This is really interesting. There are currently around 180 virtual celebrities with over 100k followers. Last year around this time, there were only 5 with over 1M followers. Right now, there are 10. I definitely see this trend growing. https://twitter.com/notgordo/status/1275179145274802178

The idea of starting a YouTube channel has occurred to me more than once, but I always feel awkward recording. This led me to think about alternative ways of creating content and "present" myself in front of the camera.

Apple popularized creating avatars with Memoji, while Snapchat and Instragram popularized through filters/lenses.

While current virtual celebrities require mocap software (facial, body, hand and lip sync) and real-time avatar creation (3D modelling and rigging).

Plus, the engine to connect the data (game engine, real-time rendering platforms).

I think in the future, virtual celebrities will be commonly developed by people with simpler services (as simple as Memoji, Lenses, Stories).

The major driver here will be the tech that is capable of motion capture being widely available through AR and VR.

This is Lil Miquela - currently has 2.4M followers on Instagram. Miquela has launched music and was the first virtual artist to sign with CAA (Creative Artists Agency).

Miquela is computer-generated and was created by a team of two.

But... she wasn't the first. It was Kyoko Date (1998).

https://ew.com/article/1997/05/16/kyoko-date-worlds-first-virtual-pop-star/

We've come a long way - and I still feel there's a yet to be defined spectrum of different types of virtual beings.

What caught my attention last year was VTubers or Virtual Tubers.

A virtual YouTuber is an online entertainer, typically anime-styled, Japanese speaking, and a YouTuber and/or live streamer, who is represented by a (usually anime-inspired) digital avatar generated by computer graphics.

A growing trend in Japanese culture.

(not only in Japan, but also in China)

How much is this growing? In 2019, the number of total subscribers and the total views each increased by 28% and 99%.

Not limited to YouTube and Instagram. It's also happening on TikTok.

Remember when Travis Scott show attracted 12 million users on Fortnite?

OK! I'm done rambling.

If you want to start your VTuber journey today, check out this article by @SkarredGhost: https://skarredghost.com/2019/04/23/virtual-cast-vr-girl-japan/

Ciao!

@miketheone2830 saw this thread and suggested I did an avatar-like experiment with my music project.

Well... I actually tried something last year with just the Oculus Quest avatar editor, @tiltbrush and a video editor.



Let me know what you think.