VFX technique enhancing or altering actor appearances digitally rather than with practical makeup.
Definition
Digital Makeup encompasses all digital interventions into the appearance of actors: skin retouching, wrinkle removal, scars, tattoos, aging, or rejuvenation. It complements or replaces traditional makeup.
Practical Application
Beauty work (skin smoothing, dark circles) is standard in high-end advertising and film. "Benjamin Button" and "Gemini Man" showcase extreme de-aging. "Captain Marvel" used digital rejuvenation for Samuel L. Jackson.
Technical Details
Facial tracking using feature points. Projection-based techniques for skin textures. Deep learning for automatic retouching. Compositing in Nuke or Flame. Balancing perfection and a natural look is critical.