Richard Dorton has impacted the Motion Capture industry ways you’ve likely felt in one way or another. Despite his significant contributions, Richard considers himself a latecomer to the field, as he didn’t book his first mocap job until he was 35.His journey into performance began much earlier, however, during high school. His first introduction to acting came when he auditioned for the school play simply because "the coolest kid in school" had auditioned, and Richard wanted to emulate him. It wasn’t long before he began carving his own path, diving deeper into performance. In college, Richard pursued his passion by taking a variety of classes that expanded his skills to include dancing, singing, Shakespeare, and more. He credits these opportunities with shaping the foundation of his craft. After college, Richard lived in Washington, D.C., where he continued to perform in any way he could. Most of his roles at the time were background work in TV shows and films, including appearances on The West Wing. Though he enjoyed performing, his ultimate dream was to become a special effects (SFX) artist. To pursue this, he founded a makeup company called "Gortastic." This venture had a dual impact on his performance journey. First, he realized that the actors he transformed into monsters couldn’t embody the creatures the way he envisioned—prompting him to take on those roles himself. Second, as one of the few SFX makeup shops in the city, his store became a hub for productions, often leading to invites to sets where he further immersed himself in the world of performance. A pivotal moment for Richard came when he began doing stunts on America’s Most Wanted. This experience ignited a passion for stunt work, which eventually inspired him to look beyond D.C. and set his sights on Los Angeles. Determined to pursue his ambitions at the highest level, he made the move to chase his dreams.

Originally moving to Los Angeles with aspirations of becoming a stuntman, Richard soon landed an audition that would change his life. He tried out for a video game called "Scooby Doo: Night of 100 Frights" and was eventually cast—not just as one character, but as many throughout the game. This opportunity placed him at the forefront of the early mocap industry. He saw it as the perfect chance to merge his background in theater, dance, and stunts into a unique skill set that quickly made him indispensable. At the time, mocap technology could only capture one actor at a time, so once Richard proved his range, he was repeatedly called back to portray a variety of characters across dozens of games. This was something he felt was special about this industry, because as a Vietnamese-American he was getting cast solely on his skills instead of his look which to him "Is the greatest feeling ever." As the industry evolved, so did Richard’s passion for it. He made a deliberate effort to learn the technical side of mocap, which allowed him to adapt his performances to better support post-production teams. This knowledge also opened doors to new roles, such as producing, giving him a deeper understanding of how different facets of the industry are interconnected. Over time, the wealth of experience Richard accumulated positioned him perfectly to teach others. He later became an instructor for The Mocap Vaults, where he developed a curriculum for aspiring mocap actors that equipped them with the skills and knowledge needed to master the craft, while also creating opportunities for them to establish themselves in the industry and jumpstarting their careers.