Character animation has traditionally relied on complex and time-consuming key frame animation or expensive motion capture techniques. These methods are out of reach for low budget animation productions. We present a low-cost performance-driven technique that allows real-time interactive control of puppets for performance or film animation. In this paper we study how users can interpret simple actions like, walking, with different puppets. The system was deployed for the Xbox Kinect and shows how low-cost equipment's can provide a new mean for motion capture representation. Last, we performed a pilot experiment animating silhouettes and 3D puppets in real-time, based on body movements interpreted by non-expert artists, representing different Olympic Sports that vary on visual representation for other participants to identify. As a result, interaction with 2D puppets needs more interpretation than with 3D puppets.
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