Become an instant film-maker with Machinima!

I played my first real computer game last weekend and I admit to becoming addicted. I had to get to my goal, to master what I was doing.... running, running.... meeting my mission...

I had several goals:

1. to immerse myself into a game world(Neverwinter Nights - which is a platform for students to make their own games) and understand what it is all about and get familiar with the controls and options

2. start deconstructing it in terms of its story narrative, and game writing techniques (such as creating plot lines, working out the story spine, understanding how they used "breadcrumbs" and "funnelling" to keep me on track) - all terms I have discovered in my reading of game writing techniques

3. start deconstructing it from an archetypal heroic journey point of view and see the potential for student learning

And of course, as usual one's goals get sidetracked, because then my husband showed me some machinima (movies made from video games). These ones were made using Neverwinter Nights - called Neverending Nights .... and I wanted to make my own movie. So I did.

It took me 3 hours to capture all the shots I wanted from my game using FRAPPS (overcoming serious co-ordination problems - managing camera and trying to play at the same time), and then I put them in Movie Maker for editing.

I didn't really have an idea for a story when I started, I just experimented with how I could move my camera and film the real live action. I was able to get close ups, and pull the camera back with the character as she was running (without needing the railway track that real cameras use). I could do great camera twirling shots around the character. So very quickly I had access to some great cinematography tools.

I went into one room in the game again and again, taking shots of the dramatic action from different angles, getting killed again and again. I worked out that it would help if I saved the game just before I opened this door. Using Movie Maker I could then split and trim scenes, cutting from one angle to another. It taught me so much about visual aspects of movie making. And my character didn't complain about her multiple deaths... and in fact I decided to make this the story.

I learnt so much from doing this...

Not just technical aspects which I am still trying to master... turning off the menus on the screen and how to do audio with voice and sound.... and how to use several characters.

But what I really learnt was the excitement from creating your own product... the thinking and problem solving that goes into it... the fact that the story can emerge... that this platform is an easy entrance into film making.... and students will then be able to progress into creating their own worlds for their own stories... but first let them play and see what is possible before moving into project management and storyboarding and game programming.

Want to see my movies? I have to admit to dragging all my relatives over so they could see them!

The movies:

Never Dying Nights - Episode 1 - I Hate Mondays
Never Dying Nights - Episode 2 - Deja Vu

If I have time I would like to continue the evolving story, each time adding a new skill - eg. music, multiple characters, and documenting what it is like doing this. Hmmm.

Meanwhile, I have worked out my psychology based on how I play games - definately a manager and also a participant... not much of a wanderer once I have been given a mission - too task oriented!