Gross body motions for animated characters can be represented by time-parameterized function curves in the joint configuration space. The problem of automatically synthesizing animation for characters can then be formulated as a discrete search over a continuous, high-dimensional configuration space for a motion trajectory that satisfies a number of constraints. The constraints on the motion can arise from joint limits, obstacles in the world, self-collisions, body physics, or aesthetic considerations such as naturalness and style. This talk considers the application of robot motion planning techniques to the problem of automatic motion synthesis for articulated characters. Key research issues will be discussed along with demonstrations of interactive, task-based control interfaces for character navigation, object manipulation, and full-body motions.