MUMBAI: In the new Broadway hit Shrek The Musical, DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. is relying on Autodesk, Inc. 3D character animation technology. A customized system based on Autodesk MotionBuilder software is being used to generate a digital face in the Magic Mirror, which speaks to Lord Farquaad in real-time for every show.

"We’ve had a great, longstanding engagement with Autodesk; we rely heavily on Autodesk software and custom development for many of our projects. For Shrek The Musical, the sophistication, interactivity and believability of the Magic Mirror wouldn’t have been possible without Autodesk technology," said DreamWorks Animation Technology head Research and Development Jim Mainard.

Autodesk 3D software and services enable customers to visualize, simulate and analyze entertainment and design projects. For Shrek The Musical, Autodesk designed a system that captures the facial motion of actor John Tartaglia in real-time and uses it to animate the face in the Magic Mirror. The Magic Mirror was featured on NBC’s The Today Show on 8 December , 2008 and tested by co-host Meredith Vieira.

Shrek The Musical is a musical based on the story and characters from the book by famed New Yorker cartoonist William Steig, as well the Academy Award-winning DreamWorks film.