Source Filmmaker

S5 E163 20 years on HL2: I’m Still Seeing Breen (Jan 2025)

Tracy Harwood Podcast Episodes January 2, 2025 Leave a reply

Kicking off 2025 with a review of a classic and iconic #machinima by one of the pioneers of the movement, Paul Marino aka ILLRobinson – and its 20 years almost to the day this was released! I’m Still Seeing Breen, made in HL2, holds a special place in our memories from those early years – not only was it a perfect ‘protest piece’ as the feature machinima demonstrating its potential for a 2005 Sundance Film Festival panel discussion (alongside RoosterTeeth’s RVB) but was further developed for MTV2’s Season 2 premiere of its Video Mods TV show later that same year. In this episode, we go over the back story, discuss how this was made and its impact on machinima in general.



YouTube Version of This Episode

Show Notes & Links

I’m Still Seeing Breen, released 5 March 2005 by Paul Marino

480p broadcast version for MTV2 –

Steam link for HL2 upgrade including Source Filmmaker here

Background information also from the Pioneers in Machinima book, written by Tracy Harwood and Ben Grussi

Paul Marino’s book, published in 2004, available as a free download on the Internet Archive (log-in/account required) here

S5 E159 Mission: Exodus (Dec 2024)

Tracy Harwood Podcast Episodes December 5, 2024 Leave a reply

A Source Filmmaker short by Dominzki, this is another of his well-crafted stories told in 3 parts, called Mission. This episode we focus on the third part Exodus and discuss its merits in detail. We conclude that if there was ever a machinima that should be made in a film studio, this would be it. Check out our comments.



YouTube Version of This Episode

Show Notes & Links

Mission: Exodus (Ep 3) by Dominzki, released 2 Nov 2024 –

Ep 1: Mission: Home

Ep 2: Mission: Arrival

S4 E144 Assault on 2Fort (Aug 2024)

Tracy Harwood Podcast Episodes August 28, 2024 Leave a reply

This week we take a look at another stunning Team Fortress 2 short called Assault on 2Fort by JP Stevens aka Lolripk, a recommendation made to us by Dominzki (whose own TF2 short we reviewed in E135). What a great choice this is: we loved this film, a classic RED vs BLU tale but with a layer of emotion that is as beautifully portrayed as it is unexpected in SFM. These characters have real depth to them and we note how that’s been achieved, even though the focal character doesn’t even speak. Did we mention the fight choreography too? We reflect on the game lore, the significance of the community in the creative process, and how this story is told from an unusal perspective. We also reflect on why machinima series almost never complete… but we certainly hope Lolripk doesn’t follow the pattern!



YouTube Version of This Episode

Show Notes & Links

Assault on 2Fort by Lolripk, released 9 July 2022 –

Trailer for part 2 –

About the TF2 game lore, wiki link here

S4 E135 Destruction & Hope: Day of Darkness II | The Wanderer (June 2024)

Tracy Harwood Podcast Episodes June 26, 2024 Leave a reply

In this episode, we analyse our picks’ cinematics, beginning with ‘Day of Darkness’ made in Eve Online by Dire Lauthris and completing with ‘The Wanderer’ made in the Source engine by Dominzki. We discuss the use of ambiguity, character development, and narrative qualities, as well as the advancement of video game cinematics and in-engine techniques. We also examine how the horror of war has been conveyed through the unique visuals and sound effects in both these films.



YouTube Version of This Episode

Show Notes & Links

Day of Darkness II by Dire Lauthris, released 30 March 2009

Interesting film review here

Best EVE Online fan video listings here

The Wanderer [SFM Short Film] by Dominzki, released 8 March 2024

Interview with Dominzki in Mann Magazine here

By way of reference, check out our review of Leo Lucien Bay’s film Beast here, which we did in the very first episode of our podcast!

S4 E119 Feature Length: Emesis Blue (Mar 2024)

Tracy Harwood Podcast Episodes March 7, 2024 Leave a reply

In all our years of involvement with machinima (over 75 years between us!), feature length has been something we’ve rarely found watchable… but with this week’s pick, we were proven wrong, mostly! Emesis Blue, made in Source Filmmaker using the Team Fortress 2 characterisations by Fortress Films, is an incredibly well-made if very complex story that was crafted over many years.



YouTube Version of This Episode

Show Notes and Links

Film, by Fortress Films, released 21 Feb 2023 –

Another review here, by Durham College Chronicle.

Ricky discusses pulp fiction, not the Tarantino film, but the style – here’s a useful source to find out more

Phil compares the film to Nolan’s style of filmmaking – more on that here