Exclusive Roto-software at Work in New Film Production
The Film
A story of drug running and schizophrenia set in southern CA, A Scanner Darkly stars big name Hollywood actors Keanu Reeves, Wynona Ryder, Woody Harrelson, and Robert Downey, Jr.
Rotoscoping a film has many different implications for film production, including the following:
- No makeup for actors.
- No costume changes.
- No sets, in some cases.
- No retakes.
The atmosphere of the film production is more like a theater and sparse. In the end it requires more creativity from the actors involved. When the film is graduated to its second stage, the animation gives the images a rebirth, producing an entirely different aesthetic.
New Animation Traditions
Will rotoscoping captivate audiences enough to start a trend? Or will it die off?
Other filmmakers have tried similar techniques with their productions. The Matrix trilogy uses live-action capture beneath animation, and the Christmas classic The Polar Express uses performance-capture animation. One thing is for sure: there are plenty of animation jobs in Hollywood these days.
