🎮 What if the “bad ending” of Half-Life… wasn’t the end at all?
In this episode of Completely Machinima, Phil, Tracy, and Damien dive into one of gaming’s most legendary “what ifs.” We explore a fan-made Half-Life mod that does the unthinkable: it turns the game’s infamous impossible ending—the one where you’re meant to die horribly—into a brutal but beatable continuation of the story.
Instead of accepting your fate at the hands of the mysterious G-Man, this mod asks: what if you survived? The result is a fascinating piece of fan fiction-meets-game design, complete with eerie “backrooms” vibes, authentic Half-Life visuals, and a surprising amount of new gameplay—made nearly 20 years after the original game launched.
Along the way, we talk about:
Whether you’re a hardcore Half-Life fan, a modding nerd, or just love stories about creative communities keeping worlds alive long past their expiration date, this episode is all about the joy of saying: “What if we didn’t stop there?”
👉 Let us know what you think on our socials—tell us which game ending you wish someone would rewrite.
Credits -
Co-hosts: Phil Rice, Damien Valentine, Tracy Harwood
Producer/Editor: Phil Rice
Music: Phil Rice & Suno AI
🎬 This week on And Now for Something Completely Machinima, we’re shaking (and stirring) things up with a deep dive into Benjamin Tuttle’s long-awaited James Bond machinima, Endgame – Part One 🍸💥
Host Damien Valentine kicks things off by revealing he actually voices Q in the film (recorded years ago!), before the panel digs into why this project is such a standout. Created in iClone and rendered in Unreal Engine, Endgame delivers a Bond look and feel that’s grounded, stylish, and refreshingly not sci-fi flashy—London actually looks like London, and the tone leans classic rather than futuristic.
🎶 From its full-length Bond-style title sequence and original theme song to slick action choreography, witty humor, and loving nods to Bond lore (Spectre, Q, M, Cold War vibes, and yes—the car), we agree: this is a heartfelt homage made with serious craft. There’s also a touching dedication to Ken White, honoring the machinima community that helped shape projects like this.
Of course, no good Bond briefing is complete without critique 👀
We debate storytelling clarity, episodic structure, sound mixing, facial animation quirks, and whether Part One leaves us with enough of a cliffhanger to fully ignite anticipation for what comes next.
🎤 Along the way, we talk:
💡 Bottom line: Endgame – Part One is ambitious, polished, and packed with love for both James Bond and machinima—and it sparks a lively, thoughtful discussion you won’t want to miss.
👉 Grab your martini, hit play, and join us for one of our most energetic episodes yet... starting 2026 with a BANG!
Credits -
Co-hosts: Ricky Grove, Damien Valentine, Phil Rice, Tracy Harwood
Producer: Damien Valentine
Editor: Phil Rice
Music: Phil Rice & Suno AI
🚍 This Week on Now for Something Completely Machinima 🎮
What if the most boring video game ever made was actually a goldmine for creativity?
This episode kicks off with Ricky’s unconventional pick: Desert Bus, a notorious 1990s “anti-game” by Penn & Teller where you drive a bus from Tucson to Las Vegas… in real time… for eight hours… and earn one point. That’s it. No explosions. No shortcuts. No pause button. Just desert, drift, and existential dread.
But instead of dismissing it as pointless, we flip the script. What if boredom is the point? What if empty, quiet, repetitive spaces are actually perfect canvases for machinima storytelling?
From comedy-driven conversations and Tarantino-style dialogue, to slice-of-life sci-fi journeys, existential bus rides, lonely astronauts, AI companions with zero empathy, and even an eight-hour “Are we there yet?” gag, the group explores how creativity thrives when spectacle disappears.
Along the way, they we into:
The big takeaway?
🎨 Creativity isn’t about having more tools — it’s about seeing possibilities where others see nothing.
If you’ve ever wondered how to turn the dullest game, the quietest moment, or the emptiest road into a compelling story, this episode is for you.
Buckle up. It’s a long ride… and that’s where the good ideas start.
And, for good measure: HAPPY CHRISTMAS!
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Co-hosts: Ricky Grove, Phil Rice, Damien Valentine, Tracy Harwood
Producer: Ricky Grove
Editor: Phil Rice
Music: Phil Rice & Suno AI
This week on the podcast, we’re diving into a grab-bag of big creator news, starting with YouTube, and yes… the “slop” situation.
Tracy kicks things off with what looks like YouTube’s latest attempt to clean house: platform changes that claim to improve privacy and the viewing experience, but also mess with how videos behave when embedded on third-party sites. If you stream shows inside places like Second Life, that’s a real headache, because some embeds and API-based workarounds are suddenly unreliable or broken.
But the bigger story? YouTube appears to be cracking down on the explosion of low-effort, mass-generated content. The buzz is that Gemini is being used to evaluate whether videos look human-made, original, and honestly presented - plus there’s talk of internal “trust scores” that creators can’t actually see, but which may influence how channels are treated behind the scenes. Tracy even tests how an AI describes our channel, and it basically nails the vibe: a legit passion-project podcast with deep experience… while also very clearly not the unrelated, controversy-riddled “Machinima Inc” from back in the day.
Phil jumps in to untangle the embed drama: it may not be “AI policy” so much as an ad-delivery and revenue control move because some embedded browsers can bypass ads, and Second Life gets caught in the crossfire. Workarounds exist (including the very ironic “embed it somewhere else first” method), and Vimeo comes up as an alternative… but with price hikes that feel more “premium platform” than creator-friendly. Locked-in subscriptions, anyone?
Then it’s off to the creative tools corner: Phil’s been deep in Blender, and he’s found some very machinima developments, like a third-person controller kit that basically turns Blender into a game-like character puppeteering environment. On top of that, there’s a newly released Blender cloth-building and simulation tool that could become a budget-friendly alternative to pricey standards like Marvelous Designer - huge potential for indie creators who want great-looking outfits without a studio budget.
From there, the conversation swings to Reallusion’s latest move: Video Mocap, turning ordinary video footage into motion capture data, integrated straight into iClone’s workflow. The group talks practical realities (camera framing, background contrast, space constraints, upper-body capture modes) and why this could be a game-changer for animators who don’t have mocap suits lying around.
We also touch on Unreal Engine’s rapid evolution and its ever-improving animation tools—plus the eternal question: with tech this powerful, why aren’t we seeing more great films made with it?
Damien drops some rock-solid creator advice: don’t try to learn new tools by making your magnum opus. Make a short “training film,” and if you switch platforms… remake it. Same story, new tech, better skills. Simple, smart, and honestly kind of brilliant.
Finally, we hit a spicy AI update: major AI music platforms (Suno and Udio) have reportedly reached settlements with record labels, meaning they’ll rework how training and licensing works going forward. That could reshape what “responsible” AI music use looks like in 2026 - and what it’ll cost creators. And to wrap up on a lighter note, there’s a shoutout to NeuralVIZ and a fun character-driven sci-fi project, The Adventures of Remo Green, as a reminder that experimentation can still be entertaining (and weirdly impressive).
And that’s the episode: YouTube changes, creator workarounds, new animation toys, and the future of AI tools, served with equal parts curiosity and chaos.
Timestamps
03:10 – “Slop” crackdown: why YouTube is cleaning house + channels disappearing since mid-November
05:10 – The mystery “trust score”: internal channel metric creators can’t see
12:40 – Phil’s Blender deep dive: from pass-through tool to real production work
18:45 – Damien’s Star Wars uniform struggle: accuracy vs what’s actually available
22:55 – Realusion Video Mocap: turning video footage into usable motion capture inside iClone
27:05 – Upper-body-only mode: more practical capture for dialogue scenes
32:10 – Learning strategy: don’t take a 30-hour course—learn by solving what blocks you
40:05 – AI music legal shakeup: Suno + Udio settlements with major labels (and what it changes)
44:35 – What about indie creators outside big catalogs?
46:40 – Why smaller AI music tools may get crushed (no cash for lawsuits)
51:55 – Looking ahead: what shifts in 2026 might bring
Contact: talk@completelymachinima.com
Show notes: Drop comments on socials — we love hearing what you’re working on.
Credits - Co-hosts: Phil Rice, Tracy Harwood, Damien Valentine Editor/Producer: Phil Rice Music: Phil Rice & SunoAI
A special ep but unfortunately for the main content, most of this you need to hop on to our YouTube channel to watch as its mainly video footage... here is the intro by Tracy, with part of Paul Marino's keynote from his 2007 Introduction to the Machinima Europe Film Festival and the occasional part of a conversation. Enjoy nonetheless.
Credits -
Host: Tracy Harwood
Editor: Phil Rice
Producer: Phil Rice (introduction); Lit Fuse Productions (content)
Music: Phil Rice & Suno AI (introduction); Lit Fuse Productions (content)
On this episode of And Now For Something Completely Machinima, Damien, Tracy and Ricky dive into one of Machinima.com’s most unexpected gems: the documentary series “All Your History Are Belong To Us”, focusing on the Stamper brothers and their legendary studio, Rare.
💬 We talk about how the series charts Rare’s rise from a small UK outfit in Ashby-de-la-Zouch to a powerhouse behind classics like Donkey Kong Country, GoldenEye 007, and later Sea of Thieves – highlighting their pioneering use of pre-rendered 3D graphics and their influence on console FPS games. Ricky explains why, despite his misgivings about machinima.com, this more serious, low-flash, history-focused series stands out as a true passion project by writer/director Nicholas Werner, packed with fascinating early game footage.
Tracy brings in her deep-dive research: the meme origins of the title, the messy archival trail across YouTube, Rooster Teeth and the Internet Archive, the handover of the series, and why such valuable historical content never hit the popularity Machinima.com wanted. Together, we explore the cultural importance of the show, Rare’s place in UK games history, and why All Your History is now a kind of hidden treasure for anyone interested in game development and machinima’s legacy — all while Phil is, of course, busy “moving to Mars.”
Credits
Hosts: Ricky Grove, Damien Valentine, Tracy Harwood
Producer: Damien Valentine
Editor: Phil Rice
Music: Phil Rice & Suno AI
In this episode of Completely Machinima, hosts Phil Rice, Tracy Harwood, and Damien Valentine explore the stunning AI-powered operatic machinima “Arido Taurajo” — a groundbreaking short film created by Chantal Harvey (aka Mamachinima) in collaboration with digital artist James Morgan, AI composer Roboccini and soprano/AI researcher Maya Ackerman, among others.
🎮 About the Film:
Set in the World of Warcraft universe, Arido Taurajo tells the story of Dahlia, a female warrior torn between family life and adventure. The film combines AI-generated music with human performance, blending digital game visuals and classical opera in a visually rich and emotionally resonant experience.
💡 Discussion Highlights:
✨ Whether you’re into AI art, machinima, digital filmmaking, or World of Warcraft, this episode dives deep into the fusion of technology, music, and storytelling.
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🎙️ Hosts: Phil Rice, Tracy Harwood, and Damien Valentine
Producer/Editor: Phil Rice
🎵 Music: Phil Rice & Suno AI
#Machinima #CompletelyMachinima #AIArt #ArtificialIntelligence #AIMusic #WorldofWarcraft #ChantalHarvey #MayaAckerman #DigitalArt #FanFilm #VirtualProduction #AIOpera #CreativeAI #MachinimaPodcast #AridoTaurajo
In this episode of Completely Machinima, hosts Phil Rice, Tracy Harwood, and Damien Valentine review two creative Star Citizen machinima commercials — Dumpers Depot and Big Benny’s Grab Eats — both made for a Star Citizen video contest.
They explore how these 45-second in-game ads show off community creativity, storytelling, and production skills. Tracy breaks down what made Dumpers Depot Commercial more sophisticated in design and sound, while Big Benny’s... Grab Eat took home the win with its humor and clever use of Star Citizen lore.
💬 In This Episode:
🎮 Whether you’re a Star Citizen fan, machinima creator, or just love game-based filmmaking, this episode dives into how fan films bring virtual worlds to life.
#StarCitizen #Machinima #CompletelyMachinima #FanFilm #GameFilm #DumpersDepot #BigBennys #StarCitizenMachinima #GameContest #ShortFilm #Podcast
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Hosts: Phil Rice, Damien Valentine, Tracy Harwood
Editor/Producer: Phil Rice
Music: Phil Rice & Suno AI
We're beginning Season 6 with one of the best machinima-animated shorts we've ever seen (probably)!
🎥 Back to the Future UNHINGED, Machinima Film Made in Blender
In this episode of The Completely Machinima Podcast, hosts Phil Rice, Damien Valentine, and Tracy Harwood review “Back to the Future Unhinged”, a viral machinima short film by Landon’s Animation Wheelhouse, created entirely in Blender 3D.
This chaotic, hilarious reimagining of Doc Brown and Marty’s adventures has racked up 700,000+ views and showcases incredible 3D animation, storytelling, and sound design. It’s packed with visual gags, cinematic camera work, and even a Doom scream!
🎬 What You’ll Hear in This Episode:
Credits -
Speakers: Phil Rice, Tracy Harwood, Damien Valentine
Editor/Producer: Phil Rice
Music: Phil Rice & Suno AI
🎬 Ricky’s Wonderful World of Sound – Footsteps
In episode 5 of our Maker Series, Ricky Grove explores the often-overlooked power of footstep sound design — and how something as simple as a single step can define mood, build tension, and reveal character.
👣 What You’ll Learn:
How footstep sounds convey location, emotion, and suspense in film.
Why footsteps in the Spanish horror series 30 Coins masterfully foreshadow violence.
The challenges of using video game sound libraries for cinematic sound design.
Practical tips on recording and manipulating ambient sounds for realism.
How to find free, high-quality sounds using Creative Commons resources like freesound.org
🎧 Ricky breaks down how to use sound not just as background, but as storytelling — helping filmmakers, sound designers, and creators elevate their craft through the language of footsteps.
#SoundDesign #Filmmaking #MakerSeries #RickyGrove #FilmSound #FoleyArt #AudioDesign #HorrorFilm #CinematicSound #CreativeCommons #FreeSound #30Coins #Suspense #IndieFilm #FilmTips #machinima
About Ricky Grove
Ricky Grove is an award-winning actor, director, voice artist, and sound designer with decades of experience in stage, film, and virtual production.
After earning his BFA in Directing from Arizona State University and a Master’s in Acting from the Yale School of Drama, Ricky built a rich career in theatre and television, appearing in works such as Army of Darkness and ER. In the late 1990s, he became a pioneer in the machinima community, collaborating with trailblazers like Hugh Hancock, Phil Rice, and Jason Choi.
His contributions as a voice director, actor, and sound designer have shaped many award-winning early machinima films. He’s hosted festivals, championed the art form, and continues to share his passion as co-host of the Completely Machinima Podcast.
The first episodes of Ricky’s Wonderful World of Sound were originally created for the early-2000s machinima podcast The Overcast. This updated series expands his original teachings, offering timeless advice for creating powerful sound in machinima.
Credits -
Speaker / Producer / Sound Editor: Ricky Grove
Visuals & Music: Phil Rice
🎃 Halloween Special | Ricky’s Wonderful World of Sounds: MONSTERS! 👹
This Halloween, step into the dark side of Ricky’s Wonderful World of Sounds — where we explore the terrifying art of monster sound design! 🧟♂️
What do monsters really sound like? From the primal screeches that haunted early humans to the eerie, unearthly noises that send chills down modern audiences’ spines — this episode reveals how sound designers craft the perfect scare.
Discover:
🔊 Why you should hear the monster before you see it
🦴 How altered animal and environmental sounds create fear
🧬 The science of sound that taps into our instinctive fight-or-flight response
🎥 Classic monster sound examples from “Them!”, Godzilla, Predator, The Exorcist, and more
Whether you’re a filmmaker, sound designer, or just a Halloween horror fan, this episode will make you listen to fear in a whole new way.
💀 Subscribe, turn up the volume, and enter the world where sound becomes terror.
Ricky Grove shares his expert insights on using ambient sound to bring machinima to life, offering practical tips and creative ideas you can apply to your own projects. Whether you’re crafting your first indie animation or refining your cinematic game scenes, you’ll be inspired and better equipped to design unforgettable soundscapes.
About Ricky Grove
Ricky Grove is an award-winning actor, director, voice artist, and sound designer with decades of experience in stage, film, and virtual production. After earning his BFA in Directing from Arizona State University and a Master’s in Acting from the Yale School of Drama, Ricky built a rich career in theatre and television, appearing in works such as Army of Darkness and ER.
In the late 1990s, he became a pioneer in the machinima community, collaborating with trailblazers like Hugh Hancock, Phil Rice, and Jason Choi. His contributions as a voice director, actor, and sound designer have shaped many award-winning early machinima films. He’s hosted festivals, championed the art form, and continues to share his passion as co-host of the Completely Machinima Podcast.
The first episodes of Ricky’s Wonderful World of Sound were originally created for the early-2000s machinima podcast The Overcast. This updated series expands his original teachings, offering timeless advice for creating powerful sound in machinima.
🎧 Tip: For the best experience, close your eyes and immerse yourself in Ricky’s words.
Credits
#Machinima #SoundDesign #Filmmaking #3DAnimation #GameEngines #MonsterSounds #HorrorMovies #IndieFilm #VoiceActing
🕯️ Maker Series: Phil’s Music Notes – [Horror] Intervals 👻
🎃 A pre-Halloween special exploring the dark side of sound.
At its core, music is a game of intervals — the spaces between notes that define every melody, every emotion. Even without musical training, we instinctively recognize the cheerful sound of a major chord or the melancholy of a minor. But some intervals go far beyond sad or happy… some are unnerving, unsettling, even evil.
In this pre-Halloween edition of Phil’s Music Notes, we dive into the tritone, the infamous “Devil’s Interval.” Once banned by tradition and feared for its dissonance, this interval has haunted music for centuries — from John Williams’ shark-infested tension in Jaws, to John Carpenter’s chilling Halloween theme, to the thunder of Holst’s Mars, the chaos of Mussorgsky’s Night on Bald Mountain, and the heavy riffs of Black Sabbath and Metallica. 🎸
But there’s more to this sinister sound — it’s also at the heart of jazz harmony. Those lush, complex 7th chords you hear? They’re built on the same mysterious tritone. The very interval once deemed forbidden became the key to modern expression. In this episode, we’ll explore how this interval transformed from symbol of darkness to a cornerstone of musical color — and how you can use it to bring new life (or afterlife 👀) to your own compositions. For a full list of playlist Phil refers to, go to our Show Notes here: https://completelymachinima.com/maker-series-e2-phils-music-notes-horror-intervals/
🎧 About Phil Rice aka @zsOverman
Phil Rice is a composer, multi-instrumentalist, filmmaker, and storyteller whose creative work bridges the worlds of music, technology, and narrative art. With a background spanning rock, jazz, and digital media, Phil brings a uniquely analytical yet deeply emotional perspective to music theory and composition. His Maker Series: Phil’s Music Notes explores the building blocks of sound and how they shape the way we feel, think, and create — from timeless harmonic traditions to modern experimental sounds. Phil’s original music has appeared in independent films, multimedia projects, and his own albums, including Mad Hominem, where his song “Walking Papers” features a deliberate use of the tritone explored in this episode.
Through his work, Phil continues to celebrate the craftsmanship and curiosity at the heart of making music.
🧠 Listen. Learn. Create. Subscribe for more reviews, tips and hints 🔔 Don’t miss the next deep dive into the world where sound meets story.
For a full list of works referenced in this episode, go to our show notes web page.
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Producer/Editor: Phil Rice
Music: Phil Rice
#Makerseries #PhilsMusicNotes #HalloweenSpecial #MusicTheory #Tritone #DevilsInterval #HorrorMusic #JazzHarmony #FilmScore #Composing #MusicEducation #PhilRice
How do you make virtual worlds sound real? 🎧
In this episode of Ricky’s Wonderful World of Sound, Ricky Grove reveals the secrets of sound frequency—the subtle audio magic that transforms machinima and 3D game-engine films into unforgettable experiences. Perfect for filmmakers, animators, and sound lovers alike.
🎬 Ricky’s Wonderful World of Sound – Ambient Sound in Machinima
Discover how sound transforms storytelling in filmmaking, with a deep dive into frequency—the subtle audio that sets mood, builds atmosphere, and immerses your audience. This episode focuses on machinima—films created using 3D game engines and virtual worlds—making it a must-watch for filmmakers, sound designers, game creators, and animation enthusiasts.
Ricky Grove shares his expert insights on using sound frequency to bring machinima to life, offering practical tips and creative ideas you can apply to your own projects. Whether you’re crafting your first indie animation or refining your cinematic game scenes, you’ll be inspired and better equipped to design unforgettable soundscapes.
About Ricky Grove
Ricky Grove is an award-winning actor, director, voice artist, and sound designer with decades of experience in stage, film, and virtual production. After earning his BFA in Directing from Arizona State University and a Master’s in Acting from the Yale School of Drama, Ricky built a rich career in theatre and television, appearing in works such as Army of Darkness and ER.
In the late 1990s, he became a pioneer in the machinima community, collaborating with trailblazers like Hugh Hancock, Phil Rice, and Jason Choi. His contributions as a voice director, actor, and sound designer have shaped many award-winning early machinima films. He’s hosted festivals, championed the art form, and continues to share his passion as co-host of the Completely Machinima Podcast.
The first episodes of Ricky’s Wonderful World of Sound were originally created for the early-2000s machinima podcast The Overcast. This updated series expands his original teachings, offering timeless advice for creating powerful sound in machinima.
🎧 Tip: For the best experience, close your eyes and immerse yourself in Ricky’s words.
Credits
#Machinima #SoundDesign #Filmmaking #3DAnimation #GameEngines #AmbientSound #VirtualWorlds #IndieFilm #VoiceActing
How do you make virtual worlds sound real? 🎧
In this episode of Ricky’s Wonderful World of Sound, Ricky Grove reveals the secrets of ambient sound—the subtle audio magic that transforms machinima and 3D game-engine films into unforgettable experiences. Perfect for filmmakers, animators, and sound lovers alike.
🎬 Ricky’s Wonderful World of Sound – Episode: Ambient Sound in Machinima
Discover how sound transforms storytelling in filmmaking, with a deep dive into ambient sound—the subtle audio that sets mood, builds atmosphere, and immerses your audience. This episode focuses on machinima—films created using 3D game engines and virtual worlds—making it a must-watch for filmmakers, sound designers, game creators, and animation enthusiasts.
Ricky Grove shares his expert insights on using ambient sound to bring machinima to life, offering practical tips and creative ideas you can apply to your own projects. Whether you’re crafting your first indie animation or refining your cinematic game scenes, you’ll be inspired and better equipped to design unforgettable soundscapes.
About Ricky Grove
Ricky Grove is an award-winning actor, director, voice artist, and sound designer with decades of experience in stage, film, and virtual production. After earning his BFA in Directing from Arizona State University and a Master’s in Acting from the Yale School of Drama, Ricky built a rich career in theatre and television, appearing in works such as Army of Darkness and ER.
In the late 1990s, he became a pioneer in the machinima community, collaborating with trailblazers like Hugh Hancock, Phil Rice, and Jason Choi. His contributions as a voice director, actor, and sound designer have shaped many award-winning early machinima films. He’s hosted festivals, championed the art form, and continues to share his passion as co-host of the Completely Machinima Podcast.
The first episodes of Ricky’s Wonderful World of Sound were originally created for the early-2000s machinima podcast The Overcast. This updated series expands his original teachings, offering timeless advice for creating powerful sound in machinima.
🎧 Tip: For the best experience, close your eyes and immerse yourself in Ricky’s words.
Credits
#Machinima #SoundDesign #Filmmaking #3DAnimation #GameEngines #AmbientSound #VirtualWorlds #IndieFilm #VoiceActing
This week, we continue our discussion, reflecting on Season 5 and our predictions for 2026.... yep, sure is a lot going on in the world of #machinima! Do add your own thoughts into the comments (on our show notes).
1:01 Our predictions for 2026
1:10 Tracy’s thoughts!
4:26 A quick interjection on the Minecraft short we reviewed
6:47 Damien’s views and perspective on tools being used
7:38 Ricky’s prediction on genAI and it’s layering out and ethical approaches
10:27 Who is the world’s smartest dumb person?! Phil tees up some fab analogies – who is going to keep golfing?
22:30 The joy of machinima!
27:31 Killing off the golden goose
28:17 Creators we look forward to seeing: @Dominzki @thebizthebiz @biggstrek among others
30:00 Celebrating @DarthAngelus achievements with Heir to the Empire – a ‘big’ production project completed in machinima is a rare thing!
36:08 Ricky’s final wishes for 2026: @NeuralViz figures out how to bring Prag Snarbo back!
36:38 Exciting new CM episodes introduced – The Wonderful World of Sound by @RickyGrove and @zsOverman
Credits -
Speakers: Ricky Grove, Phil Rice, Damien Valentine, Tracy Harwood
Producer: Tracy Harwood
Editor: Phil Rice
Music: Phil Rice & SunoAI
In this first part of our 200th episode of Completely Machinima Podcast, Ricky highlights @NeuralViz AI-driven films as a significant advancement, while Phil praised the fast-paced, subtle social commentary. We discuss legal developments affecting AI use, such as Warner Brothers suing Midjourney. The success of Blender's "Flow" at the Oscars is noted, emphasizing the growing capabilities of open-source tools. The conversation also touches on the breadth of aesthetic approaches to machinima projects, the rise of big-budget projects like "Predator: Killer of Killers," and the evolving role of generative AI in storytelling. Tune into next week's part B to hear about our predictions for next year!
Credits -
Speakers: Phil Rice, Ricky Grove, Tracy Harwood, Damien Valentine
Producer: Tracy Harwood
Editor: Phil Rice
Music: Phil Rice and SunoAI
This is our final film pick for Season 5, and it stimulates quite a discussion. The film is a concept test of tools and techniques, but the story and aesthetic is less inspiring. Check out our thoughts and do add your own comments below.
1:47 Introduction to Reflekt by @derunique
4:00 Anachronistically broken
10:25 Gelling the story?
11:54 The aesthetic of Unreal
13:19 Who is the apocalyptic soldier Unreal tutor?
14:00 The attraction of Unreal – its all about the technology, and little about the story
15:02 Comparison to Project Zomboid movie (S5 ep 193)
15:40 Camera work in Unreal is uninspiring!
18:12 Prazinburke Ridge remains the outstanding Unreal film we’ve seen
18:22 Lighting is a standout, ambiguity and some suggestions
25:31 Speaking vs talking to self, and quality and use of the sound library
33:11 Surrealism and uncanny are some of the most creative ideas
37:35 Why is the Unreal creator community just not hit the high notes just yet
39:29 Final words
Credits -
Speakers: Ricky Grove, Phil Rice, Tracy Harwood, Damien Valentine
Producer: Phil Rice
Editor: Phil Rice
Music: Phil Rice & SunoAI
This week's film selectiion is a technical masterpiece, made in RDR2. It is both an homage to the game and the film. John Wick's Red Dead Redemption is made by eli_handle_b.wav, and is worth every second of your time watching it!
1:49 Introduction to film, editing quality, compositing and matching RDR2 to John Wick – technically outstanding!
4:11 How?!!! Skill level is well above average
7:00 This is not just cut scenes
9:13 A tribute to both the game and the film
9:47 There are no scripted behaviour mods for RDR2 – the camera in the game all has to be positioned through play for this kind of machinima to be achieved – an editor is a missed opportunity for the game
13:00 Discussing the tools used
Credits -
Speakers: Ricky Grove, Damien Valentine, Phil Rice
Producer: Ricky Grove
Editor: Phil Rice
Music: Phil Rice & SunoAI
A DC inspired short made with love and artful skill, this week's pick is also an homage to the creative talent of a young creator now sadly passed. Despite us not necessarily being the target audience - due to certain demographic features - we really enjoyed reviewing this. Check out our comments and do add your own.
1:32 Introduction to the film: form and creative technique – Smallville comedy vibe X superhero, and a shout out for collaborations everywhere
6:00 The challenge of being a Minecraft modder and making machinima possible – the Blockbuster mod and BBS mod
9:20 Player control: the visual fidelity is outstanding, the choreography is impressive, the editing, shot selection and sequencing and craft is admirable
12:37 Is it for us oldies? Maybe… target audience is key to this, identifying with the game aesthetic
17:20 Discussing early machinimas: Seal of Nahara and Devil’s Covenant
19:28 Kid Flash comparison to the DC TV show – this is better!
22:58 In conclusion: “This film was clearly loved by its creators”
Credits -
Speakers: Ricky Grove, Phil Rice, Damien Valentine
Producer: Ricky Grove
Editor: Phil Rice
Music: Phil Rice and SunoAI
This week, we discuss a 2013 episode of @Draxtor's interviews series with artists filmed in Second Life series, this episode with Australian artist @lynettewallworth270.
1:43 Get involved in the latest Star Citizen contest, links in Show Notes
3:26 Introduction to the pick
9:12 Phil describes early traditions of interview shows filmed in virtual worlds, such as Late Night with Toxie (filmed in Quake) and This Spartan Life (Halo)
12:44 Could this episode now be updated using AI?
13:33 Quality of audio is the most valuable part 15:49 GenZ viewing patterns are changing – how well does SL as an interview format reflect contemporary approaches?
17:53 The major obstacle to multi-tasking…!
Credits -
Speakes: Ricky Grove, Phil Rice, Damien Valentine
Producer: Ricky Grove
Editor: Phil Rice
Music: Phil Rice & SonaAI