TMU Movie Night in Second Life

All are welcome to attend the upcoming TMU movie night in Second Life.





Overman's Theater in Jamville


The event is being coordinated by thebiz. A special thanks to Overman for his support!

Look forward to seeing you there!

A Place Called Arhkam Part 1

A Batman fan-flick by Endo2008 features some exceptional acting and a great dark vibe. This is Part 1 and Endo tells us there will be a January 2009 one part cut, which is going to include new footage as well addressing anything that comes in from feedback. Comments will be taken into consideration as the rest of part II is finalized.

If you would like to leave a comment for the director please follow the link to his movie on TMunderground.

The voiceactors involved in this project are Tie, Killer-Actress and Ethan Runt.

MovieStorm, iclone, Antics, all are welcome

I just wanted to toss out a general invitation to anyone creating animated movies using purpose-built programs: We would love to see your work uploaded on TMUnderground. Our community is rapidly growing and we are excited to see this influx.

TMUnderground
TMU Forum (a community full of writers, directors, producers, voiceactors, musicians, special effects experts, you name it!)

Industry 101 Interview with Matt Kelland

The download for the interview between Industry101 (Jase180 and AnotherNewDawn) is now available here.

The interview covers the history of MovieStorm as well as a discussion of machinima in general. It's exciting to see how much our goals coincide - we want ease of machinima filmmaking, complete with all the features available to a film crew on a physical set, and a forum to share our work. Let the creativity flow!

Experiences at Machinima Film Festival

On this past Sunday's Industry 101 Show, thebiz shared his experiences at the Machinima Filmfest 2008. His interview can be heard here.

Discussion about demise of TMO

The discussion held on TMOA radio this past Sunday is now available for download here.

If you only have a little bit of time, parts 5 and 4 might interest you the most.

Also included in the show are the results of the TMOA Idol Competition. A special thanks to themonk for getting that event organized!

Matt Kelland to appear on Industry 101 November 23rd

This Sunday will feature a special guest on the Industry 101 show: Matt Kelland, one of the founders of Short Fuze and creators of Moviestorm.

Topics to be covered include Moviestorm, Machinima and the overall place in the universe for what we do.

If you have questions or other topics you'd like to see covered, please post them here.

Sunday, TMOA, 10:am PST, 6pm Uk, 12pm PST.

Spotlight on Jase180

I was able to catch up with the incredibly busy and talented Jase180. He shed some insight into his movies and industry experience.

If you haven't had the opportunity to watch his films, I strongly recommend that you do so. He crafts his movies with professionalism, creativity, and the patience to find that perfect shot.

Which of your movies best depicts your style?

All of them, But Sola Fide is my best work.



What are your proudest achievements in this field?

Making films like this is an endeavor all in itself; just going from script to finished product is a labor of love. I'm proud that, with what little I have done, others have benefited from my silly little ideas and thoughts about how do many things from sound design to the writing process.

Do you have any projects on the horizon?

LOL. A few I hear.

What is Industry 101? How did you get involved with this endeavor? How do you know so freakin' much?

Industry 101 is our radio show, broadcast online (the cohost is AnotherNewDawn). The focus is directed at those that want to make better films, write better scripts and even pursue a life in the entertainment industry. (the show airs live on Sundays from 12pm-1pm CST)

Ken, who runs TMOA (The Movies On Air) suggested it based on a thread we had going on the forums.

How do I know so much? I spent 15+ years busting my ass making it in the industry. I went from Production Assistant to Editor to Head of Post Production to Producer in 15 years, not too bad I'd say.

What advice would you give someone starting out with machinima?

Don't hold back - write every idea down and try it out. With Machinima there are no limits to what you can create. It just takes a will, a desire and a creative thought.

A Life Alone by Dulci and Old Gems From TMO

There's been a surplus of new releases on TMU lately. Most of them, however, aren't new releases - they are, in fact, part of a rush to get some of the historical gems from The Movies Online uploaded onto TMunderground before they are wiped from the internet forever when TMO goes offline in early December.

To catch up on some of these oldies, but goodies, click here: Rescued TMO Movies.




This release by Dulci (full disclosure - isn't that what real journalists say? - this blog is written by Dulci so naturally I like my own movie!) is a glimpse into the last few minutes of a woman's life. The music is by StokeStudios and Bongoman helped with an animated prop. What I really enjoyed about doing this was combining footage from iclone3 and The Movies to meet the vision I had in mind. I am looking forward to seeing what other hybrids can be crafted once I get more technically savvy with iclone. I have hesitated on posting it on any iclone sites because I'm not sure how they would feel about a hybrid movie.

Please join in petitioning Lionhead for Modding Tools

This weekend on the internet radio show Voice of the Community (as announced here), the subject will be "Where are the Modding Tools?"

With the demise of The Movies Online, the modding community is anxious to get their hands on all the technical goodies that will help them in their creative paths.

One request from modder BudStopWilly - "Were the meshes created in MAX? If so, give us your import/export scripts! Please!"

So, please, tune in to the radio show, or voice your support here. Or leave a comment on this blog and we will pass that along.

Some Tips on Outside Editing

Killian has provided some very useful tips on using outside editors (Magix, Ulead, etc.) when producing movies.

They can be found here.

While some of the tips are TheMovies specific, many of them can be applied by any machinima crafter.

Dr. Frankenstein Plastic Surgeon wins Comedy Round

Dr. Frankstein Plastic Surgeons wins the Comedy Round of thebiz's TMO/TMU Tournament of Champions.

The video by BudBundysMullet can be found here.

The 7 other comedies in this competition were: Time Warped by Trashman, Super Duper Uber Galaxy Force by Mefune Akira, To TMO or Not to TMO by rileyman, She's Having a Baby by legend51, Delbin by Fuzzduck, Seeds of Evil by throwaxe, and Docusmentary Channel The Human Person by bincoln.

Thoughts on Women in Machinima Panel Discussion

I was able to attend portions of the MachinExpo 2008 in Second Life earlier today.

It was very well-organized and I was impressed by the friendliness, courtesy, and open-mindedness of everyone involved. Thank you to the organizers for getting us all together, and for making it so easy for Second Life noobs to get acclimated!

Of particular interest to me personally was the panel discussion titled “Women in Machinima.” Afterwards, I spent some time reflecting on the women in TMU.

The first director who immediately comes to mind is Sisch. She crafts her movies with fine precision and attention to every possible detail. I honestly would challenge anyone to not watch her movies and walk away inspired and thinking about what she had accomplished. She has proven herself to be a superb writer, director, sound editor, producer, voiceactress, singer – you name it, this woman can do it. In fact, for many, the first TMU director that comes to mind, male or female, is Sisch. She sets the bar.

Kate Lee, who we haven’t seen in some time, is one of the best writers you’ll ever come across, and is by far a master of film Noir. She is a serious woman who truly crafts her work, and, last I heard, is pursuing aspirations outside of machinima and into film.

Riott007 is nothing if not controversial. She has a unique voice and spirit and there is no one else on TMU that she can be compared to. She is not one to hide behind the skirt of feminism – instead, her movies make me feel like she is proclaiming, “This is who I am – take it or leave it world. Either way, it doesn’t matter to me!” She sneaks in technical expertise, all the while making it look effortless.

And, well, in a moment of vanity, I’ll mention myself (Dulci). I’m known more for my voiceacting than my writing and directing (that’s what happens when you’re the first woman in a community who comes forward and offers to voiceact), but my cryptic movies have their own cult following and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Still, of the 458 registered members of TMUnderground, only 16 have marked their gender as female. I’m sure there’s more that just haven’t bothered with their profile, but I was surprised by that figure.

I walked into the panel discussion a bit wary. I was concerned that gender stereotypes would be embraced and that I would be forced to bite my tongue until it bled. Instead, I found myself nodding and smiling throughout the discussion. I walked away believing that women in machinima want to be known for being machinima crafters, not for being women. I couldn’t have asked for a more sound conclusion to the discussion. Well done ladies! I applaud the panel’s level-headedness.


*disclaimer – this post reflects entirely the thoughts of Dulci and not the TMUnderground as a whole*

The Story of Us Opens to Rave Reviews

Jase180's The Story of Us released earlier this evening, and the response has been overwhelming. He leads us into the movie by asking, "When is starting over the right choice? When is it the right time to try it all again? One couple works through the pros and cons of starting over."

Combining the excellent writing and Jase's unique style with the expert acting of Lizard and Mrs. Guppi, viewers are left open-mouthed and applauding.

"Wow. I watched this twice... what a wonderful story, with beautiful music and visuals! I especially enjoyed the intimate voiceacting - Mrs. Guppi and Lizard are amazing!Pacing was perfect, and the dialogue - just great work, Jase!"

"Beautiful story, really well written and told so so well by Lizard and Mrs Guppi. They both get there roles absolutely spot on. existential, philosophical, surreal - what a combination!"




It looks like I know which director I will be interviewing for this blog first.

Lionhead announces closure of The Movies Online

Those of us who saw the signs feel like prophets this morning, as Lionhead formally announces that The Movies Online site will be shut down as of December 5, 2008.

Rest assured, this in no way indicates an end to the creative coalition that has grouped together to form The TMUnderground. In fact, the updated welcome message on the home page states, "Welcome to TMUnderground, a site for machinima made with TheMovies, MovieStorm, iClone, Antics3d, and other purpose-built programs for making animated movies, as well as occasional live-action projects from our members. Watch, comment, rate, and enjoy."

Over the next few weeks this blog will feature some of the outstanding individuals that have demonstrated themselves to be the cream of the crop of TMO and continue to maintain that stride.

The TMUnderground forum is actively discussing this issue here.

The official Lionhead announcement can be found here.

It's a bittersweet day, especially for the members who have been around since TMO's inception 3 years ago.

Odyssey Finale Released by Killian

The much anticipated Odyssey Finale has been released in 4 installments by Killian. The excellent script-writing and directing done by Killian is enhanced by the mods implemented and the performances by a stellar cast of voiceactors.




President Mckinley prepares for her historic address... unaware that forces that have been waiting for 10 years are about to make their move...


Watch Part 2, Part 3, Part 4.


With:

Biggstrek: Vice President Valinko Kirev
Dulci: President Ellen McKinley
Goofparade: Captain Mark Ryan
Jase180: Nicholas Van Meyer
JetCityWoman: Captain Sarah Dixon
JosephKW: Lieutenant Commander Steven Leyland
Kwistufa: Lieutenant Alan Nolan/ Ambassador Grath - Canis Voices
Kuroken: Admiral Donald Carpenter
Lanna: Eva Salvatore/ Irate Female Cai-Tar Officer (Audience Hall)
Sisch: Commander Rachel Albrecht/ Mystery Woman
Sparky1512: Lieutenant Carl Harper
TheBiz: Lieutenant Commander Gideon Frost
Ubernewbie: Admiral Ian Munro
Chris62: Agent Richards/Security Agent
Killian: All the other voices not already mentioned

LNEYME 3 Competition

The 3rd Lionhead Named Em, You Make Em Competition was announced by RavensFan09 this morning. As he tells us:

So, yes, the rules...

• The preferred movie length is from 2-20 minutes. No penalties will be given for going over/under, but please try to keep it within the limit.
• If you decide to make multiple films for the comp, you must choose one to officially enter.
• VO's and/or subs are accepted as well as silent movies.
• Genre doesn't matter as long as the movie ties into the title.
• Movies uploaded to either TMO or TMU will be accepted.
• Outside edited films will be allowed to make for a more even playing field, but films using machinima other than The Movies will be accepted.
• If you have entered in previous LNEYME's, you can still enter this one.

The deadline will be December 13, but extensions will be allowed if asked for. Judging should take place a few days after the deadline, extension or not.

There will be 5 titles for you all to choose from this year, and they are:

• Petey's Vendetta
• On Another Planet
• The Man in the Cheap Suit
• The Thingy
• The Life & Times of Bill Mills

Signing up for the competition in advance is to be done according to the rules posted here.