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Technology and the emergence of performance capture

Technology and the emergence of performance capture
Technology and the emergence of performance capture
This chapter explores the milestone of performance capture technology in actor training, focusing on Andy Serkis’s groundbreaking work in “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy. It discusses how Serkis’s full-bodied approach to the character of Gollum redefined the relationship between actor and digital avatar, legitimising virtual performance as a significant art form. The chapter examines the broader implications of this milestone for actor training, performance practices across media, and the expanding opportunities presented by digital and extended reality technologies. Finally, it considers the future of actor training in a rapidly evolving digital landscape, emphasising the importance of adaptability and technical proficiency alongside traditional skills.
Routledge
Branch, Boyd
bbb7087d-b430-43a1-b17e-2dcc56644525
Allain, Paul
Camilleri, Frank
Branch, Boyd
bbb7087d-b430-43a1-b17e-2dcc56644525
Allain, Paul
Camilleri, Frank

Branch, Boyd (2025) Technology and the emergence of performance capture. In, Allain, Paul and Camilleri, Frank (eds.) Milestones in Actor Training. 1 ed. Routledge.

Record type: Book Section

Abstract

This chapter explores the milestone of performance capture technology in actor training, focusing on Andy Serkis’s groundbreaking work in “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy. It discusses how Serkis’s full-bodied approach to the character of Gollum redefined the relationship between actor and digital avatar, legitimising virtual performance as a significant art form. The chapter examines the broader implications of this milestone for actor training, performance practices across media, and the expanding opportunities presented by digital and extended reality technologies. Finally, it considers the future of actor training in a rapidly evolving digital landscape, emphasising the importance of adaptability and technical proficiency alongside traditional skills.

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More information

Published date: 12 November 2025

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 509257
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/509257
PURE UUID: 84537b28-480b-401a-8056-c4c4d6dbcdb3
ORCID for Boyd Branch: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-3166-4358

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Date deposited: 16 Feb 2026 17:48
Last modified: 17 Feb 2026 03:14

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Contributors

Author: Boyd Branch ORCID iD
Editor: Paul Allain
Editor: Frank Camilleri

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