Machinima

CAW · March 3rd, 2008, 01:10 PM

A friend and I have been talking about creating a movie using in-game characters/environments (machinima). Of course we say that then I don't see him for two to three weeks, lol.

Anyway I was just wondering if anyone here has been involved with machinima before.

Machinima (pronounced /məˈʃiːnəmə/ or /məˈʃɪnəmə/), a portmanteau of machine cinema,[1] is a collection of associated production techniques whereby computer-generated imagery (CGI) is rendered using real-time, interactive 3-D engines, such as those of games, instead of professional 3D animation software. Engines from first-person shooter and role-playing simulation video games are typically used. Consequently, the rendering can be done in real-time using PCs (either using the computer of the creator or the viewer), rather than with complex 3D engines using huge render farms. Usually, machinima productions are produced using the tools (demo recording, camera angle, level editor, script editor, etc.) and resources (backgrounds, levels, characters, skins, etc.) available in a game.

Machinima is an example of emergent gameplay, a process of putting game tools to unexpected ends, and of artistic computer game modification. The real-time nature of machinima means that established techniques from traditional film-making can be reapplied in a virtual environment. As a result, production tends to be cheaper and more rapid than in keyframed CGI animation. It can also produce more professional appearing production than is possible with traditional at-home techniques of live video tape, or stop action using live actors, hand drawn animation or toy props.

As machinima begins to break out of the underground community of gamers and becomes more widely recognized by mainstream audiences, tools are being developed to allow for faster and easier creation of machinima productions. A number of upcoming machinima products are expected to provide machinimators with original assets, as well as advanced features such as a timeline, gesture and sound creation, and precise camera tools.

Although most often used to produce recordings that are later edited as in conventional film, machinima techniques have also occasionally been used for theatre. A New York improvisational comedy group called the ILL Clan voice and puppet their characters before a virtual camera to produce machinima displayed on a screen to a live audience.

Website with more information: Machinima.com

I'll be using Sony Vegas to create this video. I played around with it the other day making a simple intro. It was a lot of fun. Me on youtube: YouTube - thegiz's Channel

Working on a current video at the moment related to WoW. It isn't machinima but I'll post it here when it's finished. Should be done sometime this week.

MyNameDidntFit · March 3rd, 2008, 01:40 PM

I must say: you have desecrated Master of Puppets by putting it on a WoW clip.

Shame on you! :shame:

CAW · March 3rd, 2008, 01:51 PM

That clip is old and it's the very first time (and only actually) that I used Windows Movie Maker. It was fun to make though and the song fits the theme perfectly. I was the master of puppets that day.

MyNameDidntFit · March 3rd, 2008, 01:53 PM

I see that it suits but... MoP on WoW!?!

Blasphemy of the highest order. If you weren't all the way over there in Canucksville I'd have to stone you.

Leroy · March 3rd, 2008, 02:03 PM

So how does Windows video maker work?

CAW · March 4th, 2008, 03:57 AM

Works pretty good actually, but I've upgraded to Sony Vegas 8.

YouTube - Re: Where the Hell is Matt WoW Edition

Finished the video this evening. Youtube doesn't do it justice though as it makes it dark and hard to see some of the places filmed.

You can download the actual file here: dancingwowstyle.divx - FileFront.com

I'm also adding it to WarcraftMovies.com - World of Warcraft Movies.

I don't expect anyone to understand the 'WoW' aspect of it (unless you've played WoW), but this video below will at least explain the dancing part and music:

YouTube - Where the Hell is Matt?

In the end it was just a lot of fun to create.

Leroy · March 4th, 2008, 04:11 AM

I've played wow before. Caw is that you in the last video?

Dangar^ · March 4th, 2008, 06:37 AM

I have made a few short machinimas, both on small and large scale. Although most of them fail half-way through due to people not coming back to film, people getting in the way of filming etc.

All of my Machinimas have been made in the Source engine, so WoW i can't really say much, except it's probably best to use close friends to prevent abandonment.