More recently announced is the The Mills' real-time animation system (RTAS) which utilises real-time rendering technology and a custom-built, CGI virtual production pipeline to create any character.
The catch line is Ever wanted to direct, perform and animate CG characters in real-time?
The quality looks amazingly impressive, as always from this Studio, but anymore information is a little thin on the ground. Would be interesting to see what aspects are real-time and where in the pipeline does it expose immediate feedback resulting changes for the client?
From the Monster.com 'Opportunity Roars' commercial TVC breakdown, the character has muscles system, fur etc. This is a fantastic achievement in processing and development if this is all real-time. Lots of grunt behind the system if it is.
Real-time rendering
An oldy but still impressive. Project spotlight relied on a proxy vehicle covered in tracking markers called the Blackbird, which was developed by visual effects studio The Mill.
An early example of unreal engine pushing the boundaries into VFX production. The benefits being to film a car commercial without the actual final car in the frame, ‘The Human Race’ was also imagined as an augmented reality experience where users could change vehicle characteristics themselves (such as the make or colour).
This was a high profile convergence of skills and industries (game engines and VFX) which will only benefit the production pipeline and immediacy of feedback and response.
There will be many more to come until real-time and it's relative newness and acceptance in the VFX industry will just be the norm.