James Cameron's Avatar Update (Feb 13th)

[JA-forreal]

"WES STUDI, SIGOURNEY WEAVER...."

Ah, this seems good at least. If this film is as detailed and indepth of a plot like Abysss I'm all for it. I'm tired of falling to sleep in theatres.

[Pyke]

So basically, the new software is 'performance capture', except that the uotput that Cameron sees is a more detailed render than the normal 'moving balls, mo-cap info' screens?

I wonder if he is using a 'virtual' camera to film the shots...like they did on the GOW ingame cinematics, running around with a video camera with a motion sensor tracker.

Cant wait for some concept art from this project!

[AJE]

Perhaps the term 'performance capture' is more about changing the perception of the onset process... Peter Jackson campaigned long and hard for Andy Serkis' eligibility in the 'best actor' category, but the performance was disallowed because the motion capture process used left room for the animators to add to the performance - meaning the performance wasn't solely Serkis, but a him as well as a team of people supporting his performance.

If Cameron's technology allows for the further reduction (or removal) of an animator, it means that technically, the performance captured is strictly that of the performer... hence they should be allowed to be considered in the actor categories... and then CG becomes accepted as digital makeup.

That said, I have no doubts that the performance capture technology is something 'new and improved'... I just don't know much about it. Aside from the tech, the terminology for what it is needs to change in order to be recognized as a 'performance' instead of 'motion captured data'.

Just my 2 cents.

[cresshead]

i saw a video demonstration by a company on the web last year where the camera/actors were seen as 3d props/characters live o the video screen as they were captured...looked really good and was wondering just 'when' that technology would be put to good use
...can't remember the link as is was soooo long ago [last summer maybe]...

think it may have been on either maxunderground.com or flay.com..was cool
if anyone has that link to the vid...add a reply here!

[zzacmann]

So from what I can gather, and tell me if Im wrong on this, but Zemekis and Cameron differ in their motion capture directing in that:

Zemekis: Since whole body mo-cap captures a performance in 360 degrees, he lets the performers act out the scene and then afterwards, adjusts and moves the virtual camera accordingly to find the best angles

Cameron: He would rather know exactly where the virtual cameras are going be and how they are going to move before hand and like traditional animation, have the performers act TO the camera to get a best performance.

[cresshead]

yeah, cameron usually draws his own storyboards and directs the action from that so he know's what he's looking for...and he's transfering a standard way of shooting a live action film but the characters and surrounding will be cg rather than live action so lighting doesn't play much of a part of the mocap/performace capture but on the whole it's a standard shoot with mocap costumes on live actors.

should be interesting to see the first trailer!

[Pyke]

If Cameron's technology allows for the further reduction (or removal) of an animator, it means that technically, the performance captured is strictly that of the performer... hence they should be allowed to be considered in the actor categories... and then CG becomes accepted as digital makeup.



I really think that this would be taking one step forwards and two steps back. I mean, one of the advantages of working in the digital realm is that you CAN change things after the performance. Lucas's "We will add it in later" style of directing is taking this to the extreme, but shows off the power of the technology we have.
To be 'stuck' with a certain performance, when we have the ability to tweak it is a little silly. Live action performances have been tweaked many times before. The wink at the end of Anaconda is one example that comes to mind. Hell, even in the EON trailer section someone added in tears in post. Does that take something away from the original actor playing the role?

I think that as digital characters gain momentum, a category will be added into the various award shows to pay tribute to these actors. It happened with animated features...why not animated characters? My concern with having a category like this is, would the nomination go to the actor, or the team? Imagine a movie where an actor wears makeup that not only has prostetics, but also animatronic features. Is he still eligible for an award, even though his performance was 'helped' by the anamatronic and makeup teams? Would the team be aknowledged for ihs performance? Or would that just go into the 'best make up/best costume' nomination? Would that open the door for separate categories of 'Best character, and Best Character Team'? Its a sticky one!

On an unrelated note...has anybody ever been nominated soley for voice acting?

[cresshead]

i don't think that 'oscars' are the end goal here...more likely they are trying to make a good film.

also note at animated films tend on the whole to stick rigildy to a story board as it's expensive to deviate from that storyboard and also you have the possibility to lose you way once you start tinkering with 'everything'....see the latest starwars for that...add it in later can be detremental to the story or final film.

alfred hitchcock films were heavyly storyboarded and that's one reason they worked so well.

[Pyke]

i don't think that 'oscars' are the end goal here...more likely they are trying to make a good film.


I agree 100% with that statement-but it is nice to get recognition from your peers for the work you have done. It does seem unfair that just because the actor isnt physically THERE on set (yet his (or her) voice, facial expressions, performance etc, is right up on screen), that he (she) cant be recognised for their achievements.

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