Jasiri Booker’s parkour and breaking movements are used to animate the title character in Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales video game. The 26-year-old performer describes his work as sticking to walls, beating people up, getting beaten up constantly, getting electrocuted, and turning invisible. Along with other performers, Booker acts out action sequences that bring video games to life. However, recent contract negotiations have led to a work stoppage by members of the union SAG-AFTRA against video game companies such as Disney, WB Games, Microsoft’s Activision, and Electronic Arts.
The main point of contention in the negotiations is the use of artificial intelligence in video game production. Booker and other union members are concerned about the potential for their performances to be replaced by AI-generated doubles without their consent. The companies argue that their AI proposal includes robust protections that require consent and fair payment for the use of digital replicas of actors. However, performers like Andi Norris feel that the proposed protections do not extend to all performers, particularly those whose body movements are captured for video games.
Motion capture technology plays a crucial role in bringing video game characters to life. Performers like Seth Allyn Austin work in studio spaces known as “volumes,” wearing full-body suits dotted with reflective sensors that are captured by cameras. The digitized moving skeletons are then fed into video software and rendered into animated video game characters. This process involves a team of digital artists who animate the motions created by human performers.
The evolution of animation techniques from hand-drawn animation to motion capture has revolutionized the industry. Rotoscoping, a technique used in the silent picture era, involved tracing over live-action footage frame by frame. With the advancement of computer-generated images in the 1980s, animation techniques became more sophisticated. Today, performers like Austin can watch themselves performing as fully animated characters in 3-D, adjusting their performances in real-time to enhance the realism of the characters.
Despite the advancements in AI technology, human performers are still essential in video game development. Alberto Menache, a pioneer in the field of motion capture, believes that replacing human performers with AI is unlikely due to the complexity of capturing real human motion. While AI technology has the potential to streamline the animation process, it still requires human input to train the models effectively.
Menache is currently developing AI technology that eliminates the need for performers to wear sensors or markers. This technology relies on data from human performers to train AI models for various applications, such as face tracking and de-aging actors. While AI technology has the potential to revolutionize video game development, Menache emphasizes the importance of obtaining consent from human performers for using their data.
In conclusion, the use of motion capture and AI technology in video game development has transformed the industry, allowing for more realistic and immersive gaming experiences. However, the ongoing strike by SAG-AFTRA members highlights the importance of protecting the rights of performers and ensuring that they are fairly compensated for their work. As technology continues to advance, the collaboration between human performers and AI remains crucial in creating compelling and authentic video game characters.