Not for the first time do we discuss the gorgeous cinematic qualities of GTA5, and this week we share a beaut by @Salva.Padilla. This one has a distinct vibe to it, but it is its general ambiguity that we especially love about the machinima. We each see something a little different in it! What do you see in it?

Credits -
Speakers: Ricky Grove, Phil Rice, Damien Valentine, Tracy Harwood
Producer: Damien Valentine
Editor: Phil Rice
Music: Animo Domini Beats

Our May update on machinima and virtual production related news highlights some of the latest generative AI tools, warts and all, and brings to attention several of the latest machinima potential games, including Jaws, Jurassic World Evolution, Rise of the Hydra and Harold Halibut. We discuss the challenges filmmakers face when developing games from their IP, why Kickstarter isn't a good strategy for raising funding for smaller studios, the [almost] final instalment of the RoosterTeeth saga and Second Life's latest film festival, Fantasy Faire. All with our usual discursive aplomb (despite Ricky being mia, reportedly on a skinny dipping retreat) and a few non machinima related asides!

Credits -
Speakers: Phil Rice, Tracy Harwood, Damien Valentine
Editor/Producer: Phil Rice
Music: Animo Domini Beats

This week we celebrate Star Wars with a fabulous short portraying the infamous AT-AT death walkers as 'nature-creatures' in their natural habitat - this is a beautifully observed work, made in Unreal Engine by Jeremy Cummins. Cummins is an experienced character creator, now working for Tippett Studio, with an impressive list of credits including Ant-Man and the Wasp, Spider-Man and Avengers, among others. We discuss the transition pros are making in the development of an Unreal pipeline and the impact this has on the creative machinima community.

0:44 Intro to the film

3:18 About Jeremy Cummins

4:33 Developing the pipeline

5:36 PhantomFX takes over Tippett Studios, what are the implications?

7:01 Migration – in the film, and metaphorically

8:59 Stunning lighting effects

9:18 Characterisation of AT-ATs – itchy and goofy!

10:27 Sound effects inconsistent? Cows vs dino vs croc = buff… nah

12:14 Who’s got a sub to Galactic Geographic?

13:50 Humour and the portrayal of death dealing machines

15:00 The ambient sound needed a bit more work to achieve verisimilitude

16:06 Check out Pie in the Sky too – and why it’s a better film

17:47 Tapping into a ‘magical movie moment’ in time, anthropomorphism and our fascination with machines as animals in the Star Wars universe

20:00 Communicating size with sound

22:34 Length of the film

24:00 Excitement: AT-ATs were only ever seen for such a short length of time in the original canon, so how cool to see them again!

26:30 A perfect example of contemporary realtime cinema

Credits -
Speakers: Ricky Grove, Phil Rice, Damien Valentine, Tracy Harwood
Producer: Damien Valentine
Editor: Phil Rice
Music: Animo Domini Beats