Deepfake Lips Are Coming to Dubbed Films

To me the issue is more that the dubbed performances are often crummy.

The replacement actors generally aren't very good, so even without lip movement issues, the dubbed voices become a distraction...

 

"I am sick and tired of these monkey fightin' snakes on this Monday to Friday plane!"

 

The Shaw Bros. just wouldn't be Shaw Bros. without the dub.

 

As long as the director approves it, I think it's OK. I can see where this could be terribly misused and start to look weird, but if the filmmakers are alright with it, I don't see too much of a problem.

It is possible to sample the acoustics of a location recording and then recreate the same kind of reverb/EQ/compression with the new dialogue. This has only happened in the last 5-6 years, but it would require that they go back and remix the older dubbed movie, which they may not be able to afford. On the other hand, CG-ing the lips on every actor in a 2-hour movie can't be cheap. I'm guessing it could cost thousands of dollars a minute, particularly on "cutty" films with a lot of shots.

 

Eventually producers will just attain rights to classic actors' spec cartridge & type in their "motivation"

 

They will also use the technology to make stuntmen look like the actors.

 

I'm thinking 99% of current dubs or tv edits are already done without running it by the director, unless they have Speilberg level clout. I only ever hear of a few Argentos/Jackie Chan/spaghetti westerns type things where multiple approved versions went out.

 

I'm not sure studios will really care about this for "fixing" foreign-language dubbing. Unless/until the tech gets really cheap, I don't think they'll find it worthwhile -- it won't fix the problems that really bother people with dubs.

What I think it will become popular for is more general post-production fixing, same-actor or replacement actor overdubs, etc.

 

On my blu-ray player you can position the subtitles on the BD/DVD you are playing, unless they are burned into the print. I always position them below the image.

 

Lots of studios are barely bothering with spanish/french language subtitles for catalog home videos that only cost something $1,500 each per movie.

 

This is a horrible idea. Such a waste of time.