Face the FACS

Facial Expressions in Art, Science, & Technology

premium resources

expression references & cheat sheets

formerly known as the “FACS Cheat Sheet”

upper face action units with descriptions and multiple angles

lower face action units with descriptions and multiple angles

brow action combinations with descriptions and multiple angles

authentic emotion references documented from real moments with contextual descriptions

viseme & speech reference guide with videos

ARKit to FACS translation guide

NEW**** FACS & expression video references

Posed expression capture tips

deep dives & informational posts

Advanced facial expression tips, research, instructional guides, and commentary.

behavior

hot tips for animating blinks
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action units (FACS AUs)

all about upper lid raiser – AU5
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behavior

colors of sadness
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action units (FACS AUs)

leveraging facial muscle variation
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facial expressions

zygomaticus major variations & the dimple
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action units (FACS AUs)

frontalis variation
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I’m an expression researcher bridging the gap between human facial behavior and digital representation. I began my career pioneering enhancements in VR face tracking and expression detection at Meta and Affectiva. I've since expanded into film and game, collaborating with industry leaders like Epic Games, EA, Blizzard, and Netflix to enhance realism and emotional depth in digital characters. With a deep knowledge of FACS, facial anatomy, algorithm refinement, and three patents in avatar expression technology, I am dedicated to transforming how we understand and empathize with digital faces. Learn more here.

P.S. I will be open to new roles starting October 2024 (or earlier); so please reach out!

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Eric DrobileAnimator, Artist, Mentor
Melinda Ozel's resources on face anatomy, motion, and FACS are industry standard. During my time working on The Last of Us Part II (and other unannounced Playstation titles) I referred to it almost exclusively on a regular basis. The free material is great but the pay material is worth the cost.

Paul LiawSenior Character Artist

If your work involves putting a face on a screen Melinda’s website is here to save your life. Her site is a crucial knowledge hub to all sectors of entertainment including film anim game tech etc. If you are here you know FACS exist. For most people learning traditional FACS is not feasible. It requires very costly specialized degrees and years long commitment. And the half century old research with fuzzy photos was not made for artists.What Melinda has done for our industry is take the dense scientific information and streamlined it into very easy to digest entries and videos catered to artists. In my opinion her work surpasses the inventors of FACS by vastly expanding on the original content by filling in numerous gaps of information. with modern medical research, breakdowns of facial genetic variation, applying the information to animals and stylized characters. Instead of combing the whole internet or getting a phd on the subject you can just subscribe to this one stop shop.

Ioana Alexandra PirvuBlendshape Artist at Rockstar

I can't imagine working without Melinda Ozel's FACS research. I've been working as a Facial Blendshape Artist across film and gaming and have watched the quality of my work improve exponentially since I've had access to this wealth of knowledge that Melinda has so thoughtfully put together. Her documentation is clear, appealing, and comprehensive. If Paul Ekman is the father of FACS, Melinda has become the cool aunt. She swoops in out of nowhere and teaches us all about FACS using any tools at her disposal; including rap! I highly recommend her as a primary resource for any budding (or experienced) blendshape artist, facial sculptor, facial animator or just about anyone who is interested in faces!

Thank you Melinda, couldn't have done it without you.

Giovanni NakpilArt Director
Having worked in the industry for more than 20 years, I've always searched for the best resource on anything related to the complexities of the human face. Face the FACS in my opinion is bar-none, the best resource out there for any artist and company dealing with facial animation. The way in which Melinda delivers knowledge is detailed, but fun and compelling enough to make you want to keep learning. For a topic that could have easily been boring, she inspired me to keep learning. And learned I have. I've learned so much from Melinda and it's great to see her share all her knowledge to everyone through this treasure of a site.

Frank GravattCreature and Facial Modeler
If you're doing AU's (action units), this is the site you're going to need to bookmark. Melinda has gone above and beyond to create what I feel is the ultimate resource guide for AU's. Each AU explained , annotated and demonstrated with extreme clarity. You'll experience plenty of "aha!!" moments using Melinda's work as your guide! Again, amazing work Melinda!

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