From Shaping Minds to Shaping Faces: Disney's FaceDirector
/We don't normally think of Disney as a major player in the photographic plate software business, but they are clearly invested. FaceDirector synthesizes two facial expressions into one. Engadget explains how it works in greater detail and focuses on using it to lower production costs. Didn't get that expression quite right? No need to reshoot: just make it happen by morphing existing footage. While there are many implications to be drawn, I'm most interested in the fact that a studio identified mostly for animation has invested resources into something specifically for photographic filmmaking. One thing is for sure, FaceDirector is yet another indication that actors really don't have to fear being replaced by VFX programmers.