This topic provides a general overview of the steps required when bringing a character model into MotionBuilder and preparing it for animation.

To set up a character:

1. Create a character model in external software and save it as an .fbx file. (To do this, you need to have the appropriate FBX plug-in installed.)

   It is recommended that you use the bone-naming conventions recognized by MotionBuilder as you build your model and name its bones. See Bone naming conventions.

2. Load the .fbx file containing your character model in MotionBuilder. See Opening a file.
3. Add a Character asset to the scene. See Adding a Character asset.

   The Character asset provides you with a template you can use to map out your character for MotionBuilder.

4. Link your character to the Character asset by completing a character map. See Character mapping.
5. Characterize the character. See Characterizing.

   If you have named your character’s bones according to MotionBuilder’s naming conventions (as discussed in step 1), you can complete steps 4 and 5 automatically. See Automatically mapping and characterizing a character.

Your character is now set up and ready to be animated in MotionBuilder.