From Phoebe Waller-Bridge nicking Rihanna’s pants to Jay-Z having it out with Tom Hiddleston, this silly comedy uses tech to put A-list celebs in humdrum situations. But is it OK?
atford, south-east London. Idris Elba – handyman, barman, mobile phone repairer, chef, delivery driver and DJ – is having a run-in with new neighbour Kim Kardashian over the communal garden. It’s Idris’s pride and joy, where he tends his brassicas and makes perfume out of rose petals and water that he sells on Etsy. First, he finds towels hanging off his pergola. Two days later, a paddling pool.
This is a reality TV spoof with a difference: the first deepfake comedy to grace our screens. So not only do you see a person who sounds and acts exactly like Kardashian griping about the garden hose, wheelbarrow and Flymo Elba has placed on her path to block access to the garden , she looks exactly like her, too.
Deep Fake Neighbour Wars is the brainchild of Spencer Jones and Barney Francis. Described as “the world’s first long form narrative show that uses deepfake technology”, it turns the country’s leading impressionists into A-list celebrities. At the start of each episode is a disclaimer about the celebs being played by actors and their faces all being deepfakes. At the end, their real faces emerge during the credits.
I haven’t seen the show that Deep Fake Neighbour Wars is lampooning – New Zealand’s long-running Neighbours at War – but having consumed as much Channel 4 and 5 reality TV over the decades as the next British person, I know the format in my bones. The soft female voiceover forever cueing up the next chapter of some petty dispute with a line such as: “That was when everything started to change.
Some impressions, deepfake or not, are more convincing than others, which goes to show human skill still prevails and we’re not a mouse click away from being phased out by machines fronted by Mark Zuckerberg’s face. Waller-Bridge, for example, is way too posh. Matthew McConaughey looks a bit off, which actually makes him more convincing. Lorraine Kelly as Andy Murray’s tattooist mum is a bit much, but also makes perfect British comedy sense.
United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Guy Sebastian's neighbour charged over alleged death threatNSW Police said they were called to Sebastian&x27;s Maroubra home, in Sydney&x27;s eastern suburbs, about 1.30pm yesterday after reports of a neighbour dispute.
Read more »
Guy Sebastian's neighbour charged over alleged death threatGuy Sebastian&x27;s neighbour has been arrested and charged after allegedly sending a death threat to the pop star as a years-long dispute turns ugly.
Read more »
Inside Guy Sebastian’s controversial seaside ‘fortress’ at heart of stoush with neighbour - realestate.com.auINSIDE STORY: The drama surrounding singer Guy Sebastian, his compound and an AVO taken out against a neighbour has been bubbling away for some time
Read more »
Pushing Buttons: Why the force is still strong with Star Wars video gamesFor 45 years, the sci-fi series has influenced the visual and narrative language of countless games, not just films – and shows no signs of slowing down
Read more »
Rising track star refuses to fly to Australia amid 'deep concerns' for climateA star British runner has revealed she will not fly to Australia over "deep concerns" for the climate, ruling herself out of a potentially career-making championship.
Read more »
Motorbike rider speeding at 150kph had fake number plate, police sayThe incident was one of several on Adelaide's roads to attract the attention of SA Police, who were also arrested an alleged drink driver spotted asleep at the wheel at traffic lights.
Read more »