12/30/2002 08:48:00 PM

while reading Newsweek at a sweet Barnes & Noble just down the street this past Saturday evening my mind was blown by the description of a Wachowski brother's FX invention (could not find the specific article online so you will have to go brick and mortar to read this one). they are calling it "virtual cinematography." basically, as i remember it, they take an object, organic or inanimate and run it through a series of movements that five digital cameras capture. they then feed this footage into a computer that runs these sequences through algorithms that actually create all possible motions of said object not "captured on film."

basically, this means that any scene can be created without the visible traces of a computer-constructed scene. things like this were done before using blue screen, but virtual cinematography is revolutionary in how it can ultimately disintermediate actual character actors in the creation of scenes.

beyond the technical coolness of this capability it also underscores the less than absolute nature of our "common sense" physical evidence standards in the practice of law. as this capacity continues down the inevitable trickle down path that all tech eventually takes it is conceivable that one could be made to look like they carried out crime or were party to some great humanitarian act despite the fact that their carbon based existence had nothing to do with the purported event.

how does this impact evidence guidelines? how does this impact identity and reputation management? how could this help provide compelling deniability to those seeking to eschew actual events they were party to? to what end will this be used by the propoganda machines that already spin reality for political contestants and wealthy public figures?

who knows? i just hope it kicks my butt when i go to see Reloaded in May.