Contextual Statement

The Uncanny Valley is something many people are aware of, but they can never put a name to it. Do you enjoy pointing out the CGI in movies that try to trick you into believing the CGI is real? Or do you feel uneasy when you see something trying to mimic reality but it just isn't quite right? This is the Uncanny Valley. Essentially the name came from a dip in a graph created by robotics professor Masahiro Mori, that stated when a robot (CG character) is created to look lifelike but just misses the mark the viewer feels repulsed to look at it. If something is sufficiently not lifelike then the lifelike qualities will stand out to the viewer. On the other hand if something is “almost lifelike” then it is the unlifelike characteristics that stand out leaving you with a feeling of repulsion or dislike.

Some people say the Uncanny Valley cannot be beaten like Angela Tinwell, senior lecturer in games and creative technologies at Bolton University. "We've come up with the notion of the 'uncanny wall. It suggests a viewer's discernment for detecting imperfections will keep pace with technology. As the human likeness increases, so the viewer becomes ever more discerning of little flaws. So when a new, more "realistic" character like Tintin comes along, they won't be rated as more humanlike – previous humanlike characters will actually sink lower into the valley. It's cognitive dissonance; we refuse to be tricked by technology."

Although I agree with Tinwell that the viewer becomes more discerning of little flaws as technology advances, I don't believe that the viewer cant be deceived into thinking CG is reality. For example in Tron Legacy (2010) the young Jeff Bridges was a CG character and fooled many viewers. I believe this is because of three elements working seamlessly together. Aesthetics, Movement and Environment. The Visuals matched the rest of the film style so you didn't question his character. The Movement was motion captured so that every detail was relayed onto the CG character. And the environment matched the character so the audience wouldn't question the placing.So as it has obviously been achieved it isn't impossible...just difficult.

As an animator I wanted to focus more on the movement side of the combination because I believe that is where the personality and emotion comes from in a character. I believe if animators and film makers were more aware of the Uncanny Valley and what brought characters into it then it would be easier to avoid falling in or letting your audience drag you in. I explored both sides of the Uncanny Valley, Abstract (Up, The Incredibles) and Realistic (The Polar Express, Tin Tin, Avatar) to understand the differences in workflow and restrictions between the two. I believe that through my findings it will help inform and improve my quality of work and understanding of animation. Through case studies and research, along with practical experimentation, I have derived a variety of guides/tips to help inform the animator of what puts a character in the Uncanny Valley and what to do to stay out. These guides/tips are by no means %100 fact but helpful processes to assist an animator on his journey to create lifelike animations.

In the second semester I wish to use these tips, along with the findings my peers discovered in my group, to create something that will deceive/trick the audience into believing or not noticing a CG character thus proving 1, the guides/tips work and 2, It is possible to deceive a well educated technological audience.