Animated Yes, but is it Acting?

Posted on Mar 07 by Kelly Johnson

The fact that Avatar is the front-runner in tonight’s Oscars raises an interesting question. Who really deserves nods for the film, the actors or the animators?

Before I get attacked by all the fanboys and girls, let me just say that I loved the film. It reminded me of why I fell in love with the movies. The film is amazing, a visual spectacle and emotional roller coaster. But let’s face it, of the film’s nine nominations, not one came in an acting category.

James Cameron has stated that he feels this slight is just a matter of educating Academy voters about motion-capture. The actors in the film do indeed provide strong performances and breathe life into their animated characters. However, the argument that it is the animators who provide the finishing touches is not one to be taken lightly.

“Avatar was good, but it wasn’t a movie, it was a spectacle,” actor Anthony Mackie told MSNBC recently.

Avatar isn’t the first film to raise the question of well, what exactly constitutes acting? Andy Serkis gave an outstanding performance as Gollum. Can you imagine Shrek without Mike Meyers?

LA Times Reporter Rachel Abramowitz writes, “The snubs reflect the apparent ambivalence of the film community — especially actors …”

Few critics would argue that with Avatar, Cameron has rebooted the technology of film. If the trend continues, perhaps it will be the actors themselves who force a renovation on the concept of acting.

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