If there is a series that has managed to squeeze the most out of technological improvements in animation in recent years, it is undoubtedly The Simpsons. But if we follow a recent announcement from the Fox network, the most famous family in the world is about to take a real leap of faith when, on the upcoming May 15, it presents a live segment with Homer Simpson answering fan questions. This represents not only an enormous technical challenge, but also an acting one.
For an increasing number of users, television is considered a thing of the past. Its rigidity and linear profile are causing it to lose ground to new services, among which streaming of movies and on-demand programming stand out. One of the big questions we ask ourselves is how this trend will affect classic series that have accompanied us for years, and in the specific case of The Simpsons, everything seems to indicate that its answer is to "evolve", or at least, attempt to evolve. With that in mind, the Fox network announced a special event for the episode on the upcoming May 15, and it is none other than a live segment.
Indeed, according to Al Jean, current executive producer of the series, this three-minute segment that will air after the regular content will use motion capture technology so that the great Homer Simpson (and his voice actor Dan Castellaneta) can transmit his voice and gestures "almost" in real time to the two coasts of the United States. It is the first time an animated series has decided to take this path, and the producers anticipated that they will look for different ways to prove to the audience that the segment is "really" live.
On the other hand, Fox spokespeople indicated that all interested fans will be able to send their questions via Twitter, with the hashtag #HomerLive between Sunday May 1 and Wednesday May 4. Several portals attribute the decision to the recent success that the network had with a live version of the musical "Grease!", and of course, to the need to revitalize the screen with new technical feats. All doubts will be cleared up on the upcoming May 15, but if you feel that all this is a bit weird, I guarantee you are not the only one.
