her experiences working in the film, television, and game industries. The club has also hosted professionals from Gearbox Software.

“You have to be the person who reaches out […] If you don’t reach out, nothing happens,” Mackenzie stated — something that feels incredibly true. We are all human, even the people working on major films and productions, and many professionals genuinely want to hear from students and aspiring artists.

When asked what advice she would give to others, Mackenzie shared:
“The same thing I tell anyone: just try it out.”
“You don’t need to be serious or perfect. You can be silly and experiment.”
“Be open to stepping out of your comfort zone.”
“Find something, even if it’s small, grab it, and hold on.”

The Motion Capture Club is more than just a room filled with cameras and suits — it is a creative space where students can experiment, collaborate, and discover opportunities they never thought possible. Through Mackenzie’s leadership, the club became a place focused not only on technology, but also on creativity, curiosity, and community. From learning complicated equipment to bringing in industry professionals and encouraging students to simply try something new, the club reflects an important reminder: opportunities often begin by stepping into unfamiliar spaces and being willing to reach out, experiment, and create.