The post-production team finally lived up to Nanaya's expectations. They specially developed a software for facial capture.
Compared with previous facial modeling software, the new software will recognize data more accurately.
As long as the facial modeling is completed, it can perform face-changing operations on its own and replace the actor's face with the other person's appearance when he was young.
However, compared with the relatively easy post-production, the preliminary preparation of this software is still a bit troublesome.
No, it's quite troublesome.
"I found that I was sad too early."
In the actors' dressing room, Wei Ye rubbed his iconic pointed chin and spoke to Nanaya beside him.
"Why do you say that?"
Although Nanaya still asked this question, he had already guessed what Wei Ye wanted to say.
Wei Ye pointed at Uncle Ming who was being painted by the special effects makeup artist and said, "I originally thought that I was pitiful enough with fluorescent spots all over my face, but I didn't expect this person to be even more pitiful than me."
When Wei Ye himself played Xiang Yu, he only applied fluorescent dots on key parts of his face.
But Uncle Ming's is really scary because his entire face is covered with a special paint.
However, unlike Xiang Yu's fluorescent paint that can be seen by the naked eye, the paint that Uncle Ming is using cannot be seen by the naked eye under normal circumstances.
It will only appear under special light sources.
It's a bit similar to the ultraviolet paint commonly used on some toys, but it's much more advanced than that.
It's just that these fluorescent paints need to be very detailed and almost cover the actor's entire face.
Moreover, each point of this paint is a capture reactor, so it is impossible to apply the paint directly on your face with a brush.
Every time he puts on makeup, the makeup artist needs to apply it carefully, evenly and densely on Uncle Ming's face, dot by dot.
If someone has trypophobia, seeing the reflection of the paint on Uncle Ming's face, they would probably pee their pants.
And in order to ensure the accuracy of facial capture, this kind of makeup must be done by the special effects makeup artist himself.
Just for the makeup on his face, Uncle Ming would spend 2-3 hours before each shoot.
That's not even counting the time it takes him to put on that awkward Emperor costume.
By this calculation, Uncle Ming would spend more than 4 hours just on preparation before filming every day.
I arrived at the dressing room early in the morning to prepare, and half a day had already passed before filming started.
This operating procedure left Chinese film workers dumbfounded.
They couldn't even imagine this kind of movie-making operation.
Uncle Ming himself was also very helpless about this.
While the makeup artist was refilling the paint, he took the opportunity to complain: "I've been an actor for half my life, and this is the first time I've filmed like this."
"Uncle Ming, you are wrong." Nanaya said with a smile, "This technology has just been developed, and you are the first one in the world to enjoy it."
"Okay, okay."
Uncle Ming smiled and said, "Then I'll just treat it as a chance to try some foreign food and broaden my horizons."
Nanaya shrugged and said, "I don't think you will be happy, Uncle Ming. Instead, you will find it very troublesome."
Makeup can only be regarded as the preliminary work of shooting, in order to ensure that the facial information is captured completely.
During the official shooting, Uncle Ming will be surrounded by 30 cameras of various sizes to conduct special tracking shooting at the same time.
It can be said that any subtle expression on Uncle Ming's face cannot escape the eyes of the camera.
This is also the best facial special effects technology that Hollywood can come up with at this stage without large-scale upgrades to hardware equipment.
It is guaranteed that a perfect face-changing can be achieved in the end, and the audience will only think that it is Uncle Ming in his 20s who is playing the role, and there will not be any sense of incongruity.
In fact, this is also the ultimate that the entire special effects industry has been pursuing - real and natural.
This is true not only for movie special effects, but also for game special effects.
The highest level of special effects is to make the audience unaware that special effects are used.
"Actually, I think just simple makeup is enough."
After finishing his makeup, Uncle Ming complained to Nanaya in a low voice as he stood up, "This is too much effort."
Nanaya shook his head slightly: "But if you put on makeup, your expression will become unnatural, and you won't be able to achieve the effect I want."
Uncle Ming laughed out loud: "As expected of the world's number one director, his pursuit is always high."
Nanaya shook his head: "It's just that technology is developing so fast. I definitely wouldn't have been able to shoot this kind of footage two years ago."
"So Cameron is really a pioneer in the film industry." Nanaya sighed, "The rest of us are just copying others."
This is to be believed, if it weren't for the accumulation and breakthroughs in motion capture technology during the "Avatar" period.
Even now, the enhanced Washimine late-stage team that has absorbed Light and Magic Industries may not be able to achieve such a level.
Uncle Ming is not aware of these details, he just simply thinks that Hollywood's technology is really amazing nowadays.
Although he himself is not clear about the specific functions of these technologies.
Although it is not clear, it feels powerful.
This is probably Uncle Ming's most real thought at the moment.
Nanaya didn't plan to explain it the same way as Uncle Ming did. After all, from shooting materials to finished products, it would be a very complicated operation.
If you are not someone like Nanaya who has specialized in this, just looking at these advance preparations will make you completely confused.
However, as an actor, Uncle Ming doesn't need to understand these things.
All he has to do is show his acting skills perfectly in front of the camera.
Today is the day to film the real-life appearance of the First Emperor.
Although he is not the final boss, as the core of the story of "Da Qin", the First Emperor's appearance must be full of style.
Nanaya gave full attention to the appearance of the First Emperor, whether it was the whole person floating in the air or the BGM when he appeared, it was all very much like a big boss.
However, all of these need to be processed later, and none of these things are available during on-site shooting.
Uncle Ming needs to walk in mid-air on a green screen stand, and overcome the large and small cameras surrounding his body, and then use his performance to show the dominance of the First Emperor.
This is not an easy thing to do.
Even a veteran actor like Uncle Ming still made frequent mistakes at the beginning.
The cameras around him were indeed quite an eyesore and affected his performance.
"Cut."
Nanaya called for a stop again: "Uncle Ming, you need to relax and just look straight ahead. Don't follow any camera."
With so many cameras hanging around, any normal person would let their eyes follow the moving cameras.
Only those who can control this natural reaction are truly great actors.
Uncle Ming made a wait gesture: "Sorry, I need to think about it for a while."
Nanaya didn't urge him. Today was supposed to be a day for Uncle Ming to get in the mood.
Even if there is not a single usable one at the end of the day, Nanaya can accept it.
As long as Uncle Ming can find his form, that's fine.
Uncle Ming closed his eyes and meditated for a few minutes before opening them.
"Let's try again."
Uncle Ming nodded to Nanaya, indicating that he was ready.
Nanaya didn't waste any words. He picked up the intercom directly: "All departments, prepare--"
Uncle Ming ignored the busy figures of the other crew members and stared straight ahead.
In fact, in the character setting and in the final film, the First Emperor wore a crown on his head.
The purpose was to demonstrate the majesty of the First Emperor.
However, during the actual filming, the bead curtain of the crown would obscure the actor's face, making it impossible for the camera to record facial data.
So during the filming, Uncle Ming was the only one wearing the costume of the First Emperor.
In order to facilitate filming, she did not wear a crown on her head, but only made a headband with a curtain.
Of course, considering that in Chinese culture, a touch of green on the head is considered a very exaggerated statement.
Therefore, Nanaya chose a blue curtain for Uncle Ming.
After all, if Nanaya really used a green screen to shoot, Uncle Ming would have to kill him with a kitchen knife.
It is also a good thing for Uncle Ming that there is no bead curtain, as his vision is clearer.
Uncle Ming also didn't want to repeat what happened some time ago where another actor tripped over himself because the hem of his dress was too long.
Uncle Ming opened his arms and waited quietly for the event to begin.
The moment Nanaya shouted "Action", Uncle Ming began to recite the lines.
"This body is the culmination of [human] existence."
Uncle Ming raised his hands slightly upwards, as if he wanted to embrace the world.
"Overcoming life and death, transcending yin and yang, and reaching the only true person who exists, the immortal truth."
Uncle Ming paused at this point.
This is certainly not because Uncle Ming forgot his lines, but rather a deliberate pause in order to accumulate strength.
Although this passage is a bit difficult to understand, Uncle Ming has had the script for such a long time that he has already memorized it by heart.
This is the most basic professional ability and attitude as an actor.
Uncle Ming slowly opened his eyes and announced in a tone that was indifferent yet proud.
"That is...I!"
Originally, there should be an analysis of the current state of the First Emperor by the Chaldeans.
But Nanaya split this footage, shooting the First Emperor and Chaldea on two sides.
Because when filming the First Emperor, the various equipment took up too much space.
If they are filmed together, the positions of the Chaldea members will most likely affect the trajectory of the equipment during filming.
So Nanaya chose to shoot separately and then paste them together in post-production.
So after a brief pause, Uncle Ming continued to recite his lines.
"This is the result of verifying the method of ascension learned from analyzing the Fuso tree using the life data collected from the mustard seed, and practicing it in the culture tank."
I don't know why, but every time Nanaya heard this line, he would subconsciously think that Brother Zheng had merged his original DNA data with Yu Ji's.
Even though I know that this statement is completely a misunderstanding.
But Nanaya always felt that Brother Zheng's body was the result of the joint creation of him, Yu Ji and the Fuso tree.
"Isn't this a disguised form of 'two-thirds God, one-third man'?"
After all, the Fuso tree in the fairy world and the immortal Yu Ji can also be considered "gods" to some extent.