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Machinima: from games to movies
Today almost everyone is familiar with two types of movies: the conventional films, involving real world scenes with real actors, and animated movies, including both 2D and 3D animations. Now there is an emerging film-making technique that uses game engines to make a full-length feature film. It is called “Machinima.” Some sources say that Machinima is the combination of machine and cinema while others say it is taken from machine and animation.
So what is Machinima and how is it different from animated movies? In older animated movies, characters and backgrounds were all hand drawn. Artists created each frame by hand using the foregrounds and backgrounds that were drawn earlier. Nowadays, the background-foreground compositing is done on computers. After generating all the frames, they are animated. These animations have a 2D look.
In Disney/Pixar’s Toy Story, everything was modelled in 3D on computer. Because of the complexity of scenes, it took a long time to generate a single frame. On an ordinary home PC it would have taken several years to make such a movie. This unacceptably long time was reduced by using hundreds of very powerful processors running in parallel. But not everyone can afford such high costs of making animated movies.
For people with budget constraints, Machinima is a way out. Use of computer is the only common thing between an animated movie that uses computer generated imagery (CGI) and Machinima-based film. But instead of using hundreds of powerful computers, Machinima technique requires a computer that can run computer games such as Quake, Quake II and Unreal Tournament.
Modern computer games come with the game engine on the same CD. A game engine is the brain of any game. It provides the core code that is used for everything from artificial intelligence, character models and backgrounds to character interactions and graphics.
Hardcore gamers have been playing with the source code of their favourite games to generate their own modified versions or simply the “mods.” This has led to the use of same technology to make an entire animated sequence. Initial Machinima movies were nothing more than watching a game, with a thin plot or storyline, being played. But experts realized the potential of this technique. Nowadays, movies made with Machinima are no less than an animated movie with strong stories and solid characters.
How are Machinima-based movies made? The first thing you need is the idea, the story of your film. In technology you need:
— Software that you will use to make the movie. Because of the cost factor, budding directors use game engines as they are already available with the game.
— A computer that runs the game engine.
— A microphone to record sounds.
— Possibly additional tools, most of which are available for free.
To start the production, you first create the models for your movie. These models include the characters, sets, sounds and special effects. Sets and characters can either be created using tools provided by the game engine or using some other modelling software, such as 3D Studio Max. Voices for the actors and other sound effects are then recorded.
Once all the components are created, they are glued together to make an animated sequence. Actors walk and talk according to the rules defined earlier. Special effects are then added. Sound effects are synchronized with the actions or the scenes. Camera movement captures all the action from the viewer’s point of view. Unlike conventional movies, the director does not need many “takes.” All that is required is tweaking the (software) script that controls the camera till he gets the effect he wants.
One can ask that if it is so easy to make a Machinima-based movie, why companies like Pixar spend so much to make one movie. The answer to this question lies in the fact that Machinima-based movies use game engines. The quality of graphics in computer games has come a long way since the days of 2D side scrolling games. Nevertheless, there is still a huge gap between the quality of graphics used in computer games and that used in CGI-based animated movies. The graphics of Machinima is that of a computer game, still far from reality. But the time is not far when we see Monster Inc.-like graphics in computer games and, hence, in the game engine too. Till that time, Machinima movies have to make the most of what is available.
Benefits
There are many benefits of using this technology:
Low cost: All one needs is a game engine, optionally other tools, a microphone and a computer capable of running the software. In fact, a high-end computer is the only major cost.
Less time: The time required to make a film is much less than that needed for creating an animated movie using CGI. From modelling the characters and sets, generating ALL the frames and animating those frames, an animated movie requires many steps before it is ready to be viewed. Only after the animation can a director see the end-result. Whereas in Machinima, one can see everything in real time as they move the camera. It is like shooting a movie in a virtual 3D world.
No restrictions: Machinima is a 3D movie-making technique, where one can do anything one wants. One is not restricted to the real world backdrops and the limitations imposed by physics. To create a fantasy world or a strange looking alien requires the same effort as it takes to make a busy street or a lamp post based on a real world model. With virtual camera, any type of shot can be taken from any angle, moving at any speed and through anything.
Online availability: Since a Machinima-based film is completely developed on computer, it can easily be distributed over the internet. Compared to that, conventional movies first need to be digitized for computer use.
There are two ways to distribute Machinima-based films. One way is to provide the movie components that will be ‘rendered’ on viewer’s machine. In this case, viewer usually needs special software to run the movie. Usually, the software is same as the one in which the film was made. The second way is to convert the movie in QuickTime, RealMedia or any other standard media format.
Machinima films are not restricted to any special genre. They can be comedies, action/adventure or sci-fi epics.
As mentioned earlier, Machinima movies use game engines because of their easy availability without requiring any additional cost. Every game engine has its advantages in terms of user-friendliness, modelling tools and graphics capabilities. With the release of Id software’s Doom III later this year, film-makers will get the most advanced game engine yet. Apart from game engines, there are tools, such as MotionBuilder by Kaydara that can be used for creation of Machinima movies.
Some of the big names in Machinima productions are Fountainhead Entertainment, ILL Clan and Strange Company. One can download their movies from their websites.
Final word
Machinima may not replace other modes of films but it can become an alternate way of movie-making. With Machinima technique one does not need to have piles of money that is required for animated movies. Unlike conventional movies, no specialized equipments are required, neither is there any need for running after actors and other crew members or hiring a studio.
Related websites
— www.strangecompany.com
— www.illclan.com
— www.fountainheadent.com
— www.machinima.com
— www.kaydara.com
The writer
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