iClone Sci Fi Contest - Getting Started

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.

Machinima Vs Anymation - Episode 2

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?

Machinima Vs Anymation

Actors	Information	Credits
Machinima Character by Killian Anymation Character by The Biz	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 and WarLord Music by Masters of Mario Animation, Editing and Direction by WarLord

Visit the Machinima Vs Anymation website here.

Machiniwhat? Competition

What is your unique perspective on machinima and anymation? Directing? Scriptwriting? Research? Producing? Voiceacting? Reviewing? Special Effects?

I could go on and on...but I'd rather hear from you!

RULES

*Approved software are: TheMovies, iclone, MovieStorm, SecondLife, The Sims (combinations of these are accepted as well). Other game footage is allowed as long as the predominant engine for creation is one of those listed above.
*Voiceovers and subtitles are both accepted
*Entries must be added to the Machinwhat? Movie Competition channel on TMU by April 15th
*Submissions can be any length
*1 entry per participant
*Collaborations are allowed
*Subject material must be related to machinima/anymation

CONFIRMED JUDGES

Hugh Hancock - Author of Machinima for Dummies

Ricky Grove - Actor, machinima maker, author/journalist

db4321 - Dedicated reviewer - a steady member of the TMO (now TMU) community for as long as I can remember.

CONFIRMED PRIZES

*Featured movie on TMU homepage
*Featured on TMU blog
*Live interview on TMOA Radio
*Copy of the book Machinima for Dummies
More prizes TBA


So if you're, say, a voice actor, you could make a movie about voice acting, being a voice actor, the trials and tribulations of voice acting, whatever - comedy, drama, melodrama, horror, documentary....I could see anything from a documentary on how to read a character from the script, to a horror movie about dealing with an insane, controlling director.


Some examples to get your creative juices flowing:

To TMO or Not to TMO by Rileyman

Film Form the Vernacular of Cinema by alainmoreau

Reimagining an oldie

I'm reworking one of my oldest movies and it's been a fascinating project.

Initially I thought I would split out the audio from the original and use that with new footage, but my voiceover quality is so poor (it was one of my first VO roles) that it began distracting me. I do love my new snowball mic.

I've spent about 20 hours total so far on the first minute. That does include time spent setting up the location, props, characters, costumes, etc.

Iclone has been an amazing tool for getting everything organized. Sketchup warehouse led me to the PERFECT set.

I found my dream costume for the main character at www.coolclones.com.

The funnest part thus far has been setting up the animations. Now, I've not delved into the world of creating my own animations, but I have learned how to break up existing animations to pull just the portion I want to use, move animations around on the timeline, set up multiple characters to be doing various animations at the same time, and goodies of that sort.

I have no anticipated date of release yet, as this is very much a labor of love.

Why do I make movies?

Why do I make movies? First and foremost, it’s because I have fun doing it. I never thought when I posted my first movie that anyone would ever watch it. I thought – hehe! Look what I did! I felt like a little kid who had figured out a new trick and wanted to impress herself with it over and over again.

From there, I began to look at the movies other people had made. There was (and still is) A LOT to be impressed by. I found that very inspiring. I realized I had stories to tell. I have always been a writer - I just never thought I’d have an outlet to lift those stories off of paper and into something visual.

My abstract movies really appeal to me because I remember trying to paint or sculpt. I would have a definite idea in mind and no matter how hard I tried, I could not get the tools to cooperate. With machinima, I have so many options and opportunities to see my inner vision come to fruition. Each and every movie I finish leaves me with a sense of completion. That is a feeling that is beyond measure.

Nowadays, when I find myself looking around and realizing to no little astonishment that over the years I have been blessed with a growing audience, a large part of the enjoyment I receive is in seeing comments about how my work has touched someone. Hearing from someone that I managed to tug at an emotion they haven’t felt in a while, or that a forgotten memory had been brought to the fore for them, is astounding. Reading that I made someone think and reflect is truly inspiring to me, and keeps me energized. I never know which movies will reach which people, but it seems that I always speak to someone on some level. That leaves me gazing in the mirror with no small amount of awe wondering…what brought me to this place? I am honored that anyone takes 5 or 10 minutes of their time to click play on one of my movies.

Some of my movies have multiple actors, some just me narrating, and others no voices at all. When other actors volunteer for my projects, I am again so flattered and grateful that they like my script enough and trust me enough to be willing to participate in the production.

The assistance I have been given over the years from actors, musicians, technology gurus, supportive fans – none of these were the reason I delved into machinima, but they are a significant factor for my continuation.

I Will Not Speak of It Released

I Will Not Speak of It premiered at the TMU Movie Night (please watch the TMUnderground blog for more information on that event).

A special thanks to Rainman, www.coolclones.com, James Martin, thebiz, and BiggsTrek.

The vast majority of the movie was created using iclone3, but can you spot where I integrated TheMovies as well?


Some secrets are better left unknown....and unspoken....



If you follow the link to Vimeo you can watch the movie in HD.