Capturing Real Performances in Animation with EBSynth

Elevating Healthcare Campaigns using EBSynth

In projects that combine live-action and animation, or in projects that aim to capture the nuance of human movement, EBSynth is an exciting software that can achieve exactly that – reinterpreting live action footage into an illustrative style.

Rotoscoping has long been used in animation to get performances closer to reality – to achieve character movements and performances that audiences recognise and believe. It’s been a handy tool in animation since the 1920s, until now, with the use of motion capture. EBSynth is an evolution of the rotoscoping method – specifically for 2D artwork mapping onto live action footage – and saves animators the undertaking of frame-by-frame, creating beautiful, fluid animation as a result.

Unlike generative AI systems – the artist has the benefit of full control over the art direction, by providing it with your reference footage, and a keyframe rendered in your illustration style.

As you can see, the illustrated keyframe can emphasize certain elements, like making the eyes appear larger, and de-emphasize others – like the details in the shirt. We’re able to introduce brighter lighting, and a soft, watercolour look.

This process can bring much needed stylisation to existing footage – allowing artists to play with colour, lighting and brushwork to create expressionistic pieces of animation, while preserving all the subtlety of human performance.

Why should you consider this tool when considering healthcare campaigns and storytelling?

1. Privacy built into patient stories

Many patient narratives contain sensitive, personal details. With EBSynth, teams can film a patient or actor performing the story and then apply a stylised illustrated treatment that maintains the integrity of the performance while protecting privacy. This keeps the story human, while presenting the individual in a way that feels familiar and expressive without revealing their real-world identity.

2. Rapid visual prototyping for awareness campaigns 

Early-stage campaign concepts often need a compelling proof-of-idea. By shooting quick reference footage and applying an illustrated treatment, teams can develop rich visual mood pieces or teaser films without committing to full animation. This helps brand leads and medical teams visualise the creative potential and make decisions quickly and confidently.

3. Creating different parallel realities 

In a recent campaign, we used EBSynth to depict the contrast between someone’s real environment and the unsettling dream-like world they were experiencing due to the condition they were living with. By combining live-action performance and style-framed / illustrative animation with EBSynth’s stylised treatment, we were able to show two parallel realities: authentic and surreal. It helped us deepen storytelling, explore subjective states, and add expressive layers to healthcare narratives, all while being cost-effective.

We’d love to hear how you get on with this software!