Dulci's Perspective

Moving the blog

2011-02-06T12:50:00.002-06:00

I've decided to switch to Posterous for blogging....

The new site to find me is here:

DULCI'S WONDERLAND

2010 - A Year in Voiceacting

2010-12-31T10:20:00.004-06:00

So let's see....what have I been up to in 2010?

Strife by Wolf

Redemption Miniseries Teaser by Kuroken

Deadly Bullet by Macwemyss

Conquest: Blackstar Rising by Killian

Grayskull Finale by Rage

Solar Freyr from allpoint on Vimeo.

The Only Alien on the Planet: Part Four from QoH on Vimeo.

Monsters of the Atomic Age from thebiz on Vimeo.

Grumpier Old Men in 2D by Wolf

HAN'S GRAIL from JosephKw on Vimeo.

CrazyTalk Animator Demo by WarLord

2010-12-11T19:53:00.001-06:00

Crazy Talk Animator Demo from WarLord on Vimeo.

This is a really good demo of CrazyTalk Animator, and the fact that it includes some "live" footage from the Wolf & Dulci Hour doesn't hurt :)

Valleygirl Video Blog

2010-12-06T18:24:00.002-06:00

I've been fiddling around a bit with CrazyTalk Animator by Reallusion:

Tonight - iClone & Sketchup

2010-12-06T16:19:00.000-06:00

Tonight we will be discussing Sketchup & iClone with Andrew Telker on the Wolf & Dulci Hour. You can listen live by tuning in to http://www.tmoaradio.com at 9pm CST/10pm EST. An interactive chat room is up during our show as well where you can add your thoughts and ask questions while we're on the air - http://www.tmoaradio.com/v3chat/index.php.

Han's Grail by JosephKw

2010-12-05T21:33:00.001-06:00

HAN'S GRAIL from JosephKw on Vimeo.

My latest voiceacting appearance, working with one of my favorites - JosephKW.

From the man himself about this movie:

"WARNING: Contains brief nudity and mature subject matter. My guess is that it'll be rated PG-13 at most.

Created for Harb40's "Passion Competition 2010", which requires dealing with at least two of the seven deadly sins, and limited to a length of 20.5 minutes (excluding studio logo).

Han's Grail--it is something which many of us long for. Strange that it is in our nature to desire something so...unnatural.

Yes, like many of my other films, this has a message in it. However, since it has been noted that some of my messages lack subtlety, this one is a trifle less obvious. I encourage you to please let me know what you think this is all about--only with your feedback will I be able to know (and it's best you review the film first before reading any of the other comments, so as not to be influenced).

With that said, partake of Han's Grail, and enjoy.

CREDITS
Written & Directed by JosephKw
Grail Prop by MikeDBoing and Ubernewbie

A_N_D as Walt Moore
Dulci as Jain Agamas
Goofparade as Theo Logan
Trewill7 as Harry Sees
JosephKw as Tom Richard Harry
Act3Scene24 as Jesus Santa Maria
Sisch as Freya
Sonya as Nirvana
Bezzer36 as Charon
JosephKw as Joe

Music by Milkman_Dan
Jazz End Theme by JazzX

Sound by Goofparade

Poster by Burkey "

Grumpier Old Men in 2D

2010-11-30T20:27:00.003-06:00

Another episode of Wolf's Grumpier Old Men shorts (with yours truly as the waitress). This one done in 2D using Reallusion's new Crazy Talk Animator Pro software. I love the old man walk Wolf concocted here!

Medieval Gibbett and Wall Torch

2010-11-18T23:03:00.001-06:00

Warlord has done it again! One is for just hanging around and the other is to see who you are hanging with. Free props with the medieval flavor.

Plus there is a sale on the destructible Castle and Collapsing Buildings pack at The iR Store.

Click here to go to iCloneRevolution Freebies

Countdown to Machinima Expo - 4 Days To Go!

2010-11-15T17:03:00.002-06:00

I don't spend much time in Second Life, so I confess that yesterday I spent some time remembering how to change my outfit. Mission accomplished! (I won't tell you how long that took me)

I'm looking forward to the experience of watching movies in real-time with fellow expo-goers (is that a word?). I am also, of course, very excited about doing the Wolf & Dulci Hour live on Saturday. That is sure to be a unique experience!

Unfortunately, family commitments are pulling me away from the event on Sunday but I will certainly catch up on all the presentations as fast as I can. I find the varying software options open to us fascinating, and I know I will gather many nuggets of insight from the discussions on side design and script writing.

Are YOU going to be there?

Saturday, November 20

9:00am

Awards Ceremony

9:30am

Screen Grand Jury Prize Winner - Conversation with Director of Grand Jury Prize

10:00am

Meet the Filmmakers - Introduction of showcase artists Jorge Campos & Legs Machinima + spot interviews

11:00am

Keynote Address with Tracey Harwood

11:30am

A Conversation with Tracey Harwood + Q&A

12:00pm

BREAK

1:00pm

Women in Machinima Panel (Ingrid Moon, Pooky Amsterdam, Lucinda Akros, Freeta Kayo, Squirrelygirl)

2:00pm

Classic Machinima Talk (Ben Lowood, Phil Rice, Ben Grussi)

3:00pm

The Wolf and Dulci Show

4:00pm

Closing Party

Sunday, November 21

9:00am

Voovees - Director Presentation + Q&A (The Voovees Crew)

9:30am

The Movies - Presentation + Q&A (Killian)

10:00am

Muvizu Presentation + Q&A (Vince Ryan)

10:30am

Moviestorm presentation + Q&A (Matt Kelland)

11:00am

Gary's Mod/HL2 Presentation + Q&A (Harrison Heller)

11:30am

Reallusion iClone presentation + Q&A (John Martin II)

12:00pm

BREAK

1:00pm

Second Life presentation + Q&A (Pooky Amsterdam)

1:30pm

Sound Design for Machinima + Q&A (Ricky Grove)

2:30pm

Writing and Adapting Scripts for Machinima + Q&A (Joseph Kwong, Todd Stallkamp, Kate Lee)

3:30pm

Closing Remarks

4:00pm

Party

Countdown to Machinima Expo - 5 Days To Go!

2010-11-14T18:47:00.001-06:00

The Machinima Expo 2010 Jury nominated films are:

The Big Event by Jorge Campos

Dagon by Lainy Voom

Clockwise: Part 1 by Nefarious Guy

That girl stole my Nick…..by VOOM

Major League Azeroth by AFK Pla@yers

Moonlighter by Igor Tkachenko

The Ills of Silence by Walvince

Order of Madness by Eugene Tan

A Woman’s Trial by Chantal Harvey

gEISHA by Krrish Spyker

It’s a Wonderful Second Life – Breathe 2 by SamLowry Hawks

TERRA by Rod Pulsar

Unheimliche by Pierre Gaudillere, et al

Out in the Cold by Legs Machinima

Success Begets Success by Pamela Crabtree

W B Yeats – An Irish Airman Foresees His Death by R. Boyd

Countdown to Machinima Expo - 6 Days to Go!

2010-11-13T17:20:00.005-06:00

The Machinima Expo is November 20th & 21st...make sure you mark your calendars!

This will be a fabulous opportunity to:

Mingle with machinimakers from across the globe
Enjoy some outstanding movies from the past year
Attend informative presentations
Enjoy a live Wolf & Dulci Hour on November 20th

The Duleks Episode 6

2010-11-04T20:41:00.004-05:00

I'm very excited to be in this episode of The Duleks!!

SketchUp & iClone Rendering Contest

2010-11-04T20:18:00.004-05:00

Reallusion has announced a new competition with some fantastic prizes. There is an Image Render category as well as a Video Render category. Plus, the competition is a great excuse for all of us to brush up on our SketchUp skills.

They don't just toss a contest out there, either. There are some excellent tutorials available here to get you started.

iClone Wiki Commercial Contest Winners

2010-09-26T11:19:00.004-05:00

Anim8tor Cathy's iClone Wiki Commercial Contest has come to an end and winners have been announced.

The iClone Wiki is your informational source for all things iClone.

1st Place - $100

Navigate The Maze from afterThought on Vimeo.

2nd Place - $50 Wolf Bucks

3rd Place - $50 CoolClones credits

Iclone Wiki Commercial from thebiz on Vimeo.

Hidden

2010-09-07T13:46:00.000-05:00

Hidden from Dulci on Vimeo.

This is a minimalistic piece highlighting music by Machinimasound.com. Created with iClone4.

Latest Favorites

2010-08-24T20:51:00.002-05:00

My two latest movie recommendations:

Monsters of the Atomic Age from thebiz on Vimeo.

DJ Booth Freebie from iClone Revolution

2010-08-11T15:37:00.003-05:00

WarLord with www.iclonerevolution.com has some new freebies available, including a DJ booth with animated revolving light, bar props, a bar, red carpet and velvet ropes.

Take a look here to download for free and be sure to check out the rest of his quality props while you are there!

Star Force 7 - Teaser Clips

2010-08-10T18:50:00.002-05:00

The Glamorous Life of a Director from StarForce7 on Vimeo.

I am voicing the role of Sondra Kiria in Star Force 7. There's some fantastic artwork available here. For more information on Star Force 7, you can check out the production blog here.

International Movie Trailer Festival

2010-08-10T18:45:00.002-05:00

As relayed by OpenFilm....
Call For Entries
The International Movie Trailer Festival
$5,000 Grand Prize

The International Movie Trailer Festival, the first online trailer contest, aims to build an innovative online community for students, hobbyists and professional moviemakers, giving them a novel way to express their creativity while providing online entertainment for fans around the world.

Featured Call for Entries

Enter your trailers, faux trailers, and conceptual trailers for a chance to win the $5000 Grand Prize. Additional cash prizes range from $500 to $1000 for categories including:

Best Trailer for a Produced Movie ($1000 Prize),
Best Trailer for an Unproduced Movie ($1000 Prize),
People's Choice Award ($1000),
Best Student Entry ($500 Prize) and Best Soundtrack or Song ($500).

Additionally, all contestants receive a FREE copy of the book, "Moviemaking Illustrated," by James Morrow and Murray Suid.

Everyone wins. When you enter The International Movie Trailer Festival (IMTF) you're immediately a winner because your trailer will be posted in a searchable online database, where fans and producers can find your work.

Final Deadline: August 31, 2010

Click Here

For Entry Forms and Contest Rules.

Click Here

To View and Vote for Trailer Entries.

Click Here

For Details on Prizes and Awards.

The Only Alien On The Planet - Part 4

2010-08-07T19:50:00.002-05:00

The Only Alien on the Planet: Part Four from QoH on Vimeo.

This is my latest voiceacting role - returning to my role as Mrs. Tibbs in Bella's (aka Queen of Hearts) series The Only Alien on The Planet. I passionately believe that Bella is a tremendous young talent that is well worth keeping on eye on - that girl is going places!!

This episode features:
Caulder- MADasinger
Ginny- QueenofHearts
Doctor- Sisch
Mr. Tibbs- Act3Scene24
Mrs. Tibbs- Dulci

The series is based on the book by Kristen D. Randle.

Useful sites

2010-08-02T18:08:00.002-05:00

I've been organizing the various links I've referenced in recent Wolf & Dulci Hour podcasts. Here are some of the ones I'm keeping bookmarked for future reference:

Suicidator City Generator
Open Game Art
Open Film
My Outer Space
111 Free Filmmaking Tools
Free Celtx Tools
50 Free Hi-Res Metal Textures
Make Human
Lighting Challenges
How to Write a Screenplay
2010 Machinima Expo
Machinimasound

What are you doing Nov 20 & 21?

2010-07-16T20:56:00.004-05:00

Hopefully joining in with the fun at the MachinExpo 2010!

You can read the official announcement here.

What I've pulled out as a significant change from last year, and which will hopefully draw the people who didn't attend because the event was focused in SecondLife, is this tidbit...

"The way the Expo is being presented this year is going to be very different from the previous two years. A main goal, in addition to quality films, is to make the Expo attendee’s experiences easier and simpler. If you have a computer, an internet connection and a browser you’ll be able to attend the 2010 Expo."

Star Force 7 Updates

2010-07-11T13:06:00.003-05:00

I'm very excited about my role as Sondra Kiria in the upcoming Star Force 7 by Donnie Christianson. He announced today:

"In my spare time (ha!) knocking out poster designs for the "official" character art. We'll be posting these to DeviantArt later this month, so watch for the tweets and announcements here on the site. You'll get to see:

* Devian Blackstar
* Sondra Kiria
* Janik Larson
* Kiri Atroan"

Can't wait to see how that turns out! I'll be working on some more of my lines over the next two weeks - and she really is a fun & challenging character!

Getting the family involved in your projects

2010-06-15T20:43:00.007-05:00

I just enjoyed this music video from Capemedia which features delightful music performances by his children:

It brought to mind some of Wolf's work with his daughter, such as his recent entry into the Pinhead competition:

And reminded me of the fun I had making this little movie with my son Prince Logan:

I wonder if any of you have involved your family in your productions - I'd love to see and/or hear about your experiences!

Now I just need to get some 3D glasses

2010-06-04T09:37:00.005-05:00

I'm going to have to fiddle with this feature - I can't resist it much longer! But first I need to get my hands on some 3D glasses. As if people don't think my hobby is geeky enough already - now they can wander past my workspace and see me frantically working at the computer, moving little animated people around, gleefully cackling to myself, rockin' the look of 3D shades....

Solar Freyr

2010-06-01T16:47:00.002-05:00

Solar Freyr from allpoint on Vimeo.

The experimental ship Solar Freyr encounters an asteroid field on its maiden voyage, after activating their matter dimension drive to pass through it they are left with a translucent object in an engine corridoor.

Allpoint has released his movie Solar Freyr. I really enjoy his writing style and acting alongside some of my VA favorites was a special treat.

Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds

2010-05-29T20:52:00.000-05:00

A special feature from the Wolf & Dulci Hour - Welcome to our rendition of Lucy in The Sky With Diamonds - ala William Shatner!

First peek at Chani

2010-05-23T17:15:00.004-05:00

I've been writing a bit of Dune fan-fiction off and on over the last few years, and just recently started the process of character and set development in iClone to get the movie up and off the ground.

Above is my version of Chani, who will be the main focus of the movie. Huge thanks to Wolfzone for his help in the blue-blue eyes which, as any Dune fan will tell you, are absolutely ESSENTIAL.

I'm excited too that Reallusion has released some action animations (see demo below) that will fit in perfectly with the movie. Gotta love good timing!

Warlord's Gauntlet and Mech Tech Demo

2010-05-23T12:34:00.003-05:00

Gauntlet and Mech Tech Demo from WarLord on Vimeo.

Warlord is up to more creative goodness!

Pinhead Results Announced

2010-05-23T09:18:00.001-05:00

The video is now up announcing the winners of the latest Pinhead Competition. It can be viewed here. Congratulations!

Outerspace Atmosophere into iClone

2010-05-17T20:36:00.002-05:00

Great tutorial by iClone Certified Training!

Voting for the Pinhead Competition

2010-05-13T17:09:00.004-05:00

You can vote for the Pinhead Get a Job Competition HERE (Click on the The GPA'S Tab)

There is a 2D and a 3D Category, and the films can be viewed before voting by going HERE and selecting the View Clips tab.

These are the categories:

* Best Technical Achievment -Editing and effects.
* Best Facial expressions/gestures - What clips could really convay what was on Pinhead's and other charactor's minds. There may have been head or hand movements that added extra flare.
* Best Sound and Music- Did it bring the story to life, when the door slammed just right, or the sound of keys jingled just so...Did the musc fit the story, invoke emotion, or move you in anyway?
* Best Screenplay (story) - Who had the best story?
* Best Picture (Best Overall) - What took the gold in all of the above. Your absolute Favorite.

I know not everyone wants to download clips as it is set up on the Pinhead site, so I've done what I can to provide some links to the 3D movies (please note I couldn't find all of the clips in other places, so you'll still have to watch some directly through the Pinhead site):

There is a Pinhead Channel on TMU - all the Pinhead movies for this contest uploaded to TMU are in this channel:

Pinhead Get a Job
Status: Public Channel

Pinhead movies on Youtube:

Jest a Job
Quest to Find a Job
The Pinhead Haunting Story

iClone Animation Class - Part Two

2010-05-05T21:45:00.004-05:00

May 15th stuckon3d will be presenting his Animation Class Part Two. Topics to be covered include director mode, keyframes, function curves, links, squash and stretch, arc motions, and lots more.

You can sign up for the class by contacting stuckon3d.

The Movies to Blender to iClone

2010-04-28T07:51:00.001-05:00

Through the efforts of Wolf and DCMF modder stvndysn, progress is being made in converting characters from The Movies for use in iClone:

Blender into iClone Test

2010-04-18T12:02:00.005-05:00

Having finally bought 3DXchange 4 Pro for iClone, I took some time yesterday to figure out at least some of one of the most exciting features - the ability to bring rigged characters from other programs into iClone.

I did a google search for free .fbx characters (my ongoing heartfelt thanks & appreciation to people who make their work available for free like that - I don't know where I would be without that tremendous generosity!!!) and found a ninja lady made in Blender.

I followed the steps outlined here to 1) Export the character from Blender as an .fbx file; 2) Import the .fbx file into 3dXchange 4; 3) Save the animations as individual clips in 3dXchange 4; 4) Export the character into iClone 4; and then 5) Play with the character in iClone!

Here's the results of my very fast test - nothing fancy here. I didn't fiddle with the texture of the original or apply any iClone standard animations - all animations used were from the original Blender character.

This feature in 3dXchange 4 opens up WORLDS to iCloners. I'm quite excited!

Free iClone Sci-Fi Pack

2010-04-15T17:25:00.002-05:00

iClone Sci Fi Contest - Getting Started

2010-04-15T13:03:00.004-05:00

Reallusion has announced the launch of the 2nd Annual iClone Filmmaking Competition. This year's theme, as anticipated, is science fiction. The deadline for entries is July 4, 2010.

Here are the rules straight from the Reallusion site:

Qualifications & Requirements
To submit, all participants should register as a Reallusion member and submit the video via the Submission Form by midnight, Pacific time on 07/04/2010

•Participants must use iClone in the creation of their movie

– You don't have iClone? Then you may acquire a free iClone EX version here.

•Participants must fill out the Submission Form with their movie title, movie desciption, movie credits, contact information and URL link to their uploaded video on YouTube.com

•Entrants may submit up to (3) movies for award consideration

•Winners will be posted on the Sci-Fi Movie Competition's official forum page and notified through e-mail

Technical Requirements
•1 video link uploaded on YouTube.com

(Video size is not limited, but good YouTube video quality is encouraged. The video name title must begin with the text “iClone Sci-Fi”)

•Movie length: Minimum of 2 minutes ~ 10 minutes (longer videos are acceptable)

•Submitted videos MUST be about Science Fiction (please refer to the genre below)

•Submitted videos may incorporate footage from other video games or commercial clips for a media mash-up but the submission would need to have at least 40% iClone generated footage inside

•Video entries may be submitted in any language but they must have English voice dubs or subtitles for worldwide viewing and appreciation. Take note that this is an international competition

AND the prizes:

Best Picture
Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 720 Projector
Valued $ 999.95

Best picture will be awarded to the most inspiring cinematic film portraying a believable plot on where humanity will be in the future.

Think of a film deserving to be played on the big screen. Films that swing away from contemporary Sci-Fi cliches are a plus.

Best Movie Tribute
Sony α330 DSLR Camera and Lenses
Valued $ 749.95

Best Movie Tribute shall go to the entry that portrays the best fan film of all. Criteria shall be based on attention to detail and faithfulness to the genre.

Think of capturing the essence of your tribute all while portraying your own spin to the original storyline.

Best Mashup
PlayStation®3 250GB system
Valued $ 349.95

The Best Mashup Award shall be handed to the entry that brings the best compilation of video game footage, external media footage or any other source into their film.

Think of good editing, a well thought-out story plot and high quality captured footage.

Best Screenplay
PhotoBasics' Green Screen Video Kit + Reallusion popVideo Converter 2.0
Valued $ 394.95

Best Screenplay category shall be awarded to the film that portrays the best story script with great scenes, camera angles and direction. Seeing a character do something is far more powerful than having him/her say it.

Think of Scorcese, Kubrick, and the Coen Brothers when creating your film.

Best Super Hero Character
Magix Video PRO X2
Valued $ 299.99

The Best Super Hero Award will be given to the film with the best original Super Hero. Who would be everyone's favorite super hero?

Think in terms of creativity and originality. Think Heroes. Make a list of what we all want to be, and give it a body.

Coolest Robot Style
Magix Video PRO X2
Valued $ 299.99

The Coolest Robot Style shall be awarded to the film that introduces the best original Robot character. Remember how we all soiled ourselves when we first saw RoboCop, Ripley's power loader and the Terminator.

Think in terms of a good design, practicability and overall awesomeness!

Most Creative Alien
PhotoBasics Green Screen Video Kit + Reallusion popVideo Converter 2.0
Valued $ 394.95

This category will be awarded to the film that introduces the most creative Alien character with personality.

Think of a species that has successfully evolved into something aesthetical and logical. Random concoctions will lose points.

Best Outer Space Scene
Magix Video PRO X2
Valued $ 299.99

The Best Space Science award shall be presented to the most realistic presentation of an outer space environment and hard science.

Think of Hubble Space Telescope images, physics, your high-school science teacher (well maybe not) and utmost realism.

Best Visual FX
Digital Juice Motion Design Element Collection
Valued $ 499.70

Visual FX category is for the film that crafts the most unique shots and scenes with incredible special effects with stunning and awe inspiring visual esthetics.

Think of depth of field effects, force fields, plasma particles, explosions, optical effects and lens flares.

Best Sound FX
Partners In Rhyme Sci-Fi & Scary
Sound Effects Pack
Valued $ 130

This award goes to the film who crafted and legally acquired the perfect balance of sound effects and music.

Think of great movie themes, well-done Doppler effects and surround sounds.

Associated sites:

Be sure to check out the following sites as not only are they friends with Reallusion, but they will also be hosting special iClone give-away contests:

FanBoy Theater
Fan Film Follies
Internet Video Magazine
Sci-Fi Movie Page

Content Sources

Wolfzone's Sci-Fi Props & Wasteland Props
Be sure to check out the list put together by MyClone for sci-fi freebies galore.
CoolClones has a lot of freebies available (you need to be a registered member to access) as well as purchasable content at their store
Some fantastic freebies and purchasable content available from WarLord at iClone Revolution.
Reallusion Content Store
Freebies available through iClone Warehouse (you need to be a registered member to access)
Renderosity (need some technical know-how to convert props for use in iClone)
Use the iClone Avatar Builder in association with Evolver to create unique aliens

Those are just some of my favorites - there's plenty more out there!

More info to follow, as I will be watching (and entering!) this contest closely. If I don't come up with something better, I'll probably enter The Day We All Turned Into Aliens - Hour 1.

Part 1 - The Day We All Turned Into Aliens

2010-03-29T19:55:00.001-05:00

The Day We All Turned Into Aliens - Hour 1 from Dulci on Vimeo.

I am having sooooo much fun with this project!

Zoological Madness Winners

2010-03-18T08:54:00.004-05:00

Reallusion recently announced the winners of their Zoological Madness competition.

One of the winning films was this delightful piece by Animagenes:

One of my other favorite winners was created by Vidi:

I also enjoyed the characters made by norte in this one:

Floating City Props

2010-03-11T16:17:00.003-06:00

How cool is this prop available from iClone Revolution? With Reallusion scheduled to start the Sci Fi movie competition sometime in April, I'm keeping my eyes peeled for all sorts of sci fi goodies!

Floating City Props from WarLord on Vimeo.

Free Introductory Class to iClone4

2010-03-10T12:27:00.003-06:00

Stuckon3D is part of the Reallusion Certified Trainer program. He is a 3d artist with 20 years experience. He has worked on two major TV series ("Star Trek : Voyager" and "Deep Space nine"). He has also worked for Disney, Nickelodeon, and Electronic Arts as a senior artist and as an Art Director. He now offers training via online live training to learn about iClone tips and tricks to bring your skills to a higher level.

On March, Saturday 13th 2010 at 10:30 AM pacific standard time, he is offering a free introductory class to iClone4. Learn the XYZ's to navitage iClone like a pro.

More advanced classes are also available, at $35 per person. Lessons are two to three hours plus 30 minutes for Q&A session. The classes are also project based so by the end of the class you will see a mini project from start to end.

To sign up for the class, more information can be found here.

iClone Avatars via Evolver

2010-03-04T09:23:00.003-06:00

Wanted to create your very own specific avatars, but never knew how to do 3D modeling with 3DS Max or Maya?! Now with iClone Avatar Builder, you can!
Build your custom avatar in realtime 3D using the iClone Avatar Builder, powered by our industry partner in avatar creation- Evolver. Just use the simple Evolver slider bars to create your unique avatars in a matter of minutes!

All the magic happens on Reallusion's servers so there is no need for any plugins or fancy graphics cards! What you see, is what you get for avatar creation! And the great news is, you can decide if you want your character to only have body animation or both facial and body animation!

The iClone Avatar Service is now officially available and you can start creating your Standard avatars (2000 points) immediately. You can find out more about this service HERE.

Non-Standard avatars will also be available soon and are slightly cheaper (1300 points). The final touches are being put togther for these avatars so they may not be quite ready as you read this.

*** As a special launch promotion you can buy two and get another absolutely free. ***

(And if the above reads as a press release or commercial, it's because I copied and pasted the info directly from Reallusion - technical explanations are not my forte!)

**NOTE** Avatars from iClone Avatar Builder are only supported by iClone4.12 or above. **

iClone Revolution Content Store

2010-03-02T15:29:00.002-06:00

The iCloneRevolution Store is officially open for business and features some great content by one of my favorite icloners - WarLord.

Just one taste of what he's capable of making:

Reptilian Alien Character from WarLord on Vimeo.

And, as a special treat, there's a Grand Opening Special going on right now - The Sci Fi Bundles will save you 25% off the cost of buying the items individually.

If Sci Fi isn't up your alley, I'm personally drawn to the castle prop - which features WarLord's Destructible Props.

MMIF 2010

2010-02-20T20:57:00.004-06:00

It was truly a delight to be asked to participate in the 2010 MaMachinima International Festival.

My movie Complication was shown to the audience:

The audience was graciously receptive and it was a pleasure to connect with such a diverse group of machinimators. I saw movies made with various platforms, including Second Life, iClone, Moviestorm, World of Warcraft, and The Movies. There were others as well but I would stumble around trying to name them all. 7 hours of movies!!! *phew* They will all be available for viewing on YouTube and I'm sure that link will circulate shortly.

My compliments to everyone working behind the scenes to make this event possible! Thank you!

The Outland - Freeport 7

2010-02-17T22:42:00.002-06:00

OutLand - Freeport 7 from WarLord on Vimeo.

Pilot episode of a mini-series about life on the Strazi frontier facing a brutal and powerful enemy.

Saw this premiered at TMU Theater Monday night, and thoroughly enjoyed it. Impressive special effects, including exploding props!, to go along with some some fun sci action.

Alive

2010-02-17T07:52:00.000-06:00

Just felt like making something pretty yesterday, so I had a bit of fun in iClone and used some music by the fabulous Kevin MacLeod

The OutLand - Freeport 7 Promo

2010-02-11T08:06:00.001-06:00

For as long as anyone can remember the Strazi have been a threat. For over 300 years the Liberty Security Forces have maintained early warning observation posts on the Strazi border in the Outland. The Strazi are a powerful and belligerent species whose repeated incursions and attempted invasions were repeatedly turned back. Each time at a high cost.

Then the attacks stopped. For almost a generation not a single Strazi incursion was reported and Coalition members were beginning to breathe a sigh of relief. The LSF kept a tight rein on the Outland and was able to maintain adequate funding of its operations by continually broadcasting historical images and footage from previous Strazi battles and atrocities.

Peace has its dividends and some of the Coalition leaders were ready to cash in. Public apathy was growing as the threat diminished but the funds kept coming and the orders still stand... remain vigilant.

This is a pilot episode... less than 10 minutes introducing the Outland.

The movie premieres Monday, February 15th at 8:10pm PST, 11:10pm EST, 4:00am UK! (right after the Wolf & Dulci Hour)

Go to www.tmutheater.com and click REMIND ME to get an email reminding you about the premiere before it goes LIVE!

Redemption Miniseries Teaser

2010-02-08T15:58:00.003-06:00

I was recently passed over for a role, and share my thoughts on that in this video.

If you would like to let the director know your thoughts, please post your comments on the movie page at TMUnderground.

Robots, Machines & Mechanical Creatures - Oh My!

2010-02-07T21:05:00.003-06:00

I am giddy and it isn't even out yet.

Ok, how could a person possibly NOT geek out over this pack?

Part of my enthusiasm is knowing how much fun this one is going to be to explore with my 5-year old son. His life's ambition is to be a robot-maker. Need I say more?

Release date? I dunno!!! I've only known about it for thirty minutes & am already impatient.

Introducing the cast

2010-02-02T18:30:00.000-06:00

IC Warehouse is Launched

2010-01-26T10:15:00.002-06:00

This was announced yesterday by Lizard:

Hello one and all! After a few months in the making, I am pleased to provide to the iClone users community.....

IC Warehouse is a free site that provides materials shared by the members of the iClone community. A lot of time and effort goes into making films. Much of it is spent on set design and the creation of materials. Wouldn't it be nice if maybe half the things we needed had already been created by other iClone users that we could just drop in our projects freeing up more time to film? Or, have you created something that you just know other people could use but not sure how to go about sharing it? This is what ICWarehouse is about. It isn't another forum for people to come and visit. We have plenty of great communities for that kind of thing. This is a simple structured file sharing location to browse and hopefully share community creations. The site depends on the contributions of the community for growth and we hope to see the wonderful creations you provide.

Our site is also committed to learning iClone by offering tutorials on various subjects from topics within the program to uses of outside sources such as graphic programs, Google Sketchup, DAZ and so on. Over time we hope to add a library of easy to follow tutorials for our members so that they can create their own materials and objects to share. If you think you want to share your knowledge with the iClone community, we welcome your thoughts and will gladly add your contributions to the articles.

So, feel free to check it out at http://www.icwarehouse.com. There are almost 1300 files there at the moment but we hope to grow every day. We hope that you can put it to good use. Enjoy your stay.

James Martin on tonight's Wolf & Dulci Hour

2010-01-25T07:20:00.002-06:00

We're excited to announce that James Martin will be joining us on tonight's show. We'll be discussing his latest dynamic release:

Please join us tonight by listening live at 9pm CST / 7pm PST / 10pm EST. As always, you're welcome to participate in the chat room while we're on the air.

Episode 2 - "The Mod" - Machinima vs Anymation

2010-01-23T09:21:00.000-06:00

Info and Credits

Episode 2 - "The Mod"

Actors

Information

Credits

Anymation Character
by The Biz

Machinima Character
by Killian

A look at the ever changing roles machinima and anymation characters are forced to play. This screenplay was written by Dulci and animated by WarLord.

Machinima Versus Anymation is an on going series of spoofs directed at machinima and home animation in general. Conceived by M.D. McCallum (WarLord) and assisted by Dulci in screenwriting and production this series hopes to play on the good and bad of home animation and its sometimes fanatical filmmakers.

The producers of this short anymation are very pleased to have two very talented voice actors from the TMUnderground community to kick off this series and wish to extend their heartfelt thanks to Killian and The Biz for their fine efforts.

Special Thanks to Machinima Uber Filmmaker Tom Jantol for coining the term "Anymation"!

Producer and Casting
Dulci

Screenplay by
Dulci

Music by
Donnie Christensen
Masters of Mario

Animation, Editing and Direction
by WarLord

Machinima Vs Anymation - Episode 2 - Tonight

2010-01-22T10:20:00.002-06:00

Due to some bumps, Machinima vs Anymation Episode 2 did not premiere Monday as originally scheduled.

The episode will be airing live Tonight at 6:30 pm PST / 8:30 pm CST / 9:30 pm EST at TMUTheater.

Hope to see you there!

VA roles in 2009

2010-01-17T11:28:00.005-06:00

Just a list of the 2009 movies I had roles in:

Into Shadow Episode 1
Added: Jan 28, 2009
From: Wolf

The war of the worlds Part 2
Added: Feb 26, 2009
From: Chrisproductions

ODYSSEY: EPISODE TWO
Added: Apr 19, 2009
From: Killian

SOULKING The Movie part 1
Added: May 06, 2009
From: allpoint

SOULKING The Movie Part 2
Added: May 17, 2009
From: allpoint

Respect My Securitay
Added: May 23, 2009
From: cecil_evans

Travel With Berlitz
Added: May 30, 2009
From: thebiz

Do You Like Josephkw Movies?
Added: Jun 21, 2009
From: macwemyss

The War of the Worlds Part 3(a)
Added: Jul 10, 2009
From: Chrisproductions

The Only Alien on the Planet Part 1
Added: Jul 31, 2009
From: Bella

The Only Alien on the Planet Part 2
Added: Sep 03, 2009
From: Bella

Thy Neighbor
Added: Aug 06, 2009
From: Overman

Darren - a Filminute entry
Added: Aug 16, 2009
From: chatNoir

DONATE NOW
Added: Aug 24, 2009
From: josephkw

ODYSSEY: EPISODE FIVE
Added: Aug 22, 2009
From: Killian

Ad Hominem Attack
Added: Sep 29, 2009
From: act3scene24

Death in Venice
Added: Oct 05, 2009
From: chatNoir

Man of War - Episode One
Added: Nov 23, 2009
From: allpoint

Sappyville Episode 1
Added: Jan 12, 2009
Runtime: 3:14

The Lounge Singer 2009
Added: Apr 13, 2009
Runtime: 9:45

Small Acts of War
Added: Jun 27, 2009
Runtime: 5:01

Complication
Added: Sep 14, 2009
Runtime: 5:36

Machinima Vs Anymation - Episode 2

2010-01-17T10:45:00.004-06:00

Episode 2 of Machinima vs Anymation premieres live tomorrow night at 10:10pm CST (immediately following the Wolf & Dulci Hour) at TMU Theater

Miss the first episode?

Casting Call - B Movie

2010-01-13T09:11:00.003-06:00

Currently in it's scripting phase....

It's campy....

It's cheezy.....

Its.....

The Night We All Turned Into Aliens!!!!

I'm early in the scriptwriting process on this one, but am putting out a general casting call.

If you're interested in participating, there are two options:

1) Dramatically Overeact
OR
2) Dramatically Underact

That's right - I don't want any Oscar-worthy performances in this production!

Please post your interest as a comment or email to me at dulcimachinima@gmail.com as follows:

"i am interested inunderacting a (large/small - choose one) role. Contact me at..."

"I WILL GIVE YOU AN OUTSTANDING OVERTHETOP PERFORMANCE IF YOU GIVE ME A (large/small - choose one) ROLE!!!!! Contact me at..."

Top 10 Favorites of 2009

2010-01-07T11:08:00.005-06:00

In no particular order, my top 10 favorites of 2009. I have purposefully not included any movies I participated in.

TheBiz's House of Horror from thebiz on Vimeo.

TheBiz's House of Horror

I am a huge fan of TheBiz's surrealistic style, and his work thus far in iClone has been impressive. This is a very fun/creepy walk through a house of horror.

JosephKW's The Shadow Over Innsmouth

Joseph is an extremely talented individual, and his work with The Movies is inspiring. This creepy flick is an adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft's story.

Kate Lee's The Afflicted
Sisch remade Kate Lee's The Afflicted, and the combination of Kate Lee's exceptional script-writing talent and Sisch's profound moviemaking talent make this MovieStorm flick a must-see.

Afterthought's Pinhead in the ****

Afterthought stormed into iClone with a top-notch production. She is on my list of hot newcomers to keep an eye on!

Lizard's Coming Home

Lizard's first movie with iClone and I found his opening scene in particular masterful.

Pookahsell's November Pilot

A thought-provoking movie with an exceptional voiceover cast. Another example of the possibilities still open using The Movies & the great work the modding community is still doing.

Nukester's Temporary Night

Over a year in the making! This production made with The Movies features custom music by Nukester, sung by the delightful Sisch.

Hardycapo's Chanel Untold

Using MovieStorm and a terrific cast, Hardycapo brings to life a bit of Coca Chanel's life.

anonymous (Part 1) from Jorge on Vimeo.

Anonymous by Jorge

This dramatic piece really stands out to me, in particular the character played by Jase180 and his relationship with his daughter.

O CHAMAMENTO PANFFARRÓNICO - The Panffarrounic call 3D by MiGorjao

Using iClone this movie presents a fanciful world. It's a charming piece!

Mad World by GoofParade

2010-01-01T18:08:00.003-06:00

Tears For Fears wrote it back in the day, as a much more uptempo song. Gary Jules eventually adapted it and it was picked up for the "Gears of War" TV ad campaign which propelled it to new heights.

This is essentially the same version except that GoofParade played the instruments (and sang it too of course) and changed the arrangement slightly near the end.

If you enjoy it please post a comment on the movie on TMUnderground and let him know. This is just one example of what this talented man is capable of (musician, singer, voiceactor), and he was the winner of TMOA Idol 2009.

Stunning work in iClone4

2009-12-31T12:29:00.001-06:00

I was pointed towards this movie by norte43 and was impressed by the visuals, the cinematography, the animations, and just the overall vibe. Inspiring work!

Top 10 Machinimators Who....

2009-12-30T10:07:00.002-06:00

Well, I don't have a decade of experience under my belt, but seeing the lists popping up all over the place with the "best of" the decade this and the "best of" the decade that, I've decided to do a retrospective look.

I sat down and tried to compile a list of the top 10 machinima movies over the last 5 years (as far back as my personal experience goes). However, as I started to compile my list, I realized I was more interested in listing the top 10 machinimators over the last 5 years. As I started contemplating my choices, I decided that proclaiming a "TOP 10 MACHINIMATORS" list would only cause hurt feelings and stir up competitiveness (as it seems "TOP" lists so often do).

What does this all mean? Well, I've decided to put together a tribute movie to the Top 10 Machinimators Who Have Influenced Dulci Over the Last 5 Years. It's a very specific list, and comes with several disclaimers attached - people who aren't included in my final list are in no way not fantastic moviemakers in their own right. I'm soul-searching for the moments over the last 5 years when I have been significantly influenced by another person and have carried a piece of that inspiration with me throughout my work going forward. This tribute will be my way of saying thank you, and also a way for me to document my machinima adventure.

I had initially hoped to have something put together as 2010 launched, but I don't want to rush this project. So watch this space and eventually the tribute will appear.

iClone - a year in review

2009-12-28T12:44:00.002-06:00

I'm really looking forward to the Wolf & Dulci Hour tonight. It's been a nostalgic few days of information gathering for me - looking at the iClone movies released over the last year, the content that's been developed, the growth of the community, and, of course, the release of iClone4.

Tonight we'll be focusing on the events that have shaped iClone in 2009. We hope to see many of you in the chatroom this evening so we can explore your memories as well!

7pm PST / 9pm CST / 10pm EST - www.tmoaradio.com or www.tmutheater.com (easiest way to listen & chat at the same time).

Machinima Expo 2009 iClone Presentation

2009-12-20T12:28:00.003-06:00

Thanks again to bllius for providing footage of the Machinima Expo!

Machinima Expo 2009 iClone Presentation from bllius 69 on Vimeo.

Women in Machinima Audio

2009-12-19T16:23:00.003-06:00

Thank you to Bllius with Shattered Keyboard for making this file available. The rest of the expo footage, including video files, is available for download through his blog.

Machinima Vs Anymation

2009-12-15T08:17:00.001-06:00

Actors

Information

Credits

Machinima Character
by Killian

Anymation Character
by The Biz

Special Thanks to Machinima Uber Filmmaker Tom Jantol for coining the term "Anymation"!

Producer and Casting
Dulci

Screenplay by
Dulci and WarLord

Music by
Masters of Mario

Animation, Editing and Direction
by WarLord

Visit the Machinima Vs Anymation website here.

It's December...you know what that means!

2009-12-04T15:55:00.007-06:00

It's time for my annual reading (7+ yrs now) of Frank Herbert's Dune series! It's something I look forward to every December.

As far as the Dune movies go, I gotta be honest - I was disappointed with the 1984 version (with Sting, who fortunately didn't play Paul). However, the Sci Fi channel miniseries is outstanding - both Dune & Children of Dune lived up to my expectations. There's far too much detail in the books themselves for any movie to capture every element.

Dune is Sci Fi writing at its best. It's engrossing, and Herbert doesn't talk down to his audience; he creates an entire universe for us to explore. And I for one enjoy exploring it again and and again and again...

This also means that I will be motivated to take another look at my Chani script, which is being crafted around the events of Dune viewed from Chani's perspective. I think she is a powerful feminine character and has a unique story waiting to be told.

She is oftentimes portrayed as a formidable force within the story, while at the same time facing challenges integral to women. I look forward to focusing on her role in this years reading, and hope to flush out my outline further.

But mostly - I intend to sit back, relax, and enjoy the story!!!

I love December.

Women In Machinima

2009-11-25T10:32:00.002-06:00

One of the highlights of the Machinima Expo for me was the Women in Machinima panel. Last year I felt the same way; although this year they took pity on me and allowed me in the panel rather than in the audience chomping at the bit with questions and comments. The panel this year focused less on women-specific issues related to machinima, and rather was more of a chance to get to know some of the female machinimators. It was a fantastic experience and I appreciated the opportunity to be involved. There really are more women in machinima than I think people realize on first flush.

However, having worked up some thoughts on what I would I say if the gender-related questions were asked, I feel the need to purge those ideas from my system – so lucky you, Reader, as you now get to wander through my rambling thoughts.

If you had asked me the question “Does gender matter in machinima?” at different points throughout my machinima career, you would have, over the years, received varying responses from me.

When I first began, it didn’t seem to matter at all. I started with The Movies from its beginning, and as a community we were all on what could be described as a level playing field. There was genuine enthusiasm from the beginning to be supportive of one another’s movies (the need for virtual credits to unlock certain items actually helped spur this on, but that’s a topic for another day). As we matured and the community got a bit more competitive, some of the gloves came off and biting comments were made here and there. I’ll focus on some directed at me that shaped my perspective on this specific topic.

1) If you think some people don’t watch your movies because you’re a girl and they are e-flirting with you, you are being naïve.

My initial response: Hot-headed anger.

Looking back: I hate admitting it, but I do believe this is on occasion true. Sometimes the internet is like a bizarre nightclub and you just never know who is looking for action! However, this happened more often in the TMO days. I haven’t picked up this vibe in a long time, so either I’m still naïve or this behavior has been purged from the community.

2) People watch & support your movies because they hope to have you voiceact for them, as voiceactresses are few & far between.

My initial response: Irritation. Realize, though, that one of the most obnoxious, insulting requests a voiceactress can receive is “I need a girl in my movie and I’m pretty sure you’re a girl. Can you do these lines for me?”. We’d rather be cast because the role fits us, not because we’re the only girl you can think of who voiceacts.

Looking back: This is actually a flattering reason for someone to watch my movies, and I have learned more effective ways to say no to voiceacting roles. If you think I am a lousy filmmaker but a decent voiceactress, I can certainly live with that summation!

3) You play the “girl card” to get people to watch your movies.

My initial response: Paranoid introspection. Huh? What’s the “girl card”? What am I doing that is giving the idea that I’m manipulating people into watching my flicks?

Looking back: Yes, I’m a girl. *gasp* I still don't know what exactly the "girl card" is, but I don't waste my time dissecting this statement anymore.

4) Girls tend to be self-depreciating

My initial response: Don’t lump me in with all the other girls! When I acknowledge my imperfections as a filmmaker, I’m not fishing for a compliment. I’m trying to be honest and I’m looking for ways to improve.

Looking back: If there’s a tendency for women to be self-depreciating, then I would say there’s just as strong a tendency for men to be cocky & self-praising. And if as a man that sentence annoyed you, then now you know how this stereotype makes me feel!

There has also been a general perception that women machinimators make mostly romance & drama movies. In my experience, not just with my own movies but with those I’ve watched, this perception is way off base. Actually, romantic movies by either gender are few & far between in machinima. I don’t know if that’s a product of the environment and software or a conscientious choice.

In my little segment of the machinima world, The Movies Online through to TMUnderground, I have seen an evolution of perception. Granted, some of the more negative elements have drifted away from the community, and I’m sure they are still out there somewhere convinced as they hunch over their keyboards that the reason their movies weren’t watched is because they don’t have girl bits & pieces.

I also feel that people have gotten more comfortable saying when they think one of my movies is bleh. Chivalry I think is just ingrained in many men (yes, I realize I just stated a stereotype) but as we have gotten to know each other over the years, constructive criticism is recognized as a kind, and not negative, gesture.

Do women machinimators have it rougher than their male counterparts? I’d say definitively no. Male or female, we approach our work as individuals and not as gender representatives.

iClone not allowed in 48 hour machinima event?

2009-11-15T08:12:00.003-06:00

Based on the first-hand experience of codewarrior, as outlined in this thread on Reallusion, the use of iClone was not allowed in the recent 48 hour machinima event.

Normally, I try to take a deep breath and remind myself that not everyone thinks iClone is machinima. It's like a mantra. Breathe in - breathe out - not everyone thinks - blah blah blah. However - there is a big difference this time, as MovieStorm WAS allowed in the event. Usually, when iClone isn't an accepted format, neither is MovieStorm.

Anyone who is familiar with both MovieStorm and iClone knows that the programs have some pretty solid similarities. Both are non-game platforms. Why would iClone be excluded from such a prestigious machinima event? I was enthusiastic about this event - I had even considered participating.

I know that we can't dictate to contest runners how to set up their rules and criteria, but I would really like to hear an explanation as to why iClone was summarily dismissed in the 48 hour machinima competition, and MovieStorm embraced to the point that one of the top-award winning movies was made with MovieStorm (a well-deserved win, I might add, lest some think I'm casting doubt as to the validity of that decision).

I find this very disheartening at a time when I was feeling confident and upbeat about the progress the machinima community has made in general at embracing the varying platform choices available.

In my opinion, excluding iClone isolates its users. I have enjoyed the cross-pollination of iC and MS users - on TMUnderground we see users of both programs assisting each other on projects, supporting each others work, and enjoying each others movies. The choice made by the organizers of the 48 hour project only serves to create a rift where there wasn't one. At least at past events, iCloners and MovieStormers could console each other when we were excluded from competitions.

It's absolutely mind-boggling to me and I am thoroughly disappointed with this decision.

It's all about shapes!

2009-11-10T15:14:00.004-06:00

I can't believe I never downloaded the free Google Sketchup program until today.

Sure, I've been browsing through the Google 3d Warehouse since I bought iClone last year, and importing many of those models into iClone via 3DXchange. However, I never gave serious thought to trying my hand at the program.

The primary reason being, I've never been talented at drawing. Without a ruler, I can't even draw a straight line. I actually hold pencils & scissors incorrectly (I hold them the way a left-handed person would but with my right hand. I don't know why!). I lumped Sketchup into the same category as my sad, sad past endeavors at creating art during my childhood.

Lo and behold, Sketchup is blessedly user-friendly! Now, granted, some natural talent is needed to make anything truly astounding, and I strongly doubt that I'll ever be classified in that category. It is, though, gratifying to learn that I can use the program to make some simple props for myself.

Over the past few months working with iClone and soaking in the knowledge of my truly artistic co-host, Wolf, as well as other poweruser iCloners, I have noticed that I'm looking at props/sets/the real world a little differently. And, my friends, let me tell you - it's all about SHAPES! I know, it's taken me a ridiculously long time to come to this realization, but that simple statement speaks volumes. SHAPES. I discounted geometry when I was student as I never had a knack for it. I loved algebra but could not get a handle on geometry. I could not visualize the lines on the paper as a 3d object. Oh, how I wish I had a program like Sketchup back then! I've had eureka moments just making cubes & cylinders in Sketchup.

Because of working with materials in iClone, over the summer I found myself becoming more and more obsessed with textures. It was an entirely new method of observation. Now I've compounded that worldview with searching for the shapes in the composition of everyday objects; and while the person standing in line behind me at the grocery store might not find my fascination with the design of the cash register equally stimulating, I trust that some of you can relate to what I'm experiencing.

SHAPES!

You'll have to excuse me now, as I have just gotten distracted by the varying shapes making up my Blue Snowball microphone.....

Upcoming Mega Sci Fi Pack from Wolf

2009-10-29T09:10:00.005-05:00

Wolf provided some sneak peeks of his upcoming Sci Fi Mega Pack for iClone - and I gotta say, I'm very impressed. Ok, to be honest, I was expecting something great from him - but even with that expectation, I am still blown away. Further affirmation that I chose the right partner in crime for the weekly radio show.

Fore more info (and a better view of the images) you can see his post about it here.

Here's what he had to say about the images: "Aside from the weekly freebies, it's been a while since I released any content on a larger scale. The show and production of various projects has kept me busy. That being said, for those that do listen to the show, you heard us chatting about the upcoming sci fi mega pack. I know there's alot of folks looking forward to this pack. It's in its final stages of some stress testing of my own before I release i to the Reallusion and coolcreator store fronts. The pictures below will give a taste of the contents of the pack. It is not an exhaustive demo, but it shows a great deal of what the pack will contain. Everything you see in any of the photos (except the one character in the sickbay) will be included in the pack and then some. Once it's submitted, I'll update The CCD thread with videos of the prop sets in action. Thanks to all for the requests and guidance on what you'd like to see as it helped me immeasurably in the modeling of this pack."

I know several sci fi buffs who have been looking forward to this pack, so to them I say - woohoo! It's coming soon! I can't wait to see some great movies made with these props, sets, etc. I really am a sci-fi geek at heart!

Joseph's DreamCoat

2009-10-28T13:45:00.002-05:00

One of my first pieces exploring some of the exciting features in iClone4. In this I used video as the texture on the cloth, and also played with HDR lighting & facial animation.

May Flowers - Remembering a Role

2009-10-14T16:45:00.004-05:00

A friend of mine just reminded me of a role I did in 2007 in JosephKW's "May Flowers". I played the lead character, May. Joseph is a marvelous director to work with - acting for him always is a pleasure. May Flowers is a delightful character and it was truly an honor to bring her to life with my voice. AnotherNewDawn co-starred and everytime I act opposite him I feel I need to really bring "it" to the table.

The movie was the 1st Place Winner of the H. P. Lovecraft Film Festival Competition, 2007.

Escaping Soon: Mistress Arach

2009-09-30T20:04:00.002-05:00

I put together a short teaser for a series I've started working on in iClone, partially inspired by the beautiful costumes created by Animatechnica.

Complication

2009-09-19T22:05:00.002-05:00

My latest movie "Complication" was premiered at the TMU Theater last Sunday. The audience topped out at 27, and I sincerely appreciate everyone who took the time to join the viewing.

Complication from Dulci on Vimeo.

The movie features AnotherNewDawn acting opposite me and beautiful music by Rik Vargard, which inspired the opening sequence.

A few people have asked how I created the floating rose petal, and I intend to discuss that technique on this Monday's Wolf & Dulci Hour.

As far as the meaning behind the movie or what I intended to "say", I don't believe the writer's interpretation is necessarily the correct one so I prefer to leave my viewpoint enigmatic. It has been interesting to read the varied comments on the movie - I'm never happier than when I release a movie and it stirs up conflicting opinions and viewpoints by those watching. Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to post a comment on the movie!

Complication - Live Premiere Sunday, September 13

2009-09-08T16:54:00.004-05:00

TMU Theater is a new way to premiere your movies to a live audience (connected via chat room). I've been to a few premieres over the last few weeks and have really enjoyed the experience. Hope to see you some of you there on Sunday!

Casting Call - Birth of the Black Widow

2009-09-03T21:27:00.001-05:00

I finally got my wish and have the perfect voiceactress cast in the crucial role of the Black Widow's mother. Your socks are gonna be knocked off by Anim8tor Cathy.

Which brings me to the next level (finally)....finalizing the script and getting the rest of the cast in place.

Naturally, I need some victims (these names are subject to change, and the sample lines aren't actually in the script). While the number of lines in each role is relatively small (1-5 lines or so), the roles are of course imperative to the plot. What would the Black Widow be without a trail of corpses behind her?

Timmy - This is the toughest one, as Timmy is around 17 years old. However, I need the actor who plays him to be at least 21 (this is due to my own paranoia, etc. etc. that I'm not going to bother going into).
Sample Line (inexperienced, young) - "I was nervous too."

Jerry (very sincere) - Early 20's. Sample Line - "I can't imagine anything better!"

Ricky (cocky) - Over 25. Sample Line - "Hey baby, come here often?"

Auditions can be sent to dulcineatmo@gmail.com. If you've been in one of my past movies, an audition isn't necessary - please just let me know via email that you are interested in participating, whether in one of these specific roles or as a misc. victim.

Never saw the original and have no idea that I'm talking about?

Roles, roles, and roles!

2009-08-25T19:30:00.004-05:00

It always seems to be the case - I do various voiceovers for people over a period of a few months, and no matter how I try to space them out, they all seem to be released around the same time. This past month has certainly validated my theory, as - prepare for Dulci overload - 5 of the movies I've acted in have recently been released....

The Only Alien on the Planet by Bella (me as Mrs. Tibbs)

Seventeen year old Virginia Christianson, aka Ginny, moves to a new home with her parents shortly after her older brother, Paul, moves out for college. It is there that she meets Caulder, her next door neighbor and classmate. Together they team up to solve the mystery of Smitty Tibbs. The boy who never speaks, never cries, never reacts to anyone. But soon Ginny realizes that the closer they get to Smitty, the more harm than good they seem to do to him.

Thy Neighbor by Overman (me as Girl)

A girl's tranquil evening is interrupted by her neighbor.

Darren by ChatNoir (me as Mom)

A surreal experience. This will be an entry for Filminute 2009 - a festival for one-minute movies of all kinds.

Donate Here by JosephKW (me as Miss Lifeless)

Another entry to the International Filminute (one-minute film) contest. And, interestingly enough, another surreal experience.

Odyssey Episode 5 by Killian (me as Commander Melissa Forbes)

"ECHOES OF YESTERDAY"
An expedition unearths Ancient ruins on the unexplored world of Calypso; Ryan meets an old flame, Frost has an unpleasant encounter with something unknown, and the Odyssey crew discovers the first inklings that something dangerous is lurking out amongst the stars…

Please support these excellent directors by letting them know what you think of their movies - I enjoyed working with each of them. Each has a unique style that made the experiences educational for me.

Aniboom's History Channel Competition - Rough Cuts submissions due Aug 31

2009-08-22T12:56:00.001-05:00

Submit your Rough Cut to Aniboom’s History Channel Competition and win $5,000. The first stage submissions period ends in less than two weeks—we are still looking for the top five "Rough Cuts" (early-stage works ranging anywhere from basic sketches, storyboards, animatics to partial or full animations), which you can synch up to the free audio provided exclusively at Aniboom.com/History.

The top five are awarded an automatic $5,000 so that they may be further developed into final animations. Those final animations then go on to compete for a $25,000 development deal and national television exposure.

This is a great opportunity for you to showcase your style, win cash prizes, and show off your animation to millions. It’s simple—just download 30 seconds of exclusive free audio and show us how you’d animate it— sketches, drawings, and storyboards are all fully welcome! But don’t wait to the last minute—our servers get a bit overloaded when everyone submits all at once!

With the first stage of this competition ending August 31^st, now is your time to win a cool $5,000 and get on the road to your big break!

Thanks,
The aniBoom team

Oil - my iClone tribute to famous movies

2009-08-20T15:05:00.000-05:00

My entry into the iClone Tribute to Famous Movies contest (deadline August 31st if you haven't entered yet)

Based on the movie Grease.

What I'm Looking Forward to the Most in iClone4

2009-08-18T21:50:00.002-05:00

There are multiple amazing, amazing features coming with iClone4, but the one I am looking forward to the most is the Real-Time 3D Facial Animation. Many of the other enhancements coming with Ver.4 are going to be exciting to play with (don't get me wrong, I WANT them ALL!!!), but I think this is the one I'll use the most often.

Real-Time 3D Facial Animation is going to deeply enhance my dialogue-driven storylines - not only will I be able to puppeteer a character as they are speaking, I will also be able to puppeteer the reactions of non-speaking characters.

I have spent so much time in CrazyTalk5 creating scripts to import into iClone3 to animate dialogue - but being able to do all of this right within iClone4 while I'm working on a scene is going to be such a pleasure and will bring the visible emotion of my characters to a higher level. Take a look:

Complication - Coming Soon

2009-08-14T13:23:00.002-05:00

Complication - Coming Soon
Featuring: AnotherNewDawn & Dulci
With music by: Rik Vargard

Every relationship has its ups and downs

A glimpse to tease you:

Back from Siggraph

2009-08-09T13:20:00.003-05:00

Details of the iClone4 preview I attended can be found here, and the demo videos provided by Reallusion thus far are as follows:

iClone4 - Drag & Drop Editing Video
iClone4 - Transition Curve Video
iClone4 - Video Texture as Image Layer Video
iClone4 - Motion Path with HDR Video

I had such an enjoyable time at Siggraph. What fun to meet my radio partner Wolf in the flesh (and relieved to discover that yes, he is a person and not a howling beast), along with Rainman of CoolClones, Lizard of TMUnderground, John Martin with Reallusion, James Martin with Reallusion (iClone training), Charles Chen with Reallusion (an incredibly gracious and welcoming host), and CloneBot Zack. I also had the opportunity to meet the talented Ricky Grove.

These kinds of experiences really make me feel that I'm part of a community of like-minded creative individuals who are enthused and energized to be delving into ever-changing technologies and seizing the seemingly endless advancements as opportunities to strengthen and give life to their imaginations. What an exciting time we live in!

One exhibit in particular stood out to me - iPi Soft is a markerless motion capture system that can work with your webcam. I downloaded the 30-day trial and now need to figure out how to work it - the interface looks fairly intuitive once you get the basics down. I think it's a 2-person operation so I'm waiting to grab a volunteer to push some buttons for me while I prance around my office. I'll let you know how it goes!

All in all, I'm feeling newly motivated to dive deeper into machinima / animation. I am spending the time between now and the release of iClone4 (hopefully sometime in September) creating sets and writing scripts. Stay tuned!

My first honest-to-goodness CloneCloth Creation

2009-07-31T11:18:00.003-05:00

This is not for the Reallusion costume contest - I was fiddling around with making a screenshot for another project and decided to experiment a bit with CloneCloth. I didn't try to do anything extensively fancy or difficult, but I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out.

Details on our Siggraph broadcast

2009-07-30T12:50:00.001-05:00

The Wolf & Dulci Hour will be broadcast live from Siggraph on Wednesday, August 5th, from 2pm-around 4pm CST. You will be able to hear us through www.tmoaradio.com, and we will also be participating in our usual live chat through the TMOA chat room.

We will be with Reallusion at the Marriot New Orleans Meeting Room.

Reallusion's schedule that day is as follows:

9:30-10:00am - Welcome power users and guests
10:00-2:00 - iClone4 sneak peek preview/ live products demo / what's new / features
2:00-4:00 - Us!
4:00-5:00 - WidgetCast product demo

Siggraph Here We Come!

2009-07-27T12:41:00.001-05:00

It's official - Wolf & I we will be broadcasting The Wolf & Dulci Hour live on the scene from Siggraph in New Orleans, as we share some space with Reallusion (iClone). Will we get them to spill more beans than they intend to during our frivolity? Tune in August 5th to find out!

We've received a couple of fantastic submissions in response to our theme song request - naturally, we can't have too many of those, so if you've been working on something, there's still time to send it on it to us.More details will be forthcoming - such as the exact start time and where you can find us if you're going to be at the event.

On tonight's show we will be discussing this a bit more - if you're going to Siggraph this year or have been to past conventions, we'd love to hear from you!

Confidence, Cockiness, Enthuasiasm, Self-Promotion?

2009-07-18T12:53:00.003-05:00

In the recent podcast TheViewZ, episode 2, there was a discussion about confidence versus cockiness. The thought has been playing around in my mind since I listened to it.

Both extremes to me can be obnoxious and seem self-serving. There are people who are almost apologetic about their machinima work and there are people who seem to expect others to thank them for the honor of watching their movies. And all throughout the middle are multiple categories and styles and personalities.

The question is, do we really know how we are coming across? Is our enthusiasm for our own work coming across as obnoxious self-accolades? Is pointing out our technical flaws and creative failings being viewed as pleas for compliments? Are the methods we use for self-promotion actually pushing people away from our work?

Alas!

2009-07-17T14:35:00.002-05:00

I want to start working on the latest competition from Reallusion - the Costume Design Competition.

I bought the G3 CloneCloth for both men and women when they first came out, installed them, looked at them in iClone, and haven't fiddled with them since. Today when I went into iClone to see what I could figure out, the clothed avatars for G3 CloneCloth are there but the CloneCloth models have vanished. Vanished! I reinstalled the men's version, and now the CloneCloth models are there but unusable - invalid avatar file error.

Needless to say I'm aggravated. Not to the point where I'm going to start ranting and raving, but I was gearing up to learn something that's been a challenge for me. I haven't even got remedial CloneCloth skills down yet. Now I have to waste that brain energy to figure out how to get the content back in, and by the time I'm done doing that, I know I'm not going to want to work on any projects.

So, Alas!

The One Where We Let Loose Our Inner Geeks

2009-07-15T16:01:00.003-05:00

The July 13 Wolf & Dulci Hour is now available for download here.

This week we boldly go where no icloner has gone before. We use the force. And contemplate the ramifications of 1.21 gigawatts. You guessed it - it's our Wolf & Dulci Sci Fi Special!

And as the icing on the cake to this very special show, listeners & downloaders alike have to let their inner geeks out in order to get this week's freebie content - a nifty sci fi prop sure to make you drool for fantastical adventures.

Listen to Wolf explain to me the nuances of creating a realistic looking starfield. And was he stumped this week? One of our most exciting Stump The Wolf segments yet - I could practically hear our chatroom listeners scribbling away in their notebooks as he spoke.

If this has your tastebuds watering for some sci fi fun, check out these iClone flicks:

Robot Racers Promo by christy0 and mrjrm
The Lazarus 8 mini-series by Raven2Angel
Ghost in the Machine by Raven2Angel
The War of the Worlds by Chris62
Soulking by Peter Martin
Coming Home by Lizard3209
Stowaways by VectisEthaniel
Star Wars the iClone Version by animatechnica

Tonight on the Wolf &Dulci Hour....

2009-07-13T19:43:00.001-05:00

iClone and Space....space.....space (like my cool echo effect there?)

On tonight's show one of the many many many topics we will be discussing is iClone and Science Fiction. After my appearance on the Roger & Ken Show yesterday, I feel the need to ingratiate myself even further into the sci fi subsection here on TMU. So if you've been wondering what/why/how makes iClone cool for sci fi productions - tune in tonight!

Tune in here at 9PM CST to join in the fun.

Interview/Disucssion tomorrow on TMOA

2009-07-11T16:05:00.001-05:00

Just in case you haven't heard me babble enough of late, tomorrow I will be on the Roger & Ken Show to discuss....well, anything they ask me!

Their show starts at 1pm CST but I don't expect to be on the air until sometime after 2:30.

You can listen to the show here.

The One Where We Get All Dressed Up

2009-07-09T14:41:00.004-05:00

July 6,2009 Wolf & Dulci Hour Download

Alley & her work with Bigboss' SkinTight series
Animatechnica & CloneCloth for G2 and CloneCloth for G3
Great clothing freebies available from CoolClones
Tons of tips on utilizing CloneCloth
The freebie of the week exemplifying how easy it is to use the Google Sketchup Warehouse hand-in-hand with 3DXchange
A look at Omanuel's latest movie - Injured Bad
And a special petition to Reallusion to put a stopgap in before replacing saved projects

Thanks as always to our listeners, downloaders (that should be a word if it isn't already), and the man behind the TMOA curtain - Ken!

CloneCloth Experts

2009-07-06T16:14:00.001-05:00

On tonight's Wolf & Dulci Hour we will have two CloneCloth experts on to discuss the various features of that software.

Alley will be focusing on her work with Bigboss' SkinTight series, and Animatechnica will be focusing on CloneCloth for G2 and CloneCloth for G3.

The show starts at 9pm CST - Listen Here and Join the Chat Here.

John Martin on Wolf & Dulci Hour - Download

2009-07-01T13:32:00.001-05:00

We had the pleasure of talking with John Martin last night on the Wolf & Dulci Hour about Reallusion and his latest movie. Although some might argue that John had a momentary loss of sanity by agreeing to join us, we really enjoyed the opportunity to chat with him. The download of that show is now available here.

John Martin on tonight's Wolf & Dulci Hour

2009-06-29T14:17:00.002-05:00

We are thrilled that John Martin II has agreed to come on the air with us tonight to discuss his latest release, For the love of Sprog! The movie can be viewed here.

In addition to the usual nonsensical frivolity, I'm hoping to sit back and listen to the two masterminds (probably the one & only time I'll put that in writing about Wolf!) discuss iClone. I don't know about you, but I plan on having the program open while they are talking just to see if I can keep up a little.

See you all tonight at 9pm CST - listen live here and feel free to join us in the chatroom.

Small Acts of War Now Playing

2009-06-27T16:51:00.001-05:00

Small Acts of War from Dulci on Vimeo.

(Watch in HD on Vimeo for best experience)

The friction between the Risoni and Gromann factions has steadily increased over the years, resulting in a tumultuous battle that left both sides nearly decimated.

One small act will decide the final outcome of this war.

Featuring Bella, Anim8tor Cathy, and Dulci. Original music score by Nukester.

Two MUST SEE Machinima Movies

2009-06-24T15:47:00.005-05:00

Sisch's version of Kate Lee's The Afflicted is truly a masterpiece. Created primarily with Moviestorm, she takes us to a future sans emotion, and yet the layers of emotion that she uses to paint the story are rich and diverse. Stupendous work with a beautiful soundtrack and exceptional voiceactors. Sisch once again shows us how it is done.

The year is 51 PD (Post Disaster).

Thanks to having been changed by genetic engineering, mankind is on a fast recovery from the devastation. But what are the consequences of the change?

For the love of Sprog! by John Martin II is a delightful excursion with fanciful, charming creatures. Crafted with iClone, James envelops us in a sensory extravaganza. This is such an enjoyable watch...everything fits together, from the fanciful music, to the wonderful particle effects, the enveloping environment, the delightful interplay, and every little wiggle, jiggle, and bounce is just utterly charming.

Grab a bowl of popcorn, sit back and push play on this double feature.

The One Where We Are Struck By Lightning - June 22nd Download

2009-06-23T14:28:00.004-05:00

The One Where We Are Struck By Lightning

In the June 22nd show Wolf & I take you on a special journey, exploring:

Features of CrazyTalk 6
Redi Direko vs Floyd Shivambo - The Animated Summary by Roy Blumenthal
Berlin Wall Graffiti Animation by John Martin
Heroes of the War by Bart Mancuso Lee

and, of course, the movie that we have been smitted (smitten? smited? smote?) with lightning for watching and discussing....
Boo by MarvelousGuppi

One of the character actors in the movie, themonk (see his Security Guards in Space series), joined us to discuss Boo as well as using CrazyTalk 5 for multiple character animation.

The exclusive giveway Freebie is a set of comfy fluffy pillows. Just send the phrase that pays to wolfzone@wolfzone.org for your own set.

The show is available for download here.

If any of you are insanely diehard fans of mine, I'm also in the second half of the Industry 101 Show from June 21st - available here.

Oh, and how could I almost forget....my lovely lovely cover of Linkin Park's One Step Closer (the special Shut Up Wolf! version)...

"That's So Wrong" Series by Nahton

2009-06-21T20:18:00.002-05:00

Have you seen this yet? If not, you've been missing out. The ones below are only 30 seconds each, and it's almost ungodly unfair how funny 1 person can be in just 30 seconds...

June 22nd Wolf & Dulci Hour

2009-06-21T13:30:00.002-05:00

This week on the Wolf & Dulci Hour...

*CrazyTalk6 - neither of us have it yet, but don't worry - that won't stop us from having opinions on it! If you have any CrazyTalk 6 projects you'd like us to take a look at, please post a link in this thread.

*Reallusion's War & Peace Contest - the deadline is closing in. *gulp*

As well as the usual - any movies that caught our eye, Stump the Wolf! (great question this week), general frivolity...

As always, please submit your audio commercials and Stump the Wolf questions to dulcineatmo@gmail.com.

See ya tomorrow night at 9pm CST here.

The One Where We Pompously Discuss Art - June 15th Show Download

2009-06-16T16:46:00.005-05:00

This week we chose to focus on the use of iClone to create 3D still image renderings.

With the limited amount of time, we weren't able to focus on all the great examples that are out there, but we did take a look at the works found here:

Wicked Oz Images by Capemedia
Images by Armstrong
Alemar Historyboards
Wolfzone Digital Art
Once Upon a Time Images by Wireframe Animations
Still renders by Animatechnica

We also discussed the fun to be had in creating imagery to coincide with poetry:

The Most Amazing Things by Peter Martin
Leaves of Grass Web Animation by Paumanok West

A good opportunity to explore poetry & moviemaking is in Blue's Poetry Animation Contest.

The super duper uber freebie was announced, and those who send the super duper uber passphrase to wolfzone@wolfzone.org can receive their own personal copy of the bookcase and books.

And don't forget to listen to the lovely song I made for Wolf in the intro of the show, followed by EmeraldEdge's rendition of Feed My Frankenstein in the break.

The show can be downloaded here.

See y'all next week!

Dulci's Perspective

Moving the blog

2010 - A Year in Voiceacting

CrazyTalk Animator Demo by WarLord

Valleygirl Video Blog

Tonight - iClone & Sketchup

Han's Grail by JosephKw

Grumpier Old Men in 2D

Medieval Gibbett and Wall Torch

Countdown to Machinima Expo - 4 Days To Go!

Countdown to Machinima Expo - 5 Days To Go!

The Big Event by Jorge Campos

Dagon by Lainy Voom

Clockwise: Part 1 by Nefarious Guy

That girl stole my Nick…..by VOOM

Major League Azeroth by AFK Pla@yers

Moonlighter by Igor Tkachenko

The Ills of Silence by Walvince

Order of Madness by Eugene Tan

A Woman’s Trial by Chantal Harvey

gEISHA by Krrish Spyker

It’s a Wonderful Second Life – Breathe 2 by SamLowry Hawks

TERRA by Rod Pulsar

Unheimliche by Pierre Gaudillere, et al

Out in the Cold by Legs Machinima

Success Begets Success by Pamela Crabtree

W B Yeats – An Irish Airman Foresees His Death by R. Boyd

Countdown to Machinima Expo - 6 Days to Go!

The Duleks Episode 6

SketchUp & iClone Rendering Contest

iClone Wiki Commercial Contest Winners

Hidden

Latest Favorites

DJ Booth Freebie from iClone Revolution

Star Force 7 - Teaser Clips

International Movie Trailer Festival

As relayed by OpenFilm....Call For EntriesThe International Movie Trailer Festival$5,000 Grand Prize

The Only Alien On The Planet - Part 4

Useful sites

What are you doing Nov 20 & 21?

Star Force 7 Updates

Getting the family involved in your projects

Now I just need to get some 3D glasses

Solar Freyr

Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds

First peek at Chani

Warlord's Gauntlet and Mech Tech Demo

Pinhead Results Announced

Outerspace Atmosophere into iClone

Voting for the Pinhead Competition

iClone Animation Class - Part Two

The Movies to Blender to iClone

Blender into iClone Test

Free iClone Sci-Fi Pack

iClone Sci Fi Contest - Getting Started

Part 1 - The Day We All Turned Into Aliens

Zoological Madness Winners

Floating City Props

Free Introductory Class to iClone4

iClone Avatars via Evolver

iClone Revolution Content Store

MMIF 2010

The Outland - Freeport 7

Alive

The OutLand - Freeport 7 Promo

Redemption Miniseries Teaser

Robots, Machines & Mechanical Creatures - Oh My!

Introducing the cast

IC Warehouse is Launched

James Martin on tonight's Wolf & Dulci Hour

Episode 2 - "The Mod" - Machinima vs Anymation

Info and Credits

Machinima Vs Anymation - Episode 2 - Tonight

VA roles in 2009

Machinima Vs Anymation - Episode 2

Casting Call - B Movie

Top 10 Favorites of 2009

Mad World by GoofParade

Stunning work in iClone4

Top 10 Machinimators Who....

As relayed by OpenFilm....
Call For Entries
The International Movie Trailer Festival
$5,000 Grand Prize