Facial Rig for Multi-Production Use

Rig Features: 
-FACS based facial rig with over 90 blendshapes
-GUI control system
-Clamp expressions for multiple shape activation
-0 to 10 value slider controls
-On point facial controls that follow the geometry
-FK/IK switching head controls 
-Soft follow eyelid deformation
-Lip and tongue jaw follow options
-Tongue thickness shapes
-Infinite jaw open corrective shape for exaggeration
-Space switching
-Fully scalable
-Geometry display features
-Fast user interaction

This is a facial rig I built for personal use. While intended to be a feature-ready rig, it is also capable of being used for other production purposes. This particular facial rig features over 90 blendshape expressions that I sculpted based on the Facial Action Coding system. A slider-based GUI allows for animating the expressions, as well as on-point facial controls to tweak the expressions. These facial controls react according to the facial deformation.

I scripted clamp nodes into the GUI controls to allow for the activation of four different shapes under a single control, as well as generated some math nodes to give the sliders a value from 0 to 10 for more animation room. To provide some additional options to the user, the head features both FK and IK controls as well as dynamic parenting options for the eyes, tongue, and lower lip. The user also has the ability to adjust the amount of soft follow eyelid deformation when animating the eye gaze controls. 

These images demonstrate the skeleton, FK/IK head controls, and facial expression examples

Facial GUI

Math Nodes for Slider Value

Example of Clamp Expressions - This connects the blendshapes for the left and right smile and frown to a single control