I’ve also had to play the dying wife in a scene, which was a bit strange, but you just have to go for it! I’ve had to play 5 different parts in the same scene, so in one game I played Hitler talking his generals about his plan, then the door breaks down and 3 or 4 zombies come in and eat them all alive and I had to play every actor in that scene - which is a bit like a day of schizophrenia. What are some of the strangest experiences you’ve had as a mo cap actor? I mean, in a single day I might play 20 characters - which is great fun. The other challenge, which is probably the part I enjoy the most, is you get to play so many different characters in a short space of time. I then had about 5 minutes to memorise the scene, then he closed the book and left the room and that was the only look I got at the actual script - so it’s pretty intense! So you develop a very good short term memory. In fact on one job the script was so sensitive, on the day of the shoot, a man came out with a black folder, sat down next to me, opened the folder and said ‘take a look’. Video games are particularly secretive, these games take five years to make and they’re trying to prevent any leak before they come out. It can also be mentally challenging, because quite often you’re presented with a script on the day of the shoot. In film, you take breaks in between shots as they relight etc, in theatre you’re on stage for a two hour show, but in mo cap because they are filming all the time you don’t need to take as many breaks, so it can be physically exhausting. It can be very relentless compared to other mediums. What are some of the other challenges of being a mo cap actor? That first experience standing in a lycra suit in the studio in front of people you’re never met can be daunting, but with training, you’re prepared. You need to work with people who have done it before and get your head around it so when you do get the job it’s not a terrifying experience. Beyond that, I think it’s important to get some training. most games have put all their behind the scenes footage on, which is very useful. There’s a lot of videos on youtube, which is a good way of getting your head around what the process involves. All fields of acting have their own methods and techniques and mo cap is no different. I think the first thing is to recognise that it is a different medium. So how would you recommend that actors get involved in mo cap? Nowadays, it’s not as necessary, for instance, the recent game Star Citizen - Squadron 42 and they had Mark Hamill, Gillian Anderson, Mark Strong, Gary Oldman and numerous other A-listers and none of these people have physical skills, they are just actors and this is where motion capture is going.ĭo you think there are opportunities for those who just come from an acting background?ĭefinitely, I did a private lesson recently with an actor who has a long history of theatre, he’s in his seventies I believe and he’s in a brand new action video game and was cast for his acting ability. It’s the level of physical coordination it provides, the ability to move your body in many different ways, to be flexible and versatile. They tend to yes because the majority of games have some element of action in. You have a background in martial arts and gymnastics, do most mo cap actors have a speciality? And because in motion capture your identity is concealed, you can play hundreds and hundreds of characters without there being an issue, so the studio ended up inviting me be back for more and more work. That was my first game, ‘Alias’ based on the Jennifer Garner TV show. A friend of mine had already done a couple of mo cap shoots and they needed another guy, so I auditioned and got the part. When I was 18 I was doing a lot of martial arts and gymnastics. How did you get involved in motion capture? What Actors need to know about Motion Capture PerformanceĬasting Call Pro spoke to Oliver Hollis-Leick, a seasoned motion capture actor who originally trained at Bristol Old Vic and has played a range of iconic roles in his 14 year motion capture career including James Bond, Spider Man, Master Chief (Halo), Iron Man and Ant Man. What Actors need to know about Motion Capture Performance.
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