The Avatarization of Angelina: How *Beowulf* Moves Movies Closer to Second Life

The author's avatar watches avatars of Ray Winstone and Angelina Jolie from SL

Here's what Angelina Jolie said, after she saw the 3D animated avatar of herself stepping naked out of the water in Beowulf:

I was really surprised that I felt that exposed... There are certain moments where I felt actually shy – and called home, just to explain that the fun movie that I had done that was digital animation was, in fact, a little different than we expected.

No doubt a strange sensation for an A list Hollywood actress to feel, but familiar to anyone whose Second Life avatar's accidentally shown up naked in a public place.  Also strange that Jolie gets a screen credit in Beowulf, even though it's only her real voice matched to a motion captured, digitized version of her actual body (which is then enhanced to be even shapelier.)  Stranger still that the credited star of Beowulf, Ray Winstone, provides the hero's voice, but decidedly not the motion capture for Beowulf's buffed-out physique.  (In the classic gangster thriller Sexy Beast, when Ben Kingsley wonders, "Are you just gonna stand there looking like Porky Pig?", he's talking to Winstone.)  Unphased by philosophical questions, it was North America's top grossing movie last weekend, a lot of that due to Angelina Jolie's avatar-- and only her avatar-- stepping out of the water stark naked.

All this reminds me of a landmark essay Gwyneth Llewelyn wrote for me only two months ago, "The New Idoru: Second Life and the coming end of real world celebrity", which has this prophetic passage:

If we are able to do photo-realistic imaging in real time in 2020, we will still be able to get an autograph from Madonna’s avatar in 2020... but she might continue her career in virtual worlds even when she’s left the physical stages, and continue to be the refreshing and stylish woman that lured her audience into frenzy.  But she might continue her career in virtual worlds even when she’s left the physical stages, and continue to be the refreshing and stylish woman that lured her audience into frenzy in the 1980s.

Seems to me now 2020 is a conservative estimate, so better read the whole thing now, before her predictions all come to pass.

Comments

[Cyn Vandeverre]

I am amused that several critics have pointed out that Ms. Jolie's character isn't *naked* (Oh no!) but is wearing all that gold liquid. If she were naked, they say, the movie would have a more adult rating. This seems to be rather disingenuous. Wearing paint is still naked, in my book.

On the other hand, given the way our avatars wear clothes, "we" are basically wearing paint inworld as well (depending) and we don't feel naked unless we see pink or brown skin and nipples and so on. Rather a cognitive dissonance, eh?

[Ann Otoole]

2008 will be the year fantasy merges with real. the movie "Avatar" will be released and disney has even attempted to mix fantasy and real life in their new movie. and there are more to come too.

all of us in secondlife today were here before disney and the rest of the comers-on showed up. remember that when they try to take it away.

message to Dan Rosen (former Microsoft Executive): Secondlife is what the plaza on msn wanted to be way back 10 years ago. it is real now. as real as virtual can be. i'm here. where are you and the rest of the serious deep pockets? i could sure as heck build that 3D virtual mall today. :)