Currently, a "reading" is the only rehearsal method which does not need an

actor's physical presence. The "reading" does not require that actors wear

costume/makeup or move on an assembled stage. Therefore it could be performed over

the telephone. One could argue that distributed rehearsals could be easily achieved

through video conferencing. However the cost and availability of a system which could

deliver satisfying results in terms of video/audio quality, bandwidth, and robustness make

video conferencing a poor choice for effective distributed rehearsals.

 Allowing digital characters to represent an actor in a shared immersive virtual

environment increases the number of conditions under which an acting rehearsal can

occur. Physical presence, preparation time, and cost would no longer limit rehearsals.

This would allow multiple actors from anywhere in the world to meet and rehearse a

scene before there are costumes or constructed sets.
















Figure 1-1. Two actors rehearsing in a virtual environment. Actor 1 controls the
movements of Character 1 (Morpheus), while Actor 2 controls the movements of
Character 2 (Neo).

 By allowing actors to meet in a virtual space, there is an added advantage of

virtual reality interaction. Such interaction includes stereoscopic vision, gaze tracking,

and easy prop and set maintenance. Stereoscopic vision allows the actor to see the acting