What do you know about Machinima?

[PoliteSuccubus]

Machinima is when you use games to make movies, is my understanding at it's simplist.

Wiki says:

Machinima (pronounced /məˈʃiːnəmə/ or /məˈʃɪnəmə/), a Portmanteau of machine cinema, is a collection of associated production techniques whereby computer-generated imagery (CGI) is rendered using real-time, interactive 3-D engines 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.

One of the most famous in the States I guess is Red Vs. Blue. Red vs. Blue a Halo Machinima based on the multiplayer teams of Halo. Red vs. Blue: The Blood Gulch Chronicles lasted 5 seasons spanning over 10 hours which began on April 1, 2003 and ended on June 28, 2007. A new series, dubbed Red vs. Blue: Reconstruction, began on May 26, 2008.

Example: Red Vs. Blue: Zombie Plan http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFLtUxncZcU

"I want Brian...." "Caboose, it's brains, not Brian!" "Oh, sorry, must have read the script wrong."

In Secondlife there are a lot of movies being made, including this one about how much cheaper it is to have a Broadway play in SL rather than RL.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uc0kMxgZiI4

"If you crash, I'm replacing you with a scripted object!"

A series at Machinima.com is "A Moment with Marko" this one is "Gas Prices".

http://www.machinima.com:80/film/view&id=28757

"Now that's what I call...Pain at the PUMP!"

 

[RoryN]

Looks pretty damn nerdy.

 

[PoliteSuccubus]

Yep!

*today is wearing the Nerd hat*

 

[marshalt]

not a goddamn thing.

 

[BoomerP]

I used to watch red vs blue
It could be pretty funny