By request, I have rendered an alternate version of this video, featuring the song, "Natural" by Rob Thomas. It is available on Vimeo, and can be viewed from my videos page.
The concept of this video, its story, began unexpectedly and, for me, unconventionally. Its birth was accidental and might not have come to light if not for the discovery of a forgotten file on my PC.
I was in the process of "cleaning house", getting rid of ALL things related to unwanted memories. Delete, delete, delete ... and then I came across a file that had been sent to me during a time that was supposed to have been my "best days", and it was at that exact moment I began to get glimpses of an idea for a video. Ironically, this happened at a time when I had decided I wouldn't make anymore videos. And as events began to unfold in my personal life, so did more of the concept of this video.
One thing that remains true about me since I made my first machinima four years ago, is that I choose to cling to the idea that machinima in its simplest theory is a perspective through the boundaries of a video game. One of the things that keeps it interesting for me are the challenges presented by the limitations of the applied game engine. That is why I try to limit the amount of post-production editing in my films. I am inspired with the concept of going into the game and attempting to capture that almost perfect shot that most closely resembles the picture in my head.
But, for those who aren't familiar with The Sims, there are some things that can't be done in game, no matter how many hacks or cheats or mods you make use of. So, that means you have to rely on editing and special effects. That's not to say that is a "bad" alternative. I love special effects ... I want to be "wowed", and there are a lot of really awesome effects being created out there. And it's not saying that it's a simple work-around to a challenge, because editing special effects is by no means a simple task.
In the scene with the heart, I had to shoot the set twice at exactly the same angle, and even with that, the track motion had to be adjusted in the editing process. The 2 second scene required that the animation be separated from an object (hence the need to shoot the scene twice), and rather than get into the game coding, it was easier to manipulate this through editing. It required 2 overlays, a color correction, and 52 frames had to be individually masked, using negative and positive attributes.
So, I'm thinking it's fair to say that for me, this video is very different from all my others, because it relies heavily on editing and special effects. It gives me something to think about while I wait for the next idea to smack me in the noggin.
I was in the process of "cleaning house", getting rid of ALL things related to unwanted memories. Delete, delete, delete ... and then I came across a file that had been sent to me during a time that was supposed to have been my "best days", and it was at that exact moment I began to get glimpses of an idea for a video. Ironically, this happened at a time when I had decided I wouldn't make anymore videos. And as events began to unfold in my personal life, so did more of the concept of this video.
One thing that remains true about me since I made my first machinima four years ago, is that I choose to cling to the idea that machinima in its simplest theory is a perspective through the boundaries of a video game. One of the things that keeps it interesting for me are the challenges presented by the limitations of the applied game engine. That is why I try to limit the amount of post-production editing in my films. I am inspired with the concept of going into the game and attempting to capture that almost perfect shot that most closely resembles the picture in my head.
But, for those who aren't familiar with The Sims, there are some things that can't be done in game, no matter how many hacks or cheats or mods you make use of. So, that means you have to rely on editing and special effects. That's not to say that is a "bad" alternative. I love special effects ... I want to be "wowed", and there are a lot of really awesome effects being created out there. And it's not saying that it's a simple work-around to a challenge, because editing special effects is by no means a simple task.
In the scene with the heart, I had to shoot the set twice at exactly the same angle, and even with that, the track motion had to be adjusted in the editing process. The 2 second scene required that the animation be separated from an object (hence the need to shoot the scene twice), and rather than get into the game coding, it was easier to manipulate this through editing. It required 2 overlays, a color correction, and 52 frames had to be individually masked, using negative and positive attributes.
So, I'm thinking it's fair to say that for me, this video is very different from all my others, because it relies heavily on editing and special effects. It gives me something to think about while I wait for the next idea to smack me in the noggin.
