For those who don’t know the tool: Headshot is a plug-in inside Character Creator 5 for turning photos or head meshes into rigged CC characters that can move on to Autodesk Maya, Blender, Unreal Engine, and Unity.

Two ways in: photo or mesh

Headshot now sits at version 3 and requires Character Creator 5. The tool targets digital humans built from either a single portrait or an existing 3D head model, with both paths ending in a fully rigged CC character ready for animation work.

The image workflow starts from a facial photo and runs through automatic 3D head generation plus topology and shape refinement, camera lens correction, normal map creation, and texture reprojection. The mesh workflow targets static head models and runs automatic head wrapping, mesh refinement, and texture baking. The same product page frames the mesh workflow as optimized for photogrammetry, sculpted assets, and mobile scanned models.

Both workflows chase the same goal: convert reference into a character that stays on CC topology so facial animation and downstream retargeting behave predictably. That matters more than the marketing word salad, because your rig cares about edge flow, not adjectives.

Image workflow: faster first pass, more knobs after

The image workflow focuses on building a likeness from a single portrait. Headshot 3 adds AI Image Enhancement tools described as head leveling, expression neutralization, lighting correction, stray hair removal, and 4K upscaling, all applied to source photo material used for the head build.

Headshot 3 also adds AI Image Generation, (text to image generation) with portrait images up to 4K resolution and side or full body images up to 2K resolution. AI Image Generation is powered by Google Nano Banana and requires credits for each generation. The same ecosystem also promises you can swap or replace textures after mesh changes, with texture reprojection that updates after mesh modifications.

For anyone who has ever tried to fix a face by nudging ten sliders and then regretted it on frame 180, Headshot 3 adds preset driven morphing on top. The version has 58 facial presets intended to enhance depth and highlight unique features, with an adjustable slider for fine tuning per applied preset. This is the part to pressure test early. New tools and innovations should be tested before use in production, especially when your deliverable lives or dies on a tight closeup.

Mesh workflow: wrap, sculpt, and keep topology honest

The mesh workflow centers on converting a static head model into a fully rigged CC character using head wrapping, refinement, and baking. It is positioned for turning scans and sculpts into animation ready characters while keeping CC topology.

Headshot 3 adds a spline based reshaper that supports portrait and profile views for alignment of features such as double eyelids and nasolabial folds, described as enabling more accurate facial animation. As well as Bezier controls for refining front and side profiles, with granular adjustment aimed at eyelid structures, mouth curves, and the flow of laugh lines when used with CC5 characters.

Texture work also gets more explicit tooling. The forum post describes a De light function that removes shadows and highlights to produce a clean albedo texture and can generate roughness and normal maps automatically for a full PBR texture set. It also brings a 3D mask brush for removing unwanted blemishes and photo artifacts such as stray hair or eyelashes, with edits on selected texture channels or across all channels at once.

Body matching and the bigger character pipeline

Headshot 3 pushes beyond the head with body matching. The launch post describes using full body reference photos so the AI automatically generates a matching body shape to complement the face, producing a cohesive character build that is fully rigged and ready for animation within the Character Creator 5 ecosystem.

On the promo side, that means a single workflow aims to move from reference to a complete character rather than a floating head. On the pipeline side, it means you still need to verify your own handoff points like shading conventions, texture packing, and how far the exported result matches your studio standards for facial rigs and blendshape naming.

If you are tracking internal workflow topics, this release lands squarely in character animation and the places where facial rigs meet real production schedules. It also sits close to mocap cleanup, since a fast character build only helps if the face holds up once you start driving it.

Again, new tools and innovations should be tested before use in production. Do the boring tests now so you do not do the expensive ones later.

Pricing, promos, and what is actually specified

There is an Early Bird Offer running April 27 through May 31 and it includes Headshot Morphs 1400 plus valued at $99 and 100 AI Image Gen Credits valued at $30. It lists a starter package for Character Creator 5 at $329 from $498, Headshot 3 at $129 from $199 as a member special, and an upgrade price of $99 for Headshot 2 customers.All prices are for Windows perpetual licenses.

New users can purchase Headshot 2 for $129 as a special offer and get Headshot 3 free at launch, and that Headshot 1 and 2 owners can upgrade to Headshot 3 for $99 starting on launch day. The early bird offer runs until May 31st, 2026.

If you plan to lean on AI Image Generation, remember the product page also states it requires credits for each generation. Test the workflow, confirm what consumes credits in your actual use, and validate liekness under your lighting and animation range before you commit it to a client deliverable.

https://www.reallusion.com/character-creator/headshot/

https://discussions.reallusion.com/t/headshot-3-is-coming-pre-launch-offer-live-now/16736

The post Reallusion ships Headshot 3 for CC5 first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

For those who don’t know the tool: Hologress develops MetaTailor, a Windows-based tool for fitting clothing to humanoid avatars used in games, animation and realtime engines, sitting between DCC authoring and engine integration.

MetaTailor version 2.5 has been announced by Hologress and is scheduled for release this week. The update introduces the MetaTailor Bridge, a new engine connection system that enables the transfer of characters and clothing directly between MetaTailor and supported host applications.

According to Hologress, the MetaTailor Bridge provides a one-click round-trip workflow between MetaTailor and Unreal Engine, Unity and Character Creator versions 4 and 5. The company states that the feature removes the need for repeated FBX exports, manual texture reassignment and repeated rig checks when iterating on character clothing. But you can still export as FBX, if you need that in your workflow, of course.

The Unreal Engine and Unity bridges were previously available as beta features. With version 2.5, they are now described as officially supported for production use.

What MetaTailor does

MetaTailor is a dedicated clothing-fitting application for humanoid avatars. It accepts rigged characters and wearable assets, automatically adapts garments to different body proportions, and applies skin weighting and layer ordering. Manual adjustments are possible using built-in sculpting and accessory tools.

MetaTailor’s fitting system is a proprietary adaptive mesh approach. The software is intended to sit between DCC tools and target platforms such as game engines or realtime applications. Supported workflows include exporting fitted clothing as standard assets or transferring them via the new Bridge system where available.

Pipeline updates in version 2.5

In addition to the MetaTailor Bridge, version 2.5 includes a set of general pipeline quality-of-life updates. Hologress states that these changes focus on improved application stability, smoother mesh handling and faster internal operations during fitting and adjustment tasks. No changelog with granular technical details has been published at the time of writing.

Dynamic wardrobe handling

MetaTailor 2.5 also expands support for Hologress’s dynamic wardrobes. This feature is described as improved handling of persistent clothing libraries across engine projects, allowing users to reuse and manage garments more consistently.

Platform support and licensing

MetaTailor remains a Windows-only application. There is no mention of macOS or Linux support on the official product pages or Discord. The software is offered as a subscription service. A free tier provides access to core fitting features and a limited number of FBX exports per month. The Pro subscription is required to access the MetaTailor Bridge, unlimited exports and additional pipeline features. At the time of writing, the Pro plan is listed at 35 US dollars per month or 336 US dollars per year. An Enterprise plan is also listed for larger teams, with pricing starting at approximately 500 US dollars per year, billed annually.

Production context

With official engine bridges now moving out of beta, MetaTailor is positioned more directly inside realtime production pipelines rather than as a standalone preparation step. As with any new pipeline feature, we recommend carefully testing MetaTailor 2.5 before deploying it to live production environments, especially where engine updates and character assets are tightly coupled in complex pipelines, and final production deliverables remain sensitive.

https://www.metatailor.com/

The post MetaTailor adds engine bridges and less FBX fatigue first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

For those who don’t know the tool: Reallusion’s iClone and Character Creator sit at the intersection of real-time animation and 3D character production, integrating with pipelines in Maya, Blender, Unreal, Unity, and others via standard formats and plugins.

Reallusion adds subscription licences alongside perpetual ownership

Starting in early January 2026, Reallusion introduced new subscription licensing options for several of its flagship tools, including iClone, Character Creator, and Cartoon Animator. These subscriptions are offered alongside the existing perpetual licences, giving creators more choice in how they pay for production software.

Official documentation confirms that subscriptions provide the same rights and privileges as perpetual licences under the Reallusion EULA. Subscription plans are available with monthly or annual billing, allowing short-term access for smaller projects or budget-conscious creators, while perpetual licences remain an option for long-term production stability and a solid place in a studio toolbox.

Annual subscription pricing examples published by Reallusion include low entry tiers, such as Character Creator at around $8.30 per month and iClone at around $16.90 per month on the entry plans, with higher tiers rolling up into more complete bundles. Reallusion emphasises its continued support for perpetual licences for studios and teams that require fixed version control and long-term licence stability.

AccuPOSE INFINITY repositions as one time purchase

Alongside the broader licensing shift, AccuPOSE INFINITY, a pose library and motion editing add-on closely tied to iClone workflows, has moved from a subscription model to a permanent purchase.

The official community announcement states that more than 1,400 AI-trained poses are now available under a one-time licensing fee of 149 USD, effective on and after 6 January 2026. All previous subscribers, active or expired, receive the full perpetual licence automatically.

The AccuPOSE update also includes a new Cartoon category targeting expressive and stylised animation, alongside other pose themes such as Free Fight and Aerial Fighter. Updates beyond the current library will continue, but they will not follow a fixed schedule, according to Reallusion.

What this means for production pipelines

This licensing expansion signals a more flexible budgetary model for Reallusion tools within production pipelines. Subscription licences reduce upfront cost barriers and may suit short-term or freelance work, while perpetual licences still serve studios with long-term version-control needs. Shifting AccuPOSE INFINITY to a one-time purchase eliminates recurring costs for pose libraries, simplifying integration into stable character animation workflows.

As always, new licensing models and pricing should be evaluated against your project schedules, team size and version control requirements before committing to any purchase.

The post Reallusion expands licences for iClone and Character Creator first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

For those who don’t know the tool: KeenTools is a suite of professional tracking and head-creation plugins used in Blender and Nuke for geometry and facial workflows, and in Adobe After Effects for object tracking. It complements DCCs like Blender for 3D production and Nuke for compositing, and interacts with character-design tools such as Character Creator.

What’s in 2025.3

Keentools released version 2025.3. This is the final scheduled release for the year and focuses on host compatibility and workflow extensions. The update adds official support for Blender 5.0 across its Blender plugin pack. Earlier versions of KeenTools plugins already supported Blender 2.80+, but this brings full compatibility with the latest major Blender release.

FaceBuilder for Blender now includes direct integration with Character Creator 5, allowing artists to send 3D head models created in Blender into Character Creator 5. This expands on existing integrations and streamlines head-creation pipelines between these tools.

After Effects & Export Improvements

GeoTracker for Adobe After Effects gains support for After Effects 25.6, ensuring the plugin runs with the current AE build. The notable addition is the ability to export 3D scene-tracking data as an Alembic (.abc) file, making it easier to transfer tracked objects and camera data into other 3D applications. The release notes emphasise that Alembic export applies to full 3D scene tracking from GeoTracker in After Effects.

Nuke Open Beta Support

For Foundry Nuke users, the 2025.3 update adds compatibility with Nuke 16.1 and 17.0 open beta builds. This ensures KeenTools nodes and plugins operate in these pre-release environments as users test the latest compositor versions.

What’s Not Changed

There is no indication from the official release notes of major new tracking algorithms, UI overhauls, or fundamental workflow rewrites. This update centres on host support and select workflow exports rather than algorithmic feature expansion.

What You Should Know

Artists considering production adoption should verify compatibility with their exact host versions and pipeline tools before integrating 2025.3 into active projects. As always with plugin updates, running controlled tests in a non-production environment is recommended. Not independently verified at press time: performance impact or stability across all host configurations.

The post KeenTools 2025.3 Brings Blender 5, Character Creator 5 & AE Exports first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.