The social software application Second Life provides its users with a quick and easy method of producing machinima for the small screen of the mobile phone.

A Machinima is basically an animation that is made using a game engine to capture content within a game world. If would like to know more about what a machinima is, then check out the following link. http://www.machinima.com/

So why make a machinima for the mobile phone? When it’s so easy to produce a machinima, why not make animations that you can share with friends via bluetooth to the mobile phone. The beauty of SL (Second Life) is that you can create your own virtual sets and characters, and tailor them all to suit the needs of your script without the need to hire a cherry picker or call a casting agent. This is filmmaking on the cheap, that is if you have access to high speed broadband at a reasonable cost. After building a set and rehearsing with your cast of avatars you are ready to make an SL machinima. To see video tutorials on how to film, capture and output your machinima simply take a trip to Youtube, boxxet or http://secondlife.com/showcase/machinima/

Once you have captured your Sl content you can edit it in a movie editing software such as iMovie or Final Cut Pro. Add sounds, effects and export as a 3gp file to be played on your mobile phone. Of course you don’t have to just use SL to create a machinima, you can use Sims, WOW, Halo 3, or any number of game engines that enable you to record game content. If you want to explore the world of machinima I suggest you check out the following projects.

Machinima Beauty (American Beauty as a Machinima)

Anna by Katherine Anna Kang (A favorite of mine)

Red vs Blue episode 1 (probably the most sucessful machinima)

Repuffs, a political satire machinima ( The U.S. election 2008)

What is Machinima ( An instructional machinima)

A Second Life holiday ( A nice place to visit)

Enjoy!

cheers,
Dean.

Making Mobile Movies is a fun way to
get creative and make the most of your
mobile phone. You can use a mini dv,
digital camera or the digital video function
on your phone to make the movie.

Here are some tips to get you started:

1. Plan your mobile movie.
Brainstorm ideas and decide
what your movie is about?

2. How long is a mobile movie?
Short and sweet is the name of the game.
1-3 minutes work best.

3. Create a script and storyboard.
Don’t write an epic! A simple story is all you need.
Remember: you are only making a short film.
(storyboard templates and tips can be found online)

4. Start filming.
-Frame shots tightly.
-Avoid long shots. Close-ups work best.
-Excessive panning and movement can create blurry footage,
but that can also give your film a unique look.
-Experiment and create new ways of shooting and framing content.
-Bold, strong colours stand out best on the small screen.
-Lighting is very important, so choose well lit
locations, or add additional light sources.
Note: Poor lighting results in footage that can be difficult
to view on mobile phone screens.

5. Edit your movie.
Transfer your footage to the computer and edit using
digital editing software such as imovie, final cut pro, after effects, premiere, etc.
Remember to put your best foot forward.
Save as you go and only use the footage that best illustrates your story.
Remove poor quality footage and re-shoot where necessary.

6. Save your completed movie.
When you are happy with your footage, it’s time to save your movie.
I recommend exporting a full quality version to your desktop
This way you will always have a full quality original that you can play on a wide variety of formats.

7. Create a Mobile Movie file.
Remember size is important. Aim for the smallest file size that allows the best quality audio and vision. Open your movie in “Quicktime Pro” then experiment with the export options tab to control the file size and quality of your movie.
You may want to make multiple copies at different settings and compare them. Note down your “Quicktime Pro” settings so you can repeat the process if necessary. When you are happy with your movie, simply save it as a 3gpp file. Some editing applications can also export 3gpp files that will be ready to play on your mobile phone.

8. Transfer your Movie to your Phone
Use the bluetooth application on the computer, a card reader or a mobile phone connection lead to transfer the movie to your phone.

9. Play the movie on the phone
Share the fruits of your labour with friends via MMS, email or web.
You may want to enter your movie into a Mobile Movie festival

10. Congratulations!
You are now a mobile movie maker.
Take a seat in the directors chair and give yourself a pat on the back.
Now you are reday to make another mobile movie.

Enjoy,

Dean.

The mobile phone camera has become a window to the world, a ubiquitious
media device recording the emphemera of our daily lives. So what happens
when you take these little low resolution images off the phone and blow
them up into large photographic prints?

“The Order of Magnitude” is a photographic exhibition with a difference.

Working from a manifesto that embraces the “Low Res” and celebrates
the visual digital debris produced by the mobile-phone camera
are a group of 4 artists determined to explore the unique qualities
and constraints afforded by the mobile phone camera.

Using enlarged photographs and video from mobile-phones to explore
notions of place and memory, this exhibition presents the viewer with
an engaging representation of the familiar, the mundane and the everyday.

The exhibition opens August 14, 2007 at The First Site Gallery.
Located at the vaulted basement of Storey Hall at 344 Swanston St, Melbourne.

Melbourne’s CAE (Council of Adult Education) is now offering a specialized
short course in making mobile movies for phones, pda’s and video ipods.
The course is suitable for filmmakers,writers, artists and anybody with
an interest in mobile media. From brainstorming, script techniques and
storyboarding: through to shooting and editing, this short course covers
the basics. I have designed the course to cover the key principles and issues
surrounding the planning and prodution of mobile media content.

The production of narrative content intended for distribution
on portable handheld media devices is a burgeoning area of
interest for many filmmakers, writers and artists.

The lack of tuition and/or courses that relate to the specific
needs associated with making mobile movies presents opportunities
for creatives and educational institutions. New media presents both
challenges and rewards, but it is only through trial and error
that practitioners can explore the creative potential of digital
technologies. So if you are into digital technologies, making
films, or just wanna get the most out of your mobile phone:
this course offers an opportunity to create and explore mobile
media in a group environment.

For more details, just check out the link below.

http://www.cae.edu.au/?class=HDQ58901

Welcome to 2007 and another year of Possible Worlds

Throughout the year I wil continue to post articles and tutorials
of interest. So check out the blog on a regular basis.

So what’s new? Well, there is heaps going on in Melbourne,
so if you have a little spare time, I suggest you check out
the following exhibitions.

The “Eyes, Lies and Illusions” exhibition at ACMI should not
be missed by anyone interested in visual arts and cinema.
Featuring a massive collection of weird, wonderful and rare
objects, puppets, image viewers and optical illusions from
around the world.
http://www.acmi.net.au/eyes_lies_illusions.jsp

ACMI are also screening the anime based on Osamu Tezuka’s
unforgettable manga creations. Check out the ACMI website for details.

For fans of mobile content, why not check out Melbourne based
comedy/drama “Girl Friday”.

http://www.girlfriday.tv/

Well it’s the end of the academic year and almost time for a
well earned HOLIDAY. I would like to congratulate you all
on your successful navigation of “Possible Worlds”.
The standard of the projects was high, so well done team.

The site will continue to exist as a resource, so feel free to post info.
If you would like to taken off the blogroll, just send me an email,
otherwise it’s a great way to stay in touch with other students.

All the best for the holiday season!

cheers,

Dean.

Hi PW Crew,

Well we are in the final week, and I gotta say there are some mighty fine
projects emerging from this 13 week quest. If you are experiencing
any difficulties, please do not hesitate to make an appointment to see me.

email: dean.keep@rmit.edu.au
Just wanted to remind you of the following deadlines.

4 blog entries
Critical reflections on your engagement with course content, social software, new media, etc. . Linking and trackback to other bloggers will be more impressive. The incorporation of media other than text (stills or video or audio) is optional.
Deadline: Monday 30 October, 5pm.
You need to submit the 4 permalinks to the course coordinator by email.
percentage of total mark: 20%
Small project
Project may be submitted by email to the course coordinator if it is an url. If it is hardcopy, project should be submitted to the assignment drop-box, level 3, building 6, with the yellow covering assignment sheet.
Deadline: Monday 6 November, 5pm.
percentage of total mark: 60%

The world of Machinima is a fascinating space where the writer/ artist
is able to re-purpose and re-contextualise existing visual game forms.
More info on machinima and Leo Berkeley’s machinima drama “Ending with
Andre” is availablefor download at Leo’s blog
http://raws.adc.rmit.edu.au/~e21249/blog/?p=7

If you are still wanting more, and let’s be honest, who doesn’t these days.
I suggest you check out the following great resources.

The Academy of Machinima Arts & Sciences
http://www.machinima.org/

Machinima.com
http://www.machinima.com/

“High-Performance Play: The Making of Machinima” by Henry
Lowood at Stanford University is available for download at the link below.
www.stanford.edu/~lowood/Texts/highperformanceplay_finaldraft.pdf

Enjoy!

Dean.

More games with Jenny Weight as she
examines the strategies and theories behind
the design and construction of the game space.

Great material for the blog!

If you are interested in the theories
surrounding co-presence, simply click the links below
to download a pdf of the following papers.

[PDF] Toward a Taxonomy of Copresence

[PDF] Is there a Trade-off between Presence and Copresence?

The word “games” can suggest many possibilities.
What are the games that people play and how do
games alter our perception of the world we share.

Jenny Weight introduces the world of games and
explores notions of emersion within the game space.

Explore the world of Puzzle Pirates.