Sunday 27 December 2009

Avatar: Make-up

I've already mentioned the groundbreaking computer aided graphics for James Cameron's Avater as a modern form of art (CLICK). Now consider a group of artists who usually get neglected by the media when the Oscars are handed out: make-up artists. Their work may not "sell" movies the way star names and directors do, but it is vital if the actors are to look as they should for their roles. I think it's a safe bet that the principal make-up artist for Avatar will be in the running for an Oscar next year. Recognize this actress with the huge golden eyes? Sigourney Weaver. What a transformation!

2 Comments:

At 27/12/09, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I think you'll find that it's not make-up. On wikipedia, it says "Other technological innovations include "The Volume", a motion-capture stage six times larger than any previously used, and an improved method of capturing facial expressions, enabling full performance capture. To achieve the latter, actors wore individually made skull caps with a tiny camera attached, located in front of the actors' faces, which collects information about their facial expressions and eyes, which is then transmitted to the computers. According to Cameron, the method allows the filmmakers to transfer about 95% of the actors' performances to their digital counterparts." Make-up artists may be out of a job.

 
At 27/12/09, Blogger Unknown said...

Thank you for this fascinating information. I vaguely recall reading about this new means of capturing facial expressions, but didn't realize that here it was "in the flesh" in Avatar. I'll have to publish a correction.

 

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