Profile: Motion capture stuntman
Adam Volk
|
Poetry in motion capture: Langdon in the lead role for Resident Evil 5
|
Martial artist, stuntman and actor, Reuben Langdon has done it all
When it comes to career paths, Reuben Langdon may just be living the dream of every teenaged geek in existence, working as a stuntman, martial artist and actor for film, television and video games, in addition to dealing with Hollywood A-listers such as Peter Jackson, Steven Spielberg and James Cameron.The Alaskan-born Langdon's unique career, however, first got its start in Japan, when he was cast on a popular Power Rangers spin-off show. "My first day of filming was literally on my 21st birthday," says Langdon. "I got to act, fight monsters, do martial arts, jump around on trampolines and watch explosions. The experience was so amazing I remember thinking, This is what I'm doing the rest of my life."
Langdon's work in Japanese television eventually segued into stunt work, culminating in a gig with legendary Hong Kong action star Jackie Chan. "Working with Jackie was a dream come true because I'd probably seen every movie he'd ever done," says Langdon. "I got my butt seriously kicked, but I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. I still can't believe I survived a Jackie Chan movie," he adds with a laugh.
Today Langdon lives in Los Angeles and is best known for his work as a motion capture actor, providing movements for computer-generated 3D characters. The job entails being stuck in a featureless room filled with hundreds of motion sensor cameras, with Langdon wearing a suit covered in reflective dots that send back coded data to a series of computers. "When you're acting
|
for motion capture, your movements have to be bigger, because you don't have facial expressions coming across," says Langdon. "It's definitely a shift in the way you think and act." Langdon's motion capture work has become so popular that he's become the go-to guy for the video game industry, creating motion capture characters for popular games such as Resident Evil 5 and the Devil May Cry series (the latter of which Langdon also worked on as the lead voice actor). As one of the most sought-after motion capture actors in Hollywood, Langdon has also created his own studio, Just Cause Productions, which creates custom video game cut scenes in addition to offering the services of actors, technicians and directors. He's also just finished work on James Cameron's new film, Avatar, in addition to appearing in a slew of upcoming movies, television shows and video games.
Whatever the project, Langdon says it's his love of martial arts that keeps him motivated. "My passion is really for creating action sequences," he says. "Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung and Bruce Lee laid down an awesome base for martial arts and entertainment. I want to use choreography and technology to create something cool and amazing that inspires the next generation the same way it did for me when I was a kid."
