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WoW Moviewatch: Warcraft Themes Covered on Guitar
A guy I knew back in college used to say, "It ain't music until it's on guitar." And while I can't quite agree with such a refined taste in tunes, I definitely see where he was going with the sentiment. There's a je ne sais quoi to music on guitar that lends itself to a certain studious introspection. Or shredding. It's often just the shredding. That's why I got so excited to see Melvenor's new cover of Warcraft Themes Covered on Guitar. He really did an amazing job with the music, and these chords are pretty tasty. Take the time to kick back and relax with both the video and the guitar; it's a great ride. Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at moviewatch@wowinsider.com.
WoW Moviewatch: Warcraft II Unofficial Trailer
Technology has come a long way since the original Warcraft games were released, including the ability to create machinima. Given those advances, Melvenor jumped back in time and revisited his favorite video game. After spending some time in the past, he returned to us with this Warcraft II Unofficial Trailer. The audience reaction to this trailer was overwhelming. When the video cut to game footage, the entire hall burst in nostalgic laughter. The trailer isn't just one long joke, though. Melvenor laced the video with the gorgeous scenes and intense dialogue for which he's known. Congratulations to Melvenor for first place in the BlizzCon 2011 machinima contest. Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at moviewatch@wowinsider.com.
WoW Moviewatch: Cataclysm themes on guitar
This video was put together by Melvenor, who did something novel with the music. He covered some of the most popular themes from Cataclysm on guitar. The result is a beautiful movie with some amazing music. Melvenor really proves how creative people tend to expand in more than one area. He's not just a machinima maker; he's also a fairly impressive musician. I was blown away by how well he translated the game's music to a new format. It's definitely great fodder for background music or even spending a night with some headphones and a touch of brandy. As always, Melvenor does some amazing stuff. You should definitely take the time to check this movie out. Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at moviewatch@wowinsider.com.
WoW Moviewatch: Faces of Cataclysm - The Return of the Highborne
Your regular host, Mr. Michael Gray, is out today. He probably has a good reason -- he usually does. You're stuck with me for Moviewatch today. But fear not, Moviewatchers, for I bring you Faces of Cataclysm, Chapter III: The Return of the Highborne by epic machinamator Melvenor. Melvenor is one of the last epic machinamators who takes the lore of World of Warcraft and adds bits of flair, acting, and depth to tell pieces of Warcraft's story. His most recent Cataclysm movie is all about the return of the Highborne to Night Elven society and the pains they must endure to win back the trust of their Kaldorei brothers and sisters. On his way to meet with the Night Elves in Silvermoon Refuge, a Highborne conjurer is in the wrong place at the wrong time. Epic machinima is a hard sell for me, at times. Melvenor's work, however, feels like it has just the right amount of quality, substance, and skill that makes his epic machinima work. The camera work is great, the voice acting is superb, and the video itself looks wonderful, cleaned up with a bit of After Effects. If you haven't seen Melvenor's work yet, you owe yourself a few minutes to do so. Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at moviewatch@wowinsider.com.
WoW Moviewatch: Home, Sweet Andorhal
This is the full version of Melvenor's entry into the BlizzCon 2010 machinima contest. Home, Sweet Andorhal takes place some time after the fall of the Lich King, when both the humans and the Forsaken seek to return to Western Plaguelands. In Melvenor's interpretation, the Forsaken arrive just a little bit sooner. This video is absolutely amazing to watch and highlights Melvenor's commitment to storytelling. Check out the YouTube page for full credits; Melvenor got together quite a team to work with him on this video. In the spirit of the movie: Adieu, and may the Dark Lady watch over you. Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at machinima@wow.com.
WoW Moviewatch: Sons of Grim Batol
SPOILER WARNING: This video has spoilers about Cataclysm. This review has spoilers about the video. This spoiler warning has spoilers about both. Melvenor is pretty well-known to the fans who love "big book" lore. He creates movies intrinsically tied to the lore of World of Warcraft, putting his own artistic vision and deep effort into the videos. Sons of Grim Batol is the first chapter in his Faces of Cataclysm series, which sets up a pretty exciting followup for later episodes. My favorite bit came when the dwarves, confronted with the unconquerable might of a lone, shirtless troll, drolly shoot him down. I know this kind of deadpan slapstick isn't exactly bleeding-edge humor, but it still tickles my funny bone. I love Melvenor's stuff, so here's hoping for a relatively swift second chapter to the Faces of Cataclysm series. Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at machinima@wow.com.
WoW Moviewatch: The Legend of the Sister Blade
You may remember Melvenor from The Ballad of Matthias Lehner in November. The Ballad was a gorgeous cinematic send-up of Azeroth's lore, focusing on the story behind the Lich King. Melvenor promised more projects at the time, and he has delivered now in April with The Legend of the Sister Blade. This movie is based entirely on in-game lore, recounted by a blood elf named Melvenor. This movie is absolutely gorgeous and incredibly compelling. I'm very familiar with the story of the Sister Blade, but Melvenor kept the story fresh and inviting. Even using a few files directly from the quest line, The Legend of Sister Blade felt entirely original. Melvenor did a great job narrating his original script, and conveyed the emotion and events without sounding melodramatic or overwrought. He was also truthful and loyal to WoW's lore, which means this is a great video for folks looking for exposure to the backstory of the game. I am continuously impressed by Melvenor. As a small note, you might recognize the song -- it's Katethegreat's rendition of the Lament of the Highborne. That makes me love Melvenor's work even more, since he's using fan art to create new fan art. Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an e-mail at machinima AT wow DOT com.
WoW Moviewatch: The Ballad of Matthias Lehner
Regular lore fans are probably pretty familiar with good old Matthias Lehner. It seems the little ghostly boy has some connection to the Lich King, and that story is one that's sparked the imagination of many World of Warcraft players. Melvenor is helping to immortalize the young chap with the creation of The Ballad of Matthias Lehner. The video itself is actually relatively short. Its scenery and composition are both beautiful, drawing on the stark Icecrown landscapes to help highlight Melvenor's story. The voice-acting was also pretty good, which made the video relatively easy to follow. It probably could have used a little more plot action to help keep the audience involved, but if you take the film as a genre piece, it all works out fairly well. At the end of the day, this is a nice addition the machinima about Lehner, so I'm curious to see what Melvenor will do next. Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an e-mail at machinima AT wow DOT com.
