Martha Lucía Leal is an actress we've seen in films such as *Of Love and Other Demons* (2009) and *It's Better to Be Rich Than Poor* (1999), television series like *Deadly Sins* (2004), and independent projects like *The Decision of Saint Matthew* (2001) and *Dito, the Alarm Clock Boy* (2008). She's known for choosing projects that possess a certain magic, making them special. Upon learning that she had worked as an actor director on a television series featuring virtual characters—that is, computer-generated and animated using motion capture—we contacted her to discuss the project.

MEY productions: Tell us about your most recent work.

Martha Leal: Martha Leal: I've been an actress for many years and I'm still working in the field. I act in short films whenever the opportunity arises, I do some television work, and last year I performed in "The Empty Nest," a short play in a format that's gaining popularity in Bogotá. It lasts 15 minutes and is repeated several times a night. However, in recent years I've moved closer to directing. I've been an assistant director on several plays and I've directed corporate productions for companies. In the second half of 2014, I was invited to work as casting and acting director on a wonderful project, SABOGAL, a 13-episode animated series created and produced by 3Da2. My job, in addition to finding the actors, was to direct them in the motion-capture scenes. It was a very interesting and enriching experience, one that I hope to have the opportunity to repeat.

MEY: How do the two types of actor direction differ?

ML: In motion capture animation, the actor brings an animated figure to life, which requires a keen awareness of the qualities imbued in the movements: rhythm, shape, and size. In this project, in addition to body capture, facial capture and direct sound recording were also being done. This means that the animated characters move and speak just as the actors did during the capture session. It's very similar to live-action filming, but it demands particular skills such as working with objects and imaginary spaces. The capture takes place in a studio with limited space, and the actor must imagine everything around them, in addition to wearing the special suit, helmet with camera, and facial capture points. It requires attention, concentration, and stamina. My role as director, beyond what I would do if it were live-action, consisted of finding a tone of movement and acting that would be visible in the animated characters, and providing all the necessary support so that the actor could perform naturally, especially with the voice capture.

MEY: What projects do you have planned for the near future?

ML:This year, I'm participating in ALUCINE, a film review series produced by La buena estrella, which you can watch on the YouTube channel "ALUCINE film reviews." I've also just started a theater project as an assistant director, which we hope to premiere in July. It doesn't have a final title yet, but it will be the first of four plays in the Chekhov cycle, a project by the group "La maldita vanidad" (The Damned Vanity). I'm also working on a production I'm directing, with three actresses… I'll tell you more when the details are finalized. Of course, I'm still looking for short film projects, which I enjoy so much, and I'm open to any opportunities that come my way.

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