Voice Preservation Programs & What it Could Mean for the Future

[Dejablue]

First off. The Bronies have made something useful?

https://www.equestriadaily.com/2020/...ect-using.html

It is called the Pony Preservation Program but it can be used for any character, as long as there is enough data to collect, even after the VA is long dead people could, theoretically, continue to use their voice. The legality of this is a dark void of terror but still I find the idea of Techno Necromancy intriguing.

A new "Pony Preservation Project" Spawned out of the fires of 4chan's pony board and being headed by someone going by the name of "15" over here, is using neural networks to build their voices electronically, so we can force our favorite characters to say anything. At the moment, they all sound pretty robotic, but they are getting closer and closer to re-creating them.

Sure Robo Twilight sounds like...a robot. But I've actually heard earlier attempts, and now she sounds much more natural. It's only a matter of time before they figure out how to make the voice sound even more natural. Imagine bringing the voices of long dead actors back to life to star in new shows. Like Lorenzo Music, the original voice of Garfield. We could forever preserve the voices of older VAs who may not be too much longer with us like Peter Cullen and Frank Welker, and even the beloved voice actors of the TMNT 87 cartoon. This was made by some dudes on 4chan. I can't imagine what could happen if done by industry professionals.

It's something to think about, even if we all know this technology will just be used for degeneracy.

[IMJ]

This is incredibly cool and something that I think will become very common as the tech becomes easy to use in storyelling.

Honestly, I wouldnt be surprised if some kind of clause about use of this already exists in some voice actor contracts.

[FredWolfLeonardo]

Fanfiction would be taken to a whole another level.

Especially those involving waifus.

[sdp]

Between this and deep fakes I think it'll be really cool what we can achieve in the future. Yeah some people will use it for crappy fanfics but we'll see cool fan productions.

[Sumac]

Originally Posted by sdp

Between this and deep fakes I think it'll be really cool what we can achieve in the future. Yeah some people will use it for crappy fanfics but we'll see cool fan productions.

Or they will make fake Hitler speeches.

[Dejablue]

In the next 50 years tho this could spell the end for voice actors XD. I mean imagine a company hiring you just long enough to collect enough voice samples, then firing you because a computer can then do the job for free.

[IMJ]

Originally Posted by Dejablue

In the next 50 years tho this could spell the end for voice actors XD. I mean imagine a company hiring you just long enough to collect enough voice samples, then firing you because a computer can then do the job for free.

Well.... in many ways that will be theft. I actually see voice actors somehow copyrighting their voice within so many degrees of modulation and tonality and the law adapting to accommodate something like this as an I.P. after the first big class action lawsuit where a show does something like what you've said.

[oldmanwinters]

Originally Posted by IMJ

Well.... in many ways that will be theft. I actually see voice actors somehow copyrighting their voice within so many degrees of modulation and tonality and the law adapting to accommodate something like this as an I.P. after the first big class action lawsuit where a show does something like what you've said.

Seems like the same rules will have to apply as they do now with CGI reproductions of actor/actress likenesses, ala Peter Cushing showing up in Rogue One.

[Dejablue]

Many years ago Disney literally owned the voice of Snow White. So the actress couldn't do anything else. Apparently they (probably) compensated her under the table but her career ended as soon as it began.

[IMJ]

Originally Posted by Dejablue

Many years ago Disney literally owned the voice of Snow White. So the actress couldn't do anything else. Apparently they (probably) compensated her under the table but her career ended as soon as it began.

Wow, never knew that story.... there's no way that would float nowadays unless it was in pre-contract and someone would agree over huge sums of money.