Disney has unveiled its newest technology, deepfakes and facial recognition, to resurrect and revive dead actors and let fans see their stunts once more, The Verge and Screenrant reported.
Deepfake is a term referring to the face-swapping algorithm that took the world by storm recently. The company believes these outputs will let fans see the stunts and acting prowess of amazing actors once more.
With several actors the world lost in the past decade, this technology has become the bridge that will "immortalize" their onscreen performances. The Disney deepfakes are centered on realism and practicality.
The details of Disney's deepfake tech
This newest tech proposal aims to place the actors' faces virtually on any live-action actor who is still alive. Called the "High Resolution Neural Face Swapping" technology, it hopes to make these faces look the most natural and closest to real life.
The face-swapping technology is utilized for a more practical purpose rather than just sharing how males look like when they are females and vice-versa.
"This technology elevates the face-swapping game to a whole new level by making visual anomalies nearly indiscernible to the naked eye," Kyle Encina said in the report.
Disney research
Disney Research Studios is spearheading the project, and they call it "the first method capable of rendering photo-realistic and temporally coherent results at megapixel resolution."
Furthermore, this algorithm also will make "any performance transferable between any two identities" in any given database.
Also Read: WeChat Blocks Viral Chinese Deepfake App Zao Due To 'Security Risks'
What does it mean? With the facial details of this "dead" actor, the appearance is superimposed onto the chosen model. The method is similar to how deepfakes do it--though utilizing more sophisticated measures to maintain consistency and precision.
This is not relatively new as there are companies that have ventured into these solutions for commercial purposes. However, it makes the project shine from above the rest, making it look more natural and at the same time, more compelling.
Fixing the gaps
Digitally-created facial images are usually met with challenges when connecting them with the real world. However, this facial technology can address the problem of showcasing deceased actors in current works of art or in movies in the making.
Among the adjustments are geometric alterations, contrast, and motion. The audio deepfake should also go along with this. There have already been instances of deceased actors reprising their roles with the use of this technology.
