Look for any podcast host, guest or anyone
Showing episodes and shows of

Tracy Harwood

Shows

And Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaInterview: Andrew Knight (Apr 2025)Alongside S5 E176 Red Faction Guerilla: Optimism Bias (Apr 2025), Tracy spoke to Andrew about his machinima series, his creative practice and the problems he encountered when attempting to distribute the work.  They also discuss his upcoming works and aspirations for his future career.  Check out the interview (also on YouTube).Credits -Speakers: Andrew Knight, Tracy HarwoodEditor: Phil Rice2025-04-031h 12And Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS5 E176 Red Faction Guerilla: Optimism Bias (Apr 2025)A viewer nominated series, this week's ep is another great example of brilliant writing. Optimism Bias was directed by @AndrewGoodKnight and originally released in 2013 having been showcased at the Melbourne International Animation Festival  @melbourneinternationalanim3991 - its Australian comedy, deeply rooted in game lore, at its very best.  Tracy also grabbed an interview with Andrew which you can check out in our season specials, released alongside this ep.1:17 Introduction to the film and its original inspiration – not surprisingly RoosterTeeth’s #RVB9:35 Everything is funnier in an Australia accent!10:15 Puppeteering vs keyframe11:15 Phil’s broken...2025-04-0332 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS5 E170 Machinima News Omnibus (Feb 2025)A packed news episode, with Tracy's analysis of the AI art copyright ruling decision and a discussion with Damien about his hit fan series, Heir to the Empire - the Star Wars story that everyone always wanted to see made.  Do comment on the discussion (on the YouTube channel or the Blog post).  The links are available in the show notes.0:45 Tracy is the first woman on Mars!!!2:38 RunwayML’s third annual film festival – call for submissions now open4:20 Second Life evolves [again]7:00 Bloomsbury’s video series: Richard Williams’ Animation Series7:30...2025-02-2054 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS5 E167 Cyberpunk: V - Never Stop Fighting (Jan 2025)This week's pick is a machinima run through of the female V character in Cyberpunk 2077, by Charles Liu, edited to a Johnny Cash classic, Hurt. Sound design in this is everything, and we especially like how the fade is used to emphasise the game footage vs the words of the song at different points in the film.  Check out our views -1:14 Intro to film, music video, a perfect complement to I’m Still Seeing Breen (S5 E163)?3:37 Music storytelling vs film storytelling – interplay and aesthetic choice6:10 Phil’s perspective: over saturation?10:15...2025-01-3026 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS5 E159 Mission: Exodus (Dec 2024)A Source Filmmaker short by Dominzki, this is another of his well-crafted stories told in 3 parts, called Mission. This episode we focus on the third part Exodus and discuss its merits in detail. We conclude that if there was ever a machinima that should be made in a film studio, this would be it.  Check out our comments.1:17 Tracy's introduction to the film11:47 Complexity and dialogue13:51 Scifi and the clone, and the director's clever device of using a disrupted world to portray the ethical considerations of cloning15:31 Clay-like characters and the portrayal of emotion2024-12-0532 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS5 E157 Olde West: The Loss (Nov 2024)Who doesn't love a good olde Western? This week we delve into a great short by avidredeadenjoyer, released 21 Sept 2024, called The Loss. It has been made in the only engine a Western machinima can be, RDR2. We all especially liked one particular shot, which really goes to the heart of why machinima has added so much to movie-making. This week, we also talk about a second pick, a Frontier: Elite 2 short by The Mystic Mushroom accompanied by the Blue Danube: The second best space sim ever made... Enjoy!1:15 The Western vibe4:00 The tropes, the story...2024-11-2131 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS4 E147 BeamNG Drive: Realistic FreeWay Crashes #10 (Sept 2024)In this ep, we discuss a film by Patrick Zeugirdor, which uses the game BeamNG to simulate realistic freeway crashes. The game features advanced physics and modding capabilities, allowing for detailed crash simulations. The film shows various crash scenarios, each with multiple camera perspectives, highlighting the game's recamming feature. We debate the film's educational value, its potential to encourage poor driving behavior, and its popularity due to morbid curiosity - a good combination? Suffice to say, it evokes some strong emotions from us! We also discuss the game's potential for use in narrative storytelling and its realistic portrayal of...2024-09-1942 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS4 E146 Machinima News Omnibus (Sept 2024)This week is our monthly news ep. We discuss various developments in the machinima and virtual production community. Tracy mentions the Reallusions 2024 3D Character Contest, highlighting Stefan Dufour's entry. Phil and Tracy discuss the potential of AI in character creation. Damien reports on Activision shutting down a Call of Duty mod and the impact of AI on modding. We also cover the Dragon Age: The Veil Guard game, the Secret Level series on Amazon Prime, and the new game inZOI. Phil introduces Daz AI Studio, a generative AI platform for DAZ Studio, and reflects on the impact of AI...2024-09-1234 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS4 E145 Video essay: The Game of Video (Sept 2024)What is #machinima?! Good question these days, and this week we review a new video essay on tackling just that question... which is always interesting for us pioneers and vets to reflect on in this podcast. In the vid we review, Collin Aull introduces a few thoughts we've not really considered before, plus some comments we've discussed many times over the years, so its worth a listen as well as if you want to spot some of the older machinimas from those very early years in the narrative edit. 1:14 Ricky discusses his latest performance award success 8:49...2024-09-0546 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS4 E142 HL: Overworld (Aug 2024)This week's selection is a stunning cinematic imaginary by Unknown Dino, focussing on the next version of Half Life (soon to be released... er, well, possibly in the next 10 years or so?). There is a lot of craft in this film, called HL: Overworld and made in Blender, which has taken its inspiration both from the HL Reddit community and the HL2 Artbook 'Raising The Bar'. We also talk about the positioning of the new world portrayed as being the next obvious logical step in the story arc for Half Life - HL1 being a portal through which aliens...2024-08-1532 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS4 E140 This is one of the craziest videos I have ever made... (GTA5) (Aug 2024)Crazy, it is certainly that - and more. If you enjoy slasher horror, we think you'll love this - and its definitely not for U18s! The film is by Toaster and is a music video for Code Mistake, a deathcore metal spectacular by CORPSE and Bring Me the Horizon. We examine Toaster's GTA5 machinima, reflect on its anime qualities, and conclude its significantly better than the official music video: Ricky discusses it in the context of Stan Brakhage's Dog Star Man, but Phil, Tracy & Damien feel the inspiration is much closer to home.1:29 Ricky’s introduction to...2024-08-0126 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaCompletely Machinima Interview: Phil Rice, funny man (June 2024)Welcome to our latest bonus episode.  We had the pleasure of catching up with Phil Rice aka zsOverman to talk exclusively about his latest machinima, called Being Moses.  If there's such as thing as a parody of a Let's Play, this film is it!   Check out Phil's comments and watch the film - links on our show notes web post.Credits -Speakers: Phil Rice, Tracy Harwood, Damien ValentineProducer: Tracy HarwoodEditor: Phil RiceMusic: Animo Domini Beats2024-06-1544 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS4 E132 Star Citizen: 60 Seconds of Horror (Jun 2024)A compelling and powerful story of one man's quest to remain sane on an isolated planet. This is a very effective story by Lens Nation, given its only 60 seconds long - its probably not just this one creator's worst nightmare in a game, but several of us. Check out our review and don't forget to give us some feedback on your thoughts too. 1:01 Ricky introduces the film and his critique of it, suggesing Lovecraftian tones to the story 6:17 Tracy comments on the sound design and why the lack of sound works so well 14:14 Phil feels the...2024-06-0628 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS4 E116 GTA5: Danser Encore | Escape Game (Feb 2024)This week's review is of a self-contained excerpt from a larger film, called Escape Game by  @CrisUberman . This part of the film is the final chapter of the story, Danser Encore, voiced by  @lionelmazari1990 with a song by  @hksaltimbank . We delve into the inspiration for the themes in the film, which draws on the philosophy of Empedocles and Rosset, although we perhaps lower the tone a little with reference to Oscar Wilde! 1:25 Intro to this week’s film pick: an excerpt from Escape Game by Cris Uberman 2:14 The first machinima music video 3:20 Complementary game and music, c...2024-02-1521 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS4 E111 Machinima News | GTA5 Cinematic (Jan 2024)This week, we discuss the critical turn we witnessed in 2023 towards machinima among creative industries professionals. We highlight why it is high time there is a major rethink on the role of indie creatives and fan fiction in general. We also review a beautiful cinematic made in GTA5, and also reflect on some of the challenges with a particular camera technique. Discussion points - 2:23 Hardly Working by Austrian collective Total Refusal wins a major Festival award, its significance and impact 5:10 2023 was a critical turn for machinima productions and their global recognition among professionals in the cre...2024-01-1157 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS4 E110 Elden Ring Machinima: Overpowering Character Builds (Jan 2024)Kicking off 2024 with machinima from a slightly different perspective: this week, Ricky introduces us to the #letsplay/#tutorial/#epicguideline/#showNtell genre in his favorite game of all time: Elden Ring.  Its the first time we've heard just how much time he's spent in game and we won't draw attention to it just in case his partner is following us... but from the machinimas he shared with us, he's by no means alone.  We discuss their usefulness and impact in the world of machinima, why building OP characters is important and just how skilled these creators are not only in th...2024-01-0436 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS4 E107 Epic Battles: Northern Wars | Oryctes (Dec 2023)This week's film picks are of epic battle scenes: one made in Warhammer and the other Unreal Engine. There are similarities and contrasts between these two works, respectively created by a gamer, Game Thumb, and a CG production team, Glow Productions - and that also includes the opinions of the CM crew reviewing the works! What's your view, please do add you comments on our YT review or ep blog post.  The ep begins with an update on Ricky's take on the SAG AFTRA deal for his Army of Darkness characterisations.1:07 the SAG AFTRA deal5:14 Tracy's r...2023-12-1443 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS4 E105 Star Citizen: Life of a SC Stuntman (Nov 2023)What's it like to be an in-game stuntman? This week's review is of a fun take, with a more serious undertone, on the NPC's perspective of life in the background of a game for a very average player.  The concept is hilarious, the execution needs a little work, but overall we loved this one by For Science and filmed in Star Citizen.  Credits -Speakers: Ricky Grove, Phil Rice, Damien Valentine, Tracy HarwoodEditor/Producer: Ricky GroveMusic: Coast by Anno Domini Beats2023-11-3031 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS4 E104 Starfield: Let's Talk Machinima & The Mantis Teaser (Nov 2023)Damien's picks this week take a look at two of the first Starfield machinimas by @TheKShow and @Mod81Gameworld respectively. The first is a 'tell and show' with a neat cinematic demo invoking Starship Troopers, and the second is a slightly more original lore-based teaser for an upcoming series called The Mantis. We begin this episode with an update on Star Citizen’s new spin off game, Squadron 42, which is now ‘feature complete’ and their launch of a new contest which can be entered on TikTok, leading Tracy to speculate on their strategic response to the release of Starfield! Ricky...2023-11-2344 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS4 E103 Longest Walkable Distances (in a game) | UE: The Alchemist's Confession (Nov 2023)This week we present a critique of two very contrasting machinima productions - one took literally months to make and the other just a few days.  In our first pick, the creator has asked: just how big are the maps in games these days?  Well, vast actually - and quite frankly it blows our minds to think that so much effort has gone into answering the question.  The film is called Longest Walkable Distances in a Video Game, by How Big is the Map.  Our second film is a review of a creative experiment in Unreal Engine, called The Alch...2023-11-1644 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS4 E102 mAIchinima: Nina & Prelude to Dust (Nov 2023)Not strictly machinima, but something we've named mAIchinima! This week, we discuss two films using generative AI to create narrative works.  In both cases, the techniques employed emphasize the sound - music or voice acting - but whilst one is intentional, the other is not.  We share our thoughts on these works and discuss some of the current limitations and benefits observed, which leads us into a timely discussion about style in filmmaking.  We also discuss some recent developments in AI for creatives, such as the role of Glaze masking and Nightshade corrupting tools.1:36 Glaze and Nightshade gen...2023-11-0948 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS4 E101 Avant Garde: 9 by Claus Dieter Schulz (Nov 2023)In this episode, we review one of the first avant garde machinima pieces created by the community.  The film is called 9, by German machinimator Claus-Dieter Schulz, has been restored by Phil and is re-presented on his Machiniplex Remastered channel. It is a notable example of modernist cinema which moves towards abstraction and it is clear to see that Claus-Dieter was inspired by the likes of Oskar Fischinger, Hans Richter and Stan Brakhage.  There were very few in the early days of machinima that turned in this creative direction, where most creators were instead inspired to devise original stories inspired by...2023-11-0233 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS4 E100 Special: Machinima ReflectionsCelebrating our 100th episode on the CM podcast/YouTube show, we reflect how far machinima has come and some of the recent trends we've observed in our film reviews - a medium we all love. Please do add your thoughts and reflections in the comments below too. 3:25 The impact of isolation during COVID-19 led to Damien’s participation in the show. 5:17 Phil reflects on the decline of the Machinima community and how it affected him personally. 7:00 Ricky’s skepticism, feeling that the community and passion for the medium have been lost after M.com’s acquisiti...2023-10-2639 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS4 E99 Elite Dangerous Odyssey: The Personal Odyssey 1 (Oct 2023)This week our film selection is an Elite Dangerous Odyssey 'Captain's Log' style machinima, heavily influenced by Douglas Adams and John Carpenter with shades of Gerry Anderson.  The film is The Personal Odyssey 1 by Cmdr Fortytwo.  We discuss the use of AI generated voices in this (its a 2021 film) and in particular how well its use can convey emotion - our debate is a deliberation on the choice to create a monotonic dialogue. Damien's overview of the Thargoids is a fascinating insight into the hidden game lore of Elite Dangerous.1:14 Damien’s overview of the film and the...2023-10-1931 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS4 E98 World of Warcraft/Cyberpunk 2077: Neo Stormwind (Oct 2023)WOW! Our collective adjective for this World of Warcraft / Cyberpunk 2077 mashup. This is a stunningly edited urban observational film, set in a strange new world the like of which we have never seen before - a cacophany in a good way. Shades of Blade Runner, Robocop and Mad Max run through the film, with a soundscape and accompanying music that are a perfect fit. We also loved that  @DurenMachinima has cited his inspiration, mentioning the late, great  @Phixor2000 among others. Credits – Speakers: Ricky Grove, Phil Rice, Tracy Harwood, Damien Valentine Producer: Phil Rice Editor: Damien V...2023-10-1216 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS4 E97 Elden Ring: Monty Python (Oct 2023)Kicking off Season 4 of the podcast, we review a Monty Python inspired film, integrating one of their greatest films with Elden Ring – Holy Grail.  The film has been made by The Escapist in collaboration with eli_handle_b.wav and is a brilliantly edited and composited mashup.  It is also a very appropriate pick for this episode since Monty Python were the inspiration for this podcast in the first place, so we reflect in the show that we’ve now been working on this podcast longer than the original Star Trek series ran + another 20 years collaborating on top of that t...2023-10-0541 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS3 E96 Unreal Engine: Backrooms medley (Sept 2023)In this week's episode, we discuss the phenomenal Backrooms meme that has emerged ever since  @kanepixels original film (and the much awaited Netflix version was announced). We review three examples of the works being created, variously using levels of the rapidly evolving game: Chaos in the Hub by  @BackroomsMerchant is probably the most close to the original horror vibe; Endless Escalators by  @ReturnToRender is an example of great comedic timing; and Crab Rave - Backrooms Edition by  @Madlykeanu is just pure fun, and an example of a meme upon a meme. As Phil suggests, however, has it gone too far...2023-09-2832 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS3 E95 UE: Terra & ED: Into Black (Sept 2023)This week Damien has picked two space exploration shorts for us to review: one is made in UE called Terra by  @j.thomaswilson3543 and the other is an ED film called Into Black by  @indigointoblack . The film sequencing of the craft in flight in Into Black shows the competence of the creator whereas the human element encapsulated by the robot in Terra is particularly engaging and adds a different dimension to the storytelling. We discuss the similarities and differences of these approaches to space operas in general, and also how it contrasts to the Pixar approach of building in cu...2023-09-2119 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS3 E94 Half Life 2: Shelf Life (September 2023)This week we discuss one of the best HL2 films from the 2009 era - Shelf Life by Pixel Eyes Productions. The film, which is in two episodes, won a heap of creator awards back in the day and has definitely stood the test of time for us. There are some fun sci-fi and weird tropes integrated into the story, which we discuss, as well as the very well done sound design and original music. We'd love to see these guys pick this project back up, although of course, none of the issues they faced back then will be a...2023-09-1418 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS3 E93 Twin Peaks (Sept 2023)An homage and 'unofficial tribute' to the classic 90s TV series, this week's review discusses a film of a game demo created by Blue Rose Team for the PS1. The demo covers the intro and events surrounding Special Agent Cooper's arrival at Twin Peaks and his encounter with Laura Palmer and the Black Lodge. Steeped in the mythos of the virtual world that has been created, well, at least that applies to some of the CM crew more than other/s, we discuss how well it translates to contemporary times, the story portrayed and the issues that arise from...2023-09-0750 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS3 E92 Unreal Engine: Horror (August 2023)A truly terrifying short for some, Horror is more like an absurd dream for others. The film is made by Yang Hyunjun, released 4 June 2023. Its creator showcases some incredible scene detail, especially at the beginning of the film, but thereafter, loses a little of the pathos and credibility in the storytelling.Key points -6:00 Tracy picks a horror film. 11:52 Situating yourself with the character, facial animation and narrative. 15:34 Men are the easiest people in the world to make fun of (according to Phil). 21:30 Paranoia and psychosis – what was the intent of the filmmaker?26...2023-08-3131 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS3 E91 No Man's Sky: Origins (August 2023)This week's review is of a No Man's Sky machinima called Origins, produced by Evil Dr.Porkchop. Its a beautiful cinematic travelogue showcasing the vast expansiveness that is No Man's Sky - a game in which you will almost never have the same experience twice.  Of course, Ricky wanted more drama and story but Phil nails it, reflecting on what might be possible if you could use No Man Sky's environments with Eve Online's space battles and Star Citizen's avatars!  Yeah... but that's not this film!Key points -7:38 Music by Confidential MX, Rebirth Overtone2023-08-2422 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS3 E90 Unreal Engine: The Crown | Hunt (August 2023)This week we feature two films by Chinese artist collective studio, @Motzify Mohua. These two shorts, The Crown and Hunt, are made in Unreal Engine and show extraordinary qualities in very different ways: The Crown is a fairytale made originally for World Children's Day and illustrates traditional cultural references with gorgeous imagery; Hunt is a cyberpunk anti-hero teaser. Our main 'complaint' is that we need more detail from the artists! 3:23 Unreal Engine is one of the best tools for making machinima. 8:14 The crown and the sword. 12:03 The mystique of the film - a hyb...2023-08-1736 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS3 E89 Half Life 2: Daydream (August 2023)A performance by a camera ham, shutterbug or just a plain histrionic narcissist? This week's review discusses an older machinima that has highly contemporary themes in it: carry-on-regardless, daydreaming, whatever, so long as the virtual camera is rolling. The film is called Daydream (2009) set to the titular song by Lovin' Spoonful, created by  @Mystfit and made in  @Valve 's Half Life 2. Needless to say, we loved the humor but what makes this machinima interesting is that it was a scripted production created by running a path sequencer inside the game, harking back to the early days of how machinimas we...2023-08-1036 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS3 E88 Minecraft: Wither Storm War (July 2023)This week's film review focusses on a story made with building blocks and without voice acting... and yet, what a spectacular story! The game world is Minecraft of course, and the story is based on Telltale Games' episodic release called Story Mode. Made by @SquaredMediaAnimations, we discuss the production values emcompassed within the film, why we think adding voice acting would have enhanced the film and a number of other things we nit-picked but conclude that its really no wonder Squared Media are one of the top machinima producers in Minecraft. 0:38 Background and intro to the film ...2023-08-0324 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS3 Special: Machiniplex IntroIn this ep, Phil introduces the Machiniplex [Remastered] Collection, a curated selection of machinimas from the early years. Machiniplex was a site created to host classic machinimas at the point that Machinima [dot] com began to assert its energies over the community as a corporate entity.  The site was a community endeavour, with both Ricky and Phil playing a pivitol role in managing the project to preserve the original content the community had contributed to the early original Machinima website... until such time as it ran its course.  Phil and Ricky reminisce about the origins of Machiniplex and its co...2023-07-2842 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS3 E87 Cyberpunk 2077: Don’t Fall Down, Cinematic Machinima Music Video (July 2023)A love letter to Cyberpunk 2077?  In this week's episode, the CM crew discuss a cinematic music video that perfectly captures a uniquely human feeling of people watching... and reflects on the phenomenal creativity of procedurally generated character content in the Cyberpunk world. The film is called Don't Fall Down by Puttefnask and the song it accompanies is Pray by Haelos - it is perhaps a more fitting video than the original.6:10 The first person perspective in Cyberpunk11:01 Wowed by the variety of the NPC characters and procedurally generated art13:00 Black Mirror is today's T...2023-07-2722 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS3 E86 RDR2: The MODDED Wacky West (July 2023)This week's review is of 12 minutes of the wackiest of Wacky Wests we could ever imagine! BedBananas has used a a whole host of mods, created by Weds_Garbageday, to devise this truly surrealist Red Dead American Dream machinima.  Seeing is believing - and its probably one of the best machinimas of all time!8:16 Surrealist machinima at its very best. 11:30 Buster Keaton and the Wild Wild West14:29 The violence to the central character makes him empathetic. 19:42 How the voices and dialogue were created. Credits -Spea...2023-07-2025 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS3 E85 Its Just a Game (July 2023)Nope, its not 'just a game', its one of the most visually stunning Gothic story open worlds ever created (according to Ricky)!  In this ep, we discuss GraysonFlows' tribute to the world of Elden Ring, set to Max Richter's November composition, which highlights the beauty of the game from the exhausting open sequence to the final prize, creatures, battles and voice acting.  0:12 Intro. 2:00 Hacking major games for free. 5:06 Tribute to the best game of the year. 8:11 Elden Ring Machinima. 10:42 The beauty and depth of the three sections. 13:36 The myt...2023-07-1321 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS3 E84 DCS: The Ghost | DCS: The Right Stuff (July 2023)This week, we discuss some of the best flight sim machinima we’ve ever seen, thanks to Damien’s picks.  We couldn’t decide which was better, so we discuss two films: The Ghost and The Right Stuff by J P Ferre, made in DCS.  The first is a horror story and the other a story of one of the most influential pioneers of modern space flight today: Chuck Yeager. It is an outstanding retelling of one particularly testing flight, and is a Hollywood movie in 12 minutes!   1:00 The Ghost intro.3:02 Pilot’s involvement in the actio...2023-07-0634 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS3 E82 Machinima by Ally Kustera (June 2023)This week’s film review looks at a work by Ally Kustera. The work artfully conveys a sense of feminism without the politics through snippets of video game character cutscenes from Lara Croft to Ellie (The Last of Us) and others in between. 1:00 Kitbash for Blender of the Back Rooms by Daniel Grove. 1:30 Machinima by Ally Kustera. 13:35 Feminism in the video game world. 16:17 A celebration of women without any of the baggage. Credits - Speakers: Ricky Grove, Phil Rice, Tracy Harwood, Damien Valentine Producer: Ricky Grove Editor: Damien Valentine Music: A...2023-06-2222 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS3 E81 Still Here (June 2023)Still Here... a chilling dystopian tale of a world devasted by climate crisis and wealth inequality. This week's review is of a film by Guido Ekker, featured on the Film Shortage Channel (YouTube), and is one of the few shorts we've seen that attempts to make a point beyond pure entertainment. We identify some of the stereotypical tropes used and discuss the creative potential of machinima and virtual production for this kind of political messaging - all with our usual critical bonhomie.3:49 Film’s story: a call to action for the planet. 7:33 Climate change is a b...2023-06-1532 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaCompletely Machinima Interview: Vladimir Nadein & Dmitry Frolov, curators (June 2023)In this bonus episode, Tracy talks to the curators of the Oberhausen International Short Film Festival, Vladimir Nadein and Dmitry Frolov.1:31 How did you get interested in machine? 10:28 Dedicating one of the screenings to solomon. 19:49 The interplay between analogue and digital. 26:36 What was the response from the audience? 36:01 Machinima techniques and tools. 41:47 What are your takeaways? 50:15 Next steps for the future of machinima and Oberhausen as important legacy. 58:23 Copyright issues. 1:00:00 The constant struggle between filmmakers and capitalists. Credits -Speakers: Tracy Harwood, Vladimir Nadein, Dmitry FrolovProduc...2023-06-081h 11And Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS3 E80 Oberhausen ISFF Discussion (June 2023)Following on from Tracy's visit to the Oberhausen International Short Film Festival, which took place between 26 April and 1 May, Ricky leads a discussion with Tracy on the thoughts about film selection at the event, different distribution strategies, topics discussed at the panel, and the future of avant-garde machinima films and filmmaking for festivals generally.You can also follow this episode with Tracy's interview with Vladimir Nadein and Dmitry Frolov, curators of the Oberhausen International Short Film Festival, on our channel released alongside this epsiode. Credits -Speakers: Ricky Grove, Phil Rice, Tracy Harwood, Damien...2023-06-0840 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS3 E79 Genesis by Edy Recendez (May 2023)A well-trodden path in alien encounters, this week’s short is Genesis by Edy Recendez, filmed in Unreal Engine. From the very beginning the film is such fun, with great editing and sound design – right up to and including the ending ‘rap slash dance’ credits.  Ricky, Phil and Damien also talk about the upcoming Diablo 4 release.  0:08 Introduction3:56 The detail is important to the director7:15 An archetypical story concept8:45 Sound design and foley11:22 The ending credits – a rap slash dance!17:01 Diablo 4… releases 6 June20:00 Elden Ring, again...2023-06-0125 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS3 E78 Film Review: Torn Seas (May 2023)This week, Ricky, Phil and Damien discuss Torn Seas – a feature made with Unreal Engine, by Richard Boisvert.  We don’t often review feature-length films on this show, not least because few are brave enough to make them, and we talk about that aspect a bit too.  Overall, we were impressed by this film but we also have a few suggestions to consider.  5:21 Cinematic Design. 9:35 Difference between Ricky’s tolerance for sentimental stories and your tolerance. 11:22 The problem with Pixar and Unreal. 15:42 The value of screenwriting and narrative. 20:24 Voice acting and so...2023-05-2533 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS3 E77 Film Review: Sandstorm (May 2023)Made in the still developing game, Star Citizen, this week's film is a large-scale production showing 97 players creating a complex battle scene. The film is called Sandstorm, directed by Wailander.  Ricky, Phil and Damien discuss the extent to which machinima is about showing off the game vs telling a story, what the role of the director is in game-based machinima productions and, of course, take a deep dive into the history of machinima in the process. They also reflect on just how wealthy (with in-game currency) the creators of this work actually have to be!  0:05 Intro to th...2023-05-1827 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS3 E76 Film Review: After War (May 2023)This week, Ricky, Phil and Damien begin with an brief discussion of the roles AI is being used for to restore old machinimas, and in particular the very exciting upcoming release Phil will be doing of old Machiniplex films - more on that in due course!  The film discussion centres on After War by RG Studios, and their approach to telling a story without moving a camera in the Half Life 2 world. 3:19 Ethical considerations in upscaling. 5:35 How good is the game? 7:59 How to choose a film. 11:43 Single camera in one p...2023-05-0421 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS3 E75 Film Review: Patient Zero - A Half Life Short (April 2023)Recently, we've seen some really great HL2 shorts, and this week we have an excellent one for you - Patient Zero is by TheParryGod aka Richard Makk, released in Feb. This is so well done you can cut the atmosphere with a butter knife, the choreography between the actors is brilliant and there are even some gratuitous small animal shots to boot.  Hear us discuss the details and check out the film following the links on our Show Notes post on the Completely Machinima website.Credits -Speakers: Phil Rice, Tracy Harwood, Damien Valentine (mia Ricky G...2023-04-2735 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS3 E74 Film Reviews: iClone Shorts & Machinima Final (April 2023)This week's film selection comprises 2 shorts, both untitled but actually worlds apart in their development. Its not often we get to comment on a first ever machinima project as the framing for a creative idea but our first film is just that, by Sydney Walker, and made in an environment we have never seen used for machinima before, Final Fantasy 14. Our second film is a psychological thriller, drawing us in from a the whole world of familiar cinematic language in a way that we struggled with in the Astartes Project.  BUT, the title needs work because "iClone shorts" just d...2023-04-2026 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS3 E71 Film Review: Heroes of Bronze: The Memory (March 2023)After we first talked about this project last April 2022, we were thrilled to see what a stunning job @MartinKlekner has made in the 21 Jan release of the first episode of Heroes of Bronze. We were not disappointed: the film and work stands up to AAA Assassin's Creed Odyssey studio work, but with amazing detail of historical artefacts and storytelling, which is even evident in the way clothes move on characters. Damien couldn't put our views better when he says this work inspires him to want to do better with iClone. We're definitely looking forward to the next release...2023-03-3027 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS3 E69 Film Review: Didn't I - A Red Dead Machinima (Mar 2023)We always love a good RDR2 machinima, and this is one by a Sam Menell, released on 9 Feb 2023.  We watched this several times, and Tracy didn't spot the UFO in the opening shot!2:03 Phil’s thoughts on the film. 3:36 The soundtrack and editing. 6:24 The searchers 8:05 The ending was such a surprise. Credits - Speakers: Ricky Grove, Phil Rice, Tracy Harwood, Damien Valentine Producer: Phil Rice Editor: Damien Valentine Music:  Nebular Focus by Dan Henig2023-03-1611 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS3 E68 Film Review: TikTok Machinima (Mar 2023)This week, Ricky provokes us with a selection of shorts released on TikTok.  We discuss the usefulness of the platform for machinima and virtual production creators, as well as pass comment on the three films we take a look at, which unsurprisingly we variously struggle with. Phil's analogy to fish restaurants of different quality sums it up well for us all.8:19 Fish restaurants11:51 Dumpsters for paperbacks analogy15:23 Terry Gilliam said...19:26 Phil's profound reflection on quality kit29:52 Crime and Punishment (Dostoyevsky)35:05 Does Twitter make you a better script writer?Show notes a...2023-03-0941 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS3 E67: Film Review: The Gateway (March 2023)This week's film review is The Gateway by  @ritualenfilm3976 , made with  @UnrealEngine and released in May 2020. Its a mix of some well-known alien life sci-fis we all love, the pacing is nicely done and there are some interesting effects that we comment on although we're not quite sure what the ending is all about. Ricky also tells us about a new Philip K. Dick inspired (Blade Runner stylized) release on  @Netflix called JUNG_E. Time stamps -0:14 Intro to the film. 3:35 A gateway to another world. 5:39 The story is just a sketch. 7:53 Tracy’s imp...2023-03-0221 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS3 E66 Film Review: Secret Moon (Feb 2023)This week we review the winner of the 2022 Kitbash3D moving image challenge contest, based on their free Mission to Minerva asset pack.  The film is called Secret Moon by Orencloud, and what a visually stunning and ethereal representation of Minerva this is, with a clear trajectory between this piece and Orencloud's portfolio.  We discuss some of the ways in which the film works and works less well for us, and note that at least one of us missed the ending!1:34 What was the challenge for? 4:42 The gloom of the world. 6:59 The power of content pa...2023-02-2320 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS3 E65 Film Review: Let's Play Nomad X by Kristian Andrews (Feb 2023)Ricky's pick for the month is Let's Play Nomad X by Kristian Andrews, uploaded to Vimeo on 11 Mar 2013. The film is a 'slice of life' comedy with intriguing mix of playing a 90s style space game, Nomad X, and reflecting on losing the love of your life - a perfect antidote for those Valentine's week shenanigans! 0:10 Let’s Play Nomad X by Kristian Andrews 3:59 Let’s play, let's play 6:27 The shared consciousness of video games 9:00 Inspired by Frontier Elite Dangerous 12:02 Nostalgia factor of video games 13:35 The Halle Project 16:05 The genius of the stor...2023-02-1621 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS3 E64 Film Review: Half Life 3 Honest Game TrailersThis week's episode reviews a film by Fandom Games called Half Life 3: Honest Game Trailers, released 31 March 2015.  The film is a throwback style of satire and even if you've not been following Valve's Half Life developments, you'll enjoy this.  For those less in the know, HL3 is a game that never made it beyond the hype, despite its avid fan base waiting patiently (or impatiently) to play it for 20 years!  We reflect on Fandom Games origins in Jimmy Wale's Wiki technology.  We also discuss our approach to 'healthy criticism' on the podcast.0:14 Intro to the show1:45 What...2023-02-0930 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS3 E63 Film Review: The Backrooms – Reunion (Feb 2023)Show Notes & Links: https://completelymachinima.com/2023/02/02/s3-e63-film-review-the-backrooms-reunion-feb-2023/Credits - Speakers: Ricky Grove, Phil Rice, Damien Valentine, Tracy Harwood Editor/Producer: Ricky Grove Music: CreateStudio Pro Licensed Music Assets. Youtube Audio Library - Nebular Focus by Dan Henig. 2023-02-0220 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS3 E62 Film Review: So I tried to take a holiday… (Jan 2023)Show Notes & Links: https://completelymachinima.com/2023/01/26/s3-e62-film-review-so-i-tried-to-take-a-holiday-jan-2023/Credits - Speakers: Ricky Grove, Phil Rice, Damien Valentine, Tracy Harwood Editor/Producer: Ricky Grove Music: CreateStudio Pro licensed audio.2023-01-2621 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS3 E61 Film Review: INTERLOPER: Half Life 2’s Greatest Unsolved Mystery (Jan 2023)Show Notes and Links: https://completelymachinima.com/2023/01/19/s3-e61-film-review-interloper-half-life-2s-greatest-unsolved-mystery-jan-2023/Credits -Speakers: Ricky Grove, Phil Rice, Tracy Harwood, Damien ValentineProducer: Ricky GroveEditor: Damien ValentineMusic:  licensed from CreateStudio Pro2023-01-1928 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS3 E60 Film Review: Team Fortress 2 - Law Abiding Engineer by TrueOneMoreUser (Jan 2023)Links and show notes: www.completelymachinima.comCredits -Speakers: Damien Valentine, Tracy Harwood, Ricky Grove, Phil RiceProducer: Ricky GroveEditor: Damien ValentineMusic: licensed from CreateStudio Pro2023-01-1227 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS3 E59 Film Review: The Voice in the Hollow by Half M.T. Studios (Jan 2023)0:14 Introduction to this episode. 9:45 The stylized look of the film. 11:44 How they arrived at the world of the film. 15:43 The flaws in the story. 21:52 Is there still a significant audience for quick and dirty machinima? 27:26 The audience’s reaction to machinima. 33:33 Machinima’s plight is a hidden one. 37:57 What are your thoughts on my criticism of the story aspect of the voice in the hollow? 40:01 Why some of the ambiguities in the film didn’t bug Ricky. Links for this...2023-01-0552 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS3 E58 Film Review: The Darkside EP1: Chrome Armor by Scott Barrett (Dec 2022)Links on our website here: Credits Speakers: Phil Rice, Ricky Grove, Tracy Harwood, Damien Valentine Producer: Phil Rice Editor: Ricky Grove Music: CreateStudio Pro licensed music. fallbackcrush / whistling auld lang syne @ freesound.org https://freesound.org/people/fallbackcrush/sounds/413563/2022-12-2923 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS3 E57 The Talky Orcs by AFK (Dec 2022)Links and notes on our website here Credits:Speakers: Phil Rice, Ricky Grove, Damien Valentine, Tracy HarwoodProducer: Phil RiceEditor: Damien ValentineMusic: Lights in the Dark by CSP CC OO2022-12-2214 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS3 E56 Film Review: Artists of SL by Teal Aurelia (Dec 2022)Time stamps -0:11 Introduction to this episode3:51 Compositing and editing in Second Life7:25 Teal’s inspiration as an artist in Second Life10:19 The film is halfway between machinima and photography13:11 Why I didn’t look for a deeper story15:11 When advertising comes on, I immediately start shouting at it17:19 Promotional work and informational info ads are really great forms of advertising from machinimaShow Notes and Links on our website hereCreditsSpeakers: Phil Rice, Ricky Grove, Tracy Harwood, Damien ValentineProducer: Phil RiceEdit...2022-12-1520 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS3 E55 Film Review: 914 by Krad Productions (Dec 2022)Links and notes on our website hereSpeakers: Phil Rice, Ricky Grove, Tracy Harwood, Damien ValentineProducer: Phil RiceEditor: Ricky GroveEdited in CreateStudio Pro. Music licensed from their collection. 2022-12-0835 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS3 E54 Film Review: ALONE by Playard Studios (Nov 2022)Show notes and links on our website hereCredits -Speakers: Ricky Grove, Tracy Harwood, Damien Valentine (MIA zsOverman) Editor/Producer: Ricky GroveMusic: Tattoo by CreateStudio (licensed)2022-11-2521 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS3 E53 Film Reviews: The Remnants & So Palpatine Needs Padme Dead... (Nov 2022)Time stamps -1:13 The Remnants22:26 So Palpatine Needs Padme Dead...[LEGO Edition]Enjoy, and as ever, feedback and suggestions welcome!Our website has all the links and notes hereCredits -Speakers: Ricky Grove, Damien Valentine,Tracy Harwood, Phil RiceEditor/Producer: Damien ValentineMusic: Scott Buckley - www.scottbuckley.com.au CC 002022-11-1730 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS3 E52 Film Review: Metaverse Music Video by JSFilmz (Nov 2022)Show Notes & Links on our website at www.completelymachinima.com/Credits -Speakers: Ricky Grove, Damien Valentine, Tracy Harwood (MIA Phil Rice, courtesy of Hurricane Ian)Producer/Editor: Damien ValentineMusic: Scott Buckley - www.scottbuckley.com.au CC 002022-11-1015 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS3 E51 Film Review: Paths of Misery by Federica Orlandini (Nov 2022)Show Notes & Links on our website: www.completelymachinima.comCreditsSpeakers: Ricky Grove, Tracy Harwood, Damien Valentine, Phil RiceProduer/Editor: Ricky GroveMusic: House Loop by Sakebeats /CC 0 / freesound.org2022-11-0325 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS3 Ep50 Film Review: Little White Poney Inn (Oct 2022)Little White Poney Inn by OlibithIt Lives Within the Sea by Squadron Orange (dir. Dominic Edwards)Links and notes on our website hereCredits:Speakers: Ricky Grove, Phil Rice, Damien Valentine, Tracy HarwoodEditor/Producer: Ricky GroveMusic: sclolex__a-bad-day-at-the-crypt / freesound.org2022-10-2728 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS3 E49 Film Review: 'Most Precious Gift' by Shangyu Wang (Oct 2022)Links to the film on our website, https://completelymachinima.com/2022/10/19/s3-e49-film-review-most-precious-gift-by-shangyu-wang-oct-2022/CreditsSpeakers: Ricky Grove, Phil Rice, Damien Valentine, Tracy HarwoodEditor/Producer: Ricky GroveMusic: evanjones4__sleepnomore1 - Freesound.org. License CC 02022-10-2022 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaS3 E48 Film Review: 'The Eye: Calanthek' by Aaron Sims (Oct 2022)We discuss the eyes, the monster, the surprise and and camera shots.1:06 Tracy introduces ‘The eye: Calanthek’ by Aaron Sims5:56 What makes it so realistic? The eyes!11:02 Things that break the storytelling15:02 Does knowing the craft of filmmaking restrict creative approaches to filmmaking? Show notes and links on our website for this episode, www.completelymachinima.com/Credits:Speakers: Ricky Grove, Phil Rice, Damien Valentine, Tracy HarwoodEditor/Producer: Ricky GroveMusic: evanjones4__sleepnomore1 - Freesound.org. License CC 02022-10-1318 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaCompletely Machinima S3 Ep 470:47 Ricky highlights some of the news items we’re released in a series of blogs this month, being released on Mondays, starting with out Tech Update on 3 Oct, then Projects Update on 10 Oct, Fests & Contests Update on 17 Oct and finally a Report on Creative AI Generators on 24 Oct. You can find these on https://CompletelyMachinima.com/Blog2:19 Feedback on previous episodes6:51 How I learned Unity without following tutorials (Developing 1) by Mark Brown on his Game Maker’s Toolkit channel, released 28 September 2021 – discussion, learning by rote vs learning concepts, different learning styles and role of prototyping in machinima and vi...2022-10-0637 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaCompletely Machinima S2 Ep 46: Film Review - Facing the WolfFacing the Wolf, by Iain Douglas and Mark Coverdale, released 2021 1:35 Interview with Matteo Bittanti, Milan Machinima Film Festival 5:00 Ricky poses an interesting question: is machinima an animation style or a form of art that ideas can dominate, as opposed to feelings? 27:56 Discussion: for idea films, do you have to have more information than the film provides to appreciate the work?  What is the role of ambiguity in filmmaking?  How much time should audience invest in understanding a film?Show notes and links on our website at ht...2022-09-1541 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaCompletely Machinima S2 Ep 45 Films (Sept 2022)0:10 Ricky introduces our new episode format – feedback welcome on the plans! 0:59 The Cloud Racer by Impossible Objects (UE5), released 15 August 2022  21:16 The Lord Inquisitor – Prologue, by Warpgazer Animations (released 28 August 2016)  39:15 Person2184 (UT2004 machinima), by Friedrich Kirschner released 4 April 2008  59:09 Prazinburk Ridge by Yes, Commissioner? aka Martin Bell, Unreal Engine 4 (released 27 June 2022) Links and show notes on our website: https://completelymachinima.com/2022/09/08/cm-s2-ep45-films-sept-2022/Credits:Speakers: Ricky Grove, Damien Valentine, Phil Rice, Tracy HarwoodProducer/Editor: Damien ValentineMusic: Scot...2022-09-081h 14And Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaCompletely Machinima S2 Ep 44 News (September 2022)Show Notes and Links 0:27 Nvidia Omniverse Machinima Contest #madeinmachinima results, entries showreel, announcement of winners at SIGGRAPH and links to winners (via 80.lv) Simon Lavit and runners up Nicklas Lotz and Ted Saguindel 2:54 Tracy’s interview with John MacInnes on his latest Unreal Challenge contest: Mood Scene – the contest begins 1 Sept 5:44 Unreal Engine’s Better Light Than Never contest results sizzle reel and 80.lv article about winners 6:19 Jackson Wang’s Cruel video, using Unreal in his virtual production process 7:01 Also using Unreal in a music v...2022-09-0135 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaCompletely Machinima S2 Ep 43 Films (August 2022)Time Stamps0:57 The Folklore of Phasmophobia | Modern Mythology, by The Digital Dream Club (released 9 January 2021) 9:51 NVIDIA Omniverse Machinima Path Tracing Test, by JSFilmz (21 June 2022)  17:33 Tiny Elden Ring | Tilt Shift, by Flurdeh (11 April 2022)  27:27 What a typical project Zomboid Run looks like, by Pathoze (26 Jan 2022) 31:45 Discussion: using live action with machinima footage in films, what are the challenges?For show notes and links, see https://completelymachinima.com/2022/08/11/cm-s2ep43-films-aug-2022/Credits:Speakers: Ricky Grove, Damien Valentine, Tracy HarwoodPro...2022-08-1158 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaCompletely Machinima S2 Ep 42 News (August 2022)In this episode, Ricky, Tracy and Damien discuss some of the more interesting machinima and real-time things they’ve trawled the internet for during the last month.  Tracy gives her take on the GTA Online performance of Hamlet by Sam Crane, some interesting uses of Unreal Engine, tech tools and a fun way to simulate gravity. Damien brings Godot to the table and highlights some worrisome news about Unity, before waxing lyrical on Star Trek’s Strange New World’s use of Unreal. Ricky finds an interesting Unreal Engine Field Guide and discusses the latest updates to Nightmare Puppeteer.   2022-08-0449 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaCompletely Machinima Interview: David BlandyJune Episode of Completely Machinima podcast  https://completelymachinima.com/2022/06/08/completely-machinima-s2-ep-39-films-june-2022/) – go to time stamp 18:57 for discussion of How to Fly 5:40 Backgrounds (released 19 February 2013), collaboration with John Blandy, father 7:08 Franz Fanon series, Finding Fanon 2 (Grand Theft Auto, released 11 September 2015), collaboration with Larry Achiampong  14:12 Reflecting on the cultural forces represented by games, meaning in games, cultural capital and the importance of shared memories through games 23:15 Telling alternative stories in ways such as to deal with the social anxieties intertwined in them eg., Henrietta Lacks an...2022-07-211h 06And Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaCompletely Machinima S2 Ep 40 News (July 2022)Despite being encouraged to create an episode of just 15 minutes duration by one of our followers, the team have this month extended their coverage – hear Tracy, Damien and Phil discuss vtubing, Ricky’s Duke Henry the Red character in the game Evil Dead, the FTC’s proposed updates to social media guidelines, Unreal’s review of the Matrix Awakens Experience, John Gaeta’s latest exploits, metaquette, Reallusion’s iClone 8 and CC4 and a number of other exciting developments relevant to the world of real-time filmmaking and machinima.  Thankfully, you can use the timestamps to jump to the bits your most interest...2022-07-071h 21And Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaCompletely Machinima Interview: John MacInnesTracy talks to John MacInnes, winner of the OSCARS' Nicholl Fellowship for Screenwriting in 2011, screenwriter for Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare (released 2014), winner of 2 Epic Unreal Megagrants for his virtual David Bowie project, founder of awarding-winning studio MacInnes Studios, and director of the 2021 Real Time Shorts Challenge.2:53 Official trailer for Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFu5qXMuaJU 13:25 Game engines as storytelling tools 23:36 Making realistic humans in game engines, David Bowie and the Epic Megagrant project and Grace the first digital popstar 2022-06-161h 01And Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaCompletely Machinima S2 Ep 39 Films (June 2022)This month, Damien leads the discussion on another fabulous film selection by the Completely Machinima podcast team... Phil's Stalker fan film by Sodaz is dark and disturbing; Tracy's music vid picks are light and airy; Ricky's is far from bland and Damien's is a moving affair too! The team also discuss approaches to promoting a film once it’s been made, thanks to a question raised by show follower, Mike Clements.Time Stamps:0:34 STALKER Fan film – Contract by Sodaz, released 8 December 20216:53 Married to Your Melody by Imanbek and Salem Ilese (Unreal Engine 5, Matrix Awakens City...2022-06-0948 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaCompletely Machinima S2 Ep 37 Films (May 2022)0:48 VIDEO GAME Maps Size Comparison | 2021 by MrRanker (Blender, Adobe After Effects & Premiere Pro) released 19 Sept 2020 19:05 Blu x @Teflon Sega meta-saga!! Ep4 by Xanadu (Unreal 4.27) released 9 Mar 2022 32:26 Star Trek Pike – Fan Made Opening | Made in Star Trek Online by ZEFilms Productions released 1 July 2019 and the possibilities for using machinima as a pre-market concept testing tool 41:36 It just a virtual kiss by Juan Poyuan (World of Warcraft) released 19 Nov 2021 53:00 Discussion: What is experimental machinima and why do it?Website: Credits:Spea...2022-05-121h 12And Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaCompletely Machinima S2 Ep 33 Films (March 2022)This month, Ricky, Phil, Tracy and Damien discuss machinima and real-time productions made in Second Life including documentaries illustrating life on the ‘grid’, events and experiences such as an art collector’s paradise, a potted history of the environment, a sci-fi convention, extraordinary examples of films that show the unique qualities of the Second Life creative community, a tutorial and a new cyberpunk drama series.  The co-hosts also discuss their perspectives on the importance of Second Life as a creative platform for machinima. SUMMARY KEYWORDSlife, film, machinima, called, created, bit, people, documentary, game, ch...2022-03-101h 27And Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaCompletely Machinima S2 Ep 32 News & Discussion (March 2022)Speakers:Damien Valentine, Tracy Harwood, Ricky GroveTime stamps:1:56 Nvidia Omniverse, Omniverse Code and Meet the Creators (Omnivores)·       Jae Solina Filmz – Nvidia blog post 4:11 KGB in Minecraft – yes really! 3:00 Backlot – not a lot 6:44 Best games for M1 Mac by Tyler Stalman 9:10 Music and sound studio set up for machinima: Everything I use as a full-time content creator by Malinda 10:54 Nvidia AI conference, GTC 2022 13:00 Implications of games convergence into Microsoft ownership for mac...2022-03-0338 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaCompletely Machinima: January 2022 Machinima FilmsIn this episode, Ricky, Phil, Tracy and Damien discuss five very different recently released film selections, highlighting the importance of story making in machinima. Alongside this, the team discuss some observations on the future scope of creativity, reflecting on comments made by Keanu Reeves on the release of the Matrix Awakens Experience made in Unreal 5.Credits:Editor/Producer: Ricky GroveCo-hosts: Ricky Grove, Phil Rice, Tracy Harwood, Damien ValentineMusic: Back to the Future by Ofshane2022-01-1358 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaCompletely Machinima S1 Ep 12 TeaserThe Completely Machinima podcast for July 2021 is all about the metaverse and where machinima fits into this widening online world. Tracy Harwood is our producer and director for this series. This short teaser gives you an idea of the ideas and fun we shared while recording the podcast. Note that the Completely Machinima Podcast comes out every Thursday of the week. Our first podcast in the July series starts on July 1, 2021. More info at our website: completelymachinima.com2021-06-3000 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaCompletely Machinima Interview: Tom Jantol, Anymation DirectorTracy Harwood conducts a fascinating interview of veteran machinima / Anymation filmmaker, Tom Jantol.Full notes available at:https://completelymachinima.com/2021/06/17/cm-interview-tom-jantol/2021-06-1743 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaCompletely Machinima S1 Ep 8 Discussion (May 2021)And Now For Something Completely Machinima is a podcast devoted to machinima (movies made in game engines). This month (May 2021) we are splitting our podcast into four sections which will post once a week: Machinima News (May 6), Machinima Films (May 13), Machinima Discussion (May 20) along with several interviews which we will publish separately throughout the month. This episode was produced by Damien Valentine who is joined by hosts Ricky Grove, Phil Rice, and Tracy Harwood.Contact and Feedback for this show: https://completelymachinima.com/#talkSummary: Two questions for the group - one, why h...2021-05-2051 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaCompletely Machinima S1 Ep 7 Films (May 2021)And Now For Something Completely Machinima is a podcast devoted to machinima (movies made in game engines). This month (May 2021) we are splitting our podcast into four sections which will post once a week: Machinima News (May 6), Machinima Films (May 13), Machinima Discussion (May 20) along with several interviews which we will publish separately throughout the month. This episode was produced by Damien Valentine who is joined by hosts Ricky Grove, Phil Rice, and Tracy Harwood. Contact and Feedback for this show: https://completelymachinima.com/#talkSummary: The hosts share their monthly machinima film favorites. T...2021-05-1341 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaCompletely Machinima S1 Ep 6 News (May 2021)And Now For Something Completely Machinima is a podcast devoted to machinima (movies made in game engines). This month (May 2021) we are splitting our podcast into four sections which will post once a week: Machinima News (May 6), Machinima Films (May 13), Machinima Discussion (May 20) along with several interviews which we will publish separately throughout the month. This episode was produced by Damien Valentine who is joined by hosts Ricky Grove, Phil Rice, and Tracy Harwood. Contact and Feedback for this show:https://completelymachinima.com/#talkSummary: Damien and the gang share Star Wars memories, Ricky s...2021-05-0655 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaCompletely Machinima S1 Ep 6 TrailerAnd Now For Something Completely Machinima is a podcast devoted to machinima (movies made in game engines). This month (May 2021) we are splitting our podcast into four sections which will post once a week: Machinima News (May 6), Machinima Films (May 13), Machinima Discussion (May 20) along with several interviews which we will publish separately throughout the month. This episode was produced by Damien Valentine who is joined by hosts Ricky Grove, Phil Rice, and Tracy Harwood. Contact and Feedback for this show:https://completelymachinima.com/#talkSummary: Damien and the gang share Star Wars memories, Ricky s...2021-05-0301 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaCompletely Machinima S1 Ep 5 Discussion (April 2021)CM Episode 3.3 Machinima Discussion Show NotesAnd Now For Something Completely Machinima is a long-form podcast devoted to machinima (movies made in game engines), real-time technologies, and virtual reality. This month (April 2021) we are splitting our 3rd podcast into four sections which will post once a week: Machinima News (April 1), Machinima Films (April 8), Machinima Discussion (April 15), and a Special “Build a Machinima PC” podcast (April 22).Episode 3 was produced by Ricky Grove joined by hosts Phil Rice, Tracy Harwood, and Damien Valentine.Summary: After Ricky's Milan Machinima Festival report he brings up a question that...2021-04-151h 11And Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaCompletely Machinima Interview: Slavo Strangeovich (m dot strange)CM Interview with Slavo StrangeovichAnd Now For Something Completely Machinima is a long-form podcast devoted to machinima (movies made in game engines), real-time technologies and virtual reality. This month (April 2021) we are splitting our podcast into four sections which will post once a week: Machinima News (April 1), Machinima Films (April 8), Machinima Discussion (April 15), and a Special “Build a Machinima PC” podcast (April 22).This episode was produced by Ricky Grovejoined by hosts Phil Rice, Tracy Harwood, and Damien Valentine.Summary:  Ricky interviews Slavo Strangeovich (formerly known as m dot strange) about his new game...2021-04-1022 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaCompletely Machinima S1 Ep 4 Films (April 2021)CM S1 Ep 4 Film Selection Show NotesAnd Now For Something Completely Machinima is a long-form podcast devoted to machinima (movies made in game engines), real-time technologies, and virtual reality. This month (April 2021) we are splitting our podcast into four sections which will post once a week: Machinima News (April 1), Machinima Films (April 8), Machinima Discussion (April 15), and a Special “Build a Machinima PC” podcast (April 22).This episode was produced by Ricky Grove joined by hosts Phil Rice, Tracy Harwood and Damien Valentine.Summary:  All four podcast hosts present their machinima film picks with Phil...2021-04-081h 01And Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaCompletely Machinima S1 Ep 3 News (April 2021)And Now For Something Completely Machinima is a podcast devoted to machinima (movies made in game engines), real-time technologies, and virtual reality. This month (April 2021) we are splitting our 3rd podcast into four sections which will post once a week: Machinima News (April 1), Machinima Films (April 8), Machinima Discussion (April 15), and a Special “Build a Machinima PC” podcast (April 22). Episode 3 was produced by Ricky Grove joined by hosts Phil Rice, Tracy HarwoodandDamien Valentine.Summary: Machinima News features updates, recommendations for new games, Phil’s re-cam of the famous Quake 2 match (Thresh vs Billox), Tracy’s publication with Ben...2021-04-0142 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaCompletely Machinima Interview: Ricard GrasTracy Harwood interviews Ricard Gras, Games Chair at SIGGRAPH Asia 2020Video: "Silver Bells and Golden Spurs" by Ricard GrasMade in Second LifeThe Machinima Reader by Henry Lowood and Michael NitscheNaughty Dog (The Last of Us 2)Epic MegaGrantsThe Unreal FellowshipVideo: Red vs Blue Introduce New Blood Gulch Fortnite Creative MapMachinima Pioneers: Ill ClanAn excerpt of this interview was featured in Completely Machinima, Season 1 Episode 2.2021-03-0420 minAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaCompletely Machinima S1 Ep 2 (March 2021)And Now For Something Completely Machinima is a monthly, long form podcast devoted to machinima (movies made in game engines), real-time technologies and virtual reality.Episode produced by Phil Rice, joined by hosts Ricky Grove, Tracy Harwood, and Damien Valentine.Our second podcast features a discussion of recent news in the machinima and VR sphere, four very diverse short films, a cameo by Baby Yoda, an interview with SIGGRAPH Asia’s Ricard Gras, and much more!Contact and Feedback for this show: https://completelymachinima.com/#talkFully detailed and link-infused no...2021-03-041h 55And Now For Something Completely MachinimaAnd Now For Something Completely MachinimaCompletely Machinima Podcast Premiere TrailerMachinima veterans Phil Rice and Ricky Grove along with their machinima pals Tracy Harwood and Damien Valentine are creating a brand-new podcast devoted to machinima (the art of making movies with games), real-time technology and a bit of virtual reality. Their premiere episode will start on February 4, 2021, and will feature news, films, interviews, discussion and satiric comedy all focused on machinima and machinima filmmakersThis teaser/trailer will give you and idea of the style of the Completely Machinima podcast - fun, free wheeling with sharp discussion and a heavy dose of satire. Join Phil...2021-01-3102 min