Second Life Machinima& Education

Anthony Fontana

Instructor of Art

Learning Technologies Consultant

Bowling Green State University

Machinima - Tutorial

• Definition: Computer-generated animation that uses the virtual world engine to render real-time three-dimensional graphics

• SL on SL: to use software, maneuver the virtual world, build, and script objects.– See Torley Linden on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/user/Torley

Machinima - Documentary

• Document the interactive happenings of the virtual world

• Second Skin– Premiered at

SXSW 2008

• SLPN

Machinima - Documentary

• Journalism

• Filmmaking

• Communications Studies

• Anthropology– Ethnographies

Machinima - Live

• Mac: CamTwist

• PC: ManyCam

• Social Live sites:– Stickam.com

• Production– Ustream.tv

– Mogulus.com

Machinima - Live / Recorded

• The Second Life Cable Network (SLCN) features a number of interview and talk-show style programs.– Metanomics

• Cornell University

Machinima - Live

• Communication Studies

– Telecommunications/Broadcasting

– Interpersonal Communication

• Marketing

• Pop & American Cultural Studies

• Musical and Performing Arts

Cylindrian Rutabaga

Machinima - Narrative

• Filmmakers

• Animators– Machinima.com

– Vimeo/ Blip.tv

– WeGame.com

• Festivals

Machinima - Narrative

• Animation (.bvh)

• Modeling

• Post Production

• Screenwriting

• Scripting (LSL)

Machinima - Narrative

• Easy on a budget

• Highly collaborative or extremely individual– simultaneously actor, writer, director,

machinimatographer, set designer, lighting engineer, scripter, sound engineer, editor…

Machinima - Cinema Continuum

• The aesthetics of machinima?– “…the printed word and cinema are

cultural traditions, distinct ways of recording human memory and human experience”

• - Manovich, The Language of New Media

• Distinct ways of recording avatar memories and avatar experience.

Machinima - Generated User

• Teachers without training– Assessment standards

– Collaboration skills

– Adjusted rubrics

• Duplicitous expectations– Characterized by experts

– Cultivated ‘underground’• Punk

Second Life Machinima & Education

Anthony FontanaBowling Green State UniversityIn SL: AnthonyFontana Chevalier

anthonymfontana@gmail.com

August, 2008