Virtual Stuntmen Ready for Hollywood

Kerhop writes "Discovery Channel has an article about a new form of virtual actors in movies. In particular "Endorphin's virtual actors learn how to move and react independently, unlike most computerized characters now that depend on fixed databases containing animated clips". MSNBC also is featuring a news video (no direct link is available, stream must to be added to playlist). The featured software Endorphin is created by Natural Motion."

Comments

Re:Adding a "learning" process....

[jfengel]

There are advantages to doing your own stunts. At least today the virtual actors are shown only from a distance, since facial features still don't quite look real enough (though even before Troy there were some lovely examples in Lord of the Rings. Those were keyframed rather than virtual actors.)

Being able to focus up-close on an actor doing a stunt gives a verisimilitude that the audience really appreciates; they believe that the character is in danger. But they can also detect the jump-cuts that usually surround a stunt (since a stunt is shot on its own, with lots of preparation beforehand, and the camera is immediately stopped so that everybody can be checked out.)

So when they're ready to seamlessly slip a virtual actor into the frame, then back to the human actor at the end, and make it look like a single shot, you'll really be thrilled. You will believe Brad Pitt can kick ass. (I once played Achilles myself and I loved Brad Pitt's work.)