In a groundbreaking move, acclaimed director Robert Zemeckis has reunited longtime collaborators Tom Hanks and Robin Wright for a mind-bending cinematic experiment—the $50 million sci-fi drama “Here.”
The film, which just premiered in theaters, utilizes cutting-edge AI-powered visual effects to digitally de-age Hanks and Wright, allowing them to portray their characters across a wide span of decades, all within the confines of a single living room setting.
“You couldn’t have made this movie three years ago,” Zemeckis told The New York Times, explaining that traditional visual effects for this level of face modification would have required hundreds of artists and a much larger budget.
Instead, the production turned to Metaphysic, a visual effects company that has developed real-time generative AI technology capable of instantly transforming the actors’ appearances on set. This allowed Zemeckis and his crew to capture Hanks and Wright’s performances in their true ages, then seamlessly morph them to depict younger and older versions of their characters.
“Why do we remember the moments that we remember?” Wright said, describing the film’s exploration of the human experience across time. Wright described the film’s exploration of the human experience across time.
Defying Conventions
“Here” represents a bold departure from traditional filmmaking approaches, with Zemeckis opting for a single, locked-off camera angle that remains fixed throughout the entire 105-minute runtime. The graphic novel that serves as the film’s source material inspires this unconventional choice, which eliminates traditional close-ups, cutaways, and montages, forcing the audience to focus on the subtle evolutions of the characters and their environment.
“Tom and I are so spoiled, we don’t ever want to shoot conventional format again,” Wright said, reflecting on the unique challenges the approach presented. Indeed, the actors had to meticulously choreograph their movements to ensure they walked into their own close-ups and two shots with no room for error. The production team also had to precisely control the changes in the set, furniture, and costuming to accurately depict the passage of decades.
Embracing the Future
While some critics have questioned the effectiveness of the de-aging technology, Zemeckis and his stars remain undaunted, viewing “Here” as a bold step forward for the art of filmmaking.
“The technical aspects have been in every movie I’ve made with Bob,” Hanks said, drawing parallels to the groundbreaking visual effects used in their previous collaborations, such as “Forrest Gump.”
The film’s arrival also comes at a time when the use of AI in Hollywood is a subject of growing debate, with unions and industry veterans grappling with the technology’s implications for creative processes and job security. However, Zemeckis and his team see “Here” as a testament to the transformative potential of these emerging tools, pushing the boundaries of what is possible on the big screen.
“Everyone’s nervous,” said Susan Sprung, CEO of the Producers Guild of America. “And yet no one’s quite sure what to be nervous about.” As moviegoers prepare to witness Hanks and Wright’s captivating performances in this innovative sci-fi drama, “Here” promises to spark new conversations about the future of filmmaking and the role of AI in the creative arts.
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