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WoW Moviewatch: Oxhorn Brand Medley
Reader Ted T. asked for a good place to get started with Oxhorn videos. That's a really tough call, because Oxhorn's created so many different movies. But, I guess my favorite Oxhorn piece is the Oxhorn Brand Medley. (Moo Money actually first covered it about a year ago.)Not only does it combine everything there is to love about Oxhorn machinima, it also expands his music in some interesting ways. When my fiancee and I first saw it, we spent all weekend singing its chorus over and over and over.The chorus seems simple, but is actually rather difficult to belt out in tune and in time. "LOLOMGWTGDAIRYQUEEN" flies across the screen to help you know what Oxhorn's singing, but getting it down corectly and reliably can be a challenge. The "Oxhorn Brand Medley" revisits and tips its hat to some of his best songs, but still manages to blend them all together in a convincing way.While it might help if you're familiar with Oxhorn's many videos, you definitely don't need to have seen them to enjoy the video. Take a few minutes, check it out, and see what you think.If you have any suggestions for WoW Moviewatch, you can mail them to us at machinima AT wowinsider DOT com.Previously on Moviewatch
WoW Moviewatch: Green Tambourine
Dude. Wait, what? I think I got a contact high from watching this trippy video. This is Green Tambourine by Demachic. It seems like we've missed covering it before now, which is a shame. As the story goes, a bored Blood Elf finds a trippy hookah hanging around, and decides to try it out. He's looking to break that boredom and day-to-day life he leads in Silvermoon.While it might be my inner hippy speaking out, I found this video absolutely gorgeous. The colors are vibrant and beautiful, and Demachic's flair for scenery sets up a great context for the music. All the characters really fit in that 60s and 70s psychadelic genre, and the whole thing just comes together wonderfully.The song was originally by the Lemon Pipers, and it actually reached #1 on the charts in 1968. Demachic's video is a great homage to the song.Thanks to Stephen for the tip!If you have any suggestions for WoW Moviewatch, you can mail them to us at machinima AT wowinsider DOT com.Previously on Moviewatch
WoW Moviewatch: In Memory - Retribution Final Trailer
The In Memory - Retribution Final Trailer is one hell of a piece of work. The author, Necka, says that he's over 70% done with the actual movie, and that he and his production team are in the final stretch of completion. The script writer is Kirochi, who seems to have created a powerful story.The trailer hints at the movie's epic action, including more than a few appearances from WoW's biggest bad guys. The movie has been through a few bumps and bruises such as delayed start times, and having to work with scenes that existed before its current incarnation. Even with those challenges, this looks like the final production is totally going to be worth it.The subtitles can be a little tough to read, but the voices are clear and easily understood. The camera work in awesome, and I think Necka's framed each scene in a way that really captures your attention and imagination. The YouTube video can take a little time to load, but is totally worth the wait.[Via WarcraftMovies.com]If you have any suggestions for WoW Moviewatch, you can mail them to us at machinima AT wowinsider DOT com.Previously on Moviewatch
WoW Moviewatch: Gnomebusters
Maitseling of Chroniques Darnassiennes posted Gnomebusters over on Warcraft Movies. The movie came about because, apparently, Maitseling's guild mates complained that he hadn't featured gnomes in machinimas. How better to address that issue than with an homage to one of the finest films ever created?The video's a lot of fun. I like the way Maitseling translated the world of Ghostbusters into something visual in Azeroth. My only complaint would be that none of the soundtrack references WoW, since the song and dialogue is pretty much a direct lift from the original movie. That didn't really detract from my enjoyment of the film, though. I'm old enough that I saw the original film in the theatre, and Maitseling's work really took me back.Who's afraid of those gnomes?If you have any suggestions for WoW Moviewatch, you can mail them to us at machinima AT wowinsider DOT com.Previously on Moviewatch
WoW Moviewatch: World of Warcraft 101: Episode 2 - The City Life
Wowcrendor has released a follow up to his World of Warcraft Instructional Video. He's changed the naming convention a tad, now calling it the World of Warcraft 101, Episode 2 -- The City Life. This sequel's focused on Billy's first time wandering into Orgrimmar.The video is smile-worthy enough to watch a couple of times, and I think it's fun for quick, low-pressure viewing. The video uses all the same tactics and gags as the first one, though, so I'm not sure how much more play it has left along those lines. WoW 101 is certainly a good idea, but maybe adding another voice actor would help expand the universe for any further episodes.If you have any suggestions for WoW Moviewatch, you can mail them to us at machinima AT wowinsider DOT com.Previously on Moviewatch
WoW Moviewatch: Why you should never eat a brownie
Okay, I need help with this one. Waus from Trollbane sent Why you should never eat a brownie in to us. As the story goes, Waus was eating a brownie when he suffered from a collapsed lung. While in the hospital recuperating, he was inspired to create this machinima. I don't know what to make of this video, so I'm curious what the legion of Moviewatchers think about it.The video's short and fast-paced. Basically, an evil Draenei snags a dangerous brownie and tricks a Night Elf into eating it. The voice acting is subtitled, but I'm pretty sure the Japanese dialogue does not match up with the subtitles. Obviously, after the Night Elf eats the brownie, she suffers dire consequences.I feel almost ashamed to admit it, but the video made me laugh. It's just so over the top that it got giggles from me. The Blood Elf voice was worth a chuckle, and the whole thing is just so absurd it hit my funny bone. The animation isn't fancy, but I don't think that was supposed to be the point anyway. So, I don't know. It made me laugh, like I said, but what do you think of it?If you have any suggestions for WoW Moviewatch, you can mail them to us at machinima AT wowinsider DOT com.Previously on MoviewatchEDIT: By the way, Waus is a "he." The pronoun monster bit me.
WoW Moviewatch: Leeroy 5 - For the Horde
Occasionally, we're reminded that WoW Moviewatch isn't just machinima. It can be live action movies, also. Today's film proves exactly that, because there's no way I could pass it up. Herculean Productions has released their new episode, Leeroy 5 - For the Horde.I love this Leeroy as much as I loved Leeroy 4. They're having fun, and totally rocking out with their enjoyment of the game. The little gags and spoofs are done with a deep affection for the subect, and that translates into a bouyant film experience. The special effects are just enough to convey the game events they're describing, and the team uses creative angles to make the "inside" of an instance believable.As a significant note, however, the predictable "Leeroy Jenkins" jokes finally made their way into the series. Considering the cultural history of Jenkins to WoW players, I found the references satisfying.So, click here to check out Leeroy 5. You'll either thank me, or flame me. Either way, I think you'll have some fun with this movie.If you have any suggestions for WoW Moviewatch, you can mail them to us at machinima AT wowinsider DOT com.Previously on Moviewatch
WoW Moviewatch: The Inevitable Cataclysm
Today's Moviewatch is a production of FlyingCow Studios. The Inevitable Cataclysm is a trailer for an upcoming PvP film. These things just keep getting more and more finely produced, don't they? Even though it's a trailer, I'm pretty sure that the final video will come to fruition. We'll have to wait and see if it actually lives up to this preview.What's interesting about this is the implication of a story driving the inevitable PvP footage. We've seen other authors do similar, but I think FlyingCow is being very upfront about its own tongue-in-cheek nature. Of course, the same could be said about Buddhist's work. But while I felt like Buddhist had a lot of commentary in the video, "The Inevitable Cataclysm" feels more obviously sarcastic. The opening monologue is pretty over the top, and the "coming soon" seals the deal.If nothing else, though,"The Inevitable Cataclysm" might be worth a faint chuckle for its 90 second run time. They did a good job of keeping it short and to-the-point, and letting us hope for more.If you have any suggestions for WoW Moviewatch, you can mail them to us at machinima AT wowinsider DOT com.Previously on Moviewatch
WoW Moviewatch: World of Warcraft -- Haikus
In honor of today's featured movie, I was going to write this entire post in haiku. It's possible, but I don't think it would have been convincing or effective. Still, I wanted you to know it was on my mind. You can share a little "ha ha" with me at our little untold joke.World of Warcraft - Haikus was created by John DeVeaux for his film class at Emily Carr University. The project was to use pieces of "found footage," and fit it together in the context of a haiku. John took pieces from official trailers -- some are based on gameplay, while others come from different sources -- and framed it inside several text scenes.The machinima is awesome, but it's all official stuff so I'm not really surprised. What impressed me, however, was John's sense of poetry. He pulled official game language to create several haikus, all with a very strong sense of urgency and epic intent. Each haiku lends importance and inspiration to the video, and I think ultimately created a much stronger experience. If John progresses into his own machinima, I think he could create some impressive stuff.
WoW Moviewatch: M is for Muchacho
Warning: There's a bit of sex bits in here, which might weird you out a bit.M is for Muchacho was suggested to me by Art on the tip line. Uploaded by Wuza, this video is actually one hell of an interesting freshman effort. The plot is a familiar one. A small group of compatriots are relaxing by their campfire when the king's men come to harass them. Unable to pay their taxes, the cadre must train at the feet of a combat master in order to defend themselves when the king's men return. What makes it so interesting to me? While the animation is basically made up of various in-game footage, "M is for Muchacho" shows a definite appreciation for story. At a run time of over 20 minutes, the story admittedly could have used a faster pace. Another option might have been to chop it up into smaller pieces. Regardless, Wuza was clearly trying to work on characterization, plot, and story-arc progression. (Also, I found the soundtrack choice for the muchachos' training montage to be hilarious.)I hope Wuza keeps working and developing. I like story-based machinima, and I'm always eager to see new creators enter the fold.If you have any suggestions for WoW Moviewatch, you can mail them to us at machinima AT wowinsider DOT com.Previously on Moviewatch
WoW Moviewatch:The Avenger trailer
Selserene tipped me off to this really cool little video. This is the Avenger trailer by Dtbn. The full movie is probably going to be released sometime in late summer, and is described by the author as being "action packed."I love to see action-oriented machinima, and if this trailer is any kind of indication, I think Dtbn will be able to deliver. I think it does a great job of setting up quick pathos for the main character, and then conveys stylized, interesting conflict. The use of bullet-time slow-motion and dynamic framing makes the action compelling and interesting, even if we know most of the character movements are based on in-game emotes. While it is a trailer, and not all trailers turn into full movies, I hope Dtbn follows through. It looks promising, and I'm excited for it.If you have any suggestions for WoW Moviewatch, you can mail them to us at machinima AT wowinsider DOT com.Previously on Moviewatch
WoW Moviewatch: Inventing Swear Words 5
Inventing Swear Words has been one of my favorite Oxhorn machinima series. Its lighthearted, playful nature won me over early, and the unmistakable pokes at WoW culture frequently made me laugh. It's been a year since the release of Inventing Swear Words 4, when Mortuus and Lacy got married. In this final chapter, the team has an epic plan to finally force their new swear words on the entire World of Warcraft. It's got all of the cameos you'd want out of the final chapter of a saga, a great resolution, and the same fun music you'd expect from Oxhorn. Mr. Horn does assure us the characters will be back in other works, which makes me happy. I love those guys.If you have any suggestions for WoW Moviewatch, you can mail them to us at machinima AT wowinsider DOT com.Previously on Moviewatch
WoW Moviewatch: The Scytheguard Recruitment Video
It's been a little while since we've had a guild recruitment video on Moviewatch, so I was pretty happy to get a note from Horror. He told us about the Scytheguard Recruitment Video, which he'd built for his Forsaken-only roleplay guild on Sentinels.The video's got a few good ideas behind it, and has a few things that could be improved. First, I liked Horror's idea for a voice-over. Since his guild is exclusively for the undead, starting off with that nightmarish "you can't breathe anymore" idea is a great start to roleplay. That being said, I think the opening went a little longer than needed. Anyone checking out a trailer needs fast-paced action, or they'll wander off.I think showing snippets of Northrend is also a good idea. There's enough random footage of gameplay out there that you want your prospective recruit to know you're progressing, and enjoying current content. Otherwise, they may assume your guild's just a few friends who threw a Fraps up on YouTube. (And while there's nothing wrong with that, it might get in the way of recruitment.)Now, this was Horror's first and only video so far, so I can see why he's using an unregistered Fraps. But if he does more videos, he should go ahead and grab the registered version, and get the watermark off the top of his video. The video looks neat, but the watermark's a little distracting.If you have any suggestions for WoW Moviewatch, you can mail them to us at machinima AT wowinsider DOT com.Previously on Moviewatch
WoW Moviewatch: Van Helsing Trailer
Wello posted his Van Helsing Trailer over on Myndflame, with some commentary that I found pretty interesting. First, it's his fourth video, and the one he feels best about. More importantly, Wello said that he'd searched far and wide for anyone else who'd already created a Van Helsing trailer. He found none, so immediately made one himself. He considered it his "time to shine."It's easy to forget that the creation of machinima is usually sourced in an author's passion for the subject. Okay, so while Hugh Jackman rocking a crossbow and funny hat might not be humanity's key pathos, it's something for which Wello has a lot of love. (Hell, maybe Hugh Jackman is a strong enough collective obsession, anyway, given what opened this weekend.) Machinimators don't make a bunch of money off their work, it's entirely a labor or love.The video itself is pretty keen. It's just a stylized recreation of the video, using stand-ins from WoW for the various actors. I was a little surprised to see Kate Beckinsale turned into a Blood Elf, but I guess that makes sense in context. I think Wello did a good job of choosing models and scenery, but the characters themselves could use a little more motion. Ultimately, it was a fun video that I enjoyed watching. I look forward to seeing Wello's skills grow.[Via Myndflame]If you have any suggestions for WoW Moviewatch, you can mail them to us at machinima AT wowinsider DOT com.Previously on Moviewatch
WoW Moviewatch: Best of Myndflame Machinima
I plan to talk more about a recent gathering at Stanford, which was focused on the growth and trends of "machinima law." But for Moviewatch today, I wanted to highlight a small artifact of work that was displayed at Stanford. Specifically, Myndflame created this Best of Myndflame Machinima to help illustrate the power of machinima.Like many nostalgia or memorial reels, "Best of Myndflame Machinima" recaps several different pieces. You might recognize them all, or you might see a preview of something new. I was definitely inspired to go back and re-watch some old favorites, like the Slim Jim commercial or HMS Theramore.This video reminded me of the long history machinima has with WoW. While I know many folks haven't "gotten into" the whole machinima thing, it's hard not to discuss the WoW community without eventually talking about videos like Big Blue Dress or Escape from Orgrimmar. It's all linked together in my mind, and Myndflame's highlight reel brings back warm memories of time we've all spent seeing these movies.Their contribution can't be denied, even if it's not central to our daily gameplay. Machinima brings a rich aspect to the game. Innovators like Myndflame or Baron Soosdon, and even new machinimators just getting started, are part of what makes the World of Warcraft more than "just a game." Their art enriches and adds value to the hobby. I guess that might just be me, but I can't imagine spending so much time with WoW without these guys being part of our collective experience.Check out the Best of Myndflame here!
WoW Moviewatch: FI5VE - Deleted Opening
X-Cross has been building a new machinima series, titled FI5VE. As an author works on this kind of thing, there are myriads of outtakes. These aren't always mistakes. Some of the scenes they build, film, make all pretty, and then simply decide that the final product doesn't work our for them. This deleted opening is exactly such an out take. X-Cross ultimately decided that it was too long to open each episode.But it's still an awesome piece of video. FI5VE is about five gnomes with unique, special powers. Well, unique and special to gnomes. The five superheroes have managed to become the five classes gnomes cannot be in game. (Those five classes are Priest, Paladin, Druid, Shaman, and Hunter.) This sounds like a really cool project, so I was excited about this deleted opening. The animation and character work looks really great. X-Cross has managed to squeeze a lot of personality into these few seconds. And, of course, getting to see a gnome turn into a druid cat has long been a wish of mine. Click here to check out FI5VE's deleted opening!
WoW Moviewatch: World of Warcraft Instructional Video
You might remember Wowcrendor from It's a Hard Gnome Life. That piece was a comedy satire about many of WoW's most interesting little quirks. Well, Wowcrendor's back, with a new piece that will help us cynics have a cold chuckle at our own folly. The World of Warcraft Instructional Video actually had me laughing out loud.This simple instructional video involves brief cuts from gameplay, but also features two very important voiceovers. The first voice is "Billy," a complete and total newb to the game. Billy's not even sure what the difference between melee and ranged DPS. The instructor, by comparison, shares a deeply voiced "insider's view" of the game. The instructor's helping Billy with everything from how to name his character ("Orcosaurus") to how to avoid grouping with PUGs.The video is satire, and insightful satire at that. Almost every joke and instructional portion made me chuckle, thinking of some of the more hostile and unhelpful responses I've seen in Barrens chat. Part of the reason I find it so funny isn't that it's unreasonably over the top, but that it really seems, sometimes, like there's someone teaching players to act this way. It's like this video could be real, and that frightens me.
WoW Moviewatch: Sisqo + WoW = The Gnome song
And now, for something completely different, check out Yumfries's Sisqo + WoW = The Gnome song. I was tipped off to this video by Selserene, and I'm really quite glad for it. This video is a lot of fun, and it has more than a few "laugh out loud" moments.The lyrics to the song are hilarious. I think the poetry touches an inner gnome in all of us. Who hasn't watched a Shetland Rogue get their groove on, and thought, "I like it when the gnomes go boing boing boing"? Yumfries was clearly aiming at comedy with his parody, and he did so in a light-hearted, harm-free way. I prefer parody that isn't mocking or belittling, and Yumfries isn't out to make fun of anyone in particular. He's just poking fun at the whole too-seriousness in all of us.The video itself is pretty funny, too. Behold the glorious battle between Gnome and Draenei. I have it on good authority from D.E.H.T.A. that no actual stags were hurt in the filming of this video. Like the lyrics, I'm pretty sure Yumfries was just out to have a good time with his animation. It held my attention and made me giggle. The movie has a couple cut scenes with additional jokes and skits, so it's got a little something extra for those of us with short attention spans.My hat's off to you, Yumfries. You have joined the Gnome Hall of Fame for a great parody video. I have to admit, when I saw this video for the first time, all I could think was "Brilliant!"
WoW Moviewatch: Honor Killz by A6
I'll admit that I got to preview some of this new video, courtesy of Gigi. Long story short, the Hall of Fame of Belf Rap have come together to form a machinima rap supergroup called A6. (That's for Azerothian 6, you see.) Backed up by the awesome machinimator Red Eye Lobine, A6 has now released their first video -- Honor Killz.The video itself is amazing. Red Eye has really put together a gorgeous video here. His attention to detail, his sense of setting and framing, and his detailed character work have created an incredible music video. I've never seen the blood elf models look so dynamic and interesting. His animation of the video's skit-within-a-movie was astounding, with a great sense of space and flow. (He also wisely executed an editorial bikini during the shower scene.)The music itself was pretty good. I'm not a rap guru, so I can't evaluate it in terms of skill. However, I find the conglomerate of six people working the lyrics and tune to be very interesting. The way the song "talks" to itself made it something more than just a parody song.As I mentioned, there was a skit within the video. I think the skit has a lot of personality, and was pretty amusing. It was definitely a good call to add some narrative content in the video, which helps provide its audience a sense of A6's relationship. They're not just a one time team-up, but people who know one another in some capacity.Ultimately, "Honor Killz" is a worthy opening for the group. Let's see what they do next.Check out Honor Killz by A6 for yourself on Myndflame.
WoW Moviewatch: Major League Azeroth
In a world where the battle between the Horde and the Alliance is fought out in grueling games of Capture the Flag and King of the Hill, the AFKPlayers are back with a believable and entertaining new battleground. Check out their new machinima, Major League Azeroth.This new video by the Taiwanese AFKPlayers manages to tie in both tongue-in-cheek comedy and some fun shots of the mysterious new raid instance, Ulduar. Brann Bronzebeard makes a guest appearance during the film, and ultimately is responsible for the game's outcome.Part of what I love so much about MLA is the firm understanding AFKPlayers show about the WoW community zeitgeist. Cracks and references about King Wrynn mirror things I've said in my own Guild chat. When a Death Knight steps up to bat, the authors issue subtle nods to things we all think about the new class.Even without subtitles, though, "Major League Azeroth" is fun to watch. It's got a clean, crisp animation style which makes the action easy to understand. The scenery is very well composed, and the character models are built without distracting elements. The AFKPlayers have stuck to their basic storytelling roots here, and let us enjoy their dialogue, plot, and raw comedy.Be sure to check out Major League Azeroth on the Myndflame site.
