The innovative new video by rap superstar Kanye West was made using technology created by Edinburgh-based computer animation company Speech Graphics, it has emerged.
Directed by photographer Nick Knight as the lead-off single from new album Yeezus, the promo for the Daft Punk co-produced Black Skinhead features a brooding, computer-generated West performing against a starkly monochromatic backdrop of barking dogs and hooded figures.
The video uses a method of lip-synching speech to facial animation pioneered by Speed Graphics, who formed in 2010 as a spinoff from the University of Edinburgh's School of Informatics and Centre for Speech Technology Research.
Using techniques more commonly seen in video games, the company collaborated on synching a 3D facial model of West and his vocal track for the video, which was released as an experimental interactive version on the rapper's website this Monday.
An unfinished version of the clip was contentiously leaked online earlier this month, prompting one of the rapper's characteristic Twitter rants.
Watch the video below. Warning: this video contains strong language and explicit content.
Speech Graphics co-founder Michael Berger explained: "When we took the call from Hollywood they set us exceptionally tight deadlines. But we just could not say no to this amazing job."
"When we animate speech we actually animate most of the face, because the skin moves, right up to the eyes. We even had his ears moving with the jaw motion. But our biggest challenge was to make Kanye's face move naturally over the famous gold and diamond grill on his teeth."
Speech Graphics CEO Gregor Hofer added: "This has been an extraordinary project to work on. To make the most famous face in Hip Hop rap has been a surreal experience and the media furore has added to the intensity of working on the project. It just doesn't get any bigger. This project has given us the chance to really show what our technology can do."
Speech Graphics has won several industry awards, including the 2012 John Logie Baird Award for innovation. As well as a main base in Edinburgh's Crichton Street, the company has recently opened an office in San Jose, California. Earlier this year, Channel 4 commissioning editor for games Colin MacDonald was appointed chairman.
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article