--- title: Aping Reality: The CGI Secrets of the <span style='font-style: italic'>Planet of the Apes</span> | TIME description: What's it like working with a digital chimp? TIME reporter, Megan Gibson finds out when she talks to the cast and director of Rise of the Planet of the Apes canonical: https://time.com/video/OEmw0MhV/ og:title: Aping Reality: The CGI Secrets of the <span style='font-style: italic'>Planet of the Apes</span> og:description: What's it like working with a digital chimp? TIME reporter, Megan Gibson finds out when she talks to the cast and director of Rise of the Planet of the Apes og:url: https://time.com/video/OEmw0MhV/ og:image: https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/OEmw0MhV/poster.jpg?width=720 og:type: video.other twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Aping Reality: The CGI Secrets of the <span style='font-style: italic'>Planet of the Apes</span> twitter:description: What's it like working with a digital chimp? TIME reporter, Megan Gibson finds out when she talks to the cast and director of Rise of the Planet of the Apes twitter:image: https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/OEmw0MhV/poster.jpg?width=720 --- # Aping Reality: The CGI Secrets of the Planet of the Apes > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME Subscription: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition TIME is a general-interest news organization founded in 1923, reporting on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world. A TIME subscription provides full access to that journalism in print and digital, from $20 a year, and can be cancelled at any time. 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They are at time.com/newsletters and are separate from a paid subscription. ## Video: Aping Reality: The CGI Secrets of the Planet of the Apes [Watch (HLS stream): Aping Reality: The CGI Secrets of the Planet of the Apes](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/OEmw0MhV.m3u8) (4:26)  _Published 2011-08-05. What's it like working with a digital chimp? TIME reporter, Megan Gibson finds out when she talks to the cast and director of Rise of the Planet of the Apes_ --- Jul 27, 2023 3:16 PM UTC --- ## More From This Series [All Videos](https://time.com/video/) [Late-Night Highlight: Regis Philbin’s ‘Planet of the Apes’](/video/PpnfRMYa/) ### Late-Night Highlight: Regis Philbin’s ‘Planet of the Apes’ [Dawn of the Planet of the Apes Behind the Scenes](/video/HQvyUsWR/) ### Dawn of the Planet of the Apes Behind the Scenes [Aping Reality: The CGI Secrets of Rise of the Planet of the Apes](/video/0tXtJd6B/) ### Aping Reality: The CGI Secrets of Rise of the Planet of the Apes --- ## Transcript A planet where man is the lowest order of living things. And, the superior beings are, apes. The original Planet of the Apes captivated audiences with the most advanced technology available in 1968. Humans in prosthetic ape masks. [ NOISE ] Caesar. Now comes the re- imagining of the hugely successful franchise. Rise of Planet of the Apes will once again delight audiences with the latest bells, and whistles. I sat down and talked with the film's director and stars about working with a CGI chimp. So I read that you weren't, like a cult follower of the original movies. S, so what is it that drew you to the script? I read the script and learned they were going to do it, you know, with computer- generated creatures and, and mo, and performance capture. And I though, oh, this still is in line with, the earlier films, but it's a much more grounded approach. And what that will do is, maintain a lot of the aspects of the previous concept. But it'll have, it'll enable audiences to engage emotionally with it, now, because the creatures will once again be realistic, and you can, and it'll actually be something audiences can connect to emotionally. [ SOUND ]. The difference, the great difference between performance capture and prosthetics is performance capture actually un- encumbers the actor. It allow them to emote and express in such a way that we actually pick up every detail of their facial expression. [ MUSIC ] He hasn't spent any time with other chimps. Now with prosthetic masks and suits, they're buried beneath that, and so therefore they cant actually liberate themselves in terms of the performance in such a way as many actors would like to and many film makers would like to actually work with. So I think, I think performance capture is a natural evolution. It's not just a sort of CG gimmick in terms of, I know there's a lot of nay sayers that go out and say oh, one should remain traditional in the idea of Planet of the Apes. But, I think actually we've done that. And we've done that using a technology that really serves a story that I hope in a way that they will then watch the film. And, and really appreciate it. [ MUSIC ] [ UNKNOWN ] Ceaser is an amazing role to play, as an actor, because he, he, he you are playing an infant right through to an adult he goes through a huge amount of journey who is innocent. And who then faces himself and realizes that he's a freak in his, is, is, isn't a, really, a human being. Well he's hunting human beings and then he has to go relate to his own kind. And, you know, I, it's one of the most challenging roles I think I've played. And plus you're trying to do the, without, without dialogue, there's no dialogue, it's all conveyed through, through the eyes. And through, through body language, and through projecting your feelings and emotions. You'll probably miss him more than he'll miss you. I guess, with Andy, he just makes life easier for us actors. And, you know? Even though he's in the motion capture suit. And you don't really see him with the skin, and the hair, and all of that. That's all done in post. But. It's, it's, he's, he's I think made everybody including the director's life and the pro, the pro the studio's life easier. [ SOUND ] Have to remember in 1968, when the first one came out that was, that was cutting edge technology of the day. They were trying you know, those masks, were the most realistic thing that they could come up with. And I assume audiences of that day though, wow look at those realistic apes, you know, that are talking. We're just doing, we're doing the same thing, you know, this is the cutting edge ta -, technology of our day. You have to trust me. Caesar, you have to trust me. Okay. I think this visit is over. Trust me you'll be okay. [ MUSIC ] Fans of the previous films will only be excited about this because The filmmakers on this movie have found a way to be loyal to the ideas of the original films. But to make it current. And, and, and to continue the franchise, you know. 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