Binxie Of Planet E88

Binxie is one of the most remarkable influencers you’ll ever meet – given that chance.

Binxie (@itsbinxie) is a CGI influencer who arrived on Earth from Planet E88 in 2018. Her unique story and viewpoint of Earth has made her following grow extremely quickly, all while building a very unique and very real relationship with her followers.

Binxie is also working to raise money for those affected by COVID-19… She’s more than just a fashion influencer – she is on course to become a valuable member of society.

HUF Magazine grasped the opportunity to talk to the team about this very special influencer.

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Why did you create a CGI influencer?

The world is rapidly changing with AI becoming a larger part of our lives, and we believe that in the not too distant future, we’ll be part of a connected society. Humans will ultimately live forever digitally alongside fictitious characters. We’re not yet at the point where our characters are full-blown AI, but we’re laying the groundwork for what we see to come.

How did you decide what Binxie looks like?

Our first step was to define who exactly Binxie is – what she stands for, what her flaws are, where she came from. Backstory and character development came first and foremost with respect to all things Binxie. From there, we took that personality and concept out a few different looks to see what physical traits truly reflected who she is as a person. It wasn’t easy, but we’re very happy with the outcome.

Why did you decide to create Binxie to look like a human? Or does she have a native form?

We always wanted to create someone relatable and decided early on to go the direction of (stylized) human. While several aspects of her are alien in nature, she still has mostly human traits; one of those such traits is her appearance. How you see Binxie is how she was and how she’ll remain – flaws and all.

Binxie is said to come from Plant E88. How does the name Planet E88 come about? Is there a particular meaning?

E88 is Binxie’s home planet. It’s sort of how we envision Earth being 88 years in the future. While there are certain aspects that have improved, several others have gotten worse despite the best of intentions.

Why do you think people like Binxie so much?

Binxie is fun, quirky, and beyond anything, she stays true to herself. This doesn’t necessarily mean she won’t change or adapt over time, but she will always maintain her own unique identity. While she may not conform to all sorts of social norms, she conforms to what she believes in – and from that standpoint, she’s become very relatable to her fans.

Since Binxie is a CGI avatar, she can not attend any real event? Has that been an issue so far? How do you see this being possible?

Says who? There hasn’t been any issues yet, and when the time is right, she’ll be sure to do so. Maybe not in a physical way as we know it, but why does a real event need to take place in the physical world.

How long does it take on average to create an image of Binxie for her social media?

The amount of time depends on the destination, but we’re proud to be able to create at the speed that social media requires to stay relevant.

How many people does it take to create a CGI avatar like Binxie?

As the saying goes, “it takes a village”, from the initial 2D concept to the social media director.

What are the greatest challenges you face when transposing the human dimension into the digital world?

Humans are inherently flawed beings, and as such, we do our best to inject and incorporate those relatable touches into our characters. We believe that imperfections are just as beautiful as a nice lip color.

Apart from Binxie, have you created other CGI influencers? If so, who are they, and how do they perform compared to Binxie?

We have another influencer by the name Aliza Rexx (@alizarexx). If you’re looking solely at metrics, Binxie performs better. However, there are many factors at work that can skew the results one way or the other.

There are already a few very successful CGI influencers that exist. Do you think CGI influencers are the future for social media and the field of the digital world?

This is just the beginning of CGI characters within the social media world. We will see more and more in the upcoming years, not just within social media. Wouldn’t it be so cool to witness a digital avatar win an Oscar?

As technology advances, CGI avatars are looking more and more realistic and “perfect.” Do you think their perfection might affect how people look at themselves or try to achieve unrealistic goals about their appearance? Particularly to those who don’t know these avatars are CGI.

I’m not sure if there is an avatar currently that people believe is 100% real. However, that time will soon come. When it does, we feel that transparency is very important as we’re not trying to compete with humans. We see it as adding to the growing movement of connecting with people around the world in unique and different ways.

CGI has been used in movies for many years, and now CGI is slowly setting foot in the world of social media. What do you think is next for CGI?

The opportunities are boundless, especially when you consider the marriage of CGI with advanced AI. Before we know it, CG will start to integrate with our everyday lives – newscasters, brand ambassadors, friends… you name it.

The leading creators
Carl Bogan, assists in both the tech side, as well as character development
Divergent thinker and creator, Carl Bogan is helping to guide Aliza Technologies into the future. As the Director of technology/VFX Supervisor, Carl has been tasked with creating solutions that place Aliza Technologies at the forefront of post production disruption as it pertains to AI and facial animation. He also knows what truly drives conversations, successful content, and most importantly, contextual relevance. He believes in asking “why before what”, which he believes helps to steer any creative endeavor to victory. Carl continues to build with others but makes time for personal projects that continue to feed creative inspiration.

Xander Smith, concept designer and 3D artist
“I have the immense pleasure of working as a Concept Designer and 3D Artist in the entertainment industry. Some favorite projects I’ve worked on in film and television include American Horror Story, Aquaman, Godzilla vs. Kong, and Star Wars: The Mandalorian. Clients include 21st Century Fox, Digital Domain, The Costume Designers Guild, Participant Media, AFX Studio, Alliance Studio, Ironhead Studio, Studio ADI, Myth VFX, and many more. I’m extremely excited about the future of entertainment, its a great time to be a content-maker at the crossroads of art and tech.”