Andy Serkis Archives

Hamlet 360 and Other Stage Plays Integrate Immersive Tech

By Debra Kaufman
January 29, 2019

Theaters, from the experimental to the commercial, are using augmented reality, 360-degree videography and other new technologies to make their productions more immersive, even on traditional stages. In one recent production, “Hamlet 360,” technical direction by Sensorium transforms the 61-minute Shakespearean play into virtual reality. Another recent example is The Builders Association’s AR-integrated production “Elements of Oz,” where audience members use their cellphones to see a tornado approach Dorothy’s house. Continue reading Hamlet 360 and Other Stage Plays Integrate Immersive Tech

New Software Can Delete People or Objects from HD Video

By emeadows
March 19, 2013

Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Informatics (MPII) have developed video inpainting software that can delete people or objects from high-definition video footage. How is it done? The software analyzes every video frame and calculates which pixels should replace a moving area that’s been marked for removal, explains Gizmag. The article provides an impressive video demonstration of the technology. Continue reading New Software Can Delete People or Objects from HD Video

Motion-Capture Technology Improved for Shooting Exteriors

By Tim Miller
July 19, 2011

Twentieth Century Fox’s “Rise of The Planet of The Apes,” premiering next month, made extensive use of performance capture techniques in its exterior shots.
Visual effects house Weta Digital, that developed motion capture techniques for “Avatar,” considers this the next step in the technique’s evolution.
“Avatar” was shot largely on enclosed sound stages, while “Rise” shot motion-capture performances on exterior sets.
Weta Digital created a portable performance capture rig teamed with special LED markers placed on the actors, enabling the production to take place in broad daylight.
“It was like the final step of mixing live-action and digital filmmaking,” explains senior visual effects supervisor Joe Letteri.
Actor Andy Serkis, a veteran of several performance-capture films, is developing a studio and academy to teach the technique, with the goal of making it more affordable and accessible even to lower-budget films.