Ben Grussi Archives - Completely Machinima

Completely Machinima S2 Ep 45 Films (September 2022)

Tracy Harwood Podcast Episodes September 8, 2022 1 Comment

In this episode, Ricky, Tracy, Phil and Damien review some of the best short movies we’ve seen made using machinima and virtual production techniques yet! Not all are hot off the press, but certainly films like The Lord Inquisitor – Prologue allude to why Unreal Engine has become such a key tool for creators today, as beautifully exemplified in extraordinary films we review this week, The Cloud Racer and Prazinburk Ridge. Person2184, made in Unreal Tournament 2004, was an altogether different approach to experiencing real-time content – originally intended to be experienced in-game and is an early example of the promise of what VR may yet become in future.

YouTube Version of this Episode

Show Notes and Links

0:10 Ricky introduces our new episode format – feedback welcome on the plans!

0:59 The Cloud Racer by Impossible Objects (UE5), released 15 August 2022 and Short of the Week, curated review by Jason Sondhi, released 10 August 2022

21:16 The Lord Inquisitor – Prologue, by Warpgazer Animations (released 28 August 2016). See also this promotional video released in 2013, when it had already been in production for 2 years!

39:15 Person2184 (UT2004 machinima), by Friedrich Kirschner released 4 April 2008 (and the version we’re linking to uploaded by mdvhimself on 17 August 2022) and hear more about The Journey in our Unreal history episode by Ben Grussi, recently released. Addendum: Friedrich has confirmed the work was released in 2005 and premiered at the Machinima Film Festival that year.

This image is from the Machinima Europe Festival 2007, showing Friedrich Kirschner front left (striped jumper) among other machinima luminaries including Hugh Hancock (mid back), Paul Marino (right front), Alex Chan (next to Friedrich) and Tracy (centre front).

Friedrich Kirschner at Machinima Festival Europe 2007

59:09 Prazinburk Ridge by Yes, Commissioner? aka Martin Bell, Unreal Engine 4 (released 27 June 2022) and Steven Bell’s book about the life of the character portrayed in the film, Dougie Clark, https://www.pitchpublishing.co.uk/shop/man-all-talents

Completely Machinima History with Ben Grussi: Quake III Machinima

Tracy Harwood Podcast Episodes April 28, 2022 Leave a reply

By Quake III, id Software’s attitude to machinima and modding had changed and consequently few films were made in this engine. Of those that were, Ben highlights the notables from those early years in this episode.

YouTube Version of this Episode

Show Notes & Links

1.11 Quad God by Tritin Films (Quake III), parts 1-4

5.52 In the Waiting Line by Zero 7 in collaboration with Fountainhead Entertainment (Quake III)

7.55 Anna by Fountainhead Entertainment’s Anna Kang (Quake III)

Completely Machinima History with Ben Grussi: Quake II Machinima

Tracy Harwood Podcast Episodes March 17, 2022 Leave a reply

In this episode, Ben reviews the notable machinima films made in the early years of the Quake II engine, including skits, a talk show, music videos and some hard hitting documentaries. This ep also reviews the first real-time live performance of a machinima by The ILL Clan at the Florida Film Festival (2003), which was based on their earlier created characters of Cook Carl and Lenny & Larry Lumberjack.

YouTube Version of this Episode

Show Notes & Links

0:36 Hardly Workin’ by The ILL Clan, released 22 August 2000

1:57 Eschaton: Nightfall by Strange Company, released 1 Sept 1999

4:27 Late Nite With Toxy and Essobie, Ep 1, released 24 August 1998

6:50 Rebel Versus Thug by Ken “3D Filmmaker” Thain, released 10 May 2006

8:10 Rick Jones 2 by Bryan “CrustaR” Henderson, released 25 Nov 1999

9:35 Father Frags Best by Phil Rice (ZS Overman), released 1999

13:09 Circus Life Part 1 & Part 2 by Andre “Donnovan” Luis, released August 1998

17:20 Common Sense Cooking With Carl The Cook, realtime performance by The ILL Clan at Florida Film Festival 16 March 2003

Completely Machinima History with Ben Grussi: Quake I Machinima

Tracy Harwood Podcast Episodes February 24, 2022 Leave a reply

In this episode, Ben reminds us where the story of machinima originated in those early Quake movies which have become classic game-based films. He talks us through the most notable contributions by the pioneers using the Quake 1 engine. Tune in next month when Ben concludes the history of Quake with reviews of notables in Quake 2 and 3. You can find links to the films on our blog and some in our YouTube playlist for History of Machinima.

YouTube Version of Episode

Show Notes & Links

Ben reviews classic Quake 1 films from the machinima archives –

0.48 Diary of a Camper by The Rangers, released 26 October 1996

2.00 Torn Apart series by The Rangers, first released 6 November 1996

2.28 Apartment Huntin’ by The ILL Clan, released 17 May 1998

3.23 Eschaton: Darkness Twilight by Strange Company, released 20 January 1998 (by Walking Wounded)

Hugh Hancock, Strange Company

4.30 Blahbalicious by Avatar & Wendigo, released 9 December 1997

5.40 Devil’s Covenant by Clan Phantasm, released 2 August 1998

6.59 Operation Bayshield by Clan Undead, released 24 January 1997

8.02 Zerstorer by Nihilism Unlimited, released 27 September 1997

9.06 Seal of Nehahra by Nehahra Team, released 6 August 2000

9.46 Scourge Done Slick by Quake Done Quick Team, released 25 July 1998

Completely Machinima S2 Ep 30 News & Discussion (February 2022)

Tracy Harwood Podcast Episodes February 3, 2022 Leave a reply

In this episode, Tracy, Ricky, Phil and Damien cover the relevance of Nvidia’s special address at CES for machinima creators, Adobe’s Project Shasta, Kerbal Space Programme, the uptake in VR kit over the Christmas period, growth in machinima, NFTs, Philip Rosedale’s return to the Second Life fold, the nail in RoosterTeeth’s RVB saga, Minecraft’s and Rockstar’s astonishing achievements, Ben Grussi’s history episodes and discuss two great questions posed by our followers: what’s the difference between machinima and animation and what’s the advice for adapting prose to visual media formats.

YouTube version of podcast

Show Links

1:10 Nvidia’s special address at CES, points relevant for machinima creators eg., Omniverse, AI

12:55 RDR2 images in the news!

13:40 Austin Film Festival

14:24 Adobe Project Shasta for audio recording

14:56 Kerbal Space Programme 2 impending launch

16:25 Machinima growth observations

17:28 VR growth observations

19:46 NFTs observations – Peter Molyneux and John Gaeta

23:57 Philip Rosedale and the future of Second Life for creators

40:30 Halo Xbox 360 multiplayer servers close – the end of the story for Rooster Teeth’s RVB series?

42:50 Ben Grussi’s history of machinima episodes of the Completely Machinima podcast

44:34 Matthew Loris/Zeke: what are the differences between machinima and animation discussion; Completely Machinima interview with Mr Anymation, Tom Jantol

1:00:48 Rockstar’s lawsuit against a modding group

1:02:21 Minecraft’s astonishing video reach

1:03:43 Pandora’s 3d Films: adapting prose to visual media formats preliminary comments