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An Overview Of The Rise Of Motion Capture Filmmaking

An Overview Of The Rise Of Motion Capture Filmmaking

motion capture smaug

With technological developments taking hold in Hollywood, perhaps the most prominent has been the use of motion capture. Motion capture is a technology that syndicates computer-generated effects with human performance. The idea, particularly within the science fiction and fantasy genres, is to produce further realism on part of an actor’s approach to a role and how they portray it. In that sense, the art of motion capture becomes central to the performance.

Furthermore, motion capture relies on an actor’s movements with added computer-generated imagery (CGI), and it is now a technique which produces a new side to acting: it is not always about facial expressions and voices. In this article I will argue that motion capture is an art that takes a whole new game to approaching a role, as well as how it enhances further realism to staring as that character. It is a chronological discussion on specific case studies, and how significant the motion capture technology became in each of the films.

Gollum/Sméagol: The Lord Of The Rings (2001-2003)

motion capture Gollum
The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (2003) – source: New Line Cinema

The technique of motion capture came to the forefront of filmmaking at the beginning of the 21st century, notably with Andy Serkis in his iconic motion capture and voice portrayal of Gollum/Sméagol in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings. Jackson’s films may be considered the most prominent in contemporary fantasy cinema with its accolades and immense critical acclaim, but a contributing factor to the trilogy’s success was, indeed, Andy Serkis’ unique performance.

This is the role that sealed Serkis as the king of motion capture. Documentaries and behind the- scenes footage were released, showing how Serkis’ physical performance was translated into computer imagery. The role connects reality with fiction, as Serkis’ movements alongside co-stars Elijah Wood and Sean Astin illustrate that Gollum was once a Hobbit called Sméagol. The CGI shows the result of his abject transformation caused by the One Ring’s influence. Gollum symbolises the transformation from good to evil, and that is echoed by the humanity brought to his portrayal through motion capture, while the end result looks more like a creepy little monster than a human.

Serkis also provided the voice of Gollum/Sméagol and unlike his well-spoken British accent, his vocal performance in the role was beyond anything that we had heard before. In a unique move, Serkis is able to create a distinction between Gollum and Sméagol – the former with a possessed, warped sound and the latter sounding like a child. In this respect, Serkis is playing two characters in both voice and physical performance.

During production, Serkis is only seen in a specific costume that helps animators transition his performance into CGI, resulting in the creepy and mysterious figure that is Gollum. Serkis reprises the role of Gollum (with a few Sméagol moments) in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey during the famous riddles scene with Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman).

Robert Zemeckis animations: The Polar Express (2004), Beowulf (2007), A Christmas Carol (2009)

A Christmas Carol (2009) source: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
A Christmas Carol (2009) – source: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Animation has a long history of creativity. At the dawn of animation, each frame was hand-drawn, but technological advancement has changed the genre. In 1995,  Toy Story became the first animation to be fully computer-generated. The film captured the functions of storytelling and character development through the technology of CGI, but the production values were not as authentic and a natural touch of character was lacking.

In traditional animation, voice performances were not often deemed very important, due to either the plot, features of the animated character or the general visual effects. Possibly, this was because the stars who voice characters are not visible on-screen. However, Academy Award-winning director Robert Zemeckis introduced the idea of adding stars’ voice performances into animation, instead of relying only on technology. In fact, he has become a frontrunner of producing digital effects as part of the narrative.

The first film he did this with was The Polar Express in 2004, a Christmas film shot entirely via motion capture. It stars Tom Hanks as various characters, and it captured the essence of Hanks’ performances as the Conductor, the Hero Boy’s Father, the Hobo, Scrooge, Santa Claus and the Narrator. The film was marketed as a 3D benchmark, but until Avatar in 2009, the art of motion capture was ahead of its time. In 2007, Zemeckis released another animation filmed with motion capture, Beowulf, an epic fantasy film starring Anthony Hopkins, Ray Winstone and Robin Wright. That film combined multiple aspects of CGI and 3D, but its mixed reviews didn’t quite push the breakthrough of motion capture performance in animation.

Zemeckis released A Christmas Carol, another adaptation of Charles Dickens’ beloved Christmas story. A Christmas Carol, too, saw full motion capture performances from stars such as Jim Carrey, Colin Firth, Gary Oldman and Bob Hoskins. The film garnered positive reviews for its Christmas spirit and festive moralities, a lot of which was centred on the post-production process in creating the CGI from motion capture performance. In fact, on the BluRay and DVD, viewers are given the option to watch the animated A Christmas Carol alongside the on-going motion capture performances. It is educational and impressive to see that the fully realised animation is based on the bare-bones performances of actors simply wearing a suit in a large, empty white room with lights and green-screen props.

Some examples of other animation films using motion capture for its performances were Monster House (2006), Happy Feet (2006), The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn (2011) and Mars Needs Moms (2011).

Davy Jones: Pirates Of The Caribbean (2003-2007)

Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006) source: Buena Vista Pictures
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (2006) – source: Buena Vista Pictures

It became official in 2007 that Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End became the most expensive film of all time. One expense contributing to its overall budget is its overwhelming use of CGI effects. In At World’s End as well as in its predecessor Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest, motion capture performances are used to generate the CGI, and in particular, Bill Nighy’s villainous Davy Jones.

Similar to Andy Serkis as Gollum/Sméagol, the result of Bill Nighy’s motion capture performance in CGI form is a transition from human to monster. Davy Jones was once a human, but he was cursed and condemned to become a repulsive-looking figure. Using motion capture technology added more layers to the character, and made him look more and less human. His features include octopus-like tentacles for a long thick beard, a long tentacle on his right index finger, a crab-like left hand and also the same for his left leg. He also lacks a heart, which has great narrative significance in Dead Man’s Chest and At World’s End.

Here again, motion capture served as the post-production tool that transformed Nighy wearing the motion capture suit to Jones in his fully monstrous form. Although the Pirates of the Caribbean series has an overwhelming abundance of CGI effects, the use of motion capture performance for one of its key antagonists exemplify that there is more to visual effects than computers.

The Na’vi: Avatar (2009)

Avatar (2009) source: 20th Century Fox
Avatar (2009) – source: 20th Century Fox

If there is any film that shows motion capture technology at its full glory, it is James Cameron’s epic sci-fi Avatar. It currently stands as the highest grossing film of all time (though perhaps not for much longer), and much of the hype prior to its release in December 2009 was focused on its technological advancement and how it would affect the film industry.

The film re-introduced the format of 3D cinema, which contributed to its production. Moreover, an additional factor adding to the film’s success and its breathtaking visual experience was its use of motion capture technology. Similar to Pirates of the Caribbean, Avatar features a character who transitioned from a human into another being; though in Avatar, these beings take the shape of the Na’vi.

Avatar demonstrates the art of motion capture performance by distinguishing between the body of a human and of a Na’vi. Humans are represented as capitalistic terrorists while the Na’vi’s, who are performed by humans, are the natives who have the natural resources the humans so desperately want. The film addresses the ties that both races have, and the motion capture technology is a fundamental asset in achieving it.

For example, the facial expressions of Na’vi Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), Neytiri (Zoe Saldana), Dr. Grace Augustine (Sigourney Weaver) and Dr. Norm Spellman (Joel David Moore) are identical to their real human reactions. While there are the two bodies, the motion capture ties them together. Director James Cameron tried to provide visual effects and 3D experience in a more mesmerizing manner and in the process has addressed that motion capture performance is a significant technique in transitioning human movements into another fictional being and making that character even more authentic.

Caesar: Rise and Dawn of the Planet of The Apes (2011 and 2014)

Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes (2014) source: 20th Century Fox
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014) – source: 20th Century Fox

The audience is expected to respond to motion capture characters as to how they would to a ‘normal’ performance by an actor. Like general acting, this is usually dependent on the character and how the actor physically portrays them. This seems to be the case in the two new Planet of the Apes reboots (Rise and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes) that were released in 2011 and 2014.

Apes are about the closest species to our own as human beings in terms of physicality, mannerisms and emotional responses. In the past, we have seen apes be performed in just costumes (e.g. in the original 1968 version), but now that technology has caught up, these two films present the power of the combination of CGI and performance. Andy Serkis, by now motion capture veteran, plays chimpanzee leader Caesar and shows how close chimpanzees are physically and emotionally to the humans in the film. With Serkis’ considerable experience, he understands the technology’s significance and offers a realistic representation of Caesar the chimpanzee on-screen.

The films both touch upon Caesar’s emotional capabilities, leading us to understand how apes are identical to humans, perhaps touching upon the theory of evolution. In addition to Andy Serkis playing Caesar, we see other actors take on motion capture roles as Caesar’s fellow apes and eventual companions (in Dawn), including Toby Kebbell, Nick Thurston, Karin Konoval and Terry Notary. These films sparked so much visual acclaim that some even wanted Serkis to be a contender for an acting Academy Award nomination. Motion capture may change the future of film production and in particular the science fiction and fantasy genres, and it could very well be a possibility that actors will be recognised for their motion capture performances some day.

Smaug: The Hobbit Trilogy (2012-2014)

The Hobbit - The Battle Of The Five Armies (2014) source: Warner Bros. Pictures
The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies (2013) – source: Warner Bros. Pictures

We saw the success of Gollum’s creation from motion capture in The Lord of the Rings trilogy and in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. Another crucial Middle-Earth antagonist was visualised in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug and The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies using motion capture and CGI – the dragon Smaug, played by Benedict Cumberbatch. Smaug is a fundamental character in The Hobbit as he, as one individual, has immense power and is central to the group of Dwarves (and Bilbo’s) quest to reclaim the Lonely Mountain. In this sense, Smaug was arguably the most anticipated aspect of The Hobbit trilogy, and how he was going to look raised both curiosity and excitement.

Due to the exceedingly large scale and size of the character, much about Smaug was marketed silently during production to enhance audience anticipation. Once it was announced that Benedict Cumberbatch was going to wear the motion capture suit and provide the voice of Smaug, audiences became particularly excited. Some considered Cumberbatch’s acting style to match Smaug, particularly his deep voice and frequent portrayals of antagonists and quirky characters. He did his motion capture work for Smaug in only a fortnight, but his role was significant.

Unlike most case studies discussed here, Cumberbatch isn’t acting as a deformed human or creature that matches our physicality. Based on that, playing a dragon could be seen as a challenge. Some behind the scenes footage of The Hobbit have shown Cumberbatch providing motion capture for Smaug by simply crawling on grey carpet. It may look unorthodox but this method ultimately shows Cumberbatch’s skillful and free imagination in physically playing the role. From a technological standpoint, it also illustrates the surreal transformation from seeing an actor crawl on carpet in a suit to the finished piece of an immensely large dragon in a mountain surrounded by coins.

Conclusion

The use of motion capture technology has really settled properly in the film industry throughout the 21st century. It has become a unique technique that simultaneously balances CGI with actors’ performances. Consequently, motion capture continues to contribute to actors’ approaches to performance, and the on-going progression of technology and visual effects.

The art of motion capture performance has become a technique that now dominates the film industry, and it has showcased many advantages to the different stages of production. From a pre-production perspective, the motion capture has allowed filmmakers to pre-visualise the character they want in motion capture, to go ahead with early shot plans from the on-going script as well as flexibility in experimentations of the roles and decision-making throughout.

From the actors’ standpoints, though, motion capture shows their original approach to the roles and the skill of imagining themselves as a character that might not look anything like them when they are only wearing a suit. Best examples are Smaug or the animated characters from Zemeckis’ films with practically no real set.

It is the creative transition from acting in a suit to the final pieces which makes motion capture technology such a crucial technique of film production. It is also apparent in other media formats, including video games, to further enhance realism from CGI effects, and the art continues to progress in mainstream cinema.

Do you think motion capture technology has forever changed the film industry? What is your favourite motion capture performance?

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