Actors gain access to thousands of different faces instantaneously as their facial topography is scanned and altered in real-time using 3D projection mapping. Japanese artist Nobumichi Asai collaborates with makeup artist Hiroto Kuwahara and French digital image engineer Paul Lacroix to create transfixing transformations that track the actor’s movements to keep their ‘new faces’ in place.

The Facehacking and Omote projects consist of real-time face tracking and projection mapping to ‘re-write’ the actors’ faces in a virtually endless variety of ways. As the actors turn their heads, animations are projected onto the surface of their skin.

The effect can be quite creepy, especially when these new characters open their eyes as if they have suddenly inhabited the bodies of their hosts. The result looks like especially detailed stage makeup, but changes on demand. While it could certainly be used in film, it’s especially intriguing as a possible element of live performances.