Blog #5: Digital Actors

1. Is this acting or is this animation?
In my opinion, I would say that this is a combination of acting and animation. The producers relied on the actors to give the characters expression and action throughout the whole movie using a technology called "performance capture", where the actors wear bodysuits filled with reflective markers and the cameras would capture every movement and facial expressions the actors make. The animations are being done using technology to complete the whole movie. If the actors weren't present, I think that the movie wouldn't be the same and would take much longer to complete because the animators would take a lot of time adjusting and setting the characters' features throughout the movie and the performance capture would make it much easier because the actors are doing all the job and all the animators have to do is to change it into animation.


2. Do you think that animated character should be eligible for acting awards?
I think that animated characters should not be eligible for acting awards because the actors are not being shown throughout the whole movie. The movie depended on the actors so that they could give life to the characters, and the rest we're done using technology. To be eligible for an acting award, we have to see the whole performance of the actor not the animated character because we can't tell if the animated character is doing the same action or giving the same expression as the actor. 

3. Do you think that human actors will ever become obsolete? Why or why not?
I think that human actors will never become obsolete because animation is not for everyone. For me, actors give real performances because we can see every facial expressions and movements the make, their passion for acting, and we can relate to their story. Animation does give performances and facial expressions, but we can't really relate to them because they are not passionate with their performance since they're all done technologically.