Should CGI Actors Have Their Own Award Category?

[Dynasty]

Discuss.

Lord of the Rings star Andy Serkis has said he does not see a need for a separate Oscar category for "performance capture" actors.

Serkis, who played Gollum in Peter Jackson's fantasy trilogy, said the increasing use of the film-making tool had sparked an "interesting debate".

Performance capture is when an actor's movements are translated into CGI.

Movie fans were watching this year to see if Zoe Saldana would get an Oscar nod for her role as an alien in Avatar.

In the end, Saldana - who only appears in computer-generated form - did not make the shortlist.

But it reignited the debate on whether motion capture actors are able to compete on a level playing field during awards season.

"It's a very interesting debate," Serkis told the BBC. "The industry is going to be using performance capture more and more in films.

"Personally I've never believed there should be a separate category because the essence of the performance is pure acting."

Digital realm

Serkis is an expert in the field, having played Gollum and King Kong (wtf?) via a performance capture suit.

He will be seen as Captain Haddock in Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson's Tintin trilogy using the same technology.

Serkis was seen most recently in cinemas playing a CGI-free Ian Dury in Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll.

"It's ultimately whether whoever's voting for the awards thinks the performance is a genuinely moving character," Serkis said.

"I don't really think there should a special acting in a digital realm award or anything. From an acting standpoint, it's the same."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8543296.stm

See, I dont know if the 'boards' that decide the nominations and who wins etc etc actually take CGI acting into account.

For example as said above, Zoe Saldana in Avatar; she did a great performance, after all it was her motion that was on screen and her voice at the same time, so its exactly the same as normal acting, you're just given a different look.

This isnt a rant for her not being nominated, just using her as an example.

Do you think that should mean she is excluded from an Oscar simply because she was in CGI and, maybe subconciously, not acting in people's minds?

Should CGI actors have their own Oscar's category?

After all, its becoming more and more popular these days.

 

[hot564231]

I'd prefer good Voice actors to get rewards.

 

[VictimOfScience]

No way. What we should do is give an award for the 'Best Lack of Music in a Motion Picture' which picks whichever film has the most powerful absence of score. (I am only half joking here.) I think acting is acting though, so I don't see why another category should be made for CGI actors. Won't we need even more categories then once Skynet starts making movies without the aid of humans??

That said, I never like awards because the categories doubtlessly need improvement to be "fair." I don't want to have a category that can have animated films and musicals and dramas and comedies and sci-fi, but that's what we have. You just can't judge these things on the same criteria so I think most awards suck, esp. the Oscars. I greatly prefer inside-industry awards like the SAG awards where you are judged by your peers.

 

[CptStern]

**** that. Statler and Waldorf never got an emmy for their outstanding work as supporting characters

 

[jondy]

No way. What we should do is give an award for the 'Best Lack of Music in a Motion Picture' which picks whichever film has the most powerful absence of score. (I am only half joking here.)

Christ, I think that's a fricken necessity. So many times orchestra is jizzed all over the place like there's a sale on