Theft of Machinima for Profit
One compulsion I have never understood is to take a movie made by someone else and post it on YouTube. Many people who do this don’t intend to steal credit — they just really enjoyed the movie, and want to share it with other people. I am still baffled, however, as to why these people don’t check YouTube first to see if the movie is already there. Invariably, as is the case with my own movies, it is already there, and all a duplicate copy will do is divert hits from the author’s publication, making it harder to tell just how many times a movie has been viewed. Continue reading
Dealing with Criticism -- Part Two
Any machinimator will be able to tell you how it feels to receive negative feedback. By “negative” I do not mean criticism — true criticism — for even if one offers honest criticism and dœsn’t like your movie overall, a true critic will still mention the parts he dœs like, and will offer helpful advice for improving. Continue reading
Hording the Tricks of the Trade
One of the things that has greatly impressed me is how genuinely nice so many members of the machinima community are. When I went to New York last year for the Machinima Festival, I met plenty of great people who were warm and quite willing to offer advice, anecdotes and helpful tips. When I was first weaning myself away from Windows Movie Maker and learning Adobe Premiere Pro, I received much helpful advice from the fine folks at Myndflame, the fellows over at Machinima101.com, my friend TMWC, and from the great video tutorials by the Dead Worker’s Party. I have therefore felt obliged to offer my own machinima making tips to those who ask, which I have nicely compiled in the form of guides, one of which is posted here. Overall, members of the machinima community are overwhelmingly eager to offer tips to the beginner, which is, I think, a very good and healthy thing, and a custom that should be repeated. Continue reading
The Arrogance of Quality
When I first started making my own little movies, I hadn’t ever downloaded a movie from YouTube, Google Video or any other viral website. I didn’t have a Myspace account, and I pretty much checked my email once a day and maybe browsed Wikipedia every now and then. Continue reading
Dealing with Criticism - Part One
Everyone has an opinion on everything. It is far easier for one to criticize that which is already made than to make something new himself, and with the plethora of diversions just a Google’s search away, people have grown accustomed to being entertained and then telling the world exactly what they think. Therefore, for every piece of machinima, there are innumerable viewers and innumerable critics. Continue reading
Script -- The Peace Circle
Welcome to our session. Be proud that you are here, for it takes courage to admit that you are imperfect and to try to better yourselves. This should feel like a safe place. No one here will judge you. This circle we have made with our bodies is a circle of peace, and symbolizes the harmony and good-will that is within all of us. Continue reading
The Basics of Making WoW Machinima
My attempt with this guide is to provide useful information to the aspiring machinima maker who has little to no experience at making machinima movies. I have received an uncountable number of requests from fans on YouTube, my forums, WCM and by email for advice on how to make machinima, and I will answer the most commonly asked questions in this guide. This is in no way a guide for the advanced machinimator — I will only cover the very basics here. Continue reading
Pornography and Children
Smoking Lepers
For my birthday last August, I received one of the best gifts ever — my grandfather’s old tobacco pipe. It is a Kirsten pipe that was invented right here in Washington state by a man who used to work for Bœing, and it has a meerschaum bowl that smokes cool and slowly. Continue reading
The Ashley Treatment
In early 2004, a six year old child in Seattle named Ashley was given a hysterectomy, had her breast buds removed and was given high-dose estrogen treatments in order to remain perpetually stunted in growth. The reason for this radical treatment is that Ashley has the mind of a three-month-old baby and is unable to speak, move or even eat on her own, the result of a rare condition known as “static encephalopathy of unknown etiology”.[1] Her parents defend their decision because they say that it will improve her overall wellbeing, keeping her from having to deal with menstrual cramps, discomfort and bed sores due to a large body and breasts, making her easier to move around and unable to become pregnant in case of sexual abuse. Continue reading
Watch my weekly live show, Scotch & Smoke Rings which airs every Thursday night at 7:00 PM Pacific at www.scotchandsmokerings.com.
And of course, you can watch all of my Warcraft machinima movies at Oxhorn Brand Movies. www.oxhorn.com.
Your face is as smooth as a baby’s bottom. Tragic. GROW A BEARD.
Learn more about my employer, purveyors of hotel web design, at www.buuteeq.com
In the Seattle area? Visiting the Sea-tac airport? Be sure to check out the best Seatac coffee shop in town, Jasper’s Coffee. Learn more at www.jasperscoffee.com
None of these solicited links from me by the way — they are close personal friends and I link to them because I care :)