Nov2013
Machinima: (實時計算機造動畫影片)
Real Time Computer Graphics for Cinematic Animation
Shuen-git Natasha Chow 周 旋 捷
Visiting Associate Professor
Interdisciplinary Artist
國立臺南藝術大學動畫藝術與影像美學研究所
Tainan National University of the Arts
Graduate Institute of Animation and Film Art
email: atashashuengitchow@gmail.com
http://swannbb.blogspot.com Machinima is the use of real-time computer graphics engines to create a cinematic production. Most often, video games are used to generate the computer animation. It is approximately 15 years old.
My interest and creations in the virtual world has a main focus of bringing ancient Chinese culture through New Media platforms.
In this paper, I will expose two to three main types of Machinimas, and within each type a range of graphic inventiveness and specific purpose for various audiences.
The First is an online Virtual World Platform, Secondlife - which has no predetermined gaming elements, it has a blank volume for users to create their world. It provides storage and the Graphic Engine itself with building tools and scripts. Therefore, it is not yet a game, but an online tool for sharing real time graphic information - to create playing elements - in real time.
The Second type would be the artistic deployment of Video Game engines to record the graphic display as films. This would include regular game play and also creative, inventive use of the characters in the game platform as "talents" in the film.
"Second Life's true advantage is its ability to provide a plethora of virtual filming
locations or, at the other extreme, a blank canvas upon which one can build an
environment quite inexpensively."
-Machinima: "The Art and Practice of Virtual Filmmaking",
by Phylis Johnson and Donald Pettit
"Second Life's true advantage is its ability to provide a plethora of virtual filming
locations or, at the other extreme, a blank canvas upon which one can build an
environment quite inexpensively."
-Machinima: "The Art and Practice of Virtual Filmmaking",
by Phylis Johnson and Donald Pettit
I begin first with a Machinima documentary film of the functional aspects of a Virtual World. This demonstrates why for certain real life problems, a Virtual World is a breakthrough and proven to be useful in a unique way which is not possible with other forms of solutions.
Then, I will present the various types of artistic Machinimas, for animation film making and esthetic enjoyment purpose.
Lastly, I will show the current state of Machinima in the economic-business world and the applications of computer animation using video games graphics for commercial purpose.
Then, I will present the various types of artistic Machinimas, for animation film making and esthetic enjoyment purpose.
Lastly, I will show the current state of Machinima in the economic-business world and the applications of computer animation using video games graphics for commercial purpose.
Example 1: Close identification of the avatar with the player enhances cures for Parkinson's disease.
Secondlife investigator : what is inside the world of Secondlife?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyiiWxNguGo
Example 2: Architecture 3D design students using the real time online Global online features.
Collaboration of an architecture project between Kansas University Students with Cairo University.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cz0yTqo35d8 (part 2)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xi3j9g_6Zzw (part 1)
Collaborative Work online using the platform of Secondlife in Architecture in real time
>> 3d work, visitable by both sides; USA and Egypt
There are other functional oriented Machinimas, we could imagine, simulation training for firemen, hospital care, briefing diplomats to ease into a foreign culture via a simulated foreign environment, so on so forth.
Next, we will see some Artistic Machinimas. These are chosen for graphic, aesthetic, and quality of the story. I will skip most "Fan-laborer"s work because they require a huge amount of enthusiasm and experience of the specific games for the delicacies of the films to be understandable.
Artistic Machinimas
Example 3: Machinima using Online game play with stylish graphics. Habbo Hotel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDJh0hHAkuY
Habbo Hotel : fiction using game engine, live
>> collaborative playing, many players behaving with or without a script
Example 4: Minecraft. Mixed reality
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5sW8jxqQ5g
Minecraft : mixed reality
>> real life footage + online footage, post production work; with script
Example 5 : Vola Vola, Fly Me. Director : Berardo Carboni
A full feature Machinima made as a maquette for a real life film
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbroeNoRfRk&list=PLCC11C8482D665F29
Vola Vola : film maquette shot in Secondlife as preparation for the real life feature film
>> Scripted, with real life actors manipulating the e-puppets (avatars), actors are from around the world, Japan, USA, Italy, Amsterdam. 90mn
Notice the graphics inside the computer of the sl avatar. What we see is Secondlife roaming around by Secondlife avatar. Its a Secondlife for Secondlife avatar.
Example 6 : Testing of tools in Secondlife.
Incrustation of video display with Chroma screen for a short film.
http://youtu.be/3d8qm3iKlM8
>> Chroma Green screen with giant tv viewing, live footage from Secondlife.
There are many filming tools created by third parties for the Secondlife platform. And many cinema sets created for film making.
Example 7 : Testing of a short Machinima+real life (Tainan), screening in Secondlife.
This is a live screening at the Digital Guqin Museum Garden Lot.
Example 8 : Testing of tools in Secondlife.
Virtual World platform used as a testing ground, a studio for sculpture modelling. It has the advantage of allowing visitors to see the work and walk around it in 3d
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5F1IG0BiAI
Mock up of a real sculpture
Example 9 : Interview of Motion Capture creator in sl+rl, Drax Files
An animation maker using Motion Capture, the way he works in real life for sl, Scotland.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nSJpzzN4Ug
Drax Files: interview of a motion capture artist in sl from Scotland
Example 10 : Re building a movie set for the pleasure of visitors. Playing.
The movie set Spirited Away was re-created in Secondlife by a Fan-artist.
Visitors could walk around the scenes and be the talent, with personal stories.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enHDecbrCqU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUXPta2koTQ
Spirited away in Secondlife
LEA 10-19 are movie sets for avatar uses. And LEA 7 is a temporary movie set, it changes all the time.
Example 11 : The Third Cat : MosMax+Chris Marker's Machinima in Secondlife
http://vimeo.com/16533965
THE THIRD CAT from gorrr aka. Mosmax on Vimeo.
Chris Markers cat visits Secondlife locations
Example 12 : Music video "Pixelated Truth"
Pop Art Lab Music video contest ; Music :: Giana Factory
film by :: FuzOnAcid and Fuschia Nightfire 2011
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trgpDU8eCJw
Example 12.1 : A simple poetic Machinima/animation film based on a flash game.
This is a simple online flash game, after filming the various sequences together, you get different endings of an animation film. There is no group participation here. Only a record of the "film", game play that you have seen/experienced.
Flash game -> machinima (video of the play)
Playable game online here:
http://jayisgames.com/games/but-that-was-yesterday/
In China
Example 13 : Massive Virtual World simulation trainings for sales-personnels.
http://www.ctitv.com.tw/news_video_c15v147120.html
Secondlife expert from Taiwan Nomilly Valeska :
A professor from Taiwan, specialist in Secondlife comments that, 3D virtual world's specific functions are right here, for commercial training purpose.
Why do we Taiwanese not see this future?
3D虛擬世界的功用就在此,為何台灣這麼多人看不到這前景?
Elsewhere
Functional + Entertainment + Cultural Heritage
Example 14 : Canadian Hospitals investments in Simulation trainings for Health Care.
>>Simulation for practical purpose ie hospitals. Canadian hospitals (private internal sim)
http://toronto.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=919306&playlistId=1.1266296&binId=1.815897&playlistPageNum=1
Example 15 : Digital Guqin Museum Stone Castle bldg found which was used as a club in a Western Style setting
Came across this castle and I purchased the same and did interior settings to make it the Digital Guqin Museum Home (no machinima footage, only stills for memory)
Example 16 : Digital Guqin Museum Stone Castle used as a Guqin Playing Venue
Borrowed setting of another persons Stone Castle to test the ambiance.
Example 17 : Digital Guqin Museum Stone Castle used as a Guqin Playing Venue
Final Digital Guqin Museum setting; with interactive White Board Graffitti wall, Mahjong Table (real game for playing with other avatars or by yourself), Library, guqin playing costumes (all free)
Free costumes.
Real life Universities used Secondlife for training fashion. ie London College of Fashion.
Example 18 : Digital Guqin Museum Stone Castle used as a Guqin Playing Venue
Prize winning Guqin Book (Swedish and English) by Professor Cecilia Linqvist
Example 19 : Digital Guqin Museum presentation live with Transmusicale Event with Rennes, France.
Mixed Reality event, this was filmed from both in Virtual World and Real World, there is a documentary Machinima archived by the Transmusicale Organiser. On screen, you see the real world live streaming - it is a two way transfer. The viewers see the Virtual World and could talk to the avatar and the avatar could see the action in the Real World. Somewhat like Skype - but from RW to VW and back.
Example 20 : Digital Guqin Museum presentation live with Transmusicale Event with Rennes, France.
Real Life newspaper coverage.
Example 21 : 3D narrative driven Videogame as Art // Art Games ::
Spiritual, esthetic, or simply fun without other functional purpose games
>> :: gamers poetic games, and Videoart as art in a museum.
Goal Oriented games with artistic renderings and traditional story telling
"Myst" ( started work in 1991- released 1993)
creators:: Brothers Rand and Robyn Miller, with help from sound designer Chris Brandkamp, 3D artist and animator, Chuck Carter, Richard Watson, Bonnie McDowall, and Ryan Miller, who together made up Cyan, Inc.
"Myst" (1993)
"Myst 5" (2005)
Example 22 : Non-narrative Secondlife creative artistic experiences sims ::
"Clock Island" (2007, no longer exists), no specific goal
Franck Mullers clocks, time machines, fashion, mystery treasure hunt game + time space ambiance immersive experience
Clock Island : the clock tower with ever falling numbers in a background of white
Inside the ever-falling numbers Timer - Clock tower.
Clock Island and the Franck Muller dress gift : Fashion w the time theme
Example 23 : Non-narrative environment in Secondlife for creative play and commercial real life+virtual world experiences
"Greenies" (up to 2009 no longer exists)
Spaceship theme with tiny green spacemen in a 50s kitchen setting - the sim offers merchandise - ie tiny green avatars, accessories, playthings. Served as a virtual world advertising backdrop for real life L'Oreal products etc.
Exploratory sets for events to happen. Players create the events, and the sim owner host commercial events as well. Successful match of commercial with ludic activities. Parallel to real life Disney Land, where the commercial is the target driven by the playful.
Swannjie plays the guqin to two avatars on the guitar
Guitar sits on the kitchen table
L'Oreal makeup promotions in real life : playful campaign event in Secondlife cost 100k
http://www.kzero.co.uk/blog/a-strikingly-fresh-approach-to-real-world-advertising-in-second-life/
Example 24 : Non-narrative environment in Secondlife for creative play and education of graphic tools.
"Second China" (artistic sim from Hangzhou Academy of the Arts)
This is a privately funded sim largely popular as an artistic hangout.
The teacher teaches Virtual World as a tool for other uses. It is not supported by the school itself.
Swannjie visits China sim, installs house in a Chinese landscape by Aston Leison
Example 25 : Online interactive artistic games: "Hotel", on Arte-Creative TV.
"Hotel" began as a machinima animation, the story is further transposed to an online platform, funded by French Arte-Creative tv
http://www.gamescenes.org/2010/04/event-atopic-machinima-film-festival-paris-2009.html
http://vimeo.com/38380296
"HOTEL" trailer from Benjamin Nuel on Vimeo.
Terrorists from two camps in a retirement home.
http://vimeo.com/38380296
http://creative.arte.tv/en/search/gss/Nuel
Example 26.1 : Machinima as artistic animation, graphics with music
"Standby", by Bryn Oh
Example 26.2 : Machinima as artistic animation, graphics with music.
http://vimeo.com/5543976
Example 27 : Real Time Animation :: Machinima ::for passive viewers as a video in the style of Disney
http://www.pixelvalleystudio.com/
A real time 3d animation studio
Using a recycled character from a game, gd facial expression, gd acting, a la Disney. Mar27 2013 pixelvalleystudio
Example 28 : Filmed in real life, with post production painting :: rotoscoping - "A Waking Life" (not really machinima)
What is interesting here, is the characters faces, they are "rotoscopic painting" style - so its a human figure that does not pretend to be realistic.
It is painted on, like the characters in the movie "A Waking Life" - in fact, this is a way of making "A Waking Life" type of graphics but in animation without having to paint every frame!
If I dressed up my sl avatar in "line drawing" skin, then, the character would be "line drawing" person walking, talking, moving in a simulated realistic landscape.
And my character could be in any type of skin. Its just the background would still be the realistic graphics of existing sl.
In any painting, the foreground and background should be in the same graphic conditions - otherwise the mixing of "genre of painting" would give the viewer of the painting additional meanings that might not be intended. For example to have a real person walking around in a cartoon styled country side - mixing of two different genres - would be sending additional message and not the same as a real person walking around in a real country side.
Images of the Graphic Novel: The Walking Dead
http://collider.com/comic-con-the-walking-dead-robert-kirkman/
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