Machinima

Machinimatographers

Visit Machinimatographers for an ever-expanding list of Machinimatographers working in Second Life.

Machinima Content Companies

For information on Second Life content companies offering Machinima services, see Machinima Content Companies.

Software

Supplemental Software

• FRAPS - real time video capturing tool / screenshots to disk (Windows) [1]
• oRipa Screen Recorder (Windows) [2]
• SnapzProX - real time video capturing tool (MacOS) [3]
• Camtasia - Capturing and editing software that works great for tutorials
• List of screencasting software [4]
• HyperCam - Video capturung tool Here
• recordMyDesktop - video capturing tool (Linux)
• iShowU - fine video capture tool (Mac OS X)
• Reallusion - Makers of CrazyTalk and iClone, which can be used in post-processing to refine machinima
• Audacity - Free sound editing software
• Sony Vegas Movie Editing Software (my personal choice) Here
• Blender includes a video editor and compositing system for special effects. Free download for Windows, Linux, and Mac OS.

Equipment

• 3DConnexion Space Navigator - A 55USD orb that is used in conjunction with the Joystick Flycam function in Second Life for smooth shots.
• Filming Path - the machinimator's universal tool - HUD for creating camera movement paths and more, very helpful (Geuis Dassin & Nand Nerd)
• Alt-Zoom Camera - A free camera designed to create dolly shots
• Bijocam - Fixed angle cameras for when you need to do timelapse machinima

Events

• Tube2SL - Launch date 29th Sept 2007 [5]

Official opening party and Tube2SL YouTube Film Producer 2007 Awards Ceremony on Saturday the 29th of September from 1pm SLT. Live musicians, Djs and Prize Events!

Tutorials

• How to use the Alt-Zoom Camera - A quick tutorial designed to show you how to set up and configure your camera. [6]
• How to turn off the UI - Please note that the hotkey has changed to CTRL+ALT+F1! [7]
• How to use the Second Life camera controls - Part of the Noob Be Gone series [8]
• How to do machinima on a Mac - An informative look at how Mac users are able to capture and encode machinima [9]

Tips and Tricks

• Using the 'Ken Burns' movement/panning and cropping animations technique and adding 'atmospherics' to your movies using lighting effects masks Forum Link

Resources

Groups:

• Machinimatographers - Anyone interested in the Second Life Machinima Community. We will announce events and classes on this group.

• Second Life Film Society - This group exists to explore new ways of using Second Life to create film (machinima). We will also explore streaming live video from SL to the web as well as from SL to other locations in SL (SLTV). The Revolution Must Be Televised!

• The SL Machinima Librarians Group is a very friendly group for librarians and students interested in machinima. The main focus will be to inform on machinima related news and share ideas. The blog is located at here [10] - Postings cover software for windows and OSX platforms. The home for all library machinima enthusiasts is ALA Arts InfoIsland [11]

• SL Machinima, Building, and Design - This group is made up of real life video, audio, and design artists/producers. We have united to push the limits in second Media. The SLMBD uses the most modern tools when it come to SL and RL. We specialize in Machinima (sl vidoe), sim construction, custome graphics, and about anything else SL media/design related.--If you wish to join, you must be hard working, creative, and experenced (note: entrance fee!)

• Machinimatographers of Second Life Mailing List - A mailing list to keep interested individuals alerted to machinima (machine animation) opportunities, features, advice, software, and events in Second Life. You will find new colleagues and filming locations to aide you in filming. Read more about our unique machinima opportunities by subscribing to the list here.

Locations and props:

• Movix - Movie and Music production - Their entire sim is being designed as a complete machinima studio. This is based on the real world model with various street and interior sets. They have shops for Costumes, Props, Vehicles, a sandbox plus everything else you need to make your movie. You can show your film in their cinema (hosting extra if needed) or maybe even run a film festival. The Studio is free to book exclusively for your production ensuring lag free, uninterupted shooting.
• Alt-Zoom Theater and Sandbox - The island of Lukanida is home to Alt-Zoom Studios and an entire sim dedicated to building and filming your custom content for machinima purposes.

Video Hosting Sites:

• blip.tv - Free site that allows you to upload a movie file of unlimited size and in as many formats as you'd like. It compresses the first upload into a handy flash file for posting on the web, but also keeps the original file intact. If you upload a Quicktime movie, you are able to use it in parcel media for in-world viewing.
• YouTube - An online hosting option that allows you to upload a movie in any format and it will then convert it to a flash file for posting on a site.