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mocap actress
Those who watch the children's animated series Dance With Qai Qai, produced by Serena Williams — a hit on YouTube Kids with over 4 million views and more than 500,000 followers — may not realize that behind the adventures of the doll, created based on the daughter of the famous former tennis player, is Brazilian actress Juliana Suaide. Having lived in New York, USA, for 13 years, Juliana is responsible for the motion capture technique, which transforms live actors into animation.
"During the pandemic, I heard that animators used to film themselves to base the movements they would animate. That sparked a great curiosity in me about the animation process. So, I started acting as a reference for animators at Roof Studio — a renowned animation production company. There's a suit that allows a person to do everything on their own. They're expensive but effective, a highly advanced technology that requires the challenge of learning to use software to transmit those movements. I learned and now I'm one of the few actresses who owns this suit and the expertise. In fact, I don’t know of another who does this. I have the equipment because the production company Invisible Universe hired me for most of the projects," Juliana excitedly shares with Quem.
This specialization has opened up more work opportunities and awards. Recently, the animated short film A Beautiful Sight, which featured her participation, won the prestigious Collision Awards for Best 3D Animation, a reason for much joy. And one of those joys is breaking into an extremely male-dominated field. "When you look at animation as a whole, the difference between the number of women and men is really stark. To this day, 90% of my interactions have been with men. I've only connected with women in the executive and creative areas, but when it comes to animation production, men are the majority," she comments.
This is indeed a time for celebrations. The Dance With Qai Qai series, consisting of 8 episodes, has just reached 4 million views. "I not only filmed all the scenes, but I also created the choreography for all the episodes. 'Qai Qai' continues to grow and expand its list of talents. This year, we filmed the music video for her first hit single — yes, she sings now too! For the song 'Last Dance,' I once again had the honor of creating the original choreography for the video," she shares.
But it hasn't always been easy. In these 13 years living in the United States, Juliana has faced many challenges before establishing herself in the market. "It's difficult to find space and representation for Brazilians in the U.S. My accent, though more polished now, always makes casting and auditions harder. Then there are the struggles of being sick and alone, far from family and friends. But now, I feel like I've found my place," she explains, having taken on different roles in the acting profession during this time.
"I saw my name in the same theater program as one of the biggest names in the New York theater scene, director Rachel Chavkin. We worked together at the New York Theatre Workshop, one of the most renowned off-Broadway theaters, last year," she celebrates.
However, motion capture has become Juliana's passion. "I confess that I really enjoy my individual setup; it gives me a lot of flexibility and creative freedom, but I also want access to big film productions. The motion capture technique has certainly come to stay in my life," she reflects.
Juliana Suaide is the Brazilian actress behind the hit Dance with Qai Qai.
