Disney’s crazy ‘FaceDirector’ software can change actors’ emotions in a scene

Disney has released video of a new, bizarre tool that allows people to visually modulate actors’ emotions, seemingly in real time. By taking two shots, with actors performing two different ways in each shot, Disney has shown it can then sew them together into one moment, with someone behind the controls shifting the emotions on command.

The result is the company’s “FaceDirector” software, which is more than a little unnerving to see in action, mostly for how seamless it is. You can see why Disney would want it — being able to shift an actor’s emotions after a scene is shot could conceivably be a useful tool for directors.

It’s impressive, certainly, but somehow it still feels less emotionally manipulative than what Disney did with Pixar’s Up.