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By Piya Sinha-Roy LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Its not easy playing an ape, even a highly intelligent one, but if Andy Serkis succeeds in captivating moviegoers, he will be thanking the obscure world of motion capture, a digital technology that accurately translates performance into animation. For Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, opening in U.S. theaters this weekend, director Matt Reeves says he pushed the boundaries of motion capture to achieve photo-reality in rendering the apes, particularly in their facial expressions. In doing so, Dawn could usher in a new age for actors, allowing them to dream of delivering award-worthy dramatic performances using a technology generally utilized in sci-fi blockbusters. One of the hardest things to do is to create characters which are emotionally engaging and truthful, said Serkis, a British actor who has become a seminal figure for motion capture by bringing to life creatures such as Gollum in Lord of the Rings and King Kong.