Blog Movage!

Okay, okay, so I haven't updated in a long time, but a lot has happened since then. (Insert Excuse Here) Alright, you deserve the truth.. I got married, I stopped just critiquing machinima and actually started doing some again (voice acting mostly). So all of my ramblings can now be found at my website/blog. Please update your bookmarks (if they're ancient enough to still include this site). Thanks! :)

Deus Ex Machinima Interviews Overman

Listen in live to Deus Ex Machinima, Thursday, April 12th @ 2PM EST/7PM GMT as I harass Phil "Overman" Rice on the air about his latest accomplishments in machinima. We'll also be covering the top machinima films of the week, contests & awards, and of course... our own Gamer's Choice Machinima Award will be given out to the highest rated machinima film.

Rufus Cubed Interview Archive Available

If you missed the live show, listen back to the archive, now available at WoW Radio. Linkage to follow: Deus Ex Machinima Interviews Rufus Cubed

Rufus Cubed "Returns" to WoW Radio

Catch an exclusive interview with Terran Gregory & Ezra Ferguson on WoW Radio's "Deus Ex Machinima" hosted by Eriyanna (me) on March 29th; 2PM EST / 7PM GMT. The show will also feature the week's Gamer's Choice Machinima as well as segments featuring the talents of Brandon M. Dennis (Oxhorn; Inventing Swear Words).

Deus Ex Machinima

On the 29th of March, my new machinima live show & podcast will be debuting with content provided by machinimators the world over. WoW Radio is graciously hosting my weekly show, which is dedicated to reviews for machinima in all mediums, how-to guides for beginners, and taking an in-depth look at one featured movie, company, director, etc. per episode.

Now, why am I blogging this? Simple... most of the people who are in my blog list, are all machinimators themselves. I'm inviting anyone who credibly directs, produces, voice acts, or does editing for machinima to be a guest on my show. It's not limited to any specific gaming environment, and I think this will give some of the companies in the community a nice little podium to promote their movies as well. So, if you are interested in being harassed by me on air or promoting your recent work of genius, or want to give everyone an insight to a past project, please email me: Eriyanna[at]Myndflame[dot]com.

Also, as part of my show, I will be hosting a Gamer's Choice Machinima weekly honour for the fan-voted top movie of each week. That video will go head to head with the following week's winner. So in essence, a movie that is well-produced and released could maintain the Gamer's Choice Machinima Award for several weeks. Now what does that mean for you, the machinimator? It means you get featured on our website, get a very shiny new award graphic to place on your website, as well as some free promotion.. and everyone likes free promotion!

The show, "Deus Ex Machinima" aka DxM will be airing weekly on Thursdays @ 2pm EST / 7pm GMT on WoW Radio.

New Year... Where did it go!?

I can hardly believe it's already February.... I haven't updated in quite sometime. Then again, when does one have time to do such things? Well let's start with where I've been... Las Vegas, NV. Eventually I'll put whatever pictures didn't turn out insane up on my site.

Had a decent amount of fun in Vegas. I'd never been before, so it's always good to try new things I suppose. Went to Ceasar's Palace where they have all the designer stores lined up just like Rodeo Drive in Hollywood. Odd, but interesting enough. Went and saw The Blue Man Group @ The Blue Man Theatre, which was actually a lot of fun despite my speculations. The hotel was pretty nice as well. Stayed @ The Flamingo Hilton which the only drawback I can think of was slow valet and the fact that yes, the hotel is indeed pink. However, you could see the Bellagio in plain sight across the street as well as their fountain show... for free without leaving your room. Did a ton of other things I can't really recall from the top of my head. I was there for New Years Eve, which was insane. Walked the strip, went to have dinner @ Rio which was v. nice, and ordered up a bottle of vodka and a bottle of Bailey's to ring in 2007 with fireworks going off on the tops of all the casinos, which set everything shaking.

That's about the only interesting thing I can think of to write about for the time being. More when I'm not so tired I suppose. Night all!

Movies, Cabs, & Hotels

So, New York. Some machinimators have waited all year for this event, and the turn out is excellent. I'm so thrilled to be back in New York after so long. There is always a familiar aura easily sensed when I'm here. This city just always gives me goosebumps. It's big enough to immerse you in culture, art, and inspiration... yet it's small enough to feel like a home away from home if you know the right places.

My hotel is incredible. Much better than the hole in the corridor I stayed in during my last visit. Thus far, I've kicked myself in the behind for not reading up on the Machinimator's dinner on Friday night. Another night here wouldn't have been too tragic of a change in my plans. Oh well, I'm sure I'll get over it.

I was stuck in my room hosting the WoW Radio Show, "User Interface" this morning. Sadly I missed a few of the screenings for the nominees, but I did make it down for the later panel discussions on techinical Machinima. Really enjoying the fact that this rental laptop hates my World of Warcraft, but loves Second Life. Wonder what the Linden guys talked this laptop into when I wasn't looking... hrmm...

Well, so yeah... the winners of this year's Mackies. Definate grats to Jason Choi. Also special grats to Paul Rice as well. I'm glad your wife didn't leave you either. ;) I must say, that one of the best highlights of the entire evening was the "Girl who Knows a Thing or Two about Games". Her quips were pretty entertaining.

Must get some sleep. I plan on doing some museum hopping in the morning before heading back to Astoria.

Mackie Nominees: Grudge at the Podium

Casting aside visions of liquid coolant, polo scraps, and cargo pant pieces strewn about a familiar set in New York; I'm glad to see the competition of this event has not lessened in these past years. The latest buzz around the 2006 Machinima Festival Awards is that not all is well in the community with the recent release of those nominated. Now, for the shocker; the artists complaining the most, are those that "have been" nominated and are now arguing for the sake of their fellow machinima competitors. Now, I'm not generally one to condone bickering in a bout of fairness and equality in an event of this level (points at the script, "@*$#(!$"). Pardon me, someone was just fired for a complete lack of original thought. The point is, that regardless of how many hardworking machinima artists there are in the world, The Mackies were not founded on an "E for Effort" rewards system. There will always be someone who feels like all their work has gone for naught, but it's feelings such as those that are natural motivators to push the limits in machinima as a whole.

Now, as to my "personal" opinion on this year's nominees: I wanted to cry and fall out of my chair in shock at the same time. There are several prestigious judges on the panel of The Mackies, many which I've spoken with at one time or another, and I do not question their personal tastes or respect for quality. I am, however, very interested to hear just how the final list of nominees was compiled when it came time to lay down your score cards and bring the public it's awaited information.
Never wishing to completely disregard or discredit my peers in machinima, but there were a few nominations I simply looked at and was in sheer confusion. Also, please let me point out that I "have seen" ALL of the films that were nominated, and well before the nominees were selected. In efforts to make this as short of an article as possible, let me just say the following. It would appear that several nominees were "misplaced" into categories they didn't even suit, some were just the typical "time sensative" entrants that were selected because they were the freshest in the minds of the community, and then there were those who were completely "overlooked" for nominations entirely. I have a high respect for Paul Marino, Frank Dellario, and the rest of the team it takes to organize this wonderful event each year; but something seems to have gone amiss for the past two years (quite a bit more noticable this year than last) and the community is taking notice.

After reading the personal responses from Bloodspell, Dementia/Myndflame, Neverending Nights, and even the boards at Machinima[dot]com it's become very apparent that this is an attempt from the community to stand up and say, "Excuse me, but what seems to be the problem here?". I can't say I'm one to completely argue the thought of posing such a question myself; afterall, machinima artists are the key to what builds events such as the Machinima Festival. If every artist who felt like their peers got the short end of the stick decided to no longer participate in the years to come, then we'd no longer have Awards to bicker about due to their potential non-existence. Before you start gathering your petition plackards and begin the trek to picketing outside the Museum of Moving Image though, let me ask "you", where's the fun in that?

For going on about five years now, I've attended more than my share of festivals, conventions, events, etc. on animation, machinima, and gaming. In that time one factor of competition has remained the same. Simply that, "competition". Your own work is neither good nor bad unless you "choose" to place it in a public forum for total deconstruction. Whether the outcome is great or poor, I hope many of you realize your own quality of self-worth enough to know that nominations and awards aren't what built machinima. Regardless if they exist or not, don't picture The Mackies as a pinnacle of conquest or failure (even though they were intended to honor the best of the best vs. handing out cake to the masses), but measure the value of your own success through interaction at such events with others in your given field. There are several members of the community that are still "up and coming" that build upon the challenges set forth from their peers and rely on influences that include some unknowns who never received a Mackie to save their lives. I, for one, would be astounded to shake Phil "Overman" Rice's hand for his endless acheivements in sound. Only time will tell how all this craze plays out in the future of machinima with the 2006 Machinima Festival creeping closer than ever. One thing I do know: I will be there, even if in not full support of this year's nominatated films.