The deployment of neural networks for censorship purposes has taken an intriguing turn: Maxim Vitorgan’s presence in a series has been meticulously excised and substituted with a sophisticated deepfake rendition.
Russian actor Maxim Vitorgan, known for his anti-war stance and vocal opinions, has found himself at the center of a unique censorship controversy. He has been effectively removed from the series “Contact,” replaced by a deepfake rendering of his character. This marks a groundbreaking instance of deepfake technology being utilized for censorship purposes within Russian feature films and TV series.
Historically, Russian film censorship predominantly involved excising scenes featuring “objectionable” actors or denying them participation altogether, even during screen tests.
In the second season of the Russian series “Contact,” Maxim Vitorgan’s character was conspicuously absent, despite his initial involvement in filming. Instead, a deepfake version resembling him was seamlessly integrated. This novel development, dubbed the “neurotypical Maxim Vitorgan,” garnered attention and some mockery from industry observers.
However, this innovative censorship technique does come with a set of challenges. Notably, the facial expressions of the deepfake character remain static, and lip movements often fail to synchronize with the spoken lines—an observation pointed out by mediazona journalists.
Vitorgan himself humorously referred to the replacement of his character with a deepfake as a “great artistic and ideological victory.” He also acknowledged the financial magnitude of this move for the production company, emphasizing that such a technologically advanced procedure is costly.
Vitorgan’s public stances, including opposition to war and support for Alexei Navalny, have likely contributed to these actions. He has openly expressed his views against the Russian invasion of Ukraine and supported Navalny before and after his arrest.
The employment of deepfake technology for censorship purposes underscores the extent to which societal and political factors can impact the creative industry. The previous instance of actors experiencing repercussions due to their civic positions points to a larger trend within the industry, where certain perspectives are met with resistance, even resulting in job loss for some.
While deepfake technology holds remarkable potential in various fields, its application in censoring content raises complex ethical questions regarding artistic freedom, manipulation of public perception, and the broader implications for the entertainment landscape.
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