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Posts Tagged ‘DISNEY’

Disney Research Studios demonstrates automatic face swapping with faster, cheaper AI

21 Jul

Disney Research Studios and ETH Zurich have published a study detailing a new algorithm that is able to swap faces from one subject to another in high-resolution photos and videos. Of note, this system is able to fully automate the face-swapping process, presenting the first instance of megapixel-resolution machine-generated imagery that is ‘temporally coherent’ and photo-realistic.

The new algorithm involves taking the face of a subject and modifying it using the face of another person, blending the two so that the face from one person is presented with the expressions and movements of another.

The system involves a multi-way comb network trained with images of multiple people, as well as a blending method that preserves contrast and lighting. ‘We also show that while progressive training enables generation of high-resolution images,’ the researchers say, ‘extending the architecture and training data beyond two people allows us to achieve higher fidelity in generated expressions.’

Key to the high level of quality is the ‘landmark stabilization algorithm,’ which Disney researchers describe as a ‘crucial’ aspect of dealing with high-resolution content. Though this isn’t the first instance of face-swapping in footage, the study points out that existing methods used to generate characters like the young Carrie Fisher in Rogue One are both time-intensive and quite expensive.

Artificial intelligence has the potential to change this, ultimately enabling creators to rapidly generate computer characters using live-action footage and input images of the target. Generating realistic faces remains a big problem, however, producing what is referred to as the ‘uncanny valley’ look that limits the use of this tech.

This makes Disney’s new technology particularly exciting, teasing a future in which creators will be able to generate photo-realistic, high-resolution, temporally-stable face swaps between two people. The researchers explain:

As our system is also capable of multi-way swaps — allowing any pair of performances and appearances in our data to be swapped — the possible benefits to visual effects are extensive, all at a fraction of the time and expense required using more traditional methods.

The study compares the face-swapping results from this new method to the results from existing algorithms, including DeepFaceLab and DeepFakes. Though the other algorithms were able to produce casually convincing results, they were unable to pass scrutiny and, in some cases, were either excessively blended or outright bizarre and uncanny.

This batch represents instances of failed face swapping

In comparison, the face swaps generated using the new method were realistic and maintained a high level of sharpness and detail at a 1024 x 1024 resolution, bypassing the soft, blurry results often seen when using DeepFakes. As well, the researchers note that DeepFakes has such heavy processing requirements that it was only able to generate a resolution of 128 x 128 pixels using an 11GB GPU.

When using morphable models, the researchers were able to increase the resolution to 500 x 500 pixels, but the results were typically unrealistic. Beyond that, the researchers were forced to train the conventional models for each pair of face swaps whereas the new algorithm could be simultaneously trained for all of the people used for the various face swaps.

However, the study points out that the new algorithm presents one big limitation also experienced by other, more conventional methods: the original head shape is maintained. Though the face swap may be very realistic, the face itself may not match the head shape properly, resulting in a generated character that looks a bit ‘off’ from what is expected.

Future research may result in a method for transferring the subject’s head shape in addition to their face, producing not only photo-realistic results, but also the correct overall appearance for a digitally-recreated actor. The biggest obvious use for this technology is in film and television, enabling studios to quickly and cheaply (relatively speaking) create 3D models of aging or deceased actors.

This technology joins a growing body of research on face-swapping and model-generating algorithms that focus on still images rather than videos. NVIDIA, for example, published a study in late 2018 that demonstrated the generation of photo-realistic portraits of AI models that involved source and target images of real people.

Around a year later, the same company published new research that performed a similar face swap, but one involving dogs instead of humans. We’ve already seen the use of these various AI technologies reach the consumer level — Let’s Enhance 2.0, for example, recently introduced a new feature that utilizes machine learning to reconstruct the faces of subjects in low-resolution images.

As for the new study from Disney Research Studios and ETH Zurich, the full paper (PDF) can be found on Disney’s website here.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Von Disney World zur Konzeptfotografie

21 Mar

Ein Beitrag von: Rachel Baran

Es klingt sicher wie eine superkitschige Comedy-Romanze, aber meine Liebe für die Fotografie entbrannte in Disney World. Meine Eltern schenkten mir zum 16. Geburtstag eine Kompaktkamera und so konnte ich meinen Ausflug dorthin dokumentieren. Aber meine Aufnahmen endeten meist bei Makrobildern von Blumen und Wasser und solchen Dingen, die man von einer fotografierenden 16-Jährigen erwartet.

Nach dieser Reise lud ich die Bilder zur Bearbeitung auf kostenlose Bearbeitungsseiten wie Picnik, legte auf das Bild noch dramatische Zeilen aus Songtexten und veröffentlichte das alles zum Leidwesen meiner armen Freunde auf Facebook, die mir liebenswürdig vorgaben, wie großartig das alles war.

To Have Loved © Rachel Baran

Als ich begann, Selbstportraits anzufertigen, fühlte ich mich etwas seltam dabei, die Facebook-Newsfeeds meiner Freunde mit Bildern meines Gesichtes zu verstopfen, weshalb ich einen Account bei Flickr erstellte und all meine tollen Kreationen dort geheim entlud.

Diese Plattform war es ehrlich auch, die mich dorthin gebracht hat, wo ich heute bin. All diese großartigen Arbeiten dieser tollen Künstler zu sehen, die dort ihre Bilder zeigen. Bis zu meiner Anmeldung auf Flickr wusste ich nicht einmal, dass es konzeptuelle Fotografie überhaupt gibt. Ich ließ das mit den Songtexten von da an bleiben, lieh mir von meiner Mutter ein Stativ und sparte Geld für eine eigene DSLR und Photoshop.

© Rachel Baran

Es dauerte eine ganze Weile, bis ich mich wie ein Individuum in der Welt der Fotografie fühlte, wenn auch nur leicht. Wenn man beginnt, ist es beinahe unmöglich, komplett „das eigene Ding durchzuziehen“, denn es ist unmöglich, zu lernen, was man machen kann, ohne andere Künstler anzusehen und von ihren Werken inspiriert zu werden.

Man wird durch Konzeptideen anderer Fotografen beeinflusst, einem Bearbeitungsstil, Farbschemata oder von irgendetwas anderem. Man versucht alles zusammen, bis man herausfindet, was für einen selbst funktioniert und was sich gut genug anfühlt, um sein eigenes Ding daraus zu machen.

consumed © Rachel Baran

Vor Kurzem erst habe ich einige sehr verschiedene Stile ausprobiert oder zumindest waren es für mich sehr neue Sachen. Persönlich denke ich, dass man nicht wirklich wachsen kann, ohne zu experimentieren. Das Letzte, was ich möchte, ist, stecken zu bleiben und als Künstler Staub anzusetzen.

Ich denke, es gibt einen großen Schwerpunkt auf der Suche nach dem eigenen Stil und es ist höllisch schwer in der künstlerischen Gemeinschaft – was auch sehr wichtig ist – konsistent zu bleiben.

© Rachel Baran

Aber es gibt einen Teil in mir, der sich ehrlich gesagt nicht so sehr um die Konsistenz kümmert. Dieser Teil möchte aussagekräftige Kunstwerke schaffen, unabhängig davon, wie die Farbtöne sind und ob es übersättigt oder entsättigt ist. Am Ende des Tages ist Kunst Kunst. Solange ich eine Botschaft kommunizieren kann, bin ich glücklich. Es gibt kein besseres Gefühl, als jemanden zum Nachdenken zu bringen.

Dieser Artikel wurde von Katja Kemnitz für Euch aus dem Englischen ins Deutsche übersetzt.


kwerfeldein – Fotografie Magazin | Fotocommunity

 
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Posted in Equipment

 

Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles

28 Feb

Check out these visual art images:

Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles
visual art
Image by Creativity+ Timothy K Hamilton
This is the Walt Disney Concert Hall. Designed by architect Frank Gehry, Walt Disney Concert Hall, new home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, is designed to be one of the most acoustically sophisticated concert halls in the world, providing both visual and aural intimacy for an unparalleled musical experience.Through the vision and generosity of Lillian Disney, the Disney family, and many other individual and corporate donors, the city will enjoy one of the finest concert halls in the world, as well as an internationally recognized architectural landmark.From the stainless steel curves of its striking exterior to the state-of-the-art acoustics of the hardwood-paneled main auditorium, the 3.6-acre complex embodies the unique energy and creative spirit of the city of Los Angeles and its orchestra.
I tried to keep just the building and sky in the photo to maintain some of the abstract quality of the architecture. This is a five-shot HDR (high dynamic range) photograph. I used HDR because of the bright shine of the building, which made it impossible to get the full range of light and dark without "blowing out" highlights. It’s not in perfect alignment, because the shots were hand-held. I made a choice not to bring along a tripod on the trip out of consideration for my wife, Grace. She puts up with enough stopping and waiting for me to take photos as it is. And does so graciously.
_DSC2260_56_57_58_59 ps Walt Disney Concert Hall

Embers & Chair
visual art
Image by bettlebrox
Mass Art’s Spring 2009 Iron Pour.

www.eworksfestival.com/index.php?page=events/4_10
The Iron Pour has a strong history at Massachusetts College of Art, beginning as a fundraiser for the Metals Department, it has grown into a celebration of art, music, and performance. Recently, the Iron Corps., the group that organizes the event, has been working in conjunction with Eventworks, who will be kicking off their annual Art Festival. This spring, we will be invoking themes of outer space and the explosive demise of stars and planets . Aside from the spectacular sculptural performances by the Iron Corps. , activities will include face painting, fire dancing, visual shows, and four musical acts throughout the course of the night.

 
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Posted in Photographs

 

Cars 2 Kidizoom Lightning Mcqueen Digital Camera Vtech Disney Pixar how-to take photos

29 Nov

Race to some creative fun pictures and movies with the Kidizoom Lightning McQueen Digital Camera from VTech. The best digital camera for your kid. This easy to use and ultra durable camera features a sleek Lightning McQueen design and has three modes that allow your child 3 years and older to take photos, edit photos, and make movies. For added fun, the camera can also be connected to your TV (cables included) so kids can view their creative work on the big screen. Use the USB port and cable (included) to connect the camera to a computer where your little photographer can add stamps and frames to their photos featuring the characters of Cars 2 using the Photo Editor software. The camera includes 256MB of built-in internal memory storing up to 500 photos or 10 minutes of video. Add more storage capacity by using an SD card up to 16GB. Edit later or take photos on the spot with Lightning Mcqueen and his friends Mater, Holley Shiftwell, Finn Mcmissile, lemons, bad guys, and others. Very easy to use. More easier to transfer to a computer or watch in the big screen. Sells for just .00 and provides hours and hours of fun. Perfect for Christmas present. Display: 1.8 color LCD screen 2.0 mega pixels and 2x digital zoom Photo resolution: 1600×1200 jpeg Video resolution: 320×240 Racer Lightning McQueen is also called “Bliksem Mcqueen” “Saetta mcqueen” “Lynet McQueen” “Rayo McQueen” “Flash Mcqueen” “Blixten McQueen” “Faísca McQueen” “Blesk McQueen” “?????? ???????” “Relâmpago
Video Rating: 3 / 5

 
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Posted in Photography Videos

 

Not so disney Pixar -World of Cars-the big street race! I need more subs

23 Oct

hi, ive tried out a new type of stop-motion video,from lego to cars.Tell me what you think!
Video Rating: 4 / 5

 
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Posted in Nikon Videos

 

Disney 3-D, Winter Break, and Plaid Fashion — The Rundown — Ep. 31

16 Oct

Sarah and Lily kick off their first video of 2012 by talking about what they did over winter break, some of their favorite new books, how to rock plaid and flannel without going overboard, and Disney re-releasing movies in 3-D! What did you do over winter break? And what Disney movie are you most excited to see in 3-D? Don’t forget to leave a comment and blog about your favorite winter styles on Dream Mining! www.dreammining.com http Dream Mining is a place to create, to dream and to play! At Dream Mining it’s all about fashion, music, and film especially when YOU design, sing and make videos! There are great animated videos and real stars singing original songs! Characters play in the world of Fashion, Music and Film: Lilly, Sarah, and Ella. TAGS: “disney 3-d” “lion king 3-d” “beauty and the beast 3-d” flannel plaid “plaid fashion” “flannel heels” “winter fashion” “harriet the spy” “tim gunn” books “book review” “movies based on books” “winter break” Dreamminingco “Dream Mining” iCarly Disney Nickelodeon Animation Fun Music Games “Everything That Really Matters” “Disney Channel” “The Walt Disney Company” “Walt Disney Pictures” Disneyland

Mythical Detective Loki Ragnarok – 24 – The Shadow is Alone Mayura, suspicious of Loki, investigates his house while he and the other gods have a picnic. Unfortunately, she is involved in Hel’s evil plans… Download Mythical Detective Loki Ragnarok from iTunes: itunes.apple.com ————————————– Anime Network is a leading broadcast and digital distributor of Japanese animation in North America. Our premier independent cable/satellite VOD network reaches over 45 million households every month with Subscription On Demand (sVOD), Free On Demand (fVOD) and Transactional distribution. Fans can also access their favorite series and features anytime, anywhere through Anime Network Online, our official streaming service. Anime Network’s content is also available to watch or purchase from Hulu, iTunes, Netflix, Sony Playstation Network, X-Box Zune and many more partners. For more info, or to watch more full episodes and series, check out Anime Network across the web – – Anime Network Online (Official Site) : www.theanimenetwork.com – Anime Network on Facebook : www.facebook.com – Anime Network on Hulu : www.hulu.com – Anime Network on Twitter : twitter.com – Anime Network on YouTube : www.youtube.com
Video Rating: 4 / 5

 
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Posted in Animation Videos

 

Muppet Vision 3D Preshow – Disney’s Hollywood Studios – Walt Disney World

13 Sep

Muppet Vision 3D Preshow from Disney’s Hollywood Studios at the Walt Disney World Resort. Filmed with our Canon XL1
Video Rating: 4 / 5

Red Vs Blue Animated Church Griff Simmons

 

“PARTLY CLOUDY” Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar Animation Studios part 1 Full HD

04 Aug

Video Rating: 4 / 5

 

TRON Legacy elecTRONica Dancer in 3D at Disney California Adventure -yt3d Fuji W3

01 Apr

Same elecTRONica dancer at California Adventure, different platform, different night. This was shot with my Fuji W3 and edited in Sony Vegas Pro 10. The new version of Sony Vegas has native support of 3D videos. I no longer have to split the 3D-AVI file before opening the 3D video in Vegas. Auto correct is awesome! No more masking alignment corrections. Video is cropped to full frame. Workflow is streamlined. I will upgrade to the new version before my 30 day trial expires.
Video Rating: 5 / 5

 
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Posted in 3D Videos

 

“Jim Henson’s Muppet*Vision 3D” (Part 1) at Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Disney World in 2D

24 Sep

Part 2: www.youtube.com The innovative “Muppet Vision 3D” film puts Disney guests smack in the middle of the Muppets’ knee-slapping adventure, thanks to an astonishing array of special effects. Disney has combined 70mm film featuring the most advanced 3D action and animation, a series of spectacular live effects and Disney’s famous Audio-Animatronics characters.
Video Rating: 4 / 5