China: when a virtual avatar is the star of a tele-hook
The avatars, here in a video game, also pass in the world of television (Photo of illustration).
GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / AFP / Archivos
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3 min
Amy is 19, red hair and already has millions of social media fans in China.
She is the new star of a musical tele-hook show that uses one of the successful formulas of the small screen "The Voice".
But the particularity of Amy is surprising: she does not exist because she is a virtual avatar created from scratch by computer.
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This time, the virtual has the will to make us take any bladder for a superb lantern.
Via the web, many small programs already allow Internet users to easily falsify a photo or even a filmed speech.
That of a political figure, for example.
Called “deepfake” by English speakers, these moving image effects techniques are spreading from mobile to smartphone and are becoming more and more efficient.
►Also listen: The threat of “deepfake” is becoming clearer
Launched this year, the hook TV show "Dimension Nova" which is watched online by 390 million Chinese people refined the concept to produce a show in which computer-generated avatars sing and dance in front of a panel of real judges who rate their service.
Virtual idols from Japan
According to the show's producers, this talent competition is the first in the world to feature virtual candidates.
In reality, this is not quite the case!
Virtual idols originated in Japan, but the phenomenon is spreading in all Asian countries.
These digital inlays take a decidedly manga style with animated characters that don't seek to imitate reality.
These virtual stars are a mix of computer animation and acting using motion capture technology.
When the human animator behind the scenes is moving, for example, the avatar follows all their gestures in real time.
The voices of virtual idols are, on the other hand, interpreted by real singers.
The illusion is far from perfect
On the other hand, producers and presenters avoid mentioning the existence of the actors behind these digital idols.
It is a desire on their part to maintain the magic of the show with millions of fans.
“
Our
virtual idols
have their own personalities, characteristics and preferences.
They really exist in this world,
”argue the creators of Amy's avatar.
For now, the illusion is far from perfect.
But the more or less long-term objective is to create ultra-realistic digitalized and intelligent human avatars, which will then be able to display on the screen, typically human emotions, by the posture of their body, their gestures and the timbre of their voices, when they converse with their interlocutors.
However, these increasingly sophisticated special effects are reviving the debate on the dangers of massive manipulation of photo and video information.
Whose infox providers will shamelessly use, soon preventing us from definitively disentangling on the Web and social networks, the true from the false.
►
To read also:
K / DA, last “virtual” avatar of Korean video-game and musical culture
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