A retargeting engine automatically performs a retargeting operation. The retargeting engine generates an anatomical local model of a digital character based on performance capture data and/or a 3D model of the digital character. The anatomical local model includes an anatomical model corresponding to internal features of the digital character and a local model corresponding to external features of the digital character. The retargeting engine includes a Machine Learning model that maps a set of locations associated with the face of a performer to a corresponding set of locations associated with the face of the digital character. The retargeting engine includes a solver that modifies a set of parameters associated with the anatomical local model to cause the digital character to exhibit one or more facial expressions enacted by the performer, thereby retargeting those facial expressions onto the digital character.