Podcasts about Machinima

This week's machinima is made in Skyrim, and whilst its a little older, it shows off beautifully the quality of the game, characters and lip sync capability.  The film, by Wanderersofthedas was released in 2015, and was made using lines drawn only from the game's NPCs.  It makes for an oddly familial campfire conversation, notwithstanding the numerous references to in game lore.  Do you and add your comments on our channels, as usual.0:31 Introduction by Damien, using NPCs in a single player game4:12 Schizophrenia!6:37 The role of the campfire, and familial dysfunctional conversations 8:05 Attention to detail, nah. Do you need acting to convey a story??? In the days of ElevenLabs, would this kind of thing ever be acceptable.  Would following a main character have enabled a story to be told?11:09 The narrative arc is missing, but its dysfunctionality is its central charm14:09 Discussing a creative strategy: choosing the lines for NPCs and the lip sync, identifying the modding toolsCredits -Speakers: Damien Valentine, Phil Rice, Tracy HarwoodProducer: Damien ValentineEditor: Phil RiceMusic: Animo Domini Beats

This week's ep focusses on the 2024 Crowbar Productions Machinima Mayhem contest winner: Fragile Harmony, made in Garry's Mod by Logan and released on 9 Sept 2024.  Logan sent this in for us to take a look at, and we're sure glad he did.  Yes there are a few things we could be critical about, but storytelling isn't one of them.  Check out our review and leave your comments in the usual way.1:14 Introduction by Phil, a classic Philip K Dick sci fi, storytelling and production values: deer in the headlights9:16 Emotional reactions, lip sync and the aesthetic quality of machinima, the introduction of zombie behaviour13:30 Pacing and its impact on first reactions to the film19:40 The background to the film22:30 Setting up the story – the monotony is critical26:35 Editing and lip sync27:09 Sound design is immersive contrasting with the monotony of the first part of the story29:06 Confusion from the mundane, the change in pacing and tempo, the silence - what is the real horror story here?33: 51 A few tips, our discussion: what we loved and what we miss in the editingCredits -Speakers: Phil Rice, Tracy Harwood, Damien ValentineProducer: Damien ValentineEditor: Phil Rice

This week we discuss a machinima form we've not really talked about before - anime. Whilst its one of Ricky's favourite creative forms, for the rest of us its a little out of our comfort zone!  We take a look at two films, both made in Final Fantasy 14 (FFXIV), Frieren: Beyond Journey's End by Wheat Tea (released 2 Feb 2025) and Arcadion by Magitek Productions (released 1 Jan 2025).  Check out our discussion and reviews, and do add your comments.1:24 What is anime machinima?3:44 Studio Ghibli: “An insult to life itself”4:20 About FFXIV for machinima7:14 Frieren: Beyond Journey's End 10:18 Arcadion15:14 The untold story of anime and machinima17:15 Origins of a humble person becoming a world saviour: LOTR28:06 Convergence mod for Elden Ring (v 2.2)Credits -Speakers: Ricky Grove, Damien Valentine, Tracy HarwoodProducer: Damien ValentineEditor: Phil RiceMusic: Animo Domini Beats

In this week's episode, we discuss the month's news items we've found most interesting and relevant to making machinima, including more great projects to be inspired by, genAIs we've spotted, Steam's rip off, inZOI's challenge to Sims and the phenomenon known as the 'Minecraft Movie'.  Check out our discussion and do add comments on our YT or blog posts.1:18 Projects: a zombie film in GTA5, Trillo's Cuco, NeuralViz' Tigg Talk – an alternative perspective on tariffs3:33 The speed of a creative and production process – efficiencies and pivoting to topical content a la South Park!6:25 Anomidae's game explainer, Platinum WoW's documentary about early days of World of Warcraft, GTA6 mAIchinima9:00 GenAI updates: Sesame, ElevenLabs Actor Mode, Runway's gen 4, ChatGPT's image generator, Studio Ghibli's backlash, DSO physical generator, Recammaster tool, Phil's examples of how the tools can be used, volumetric capture, vtubing WarpTuber, Animes and Facerig, 26:28 Reallusion and Apple Arts Studio's Animation Shopee28:00 Steam's share of revenue and algorithmic bias29:41 Nintendo's Switch 231:09 Mocap studio at a comicon – who were they?32:45 John Robertson's show The Dark Room35:40 InZOI release – more photorealistic than the Sims, and an intriguing looking engine – what will happen to Sims now?45:30 The Minecraft movie – a renewed interest in machinima (or not!) and the Rocky Horror Picture ShowCredits -Speakers: Damien Valentine, Phil Rice, Tracy HarwoodProducer: Damien ValentineEditor: Phil RiceMusic: Animo Domini Beats

This week is another pick from the Archives, a short by Thuyen Nguyen aka @evaneon and  @collectivenounfilmworksdev4297 . The film was released in 2007 - it is a love letter to games and gamers at a time when seemingly the whole world was filled with haters. Catch up with our comments and reflections and do add your own below. 1:13 About the Archive - How They Got Game, a Stanford University project3:30 The Most Powerful Person in the World by Thuyen Nguyen7:17 I am omnipotent!9:12 The historical context – and the ‘hot coffee mod'12:50 Games are just not that bad13:20 An Unfair War, impacts and influences and the role of machinima21:30 Why do a ‘personal essay' style of machinima?Credits - Speakers: Ricky Grove, Tracy Harwood, Damien Valentine Producer: Damien Valentine Editor: Phil Rice Music: Animo Domini Beats

A viewer nominated series, this week's ep is another great example of brilliant writing. Optimism Bias was directed by @AndrewGoodKnight and originally released in 2013 having been showcased at the Melbourne International Animation Festival  @melbourneinternationalanim3991 - its Australian comedy, deeply rooted in game lore, at its very best.  Tracy also grabbed an interview with Andrew which you can check out in our season specials, released alongside this ep.1:17 Introduction to the film and its original inspiration – not surprisingly RoosterTeeth's #RVB9:35 Everything is funnier in an Australia accent!10:15 Puppeteering vs keyframe11:15 Phil's broken record: writing is outstanding!12:50 A masterful scene13:50 Editing the frame – the skill required is evident15:00 The biggest shock is the view count15:35 The difference between imitation and inspiration17:22 Xcom games are more enjoyable than you think!18:50 Distribution problems - Nordic Games Developer dropped the ball22:38 Next steps, lessons learned and our reflections on the process of promoting good workCredits -Speakers: Phil Rice, Damien Valentine, Tracy HarwoodProducer/Editor: Phil RiceMusic: Animo Domini Beats

Alongside S5 E176 Red Faction Guerilla: Optimism Bias (Apr 2025), Tracy spoke to Andrew about his machinima series, his creative practice and the problems he encountered when attempting to distribute the work.  They also discuss his upcoming works and aspirations for his future career.  Check out the interview (also on YouTube).Credits -Speakers: Andrew Knight, Tracy HarwoodEditor: Phil Rice

It's lovely to hear a fellow machinima fan discuss their passion for the creative works that have inspired them. This week's ep is a documentary by one such person, Angelikatosh, who reminisces about the 'golden age' of classic World of Warcraft films.  We highlight a few films from our own and possibly slightly older archives that she's not managed to cover too.1:19 Introduction to this week's pick – a documentary about the ‘golden age' of WOW machinima4:55 What Ben's tome says!8:00 Why has WOW machinima dried up?10:07 What the hell is Activision playing at with this community? Reminiscing about some of the earliest greats in WOW15:54 MMOPRG vs mods vs community24:40 Check out the Machiniplex remastered archive of WOW machinimas26:16 Looking forward to the next ep by Angelikatosh!Credits -Speakers: Phil Rice, Tracy Harwood, Damien ValentineProducer/Editor: Phil RiceMusic: Animo Domini Beats

J. R. StokesTake a walk with me down Fascination Street, as I get to know filmmaker J.R. Stokes. J.R. is a writer, director, actor, producer from Staten Island, NY. In this episode, we chat about growing up in SINY, and what made him want to become a filmmaker. He shares stories of making his first Machinimas, and a short film or two leading up to his debut full length film. His previous short 'Headstone of Solitude' gave him the experience and the confidence to make his first feature film. During high school, J. R. developed what would become his initial full-length effort: 'Edge X'. As we discuss his latest project, we dive into what he decided to make a full-length feature film fresh out of high school, and why he chose such dark subject matter. He is also kind enough to share how a high schooler is able to afford to make a full-length feature film, so take notes! 'Edge X' is a film about adolescent drug addiction, and its pitfalls. In their first film; 'Edge X' stars: Cadence Meier, Alexandra Totillo, Randall Krauss, J. R. Stokes, and several others. This film is available FOR FREE on YouTube, as long as you have a registered YT account. Fair warning... 'Edge X' centers around intense drug use and has themes of violence & despair. This is a very dark film, but it is a good film. In my opinion, the production and cope of this film show a much more mature filmmaker than the J. R.'s age would indicate. Check out his channel SidsCinematics on YouTube, and rate it on Letterboxed and IMDB... if you are so inclined. But more than that; follow him on the socials to see what he has coming up next. I'm sure it will be a great watch and tell him you heard him on Fascination Street Podcast!

One of the most extraordinary picks we've made, probably ever, on the show! This week, we review an emergent absurdist talk show, focussing on the life of the Glurons - a post-human race of critters set in a future world, but most creatively uses generative AI tools.  Its outstanding quality is, however, the writing.  Check out our review and pick up the links mentioned on our show notes blog post on the Completely Machinima website (link below).1:27 A first for a machinima show: Unanswered Oddities by Neural Viz, episode 7 is part of a creative AI series, a talking heads show about a future race of hoomankind called The Glurons – introducing the show8:50 The quality of the writing is outstanding, the workflow and creative pipeline discussed16:36 How were the characters appearing to be from the same race created using genAI?21:23 What the hell, Phil? Checkov!Credits -Speakers: Ricky Grove, Phil Rice, Tracy Harwood, Damien ValentineProducer: Ricky GroveEditor: Phil RiceMusic: Animo Domini Beats

Machinima

This is our regular monthly news update on things relevant to the world of machinima.1:19 Projects: Isoterica's latest release, DisUtopia; Hamilton in Animal Crossing by GK Animations; EvilDrPorkChop's No Man's Sky cinematic4:28 Phil's Chuck Norris vs 50K Cavemen – a true scientific experiment11:20 ElevenLabs vs a cast – choices and rationale15:30 The Remarkable Life of Ibelin – shortlisted for the Oscars (sadly, didn't win) >>> but Flow, made in Blender did WIN!!! Congratulations to the creative team20:00 John Gaeta's Escape.ai platform21:30 At All Costs, car chase physics sim/game22:51 Second Life's AI character design launched23:08 Project Odyssey season 2 award winners25:30 UK's Govt consultation on genAIs and copyright processes28:27 BBC Radiophonic sound effects released – subscription vs licensing37:00 Valve releases source code for mod tools36:45 Dune Awakening release date announced – worms and thumpers and all!39:20 Tetris, a game release inspired movie – on Apple41:37 Liberty City being ported by GTA5 – a fab mod of GTA447:06 John Martin, Reallusion, AI generated characters usiung Kling AI54:15 Nvidia Omniverse launcher – implications for creators Credits -Speakers: Phil Rice, Tracy Harwood, Damien ValentineProducer/Editor: Phil RiceMusic: Animo Domini Beats

This week we review a 'golden age' machinima, starring none other than Ricky Grove playing 'Bogart', and Ingrid Moon playing err, 'Ingrid', with Phil having created the score and Ricky having produced the sound design.  Its a short by German-American creator, Andre Pesch, called The Days After, made in GTA San Andreas. Its a story that pre-2020 probably we'd have all said, simply, yep that was great, without any real appreciation for what is actually being portrayed in this 2006 film. However, there's a sense in which this now brings back memories of lockdowns and isolation, and the fear of an unknown viral menace devastating our lives. It perfectly illustrates the narrow grip many had on reality, as Ricky observes in this "... war, crime, patriotism - you can name those things but you can never fix them." 0:44 Introduction – a nepotistic choice!7:05 Phil's role in the production, how to deal with copyrighted music8:53 Score design, a development process9:23 Anti-commercial storytelling10:54 Lest we forget – the quality of the writing is outstanding13:00 Embodying the storytelling process in the creative practice16:00 Using the game to develop a novel stylised aesthetic21:04 T40X virus and its resonance on humanity31:44 Ambiguity rocks – take a pause to watch the film HERE!32:14 Discussion: the ending vs an ending37:38 Science fiction's conceit39:41 Achievements40:28 A sequel?45:00 Andre Pesch, where is he now?Credits -Speakers: Ricky Grove, Phil Rice, Damien Valentine, Tracy HarwoodProducer: Ricky GroveEditor: Phil RiceMusic: Animo Domini BeatsFilm link on the YouTube channel 

A once in a lifetime event in Elite Dangerous? Yup, that's what fascinated us all too.  This week we review a series of machinimas that approach the destruction of a Thargoid ship attacking planet Earth in different ways - a strange and unusual phenomenon in a game world that we reflect on, only possible in open world sims.  1:30 Elite Dangerous: an historic event – Thargoids heading for Earth3:30 The ship's problems, community action, the countdown and the consequences – a once in a lifetime event in the game5:30 Recording the event: a documentary; first person reflection; let's play9:12 Why only a one-time event? Phil looks forward to the montage12:00 The sense of camaraderie in the game vs the paparazzi 13:22 The concept is philosophically interesting but the filmic qualities are variable – context is everything17:53 Salvaging the remains?18:52 Open worlds are truly fascinating!21:06 A model for NASA?Credits -Speakers: Ricky Grove, Phil Rice, Damien ValentineProducer/Editor: Phil RiceMusic: Animo Domini Beats

A packed news episode, with Tracy's analysis of the AI art copyright ruling decision and a discussion with Damien about his hit fan series, Heir to the Empire - the Star Wars story that everyone always wanted to see made.  Do comment on the discussion (on the YouTube channel or the Blog post).  The links are available in the show notes.0:45 Tracy is the first woman on Mars!!!2:38 RunwayML's third annual film festival – call for submissions now open4:20 Second Life evolves [again]7:00 Bloomsbury's video series: Richard Williams' Animation Series7:30 Projects: Gladiator II10:00 The Freeman Chronicles – a Half Life real life film!11:30 For Phil: a Tom Cook Elite Dangerous; for Damien: a Mandalorian cinematic made in Unreal; for Ricky, a Godot 4.3 cinematic12:40 The US AI art copyright ruling – what do you think?21:22 50 series release of NVIDIA's graphics cards23:19 An HL3 teaser?24:10 Hollywood Animal – The Movies as a business26:05 The TMU Tribute Show to Ken White26:55 Astartes 2, Warhammer official film28:40 Sims 1 and 2 re-released31:33 Rooster Teeth is back?!32:55 Tracy asks Damien about his Heir to the Empire hit fan series and what comes nextCredits -Speakers: Damien Valentine, Tracy HarwoodProducer: Damien ValentineEditor: Phil RiceMusic: Animo Domini Beats

This ep, we take a walk down memory lane to the first major peak of #machinima with a documentary produced by  @ProducerStuartBrown , released in 2003. The film is a fly on the wall documentary of the creative practice of the legendary Hugh Hancock (founder of #Machinima.com) and his @strangecompany 0:39 Introduction to the film; shock and awe: Hugh's bravado, character, energy and enthusiasm shines through 3:09 Foundations of Machinima.com, the Strange Company, the ILL Clan and others – the first peak of machinima 6:54 Stuart Brown's YouTube channel 7:50 Minority report: “This may be the future of filmmaking” (2003)! 8:14 Positioning machinima as previs, preproduction, and the role of remote directing 10:40 Technical challenges to filmmaking back in 2003 13:58 What happened next to Machinima.com 15:35 Fond memories 19:32 Boom and bust: the poison of the profit motive? 22:40 The hard ask of the  @roosterteethanimation #rvb model 23:41 Money as a means to an end 25:52 The team and the decisions 27:29 Frank Dellario's humour!  @ILLClan @frankdellario7401 29:05 Remembering Peter Rasmussen Show notes & links: includes Tracy's notes and an interview with Hugh - see links below Credits - Speakers: Phil Rice, Ricky Grove, Damien Valentine Producer/Editor: Phil Rice Music: Animo Domini Beats

This week's pick is nostalgic for a time before machinima... its a rare look back at the demoscene era that informed and influenced the evolution of machinima all those years ago.  The film selection is called We Are Demo, made in 2016 by Fairlight, Noice, Offence, and it was originally shared on X by the Commodore Computer Museum. Check out our review and thoughts, and do add your comments on our YouTube channel.Phil introduces the film We Are Demo, which was made in 2016 using technology from the 1980s and 1990sThe film is a tribute to the demoscene, and the Commodore 64Phil explains the demoscene and its requirement for both technical and artistic skills.We discuss the historical context of the demo scene and a few anecdotes from some early experiencesThe demoscene was a way for creators to self-promote and showcase their skills, often incorporating their team logos into the demosPhil examines the use of the SID chip, which limited music to three notes of polyphony, explaining how composers overcame some key limitationsWe Are Demo adheres to the musical limitations, using the SID chip to create the musicIs it all about nostalgia and creativity involved in creating music and visuals within these technical constraints?We discuss the visual and musical style of the film, and how it is faithful to the era of the demosceneWhat's the role of an emulator these days, a discussion inspired by the film.Ricky recalls the SIGGRAPH conferences and the demoscene meetings We reminisce about the unique community and artistic spirit of the demoscene, which is similar to the early days of machinima.What are your thoughts about this pick – add some comments in the discussion below about whether the demo scene is something only older generations will appreciate.Credits:Speakers: Ricky Grove, Phil Rice, Damien ValentineEditor/Producer: Phil RiceMusic: Animo Domini Beats

This week's pick is a machinima run through of the female V character in Cyberpunk 2077, by Charles Liu, edited to a Johnny Cash classic, Hurt. Sound design in this is everything, and we especially like how the fade is used to emphasise the game footage vs the words of the song at different points in the film.  Check out our views -1:14 Intro to film, music video, a perfect complement to I'm Still Seeing Breen (S5 E163)?3:37 Music storytelling vs film storytelling – interplay and aesthetic choice6:10 Phil's perspective: over saturation?10:15 Masterful editing16:06 Sets the scene for Cyberpunk 2, let's hope they address the narrow narrative arc of potential offshoot stories possible in the world for machinimators to hone their skills on?22:05 Relationships with NPCs in game matterCredits - Speakers: Phil Rice, Damien Valentine, Tracy HarwoodProducer: Damien ValentineEditor: Tracy HarwoodMusic: Animo Domini Beats 

The Little Limpet is an Elite Dangerous animation by CMDR Nickweb85, released in July 2024. It has shades of Disney X David Attenborough X Busby Barkley. You could say it has something for everyone then... well, assuming you enjoy a good space opera/ballet (which of course we do).  Check out our comments -0:44 Intro to film, Elite Dangerous, Pixar-like, composited game footage using Blender4:17 Story, Tom Cook's music and anthropomorphic animations6:45 Experimental work, testing emotional representations7:59 Ep 1 vs Ep 2, a Busby Barkley space ballet10:16 Criticism: why split the episodes where they have been?13:37 The importance of machinima telling the stories about the side kick in an MMO16:19 Tom Cook's dedication to making music for ED machinimas, IP and music performance Credits -Speakers: Damien Valentine, Phil Rice, Tracy HarwoodProducer: Damien ValentineEditor: Phil RiceMusic: Animo Domini Beats

En 1996, une poignée de joueurs du FPS Quake commencent à enregistrer et à monter des extraits de leurs parties, souvent pour documenter leurs exploits, parfois pour raconter une toute autre histoire que celle initalement pensée par les développeurs. Ce que l'on dénomme alors les "Quake movies" va poser les fondements d'une toute nouvelle pratique : le machinima, mot-valise entre machine et cinéma, qui consiste à filmer directement dans un jeu vidéo ou un univers virtuel. Des Video Mods ...

Send us a textHey, welcome to another episode of Making Billions, I'm your host, Ryan Miller and today I have my dear friend Nanea Reeves.Nanea is the founder and CEO of TRIPP, an award winning global XR Wellness company that empowers people to take control of their mental and emotional well being. Nanea brings over 15 years of experience in digital distribution, video game technologies and mobile application development. So prior to founding TRIPP, Nanea was the president, CEO of textPlus, the COO of Machinima, and Chief Strategy Officer of Gaikai. Nanea was also the Senior Vice President and CEO of Global Online at EA games. Through her leadership at these previous companies, she's facilitated get this in $1.6 billion in exits. So what does this mean? Well, it means that Nanea understands that you can fulfill your purpose without sacrificing your profit, and she's about to teach us how she did both.Subscribe on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTOe79EXLDsROQ0z3YLnu1QQConnect with Ryan Miller:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rcmiller1/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/makingbillionspodcast/Twitter: https://twitter.com/_MakingBillonsWebsite: https://making-billions.com/[THE GUEST]: Nanea is the Everyday AI: Your daily guide to grown with Generative AICan't keep up with AI? We've got you. Everyday AI helps you keep up and get ahead.Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the showDISCLAIMER: The information in every podcast episode “episode” is provided for general informational purposes only and may not reflect the current law in your jurisdiction. By listening or viewing our episodes, you understand that no information contained in the episodes should be construed as legal or financial advice from the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for legal, financial, or tax counsel on any subject matter. No listener of the episodes should act or refrain from acting on the basis of any information included in, or accessible through, the episodes without seeking the appropriate legal or other professional advice on the particular facts and circumstances at issue from a lawyer, finance, tax, or other licensed person in the recipient's state, country, or other appropriate licensing jurisdiction. No part of the show, its guests, host, content, or otherwise should be considered a solicitation for investment in any way. All views expressed in any way by guests are their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the show or its host(s). The host and/or its guests may own some of the assets discussed in this or other episodes, including compensation for advertisements, sponsorships, and/or endorsements. This show is for entertainment purposes only and should not be used as financial, tax, legal, or any advice whatsoever.

This week's #machinima short is ridiculous, yep Ridiculous Ties - a meme response to Eltorro64Rus' review of favorite and least favorite words used by the Scientist in Half Life, created by Finzlow.  And did we say its ridiculous?!  We love the well-crafted humor in this, in-jokes with some of the best timing and inspired editing we've seen for quite some time. Although its strictly not machinima, it is definitely from a machinima stable, so it counts for us at least.  Our review -1:01 Intro to the film, models and the stylistic choices Finzlow has made, Marx Bros comedy 5:27 Old Man Murray8:06 What's the process for creating this?9:57 HL2 vs HL111:40 Subversion, remix and moxie14:34 Timing is everything17:17 What's the best line? “I never thought I would see a highly training professional, let alone create one”18:34 Italian slapstick: lazzi26:09 Ricky's complaint28:37 @ILLRobinson – what do you think about this film?!Credits -Speakers: Ricky Grove, Phil Rice, Damien Valentine, Tracy HarwoodProducer: Damien ValentineEditor: Phil RiceMusic: Animo Domini Beats   

Whilst January's news begins with more of the same ole genAIs doing their thang, because they can, there's now evidence of more concerted effort to control the efforts of creators... because the corporates and policymakers can at least try to do that, right?  Well, maybe, but all this has achieved in the past is even more creative energy invested in jumping through the hoops, clambering over the walls and crashing through the hedges - so Happy New Year, we're looking forward to seeing what the amazing machinima creative communities of all engine persuasions around the World can achieve in 2025!  Plus, we discuss iClone's new update, a couple of interesting creative projects celebrating content creators in their own ways, as well as interesting milestones.1:15 SORA-not SORA6:51 Runway's Act One7:39 Face Depth Frame Mancer9:00 Riot Games dishing the riot act11:06 Fortnite's achievements12:53 Why was Andy Serkis not playing the horse?14:00 JT Music's Halo tribute14:42 Bullet Time Agent17:14 Reallusion's iClone update18:51 After Astartes: this is what happened to Syama PedersenCredits -Speakers: Phil Rice, Damien Valentine, Tracy HarwoodProducer: Damien ValentineEditor: Phil RiceMusic: Animo Domini Beats

Kicking off 2025 with a review of a classic and iconic #machinima by one of the pioneers of the movement, Paul Marino aka ILLRobinson. 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.1:14 Introduction to film and the Valve 20th anniversary edition of Source Filmmaker updates5:31 Back story to its release: the snub, the support from Valve, the successes and the features (Ottawa Film Festival, Sundance Film Festival, MTV2 and Tony Shiff, et al)16:45 The genius of selecting a music video for making machinima! 18:05 Creating the head animation in Source, editing and scene selection23:00 Communicating and community in the early days26:30 Why the Gman and why a close-up?31:00 A watershed moment, a turning point, but the end/beginning of the next phase too35:00 An inspiration38:53 A big mistake41:54 How the games companies robbed the machinima community44:00 A question for PaulCredits -Speakers: Ricky Grove, Phil Rice, Damien Valentine, Tracy HarwoodProducer: Damien ValentineEditor: Phil RiceMusic: Animo Domini Beats 

What a fantastic short to end 2024 on... this week is yet another great creative work by GibbsonTV, released in April.  The film is based on the award-winning Roblox-inspired game Lethal Company by Zeekerss.  It's not actually machinima, being made in Blender, but in the spirit of being inspired by the game and with a original tale, it has all the right heritage for our show.  Check out our comments and add your own - and see you on the other side of the New Year for more creative tidbits.1:04 Introduction to the film, the game and the rules of storytelling8:16 Inspired by Alien10:36 The tools and the craft in storytelling, at times reminiscent of RVB15:15 Voice acting and AI, and a little disappointment16:53 Finding a way to be a creative long-term18:28 Realtime vs 3D animation – the benefit of thinking like a machinimator19:35 Anachronisms… 21:50 Sound advice?24:26 Mocap and Damien's approach to filmmaking27:32 A demo reel strategy and drawing from the experiences of the early days in machinima Credits -Speakers: Phil Rice, Damien Valentine, Tracy HarwoodProducer/Editor: Phil RiceMusic: Animo Domini Beats

Not an actual comparison but a review of two shorts: The Internet is for Porn by Evilhoof & Flayed, originally released way back in 2005 and The Marstons Celebrate Christmas, But Things Get Out of Hand, by Paradise385 released 22 Dec 2023.  Lots of lampoonery in both our reviews, but we especially hope you enjoy watching them. Happy Christmas from the crew here at Completely Machinima.1:45 The Internet is for Porn - porn, pawn or pwn?!26:35 The Marstons Celebrate Christmas - a flaw fest, perfect for a glass in hand viewing, right after Miracle on 34th39:50 Ricky's bonus update... HL2Credits -Speakers: Ricky Grove, Phil Rice, Tracy Harwood, Damien ValentineProducer/Editor: Phil RiceMusic: Animo Domini Beats

Our monthly news update this month covers more genAI matters, game-related items and WoWness in the form of a 2 hour + stunning orchestral performance celebrating 20 years of musical history. Check out the news and our discussion, and do leave comments too! 1:35 Pioneers in Machinima, published by Vernon Press, is becoming part of the genAI ecosystem + a plea to keep us up to date 13:05 AI filmmaking studio launched aka #mAIchinima 14:29 Silent Hill Remake 2 mod by Praydog 15:30 Philip Rosedale back at Second Life, yay! 21:25 Remarkable Life of Ibelin – a remarkable story 22:50 20 years of WoW, orchestral extravaganza 26:18 Steam Launcher update w/ machinima tools 29:30 Dragon Age Veilguard release 31:30 Half Life 2 20th anniversary RTX remix 37:40 The corollary of the unfinished game… 44:24 Mr Musk's Diablo 4 record Credits - Speakers: Phil Rice, Tracy Harwood, Damien Valentine Producer/Editor: Phil Rice Music: Animo Domini Beats

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.1:17 Tracy's introduction to the film11:47 Complexity and dialogue13:51 Scifi and the clone, and the director's clever device of using a disrupted world to portray the ethical considerations of cloning15:31 Clay-like characters and the portrayal of emotion17:09 The soundtrack and its role18:53 Making this IRL, maybe Kim Kardashian could play the lead?19:23 The Mobius strip is the masterful component24:48 The art and craft is evident Credits -Speakers: Ricky Grove, Damien Valentine, Phil Rice, Tracy HarwoodProducer/Editor: Phil RiceMusic: Animo Domini Beats

This week's film review is a Star Citizen cinematic machinima by Virtuality Media called Dangerous Love, beautifully made and with a well chosen music accompaniment. Its a tale that has a tragic twist for its lead character. The layers of emotion and depth to the storytelling are inspirational. Check out our review and do add your own comments.1:12 Introducing the film and the creator6:50 The music choice7:50 The shots, life and death14:50 This film is an inspiration16:29 A story driven music video17:25 Editing is weak Credits -Speakers: Ricky Grove, Damien Valentine, Tracy HarwoodProducer/Editor: Damien ValentineMusic: Animo Domini Beats

Who doesn't love a good olde Western? This week we delve into a great short by avidredeadenjoyer, released 21 Sept 2024, called The Loss. It has been made in the only engine a Western machinima can be, RDR2. We all especially liked one particular shot, which really goes to the heart of why machinima has added so much to movie-making. This week, we also talk about a second pick, a Frontier: Elite 2 short by The Mystic Mushroom accompanied by the Blue Danube: The second best space sim ever made... Enjoy!1:15 The Western vibe4:00 The tropes, the story and the cinematography5:15 Mid shots vs close-ups7:25 The sentiment portrayed11:22 The beginning, middle and end!13:06 Music and foley13:30 Steam trains: down memory lane for Tracy16:02 An outstanding shot – tell us more @avidredeadenjoyer!21:40 Mixing with Chopin maybe not the best choice?24:50 The second best space sim ever made…Credits -Speakers: Ricky Grove, Damien Valentine, Tracy HarwoodProducer/Editor: Damien ValentineMusic: Animo Domini Beats

A packed ep this month, key tools, what's happening roundup and some fascinating projects - links to everything on the Show Notes page of our website.1:29 BBC Sound Archive2:30 Auto painter AI for Blender2:56 Google image/film search AI5:00 Tribute to David Graham6:05 Mouse: PI For Hire!7:05 Azeroth politicised? Surely not!10:13 Pigeon Bringer of Doom and Destroyer of Humanity, by Solofilms10:50 The Flower that Never Dies, by NewGates Entertainment11:21 Terminator and Cyberpunk 2077, by eli_handle_b.wav 12:27 Warhammer, JT Music 13:03 Ian Hubert's Dynamo Dream Part 2 is finally out 14:13 Star Citizen Con updates SC1.018:31 Squadron 42 gameplay reveal update23:09 Hubnet machinima, Overclock and EE Studios26:15 Luminaria still open!27:00 GTA Hamlet documentary, Sam Crane28:40 Reallusion 3D character contest results – stunning work!31:30 Movies Tycoon out of early accessCredits -Speakers: Damien Valentine, Tracy HarwoodProducer/Editor: Damien ValentineMusic: Animo Domini Beats 

This week's ep we dedicate to a 3D animation by a French student collective made in their final year of studies, streamed through @TheRookiesCo channel. It is not technically #machinima as its made using traditional #animation tools but nonetheless we absolutely loved it - and its a recommendation by one of our channel's regular followers @3dchick. The film is a post-apocaylptic robot tale, inspired by Zaha Hadid's architectonic style. 2:00 Ricky's intro8:25 Benevolence vs malificence? A moral tale for bots! 13:46 How to achieve personality in machines? This is an example reminiscent from the early days of machinima and the work of Peter Rasmussen 16:21 Cultural references in this film were not film-based but engineering based - is this a reflection of contemporary times and the emergent use of 3D animation tools? 18:45 A clever use of missing information to set the scene Credits - Speakers: Ricky Grove, Damien Valentine, Tracy Harwood (Phil Rice MIA) Producer/Editor: Damien Valentine Music: Animo Domini Beats

In this ep, we discuss The Nomad | Cyberpunk 2077, a Lifepath cinematic by Zero-Sum Story, and Ian Hubert's Lazy Tutorials, which are not for the feinthearted yet somehow full of the very best machinima advice, such as "... just drag it to a place where you don't think it looks stupid" and "... imagine doing all this and actually putting in some effort - its something to think about" - yep, it sure is.  Enjoy the discussions.Credits -Speakers: Phil Rice, Damien Valentine, Tracy HarwoodProducer: Damien ValentineEditor: Phil RiceMusic: Animo Domini Beats

This week, we review a machinima that has taken its inspiration and cue from the original movie Forbidden Planet, released in 1956. This is the animated and stylized sequel we've all been waiting for, set immediately after the events reported in the film.  It has been written and directed by Biggs Trek, aka Philip Browne, whose creative talent shines through in this.  1:19 Intro to the film 6:00 Takes us back to the original film, in a very good way! 14:52 A couple of quibbles? 19:53 Color grading 23:00 Clay face 27:00 Eye movementCredits Speakers: Ricky Grove, Phil Rice, Damien Valentine, Tracy HarwoodProducer: Ricky GroveEditor: Phil RiceMusic: Animo Domini Beats

News update: interjecting our normal weekly service for a short special - Damien discusses the latest Kitbash contest. Links in the show notes.Credits -Speaker/Producer/Editor: Damien ValentineMusic: Animo Domini Beats

We have another packed news update ep this week, check out the show notes for links to our discussion points -1:14 iClone 8 update discussion, and Phil picks the discussion up again at 34:38 on broken grass6:30 Baldur's Gate 3 modding tools release discussion8:20 Starfield expansion pack discussion10:00 Documentary machinima: focus on TF210:45 Hollywood is broken: enter machinima? (Andreasson Horowitz seem to have had their eyes and ears closed for a few years!)12:27 Game Sprout's article about gameplay becoming performance 12:50 Denuvo's release of Unbotify and discussion25:00 YouTube app update discussion27:30 Nice projects to take a look at, genAI and Metropius, an example of a deiselpunk world-based story with numerous creative treatments – worth taking a look at for its interesting monetisation strategy32:00 Kane Pixel's Backrooms, more ‘found footage' fun!37:36 Sketchfab and Epic's Unreal Marketplace merge into FAB45:15 YouTube AI disclosure rules – how are we complicit in a new citizen science project? We extend the discussion reflecting on the algorithm detection processes and what impact this may have on AI generated music and AI cloned voices.1:06:50 Biggs Trek's Forbidden Planet: Children of Krell (which we review in our ep next week) magazine article1:07:47 Shameless plug: Phil and Damien's channel livestreams, respectively on Sunday and MondayCreditsSpeakers: Damien Valentine, Phil Rice, Tracy HarwoodProducer: Damien ValentineEditor: Phil Rice 

This week, we take a deep dive into a film from one of the original machinima creator studios, Dead on Cue. This comprised the duo Mike Holochwost and Brian Mayberry. The film, Fake Science, had a couple more iterations, including one that allowed it to be played in the game itself, which was Half Life.  It was released some 3 years before YouTube, and is another great example of how games could be used to produce artworks. Its wide recognition led to careers in games dev and production for both Mike and Brian, the former working on RoosterTeeth's RWBY series and the latter on cinematics for games like the MMO Star Wars: The Old Republic and Defiance. Brian is still active in the games dev industry and is working on his first game, called Gone Camping.  Check out the discussion and memories we share.Credits -Speakers: Ricky Grove, Phil Rice, Damien Valentine, Tracy HarwoodProducer: Ricky GroveEditor: Damien ValentineMusic: Animo Domini Beats

In this ep, we reflect on the key trends in #machinima we've observed during Season 4 of the Completely Machinima podcast. We'd love to hear your thoughts on the year too, so do add comments below. During the past year, we have reviewed over 22 hours of content, and presented detailed analysis of over 50 films on this channel. As vets of the original community practices (that's pre YouTube and the M.com/Inc days), one of the great pleasures we take in this podcast is that we get to look at machinima and virtual production across the breadth of genres and engines, by creators from anywhere in the world, and reflect on where its come from, how its evolved and is developing. This year, we have seen amazing quality films made in popular games such as Half-Life, World of Warcraft, Elden Ring, Star Citizen, Warhammer 40K and Team Fortress 2; have had the pleasure of exploring work made in entirely new games, like BeamNG and Deep Rock Galactic; and others made using engines in their base form such as Unreal, iClone and Source. We've also started to see #genAIs become integrated into processes and works. What a year for creatives and creativity! Our main observation is that we have noted a resurgence of interest in machinima as a terms for the creative form, and we feel creators are at long last focussing on creative practices rather than their channel return. Of course its great when these things collide but it was never what machinima was about originally: it was the passion for great storytelling, using novel processes to achieve a desired outcome and to share that with a community of equally passionate others. Other observations are why we are not seeing as many traditional short stories as we used to...We hope you enjoy this ep as much as we have making it. Credits -Speakers: Ricky Grove, Phil Rice, Tracy Harwood, Damien Valentine Editor/Producer: Phil Rice Music: Animo Domini Beats

This week we review two films and again attempt to work with a rather impressive AI genie who covers things we just could not... The first film selected is a Deep Rock Galactic music video machinima called We All Lift Together, using the Futuna theme song Warframe, made by Szczebrzeszyniarz Brzeczyszczyczmosszyski (yep, that's why we needed a genie).  The second is a stunning visualisation of Helsreach made in Warhammer 40K by Richard Boylan, using a brilliant reading of Aaron Dembski-Bowden's novel by Jonathan Keeble. Whilst the graphic style presented us with some challenges, which we discuss at length, the quality of this is outstanding.  2:15 We All Lift Together music video discussion 17:47 Helsreach adaptation, made in Warhammer 40K: Space Marine, discussion Credits -Speakers: Phil Rice, Tracy Harwood, Damien Valentine, AI genie Editor/Producer: Phil RiceMusic: Animo Domini Beats

In this ep, we discuss a film by Patrick Zeugirdor, which uses the game BeamNG to simulate realistic freeway crashes. The game features advanced physics and modding capabilities, allowing for detailed crash simulations. The film shows various crash scenarios, each with multiple camera perspectives, highlighting the game's recamming feature. We debate the film's educational value, its potential to encourage poor driving behavior, and its popularity due to morbid curiosity - a good combination? Suffice to say, it evokes some strong emotions from us! We also discuss the game's potential for use in narrative storytelling and its realistic portrayal of accidents.2:33 Phil introduces the film 8:33 Ricky's comments: crash test dummies; machinima as spectacle; is this educational? 14:13 Damien's comments: it's not a comedy! and limitations of the game 18:16 Tracy's comments: from a nice driving vid to a compete horror story to has this just gone too far? 30:13 We discuss the pros and cons of the film and its effects Credits -Speakers: Phil Rice, Ricky Grove, Damien Valentine, Tracy HarwoodProducer/editor: Phil RiceMusic: Animo Domini Beats

This week is our monthly news ep. We discuss various developments in the machinima and virtual production community. Tracy mentions the Reallusions 2024 3D Character Contest, highlighting Stefan Dufour's entry. Phil and Tracy discuss the potential of AI in character creation. Damien reports on Activision shutting down a Call of Duty mod and the impact of AI on modding. We also cover the Dragon Age: The Veil Guard game, the Secret Level series on Amazon Prime, and the new game inZOI. Phil introduces Daz AI Studio, a generative AI platform for DAZ Studio, and reflects on the impact of AI on the music industry, sharing the story of composer Sasha transitioning to AI-generated music.1:14 Reallusion's 3D Character Creator contest3:41 Skibidi Toilet being made into a move with Michael Bay? No way!5:03 Sandbox, the spiritual successor to Garry's Mod8:42 Celebrating TF2 community – a great fan-made trailer promo9:21 Activision shuts down a key CoD mod – not the best choice, and we discuss how the community is responding to this, free mods and review bombs16:58 Gamescon notes… Dragon Age; Secret Level on Amazon Prime; Inzoy22:34 DAZ Studio has a great AI tool in it25:25 Filmmusic.io update – the real impact of generative AI?Credits -Speakers: Phil Rice, Tracy Harwood, Damien RiceProducer/editor: Phil RiceMusic: Animo Domini Beats

Terminator Zero There may be no fate but what we make, but if this new animated take on the time travelling killer robot franchise is to be believed, there may be no fate at all! Before Terminator Zero we have had 6 Terminator movies, a Machinima series (?) a TV show exploring the wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey interactions of Skynet, the Terminators and the human survivors lead by John Connor. Now for the first time we're exploring what the rest of the world was doing at the same time... in Anime form thanks to Production IG and Netflix! We're all in the time bubble for this episode, though as we're all in the buff, our eyes are staying very firmly above the neck. SYNOPSIS In 1997 Tokyo, Malcolm Lee is developing Kokoro, an AI system intended to compete with Skynet. A day before Judgment Day, Lee finds himself and his three children pursued by an unknown robot assassin and a mysterious soldier from the year 2022 has been sent to protect him. https://youtube.com/live/DjTYDRszz0k?feature=share In this episode we also discussed: Trap Slow Horses Only Murderers in the Building and The Legend of Vox Machina A huge thank you to all our regular robotos who listen avidly to each edition of the show, especially those of you joining in on the live-chat during the Twitch stream this week (and every week!). If you haven't done so before, connect your internal modem and join in on our live show 7:30pm next Tuesday! Special love and thanks goes to those who have financially bolstered this podcast via dropping some their digital robo-coins into our Ko-Fi cup and now also by subscribing on Twitch! Your generosity is always appreciated! If you feel so inclined drop us a sub! The more subs we get the more Emotes You get! Every bit of your support helps us to keep the kabuki performers paid. Don't fret if you can't be there for the recording though as you can catch them on Youtube usually later that very night. Make sure to subscribe so you don't miss them!   https://youtu.be/1uRZ8CFExEY?si=IgI6BtKVD19L3GK2 WE WANT YOUR FEEDBACK! Send in voicemails or emails with your opinions on this show (or any others) to info@theperiodictableofawesome.com Please make sure to join our social networks too!  We're on: Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/TPToA/ Twitter: www.twitter.com/TPToA Facebook: www.facebook.com/PeriodicTableOfAwesome Instagram: www.instagram.com/theperiodictableofawesome/  

What is #machinima?! Good question these days, and this week we review a new video essay on tackling just that question... which is always interesting for us pioneers and vets to reflect on in this podcast. In the vid we review, Collin Aull introduces a few thoughts we've not really considered before, plus some comments we've discussed many times over the years, so its worth a listen as well as if you want to spot some of the older machinimas from those very early years in the narrative edit. 1:14 Ricky discusses his latest performance award success 8:49 Shout out for @Mr_Matt_Lee - some of the best build tuts around 11:22 Ricky introduces Collin Aull's video essay: The Game of Video 15:52 Damien's comments 17:27 Phil's comments 24:05 Tracy's comments our conclusions... the biggest problem today is finding good machinima (because we know it exists as evidenced in EVERY episode of this show)! Credits - Speakers: Ricky Grove, Phil Rice, Damien Valentine, Tracy Harwood Producer/Editor: Phil Rice Music: Animo Domini Beats

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!1:44 Introduction to film, its qualities: great choreography and emotional depth to characters11:26 Why this is an unusual red vs blue story15:27 What is the lore in TF2?19:00 Violence portrayed: why it bothered some of us more in this than in E140, and vice versa24:28 Little details, and why they mattered in this35:45 The Source creator community rocksCredits -Speakers: Damien Valentine, Tracy Harwood, Phil RiceProducer: Damien ValentineEditor: Phil RiceMusic: Animo Domini Beats

A Star Citizen extravaganza: this week, we discuss a brilliant re-creation of Erik Wernquist's epic short, Wanderers, released by one of its creators Mr Hasgaha. Whilst this is a faithful scene-by-scene depiction of the original, its actually so much more than that too. We comment once again on the incredible qualities of the game, and how the fact it is an open world reflects the original inspiration for Wernquist's film: the artwork of Chesley Bonestell, whose paintings were partly the reason that NASA exists today. The machinima also pays homage to Carl Sagan in the only way it can, to his words in the iconic book Pale Blue Dot. If you have only particles of space nerd in you, we think you'll absolutely love this week's film, certainly we all do. 2:21 Based on Eric Wernquist's original, We Were Wanderers - film vs game and why cinematic machinimas like this matter for conveying director intent4:45 How to pay homage to Carl Sagan without actually using his voice? Check this film out!15:55 Making machinima in Star Citizen, what are the challenges?Credits - Speakers: Phil Rice, Tracy Harwood, Damien Valentine Producer: Damien Valentine Editor: Phil Rice Music: Animo Domini Beats

This week's selection is a stunning cinematic imaginary by Unknown Dino, focussing on the next version of Half Life (soon to be released... er, well, possibly in the next 10 years or so?). There is a lot of craft in this film, called HL: Overworld and made in Blender, which has taken its inspiration both from the HL Reddit community and the HL2 Artbook 'Raising The Bar'. We also talk about the positioning of the new world portrayed as being the next obvious logical step in the story arc for Half Life - HL1 being a portal through which aliens jump to Earth, HL2 being a kind of survival against the odds, Alyx being the prequel, and HL3 being the fight back taken to those hateful Combine... yeah, we wish!1:19 Phil introduces the film and describes his impression of the vision of the HL3 world being articulated9:40 Tracy talks about the inspiration for the film and the role of community but why even bother mentioning generative AI here? 17:55 Damien reflects on why there will never be HL3, which leads us into all sorts of speculative nonsense!Credits -Speakers: Phil Rice, Damien Valentine, Tracy HarwoodProducer: Damien ValentineEditor: Phil RiceMusic: Animo Domini Beats

Another packed episode of news items we found for machinima creators everywhere. We take a look at some games news including several that have released music albums recently and discuss why we think that is. We go through some of the latest AI matters, including Vimeo's new AI content guidelines. We found one of the best Unreal master classes we ever seen, more like a work of art than a 'how to', but since its by the amazing Luis Andrade, we'd expect nothing less. We also found some partciularly juicy tidbits we think you'll enjoy.1:24 HELP! Can anyone PLEEASSEEEE find us a WoW machinima to celebrate Blizzard's 20 years with this stunning game??? 2:50 Games releasing music albums - why is that? We discuss why we're expecting a lot more games to follow this trend 18:56 Implications of this for machinima creators 21:50 Dead games and consumer rights and why there is no real legal precident for the latest goings on, plus implications for machinima content 37:01 Generative AIs - again! And Vimeo is on the band wagon... 44:08 Luis Andrade's 'how to' is stunning 45:00 ... now available on UE marketplace 46:00 Another call out for new distribution channels for content creators 50:00 No Man's Sky updates 51:00 Microsoft Flight Sim... just wow, but what are the implications for brand owners' IP and haven't we seen something similar happen elsewhere? Question: are you simulating flying or what you see looking at the ground? 1:06:28 SAG AFTRA on strike, this time in support of game actors... but GTA6 isn't covered? Credits - Speakers: Damien Valentine, Phil Rice, Tracy Harwood Producer: Damien Valentine Editor: Phil Rice Music: Animo Domini Beats

And it's vacation time. Thanks for watching ya'll! - d - Dr. Chanlate discusses BudDocs, medical marijuana, telemedicine options, and same-day appointments. - Mention from the "injured on the go, just call Mo's Studio." - Overview of "Mediocre Time with Tom and Dan." - Brendan O'Connor talks about his work at thebungalower.com and Orlando Magazine. - Impact of AI on journalism and traditional media. - Challenges of using AI in coding and website management. - Legal issues around copyright and photo use. - Dan's humorous urologist visit. - Brendan's medical emergency and ambulance use. - Discussion on anxiety, Kratom, dietary habits, and Salvia effects. - Brendan's inflatable pigeon art project for Creative City Project in Orlando. - Funding from the downtown development board for art initiatives. - Logistical challenges of rooftop pigeon installations. - Government critique in art funding vs. support for local businesses. - Rental assistance for downtown Orlando businesses. - Cultural significance of pigeons in urban settings. - Brendan's heat-related hallucination and alleyway conditions. - Hospital care for Brendan after collapsing from heat exhaustion. - Enhancing downtown pigeon installation with interactive QR codes. - Foam party concept for pigeon art to increase engagement. - Theft concerns and ironic pigeon-themed pub crawl idea. - Critique of aimless downtown art projects. - Details on Adopt-a-Swan program and otter relocation in Orlando. - Branding ideas for swans and dissatisfaction with Orlando's city flag. - Proposals for better artistic installations, like a downtown ball pit. - Introduction to "Skibbity Toilet," a Gen Alpha cultural hit. - Mortgage services and home buying program promotions. - Analysis of modern vs. nostalgic TV humor. - Deep dive into "Skibbity Toilet" and its class struggle narrative. - Michael Bay's interest in "Skibbity Toilet" for potential expansion. - Invisible Narratives and former Paramount CEO's involvement in Skibbity Toilet. - Discussion on "Machinima" and storytelling through video game art. - Children's engagement with Skibbity Toilet and its brand influence. - Michael Bay's speculation on Skibbity Toilet's potential. - Ethical considerations of monetizing children-targeted content like Skibbity Toilet. - Viral content creation techniques and narrative coherence in YouTube videos. - Reflections on viral success, upcoming films like Deadpool/Wolverine, and practical effects in horror. - Theories on Olympic cheating involving drones in Canada vs. New Zealand soccer. - Historical and modern smoking policies on flights and the notion of "Smokers Express." - Benefits of trade education vs. traditional college, with a focus on apprenticeship programs. Impact of conglomerates on small businesses and local spending benefits. ### **Connect & Follow:** - [Website](https://tomanddan.com/) - [Twitter](https://twitter.com/tomanddanlive) - [Facebook](https://facebook.com/amediocretime) - [Instagram](https://instagram.com/tomanddanlive) **Listen & Laugh:** - [Apple Podcasts: A Mediocre Time](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-mediocre-time/id334142682) - [Google Podcasts: A Mediocre Time](https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkLnBvZGJlYW4uY29tL2FtZWRpb2NyZXRpbWUvcG9kY2FzdC54bWw) - [TuneIn: A Mediocre Time](https://tunein.com/podcasts/Comedy/A-Mediocre-Time-p364156/) **Corporate Comedy:** - [Apple Podcasts: A Corporate Time](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-corporate-time/id975258990) - [Google Podcasts: A Corporate Time](https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkLnBvZGJlYW4uY29tL2Fjb3Jwb3JhdGV0aW1lL3BvZGNhc3QueG1s) - [TuneIn: A Corporate Time](https://tunein.com/podcasts/Comedy/A-Corporate-Time-p1038501/) **Exclusive Content:** - [Join BDM](https://tomanddan.com/registration) **Merchandise:** - [Shop Tom & Dan](https://tomanddan.myshopify.com/)

Casper Van Dien's breakthrough role was as the lead in Paul Verhoeven's sci-fi film Starship Troopers (1997). Still one of the most talked about films of 1997 that has one of the largest cult followings in film history. He was also in Tim Burton's critically acclaimed film Sleepy Hollow (1999), as Brom Van Brunt. He was the 20th Tarzan and the only one to ever film in Africa and ride an African elephant in the Warner Bros. film Tarzan and the Lost City (1998). Other film credits include The Pact (2012), which was well received at Sundance. Casper played a down and out alcoholic detective opposite Caity Lotz. A Post Apocalyptic survivor in Beyond The Wave (2015) shot entirely in China. Starring opposite Sean Maher as part of a two man crew on a mission to the end of the universe in the much anticipated independent film ISRA 88 (2016) . Television credits include "Monk" (2008) Playing a Navy Doctor for the season finale, All American and "Beverly Hills, 90210" (1994). Casper has tackled the web recently playing Johnny Cage in the insanely popular Machinima web-series "Mortal Kombat Legacy" seasons 2 and 3. He won best actor for his comedic chops in the series. He stars as "Hawk Guy" in the upcoming Avengers spoof "Interns of F.I.E.L.D." produced by Screen Junkies. You can also check him out as the hunky bartender in the popular series "Conman" starring Alan Tudyk and Nathan Fillion. He played the perfect version of himself in the comedy series "Crunchtime". His most recent victory has been behind the camera as a Director. He has directed three films in which he also starred in. His second film Patient Killer won best film and best director awards and was bought and aired on Lifetime.   Want to watch: YouTube Meisterkhan Pod (Please Subscribe)  

Warner Bros Discovery is shutting down the online media company Rooster Teeth just as it nears its 21st anniversary. We look back on the history of the company, how it made an impact on internet culture, and where things went wrong.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.