Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Machinima.....what?
What is machinima? Well according to UrbanDictionary.com, the leading defining source of all that is slang, and everywhere else i looked machinima was defined as the practice of people making movies/short films using video games instead of professional animating software. Everywhere that I looked it all had the same definition, people making films in real-time using these preconstructed interactive environments as there tools. For the most part first-person shooters, or role-playing simulations are used to make these films, games like Halo, World of Warcraft, The Sims or Quake. And these films range from super-reality films of the extra ordinary characters in these games, to people having the characters act in natural human ways. I came across many different "series" of these short films, like Red vs. Blue (using Halo), Anna (using Quake III) and a large archive/posting website called www.sims99.com with a collection of short films made using The Sims. Now, the first thing that strikes me when i went to the Red vs. Blue website is all of the episodes and "seasons" that they had for this machinima made for the internet, and most of all the Season 5 DVD set for sale. This made me wonder how Halo obsessed the public is that not only is there a mad rush for it when the video game comes out, and people waste endless hours staring at the tip of a gun on there TV screen, but they go and watch this series online, and then even buy it for DVD to watch it on TV again, only this time they aren't even playing the game, just watching a show with these characters they love. People spend so much time with these Halo characters that they need them as much as possible I guess, and having a live-action movie doesn't cut the cake, people want movies/TV shows staring the actual characters from the game, in there video game graphic 3D glory. Another series was the Anna series which followed the life of a flower being grown in the Quake III world. Now, this one is alittle wierd to me because Quake is shooter game, and here is this series that is based around a flower, it's kind of ironic and funny in that sense. But, I still find the world insanely video game obsessed if people are watching things likes this, and people are making films like this instead of maybe doing something in the calibour of Pixar, something that is more asthetically pleasing, and isn't stemed from someones obsession with the video game world. Me talking about and researching this is probably a little biased being that I don't really enjoy video games or the idea of people wasting away infront of a television of computer screen, but these are my opinions on it. I feel that if people really dig video games, and really want to make short films using these characters, instead of making these movies in this virtual world in real-time and overdubbing, they can learn how to make these 3-D characters themselves, and maybe create something using them, something they created themselves. All of this makes me think about the reading of the virtual worlds, and how there needs to be access in and out of the virtual world, and this just seems to be blending the two in a way. Also, it reminds me of Rose's writing about sampling, because the people that make machinima are taking this other person work and remaking it into there own. It isn't music, but it's still a form of entertainment, so I'm not going to go on a rebelion againts machinima, but you probably wouldn't find me going out of my way looking for it in my every day life.
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8 comments:
I think that part of the lure of machinima is the fact that people who do not have access to editing tools and such can create their own short movies. While creating something simliar to that of pixar may look better or be more original, not everyone can sit there and put together something like that or even have the access to such things. I know that me personally, if I wanted to, could put together a short film on a World of Warcraft server, yet could never do something like a pixar movie. I don't have the access, the programs, or the knowledge to that, but I could do it with WOW. I know I'm not the only one in that siutation which is probably why machinima is more common than short animated films by amatuers.
I agree with Stephanie. Machinima is a way of making 'film making' accessible to those who may not have the means other wise. Most people don't have the means, skills or budget to create a film comparable to the multimillion dollar pixar films. I don't like video games either but these user created films seem more interesting than the games themselves because people bring their individual ideas into it...they arent just mindless playing a game. From my perspective, it doesn't seem as important that these people make the 3-d characters themselves, as what they do / how they alter the existing creations. By freeing the graphics/information from its original context , machinima enables people to claim these characters and do something completely new and different.
Machinima is great way to create your own videos. I highly disagree when you say "instead of making these movies in this virtual world in real-time and overdubbing, they can learn how to make these 3-D characters themselves, and maybe create something using them, something they created themselves." We'll lets see what's easier and cheaper a $50 game that is easy to control the environment and the programming is already done for you. Also machinima is a new form of fandom, similar to fan-films. Or would it be easier to buy a complicated $800 program that you have learn how to use completely from scratch along with programming the physics, environment, and engine yourself. Machinima makes creating 3d videos so much accessible to any user creative enough to think outside of the box and around the limitations of a game to create your own plots and videos.
To break the ice a little bit, I used to play video games when I had the time, and even though I don't have the time anymore Ill still open up the playstation 2 and throw MLB 2007 in there. But i'm not OBSESSED with it. I played warcraft for a while, and to the contrary, I'd rather do a lot of the battling then watch a fan made film. Sure, it's creative and you can divulge into someone elses interpretation of these characters, and yes, it is cheaper than buying an $800 program, but full series and seasons of these films? Obsession much? It questions the effect of the virtual world on the real world and whether or not sometimes it has too much of an impact on an individual to the point where it leads to time consuming practices that can valuably be spent elsewhere.
For me its more the feeling that people are overly consumed by watching and playing these games. Its an obsession and no offense to all those out there that like to play video games. But it takes up for much of your time and a lot of the stuff that you are learning doesn't even apply to everyday life. I think that everybody needs some output but video games and such take up so much time and I feel like it a waste. Our society is so stuck on watching tv and sorts instead of going out and learning something interesting or applying themselves. I mean watching tv isn't even worth it anymore with all the junk there is on.
I do not get machinma. I am confused with the technical jargon and I don't think I will really ever understand how it is made. What I can understand are The Sims, World of World Craft and the RPG games. Machinima creates such an addicting universal because it allows people like me (ie who don't even know what machinma really is) to create complex worlds. It really is a revolutionary concept that complete computer idiots can make videos on youtube with the sims that do have a high looking production value.
^Samantha Blum
Though Machinima may not be your cup of tea, it is something that is a perfect example of participatory culture. You said that people should go out and learn how to make 3D animations instead of using material from the desired video game, but I'll have you know that it is just as difficult to create these simulated episodes using video game footage.
I know people who participate in Machinima and for them it is something amusing (though I am not saying that is how it is for most people who take part in Machinima.)
Machinima and Fan-Fiction are kind of the same thing, or at least use some of the same elements. They both take already made up characters and situations and put another twist on things. Machinima is great, whether you like it or not doesn't matter.
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