SL Cert - Basic Machinima
Introduction: Machinima Skills for Second Life
Purpose
The purpose of this document is to create and maintain a list of essential skills and tools that are required to successfully create Machinima projects in Second Life.
Definition
According to[Wikipedia [1], Machinima is defined as:
"Machinima (pronounced /məˈʃiːnɨmə/ or /məˈʃɪnɨmə/) is the use of real-time three-dimensional (3-D) graphics rendering engines to generate computer animation. The term also refers to works that incorporate this animation technique"
Skills Overview
Overall certification should require the basic understanding of pre-production requirements, production requirements, and post-production requirements. These include, but are not necessarily limited to, the use of camera techniques, recording techniques, and broadcasting in Second Life.
Pre-production:
All skills required to prepare for a machinima project before filming starts. These include:
- Storyboarding
- Location settings
- Scripts (as in "film scripts")
- Actor preparations
- Costumes
- Licensing arrangements
Production:
All skills required during the filming the project. These include
- Shooting scripts
- Direction
- Voice and audio recording
- Lip synch
- Lighting
- Puppeteering
- Animation
- Special effects (in world)
- Camera skills
- Frame rate utilization
- FPS and codecs
- File management
- Still imaging
Post-production
all those skills required to actually edit and release the final film for end user viewing. These include, video editing techniques and software, audio post, motion graphics, titling, file types, distribution options (web, DVD, etc.) and such.
(Links to topics which can be found in this wiki will be added)
Levels
There are three levels of certification possible:
Level One
Demonstrate the basic skills necessary to produce short machinima. This level will not include lip-synching.
Level Two
(in development)
Level Three
(in development)
Software skills
The primary software package that will be required is the Second Life viewer and all the features related to the area of machinima. This includes use of built-in recording capabilities, screen snaps, camera usage, camera controls, environment and local lighting, audio, in world text usage or removal, how to include or exclude HUD's and the UI.
Software skills that are part of the certification are mainly centered around professional applications for capture, editing, post processing, and delivery of content. Open source applications are included where appropriate.
Video and graphics editors
- iMovie
- Final Cut Pro
- Color
- Compressor
- Motion
- Shake
- Premiere
- After Effects
- Photoshop
- Gimp
- Quicktime
- Avid
- Cinelerra (Linux)
- Pinnacle Studio
- Sony Vegas
Audio editors
- GarageBand
- Pro Tools
- Logic
- Cubase
- Neundo
- Digital Performer
- Peak
- Sonar
- Soundtrack Pro
- Audacity
Plugins
- Boris
- GenArts Sapphire
- Magic Bullet
Video and audio capture tools
- Fraps
- Camtasia
- HyperCam
- Snapz Pro X
- iShowU
- ScreenFlow
- glc (Linux)
- WireTap Studio
Content delivery
- YouTube
- Vimeo
- blip.tv
- Flash
- Dreamweaver
- Silverlight
- DVD Studio Pro
This list may be amended as new tools come to market.
External certifications that are considered part of this topic include: Apple Pro Certification (Final Cut Studio, Logic Studio, Aperture), Adobe Certification (Premiere, Photoshop, Flash, et al), Avid Certification (Avid, Pro Tools). Others may be considered where relevant.
Technology skills
This area will also require knowledge in certain technical areas. These include understanding file types (.mov, avi, etc.), compression, network streaming, XML.
Testing
All levels will have the following test components
Written
The written test component will demonstrate theoretical knowledge and mastery of the machinima topic area.
Lab
The lab test component will consist of a finished project which incorporates all aspects of the machinima skills set.