Image Metrics: Crossing the Uncanny Valley in Style

So this isn't really directly audio related, but anytime we make headway crossing the uncanny valley it's news. It basically means we're another step closer to replacing actors with photo realistic cg clones. Attack of the pod people!

What's so exciting/scary about Image Metrics is they seem to have developed a method of motion capture that doesn't involve sticking little balls and sensors all over a performer.

Here's Emily O'Brien from Image Metrics to discuss some of the advancements made.



Uncanny...

Voice Acting in Video Games is Becoming MORE Important, Not Less - Zero Punctuation Edition

Yahtzee has become my favorite video game reviewer.

The rapid fire speech, silly cut out animation, and the often brutal opinions, make him a refreshing change of pace from other reviewers who tend to work for outlets which are supported by video game advertising dollars.

Heaven forbid we get an honest opinion out of someone in this information age, right?

The accent doesn't hurt either...

We all know this has been a big deal for me. Performance capture will become more and more important as we cross through this uncanny valley that we're in right now, and quality performance has been championed by others as well, like Adam Sessler.

This review doesn't hinge on voice acting. But in a game as HUGE as Oblivion (estimated to have HUNDREDS of hours of game play), keeping the player engaged is crucial. Having a limited number of performers, with poor writing, and poorly directed performance, makes this immersion SO much harder.

Gamers ARE paying attention to this, and Yahtzee nails it!

Here's his review. It's funny (savage and savvy), and I agree wholeheartedly.
Portions (as always with Yahtzee) might be inappropriate for younger viewers or NSFW.

Funny and Scary at the same time: Vocaloid edition

First the scary.
Vocaloid is one of the best sounding singing replacement software packages I've ever heard. It's the closest I've heard yet to replacing the human voice. It's light years ahead of Stephen Hawking, and gives AT&T synthesis engine a run for it's money, all at consumer prices.
Coupling the engine with plugins for different voice types will also make it infinitely flexible, and ting this to sampling, auto-tuning, and synthesis, we're getting closer and closer to the point where we might not need people anymore to perform.
This was our last great hold out for video games and animation. They could replace the actor physically, but not his performance or voice.



OK, now the funny.
With all the advancement, with all the tech, with all the computing horse power out there, right now the only singing voice that Vocaloid is actually qualified to replace would be Marlee Matlin's.
(Ironically, the picture to the right is of Marlee "singing" the National Anthem at the 2007 SuperBowl.)

The Vocaloid folks have setup a MySpace page where you can hear their software ruin Roberta Flack's Killing Me Softly.

I wonder if the software sang it with it's eyes closed...

Here's the writeup @ Wired's Listening Post

Here's the Awful MySpace Page




Marlee's kinda just a little bit REALLY hot...

Actors Obsolete Soon?

She's not real----->>>

Well she is, but that picture of her is a CG render.

This story is an oldie on Digg, but totally worth a read. With advances like this soon coming to video (not just stills), it'll be interesting to see how the voice element is treated.
someaudioguy some audio guy voice over cg actors voice acting technology computer animation

VERY UNSETTLING

I posted almost exactly the same thing when the Gap was making a deceased Audrey Hepburn dance for skinny pants.
This is the scariest Zombie Movie EVER MADE! Take THAT 28 Days Later! But seriously, if you have any humanity or decency, how can one watch that without vomiting in their mouths just a little bit. It is kinda funny that zombie Orville uses a Creative Zen mp3 player, and not an iPod. Heh-heh, wont those stupid zombies ever learn... ... Stupid zombies...

...

Heh-heh...

... yep