Digital Domain to do first ever MACHINIMA Feature?

[uraydo]

I had a procrastination fit and checked Bay's Bio. It said:

[Digital Domain] provided effects in Titanic, Transfomers, and Pirates of the Caribbean, the company is expanding into video games and will be the first production house to build an animation film in a gaming engine, which will greatly reduce animation costs.

http://michaelbay.com/biography/index.html

Now Wikipedia defines this as Machinima:

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

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machinima

Because of the ease of using the polished look of existing video games as a story telling device (rather than do a CGI video from scratch), fans have turned to this technec of story tell and in some casses (such as RedvsBlue) have produced very successful footage. Never (to my knowlegde) has machinima become a tool for a feature length movie. Is Digital Domain really creating a machinima movie? What is the title? What will it be about? Why can't I find any info on this on their website?

[uraydo]

I have been doing some looking around and I have found a few sites stating things along the line of this http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/15/mi...es-into-games/

this article is dated but says a series of animated features are in the works targeted to teens. The lack of no new info leads me to believe this endeavor may be dead, dying, or on hold.

[uraydo]

this is an old commercial, but it gives us a glimpse of what Machinima might mean for cinema

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saTKyABrP10

the thing was shot in the Unreal engine 3. unlike traditional machinima, this seems to rely on motion capture rather than a game controller. It makes me wonder what the difference between this and other motion capture footage is. Does other motion capture use a game-like engine?

And yes, I realize I am the only one posting here, but I am excited about this, so deal.

[Smokescreen_5]

Because of the ease of using the polished look of existing video games as a story telling device (rather than do a CGI video from scratch), fans have turned to this technec of story tell and in some casses (such as RedvsBlue) have produced very successful footage. Never (to my knowlegde) has machinima become a tool for a feature length movie. Is Digital Domain really creating a machinima movie? What is the title? What will it be about? Why can't I find any info on this on their website?

Would this be like the Final Fantasy: Spirits Within movie, or like the Final Fantasy VII Advent Children movie, or like Titan AE? well maybe not Titan AE but the other two seem to have that video game movie effect to it.

[uraydo]

Would this be like the Final Fantasy: Spirits Within movie, or like the Final Fantasy VII Advent Children movie, or like Titan AE? well maybe not Titan AE but the other two seem to have that video game movie effect to it.

click on the link right above you post. The way I understand it, it won't look any different than other CGI (to an extent that is) However, from my limited understanding, because this takes place in an game like engine the engine itself takes care of some of the animation. I really don't understand too well the advantages of this type of filming. I was really hoping someone with more knowledge on the subject would chime in.

but from the articles I have read, machinima could possibly drive down the cost of CGI.

[Smokescreen_5]

click on the link right above you post. The way I understand it, it won't look any different than other CGI (to an extent that is) However, from my limited understanding, because this takes place in an game like engine the engine itself takes care of some of the animation. I really don't understand too well the advantages of this type of filming. I was really hoping someone with more knowledge on the subject would chime in.

but from the articles I have read, machinima could possibly drive down the cost of CGI.

Oh.. I've seen something like that before. They place ping pong balls on a person to show allignment of a person so the computer can recognize where the person is. It sort of sets up its own little map engine by following movement of the ping pong balls and then matches it up with the design of the creator to adjust and move shapes. I don't recall what movie I was watching that did that type of thing. It might of been Matrix, or Spiderman or something like that, If thats what you were referring to. When I watched the video you pointed to, thats what I got out of it. If its not what you meant then I'm not really sure. I'm not a movie buff or stunt coordinator to know what its called but I THINK thats what you were referring to.

[uraydo]

Oh.. I've seen something like that before. They place ping pong balls on a person to show allignment of a person so the computer can recognize where the person is. It sort of sets up its own little map engine by following movement of the ping pong balls and then matches it up with the design of the creator to adjust and move shapes. I don't recall what movie I was watching that did that type of thing. It might of been Matrix, or Spiderman or something like that, If thats what you were referring to. When I watched the video you pointed to, thats what I got out of it. If its not what you meant then I'm not really sure. I'm not a movie buff or stunt coordinator to know what its called but I THINK thats what you were referring to.

Apple Seed, Polar Express, and Monster House, all used motion capture. I'm Guessing the difference between those and "Mad World" (the GoW commercial I posted above) is with traditional motion capture, you still have to animation to contend with after you have filmed the actors. by putting them in a game-like engine much of the later animation is already taken care, because the engine is designed with physics and bits of code that tell the world what to do. Again, I am only guess at this. I do know that motion capture is not machinima, and what is described in Bay's bio is machinima.

for a more classic example of machinima go here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=BkaxjymbfS0


Edit: I did some more reading and this is my understanding of it. In films like Advent Children they had to render every thing separately, even stands of hair. In machinima, such as the "made world" commercial, everthing is rendered in real time. At least that is my understanding of it.

[r-type]

And yes, I realize I am the only one posting here, but I am excited about this, so deal.

I'm dealing.

*continues reading*

Yeah it's stuff about that has been quiet since that article that was posted in the News section a while back.

[Beej]

And yes, I realize I am the only one posting here, but I am excited about this, so deal.

Uh-huh... reading ** sadly I have nothing to add. Sorry.

[redqueenar]

Uh-huh... reading ** sadly I have nothing to add. Sorry.

Same. I am but a student at your feet, Ury.

[Smokescreen_5]

Uh-huh... reading ** sadly I have nothing to add. Sorry.

You have nothing to add except to say that you have, nothing to add ? (Hmmm.. does this sound familiar?)

Apple Seed, Polar Express, and Monster House, all used motion capture. I'm Guessing the difference between those and "Mad World" (the GoW commercial I posted above) is with traditional motion capture, you still have to animation to contend with after you have filmed the actors. by putting them in a game-like engine much of the later animation is already taken care, because the engine is designed with physics and bits of code that tell the world what to do. Again, I am only guess at this. I do know that motion capture is not machinima, and what is described in Bay's bio is machinima.

for a more classic example of machinima go here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=BkaxjymbfS0


Edit: I did some more reading and this is my understanding of it. In films like Advent Children they had to render every thing separately, even stands of hair. In machinima, such as the "made world" commercial, everthing is rendered in real time. At least that is my understanding of it.

Sadly, I actually haven't seen any of those movies. Polar Express looked dumb, Monster House looked good for a cartoon, but thats all I thought it was.. was just a cartoon based movie such as like a Pixar movie or like Surf's Up or something. I've never even heard about Apple Seed so I don't really know what thats about.. and the Mad World link you posted.. I thought that was a clip from some sort of video game, unless.. Mad World.. IS a video game. I've seen clips like the Halo 3 before and usually their pretty funny, but I didn't know that was Machinima. If thats the case, I probably play with that all the time with my Warhawk game.. gahh do I love that game.. lol.. Up to 32 players each controlling their own "computer engine" (soldier, tank, jeep, warhawk), all in real time. No battle is ever the same. The only thing that is the same is the layout of the map such as the city you live in everything (for the most part) stays the same. Speaking of Halo 3, did you ever see the video How Not to be Seen?

[Beej]

You have nothing to add except to say that you have, nothing to add ? (Hmmm.. does this sound familiar?)

Just acknowledging someone was reading. But if you're going to be like that...

[Smokescreen_5]

Just acknowledging someone was reading. But if you're going to be like that...

LOL.. no no no... you don't get it.. read what I said again... it sounds alot like what Simmons said to Prime when he said, "I'm not allowed to talk to you except to say, that I'm not allowed to talk to you."

[Beej]

LOL.. no no no... you don't get it.. read what I said again... it sounds alot like what Simmons said to Prime when he said, "I'm not allowed to talk to you except to say, that I'm not allowed to talk to you."

Well alrighty then.

[uraydo]

Uh-huh... reading ** sadly I have nothing to add. Sorry.

Same. I am but a student at your feet, Ury.

No problem. Personally I don't know much about the subject either.

[r-type]

No problem. Personally I don't know much about the subject either.

Darn you then for creating a thread I can only read and not respond to.

[uraydo]

You have nothing to add except to say that you have, nothing to add ? (Hmmm.. does this sound familiar?)



Sadly, I actually haven't seen any of those movies. Polar Express looked dumb, Monster House looked good for a cartoon, but thats all I thought it was.. was just a cartoon based movie such as like a Pixar movie or like Surf's Up or something. I've never even heard about Apple Seed so I don't really know what thats about.. and the Mad World link you posted.. I thought that was a clip from some sort of video game, unless.. Mad World.. IS a video game. I've seen clips like the Halo 3 before and usually their pretty funny, but I didn't know that was Machinima. If thats the case, I probably play with that all the time with my Warhawk game.. gahh do I love that game.. lol.. Up to 32 players each controlling their own "computer engine" (soldier, tank, jeep, warhawk), all in real time. No battle is ever the same. The only thing that is the same is the layout of the map such as the city you live in everything (for the most part) stays the same. Speaking of Halo 3, did you ever see the video How Not to be Seen?

"Mad World" is the title of the commercial. it is also the title for the song being played. the game that is being advertised is Gears of War.

for a better comparison of techniques check out this Halo commercial form digital domain http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhVaATDBe60
in the make of at the end, notice how much more steps in rendering there are, compared to the machinima of "Mad World."

[uraydo]

Darn you then for creating a thread I can only read and not respond to.

wow, I really didn't expect to be the most knowledgeable of the bunch on anything. Darn you for not being smarter than me r-type

[Smokescreen_5]

Well from what I understand it was first used in the video game Quake when they made a little movie in it.. I guess watch the little video clip here..

http://www.machinima.com/machinima101/index
http://www.machinima.com/film/what_is_machinima

Film making with the real time 3D virtual environment of a video game. The use of video game technology to create animated films. Machinima was born in 1996 when a group of gamers who called themselves "The Rangers", decided to record a simple movie in the PC game Quake. Their film entitled "Diary of a Camper" is considered the very first machinima film. Go Clan and Strange Company are two of the leaders of the Machinma community.