In a 5 minute video, actor Andy Serkis moves you through the world of performance capture technology that is currently in the state of actors wearing what amounts to maximum wearable technology to perform their roles. The movie Avatar was groundbreaking both for the actor and the audience, as actress Sigourney Weaver discussed what it was like to wear a virtual reality “suit” topped off with a camera on her head. It was one of those things you had to see to believe.
We are used to seeing CGI in most of the major movies in one form or another, but knowing from whence we came is important for the individual viewer. There are those who believe that video technology has made the lives of actors easier, when in reality the opposite is true according to Serkis. He points out that while performance-capturing technology can brilliantly ape the actions of the actors, the technology cannot actually act. This is one reason the short video is worth a watch. Knowing the differences in, for example, the interactive nature of video games 20 years ago and those of today, demonstrates the demands of players and the challenges actors must meet to satisfy their audience.
To better understand how this technology has evolved — and continues to evolve — think of your expectations of flying in an airplane. Maybe you want more leg room or wider seats without moving up to first class and paying more. But the technology that actually flies the plane is something you don’t really care that much about (except for maybe being able to use your cellphone in flight). You expectation of experience is very limited. Now when it comes to a movie you are paying $10 or so to see, you are not only expecting a great movie, but great acting and the connection between the technology and the movie. It is about the whole experience that is integrated between reality and virtual reality.
Serkis notes that one of the best features of the bleeding edge technology used by actors is that instead of actors seeing themselves recreated in CGI they are actually acting and directly experiencing their acting talents in a virtual reality universe. We love and remember great acting performances, whether it is Al Pacino 40 years ago or Gal Gadot in Wonder Woman. The more superhero movies are demanded, and based on current trends that is likely to continue to be high, the more realistic the audience will want the characters to be. Technology cannot act, it can only reproduce the actions of the actor.
What was once a multi-stage process in creating a movie has been greatly simplified for producer, film editor, and actor. For those who remember Julia Roberts in films like Erin Brockovich, it was her facial expressions and vocal tone that defined her character, not simply body movements that were long ago refined in the earlier movies. Facial expressions are an essential part of acting (and perhaps one reason Botoxed actors get very few new roles), so being able to naturally reproduce those in a performance technology environment has been one of the more challenging aspects for movie studios. The latest technology allows actors to act naturally in a single process.
The main point to his video clip is that acting hasn’t really changed much but the technology continues to advance. Great actors can create believable characters, whether it is Keanu Reeves playing John Wick or him playing Neo in The Matrix. It has to draw in the viewer and make them believe they are a part of the movie. Expect greater movies from the best combination of acting and technology.
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