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WoW Moviewatch: What have you done?
"What have you done?" is originally a song by the Dutch gothic-rock band Within Temptation. For whatever reason, every time I look at the title I can't help but think "What did you do, Ray?" Keyra created a music video for the song, also titled What have you done?Keyra is totally up-front about the fact that, having used an older machine, the video's framerates suffer in a few places. So, that being said, let's pretend that's not the case for the sake of the review. At first glance, Hot-Blood-Elf and Rocker-Night-Elf sing to each other and walk around a lot. Also, there's angst. Okay, so not ground breaking choices there. But when the models for L70ETC kick in on the chorus, I start feeling like the video really comes together.I really liked the elements for this video. They're all appropriate to the genre of the song, well-paced, and creative, even while operating in the confines of the genre's memes. (It's a rock video. Guitars, for example, are mandatory. Without them, it's not a rock video. Just ask Slash.) I liked the way Keyra framed the orc singer, and even the Blood Elf guitar player. (Usually, I just want to slap that guy, and this might be the first time I felt someone's made him look cool.)Overall, I think it worked great. I hope Keyra keeps creating, and gets the chance to rock out on a computer without framerate issues.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: Tradition of the Sith
This movie -- or one like it -- was inevitable. I am, in fact, shocked that it hadn't come about before now. This was a hole in the world of WoW machinima, one which Bullshitmaster has stepped forward to fill. He has created this short, wonderful piece revealing a simple thing. It is the Tradition of the Sith.If you're looking for deep story or meaningful prose, this ain't the movie for you. If, however, you're interested in seeing a pair of Undead Sith undergo the ancient rite of passage, this is totally the way to go. To sum up, in every Sith's lifetime, the student must slay the master. That's how you become the master, you see. You kill the old master. That makes you the top dog.Most of the music and soundtrack come from somewhere else, but it's all brought together very well for the "Tradition of the Sith." I'm especially impressed with how well BSM blended the lightsabers into the scenery. I didn't feel like it was some weird mash-up. The visual portions all actually worked very well together.Check it out, and enjoy a little bit of Star Wars in your Azeroth.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: Fun to be a Hunter
Jaja1 over at Machinima.com posted this WoW music video, titled Fun to be a Hunter. It's a brief kind of R&B video, featuring a lot of snippets of in-game footage. The words are wildly captioned in a variety of ways on the screen, which is handy because sometimes it can be hard to keep up with what's being spoken.I don't know what to think about this piece. I totally dig WoW-themed music. I think I could be missing some coolness of the video due to my ignorance of this music's genre. In general, though, I liked the cadence and pop of the lyrics, and the way it generally sounded. Trying to make sense of the words in terms of actual gameplay, though, was sometimes a struggle to me.The singer's voice was perfect for it, though I did feel like she was a little quiet at times. I'm a minimalist when it comes to music videos, so I found the montages and text-overs to be perfectly adequate. I don't know, maybe it could have used some more in the way of dancing Blood Elves, but we generally get enough of those. I definitely hope to see more from Jaja1, though, because I'd like to see what the next steps will be.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 Paladin's Way of William
We're getting this week off to a great start with something unusual. William Wallace created The Paladin's Way of William. He has some language barriers, being originally from the Chinese servers. However, the simple and beautiful images he's created easily transcend language, and I think has something to appeal to everyone. The first half of the movie is hand illustrated, and that's the part that really knocked my socks off. The simple and elegant drawings, painting, and purity of movement does a great job of telling a hopeful and melancholy tale. At it's heart, the story of a cheese vendor who dreams of being a Paladin. I'm not sure I would have gotten that without being told, but the story of common-man-dreaming-to-be-more is clear and obvious. The last half of the movie involves in-game graphics. I can understand why that happens, and how it portrays important pieces of the story. (Not to mention, qualifies the "Paladin's Way" as being machinima.) Still, the manual art was so beautiful, I found the transition a little jarring. Overall, this was a great piece, and a wonderful way to start the week. 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 Adventures of Thaddius Gallina - Part 1
The Adventures of Thaddius Gallina - Part 1 had me at "Hello." Or, rather, it had me at its production swipe, emblazoned with the logo for "Drunken Dwarf Productions." You can't go wrong with that kind of production title. The six-minute movie is a teaser/introduction to sterivers's machinima film, "The Adventures of Thaddius Gallina." The nominal hero barely shows up in this bit, since this is a prologue piece. It's setting the tone for Thaddius's world and genre, prepping us for the comedic film. In summary, the Horde were doing pretty well and in charge of things. Then, the Alliance got together, and through rigorous "Questing," have been driving back the Horde. This prologue really sets up the Alliance to be a bunch of silly, jingoistic dorks. They show up to an Undead's cave to retrieve a stolen artifact. The Undead apologizes immediately, claiming he'd just bought the porch light from a Goblin. He even offered to give it back with no hard feelings. The Alliance completely ignore him, and hijinks ensue. I look forward to seeing the Gnome get punted after this behavior. The next part should be out fairly soon, and hopefully it can continue the good work. 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: Dude, Where's My Mount? Episode 8 -- Awww Nuts
Some of the language in this movie may not be appropriate for work.Apt-T Productions is back with the well-anticipated Dude, Where's My Mount? Episode 8 -- Awww Nuts. In terms of ongoing, serial machinima, the DWMM legacy has really been growing. Between DWMM and the Chronicle of the Annoying Quest, fan-film viewers are truly starting to get meaningful, full seasons of entertainment.In this episode, our bewildered heroes return from the really real world (man), and land back in Azeroth. After a bit of confusion, they get chased around by dragons. And that's when they find the Elf Girl. Interestingly, the credits to this episode thank Felicia Day. (You might have heard of her.) Was the Elf Girl voice-acted by Felicia? I wasn't sure, and couldn't pick out the voice to be certain. Anyway, hijinks continue, and the pair of heroes find themselves in the midst of a squirrel army.I really feel like DWMM is getting better and better. Like so many serial novels and fiction, the longer the characters exist to gain life and depth, the more interesting they become. The comedic stride is also clearly evolving, as I find myself smiling and laughing a little more with each episode.Edit: Voice credits at the end conifrm Chelsea Sprauer performed the Elf Girl. Thanks Kincaid!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: Warden of Eternity
I'm not sure whether to call Warden of Eternity by Karash "high concept." It certainly fits some of the hallmarks of that idea, but I feel like the pacing might slightly miss the mark. However, in the very least, his epic machinima is firmly rooted in some of the most noble and recognizable lore offered by World of Warcraft. You should recognize Illidan and the dragon Aspects, in the very last. The movie was first created in Karash's native German, and it took him about a year to get subtitles created in English.In my opinion, the "Warden of Eternity" is pretty dang well made. Its panning shots, use of characters, and chosen models are all strong. The voice actors did a good job. I actually really enjoyed the fact that it was in German, because that language really sounds right coming from dragons and epic characters. (Maybe it's the old Rammstein fan in me.)I do, however, wish the pacing were a little faster. It drags on a tad. This gives you plenty of time to soak in the happenings and the scenery, but I don't need quite that much time. Overall, a very solid movie, and I hope Karash continues to make more.[Via Warcraft Movies]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: It's a Hard Gnome Life
Wowcrendor put It's a Hard Gnome Life up over at WarcraftMovies. To sum up, it's a comedy piece about the long, trouble-filled life of a gnome named Gnomeosaurus. The protagonist is the child of Mamagnome and Papagnome, and later goes on to himself parent Gnomejr. Your mileage on this video is going to vary widely. This is not a movie for dazzling special effects or high end sountracks. All of the graphics are fairly straightforward gameplay footage, including a view of the user's mouse zipping about the screen. But you know what? That's cool for this. Nothing about this movie is intended as anything except an exceedingly tongue-in-cheek joke. The whole thing is obviously not meant for anything but sarcastic fun. C'mon. It's about a character named Gnomeosaurus. The best joke in it, in my opinion, is the gag about Devilsaur-shaped cookies with a gnome head on top. The MS-Paint jokes, the sloppy cut-overs. . .the whole thing is just about goofy puns and giggles. My only complaint about it, though, is that the piece runs a little long for its style. Clocking in a little over six minutes, I'm not sure its humor can be sustained for the whole length. [Via Warcraft Movies] 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: Wrath Shorts 11 - Rather Be Playing DS
And now for something completely different, a comedic short titled Wrath Shorts 11 - Rather Be Playing DS by Apt-T Productions. You might remember them from a short time ago as the same guys who did Frank and Beans and Dude, Where's My Mount? Or, maybe not. These guys are doing a lot of neat short-and-sweet joke reels, and their style is really growing on me.I can't really talk a lot about the plot of "Rather Be Playing DS," because the movie is really short. ("Wrath Shorts" isn't just a clever title, you see.) To sum up, Healer and Tank argue about stepping into an instance. Tank's nervous because of the healer's past performance. There's a punchline, and comedic justice is served.Okay, the graphics aren't fancy. The soundtrack isn't rocketing rolling metal. But, this is a perfect example of "all things come together." Whether you find the jokes funny or not, I think everything in the mis en scene comes together just right for short's formula. Anything more involved than its current graphics would probably distract from the jokes. I did happen to laugh, and I look forward to the next installments.[Via Machinima.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: Trident of Naz'jan
Gnomechewer's Trident of Naz'jan has actually been floating around for about a month, which makes it a shame we haven't picked it up before now. I'm actually very happy to see it, as I'd worried we'd lost the music video superstar to Age of Conan. This is one of my favorite pieces by him, and totally worth the watch. I'll fess up at the beginning that the music isn't entirely my style, but within the context of the movie it works wonderfully.As the story of the video goes, those dastardly mist-men called Vrykul are (or have been) summoning That Which Devours from Below, Naz'jan. This is related to the opening Tuskarr quests in the Borean Tundra, so if you like the video, take the time to go check those out.Overall, though, I really like that Cthulu-esque "deep one" kind of feel. The strident heavy metal captures the mood of the Vrykul (c'mon, no instance is as "metal" as Utgarde Keep). Even the opening soundtrack voiceovers give you a good sense of impending doom. The video has several shots of the viking-like Vrykul cruising around on longships, which enhances a definite sense of movement.Here's hoping we see more from the maestro Gnomechewer soon.[Via Machinima.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: Warsong Defensive Event Trailer
This isn't the first one we've seen, but I love it when we get trailers for roleplay groups or roleplay events. The Warsong Defensive on Shatar (EU) is holding a roleplay event from February 8th until February 15th. As the story goes, a disgruntled Scourge fellow named Paggorn is stepping up to the plate at Wrathgate, and ready to lay some smackdown on the Scourge. You can find more about the event on the official forums. This is the trailer for that event, cunningly titled Warsong Defensive Event Trailer. The author apologizes for letting the music drown out some of the narration, which I have to admit is probably the most distracting part of the trailer. Other than that, the whole thing was pretty good, when viewed from the lens of something to get you roleplaying. The movie has equal parts effects-stylization and raw in-game graphics. I think when you're putting together a roleplaying trailer, you can't stray too far away from in-game graphics, because then you're distancing yourself from the immersion you want to feel in game. The music is pretty solid and motivating. I think the only criticism I'd really have is that the trailer should do more to promote what's happening at the event. It's a pretty awesome video, but it does leave me wondering what will happen at the event itself. Still, it does make guess about whether I can get a character ready in time for the event, which probably means the movie succeeded. 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 Addiction
Today's Moviewatch is a little different in that it's not machinima. It's a live action, satirical documentary created by adam3039 titled World of Warcraft Addiction. While we're pretty focused on machinima around here, Adam obviously put a lot of hard work into his creation, and it's defintiely got some laugh out loud moments in it. Besides, we should never miss a chance to have a little chuckle at some of the zanier accusations of WoW Addiction out there. This is a spoof documentary, including a lot of over-the-top scenarios. The actors obviously work hard to mock/mimic some of the Jerry Springer-esque moments we see in documentaries, but it'd be hard to miss that they're, yanno, making fun of the stuff. The piece is a little longer than it needed to be, but I think the writer(s) spent enough time working on details to make it worthwhile. The summary at the end, however, is probably the best part. I found a lot of appeal in the idea that our addicted-hero spends his time wandering the earth, living wherever he can find a stable internet connection. Thanks to Adam 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: Flekz Fire PvP 5
PvP movies aren't the normal trade of WoW Moviewatch, but we do occasionally see PvP movies that we want to mention. It's good to be aware of the variety out there, and maybe each genre can learn a little something from one another. Flekz from Eredar (EU) created Fleks Fire PvP 5 as a movie mostly about, you got it, his fire mage doing stuff in PvP. But there' are a few things in this that I want to point out as being special and interesting.First, the entire movie is basically framed as if it were a comic book. I like when PvP movie-makers take a little extra time to try and present the action in a new and interesting way. Insane Gouge Crits did something similar a few weeks ago, and I'm definitely interested to see where this trend will go. Dialogue in speech bubbles, framed shots, and even the opening magazine cover reinforce the 4-color world of Fleks.Second, Flekz puts effort into being playful with the movie. Odd cuts and angles frame scenes in a jaunty kind of way. (Do I lose points for using the word 'jaunty'?) It refers to Flekz as 'our hero,' reminiscent of other web-slinging comic books that play with 4th wall awareness. Lastly, I'll admit, the rock-and-roll won me over. Anything that starts out with a good, old Iron Maiden tune definitely scores in my book.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 Bloodsail Elite song
AdmiralQ published this piece in honor of the Bloodsail Elites on Sha'tar EU. It's titled appropriately as The Bloodsail Elite song. I guess it's kind of a theme song for the Guild, and probably has some in jokes that we're not going to get unless you're a member. The production values could use a little help in this song, since it sounds like everyone was "singing" by whispering into their microphone. I was nervous when I first heard the soundtrack kick on, as it very much sounded like someone activate Ventrillo.I'm very glad I gave it a chance because I really liked the song. It's clever and fun and that's a combination that's hard to get wrong. The song is obviously meant to be good humor, and I think it succeeds. Its rhyme and meter match the background music, and seems inspired by "Drunken Sailor." While the movie backdrop probably won't knock any socks off, that doesn't really matter. Like most music videos, the video part is there as an enhancement, and the giggly-fun song carries the work as a whole.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: REVENGE
Silverlined_Pro created REVENGE as a roleplay-based movie about his character Nixxiom. As the story goes, Nixxiom has "always had a hard life." The author doesn't spell out the details, but apparently he killed his own parents through some circumstance, his wife died, and then his daughter was violated and murdered by demons. As if that's not enough, he got turned into a Death Knight. Now, Nixxiom has broken free of the Lich King's control. He's amassed his own army of undead critters, and is marching on Arthas with the goal of deposing him and taking the title Lich King for himself. You only get that background and information from reading Silverlined_Pro's summary on Myndflame. The video itself, as a stand alone piece, doesn't really supply that story. I don't know what I would have thought if I were only viewing the movie. It contains mostly a series of undead characters staring at each other, and then the main character -- a Night Elf -- staring down Arthas. I think the basic jist that "these guys don't play nicely together" probably would have come across, but that's about it.For all that the story is vague, though, the video itself is fairly well done. The music is apropos (it's the Lich King theme), and the animation and screen capture is solid. My words of summary would be, "Nice first attempt, let's see what you do next." 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: Frank & Beans: Turtle Boat
Frank & Beans is a pretty unique video, created by Apt-T Productions. I would have trouble saying that the production values are very high, since it really is just a pair of characters standing on a boat talking. However, what it does have is exactly the kind of thing I like -- dialogue, and dialogue-based comedy. Of course, your mileage is going to vary. I have to admit that I didn't actually laugh, but that could just be me. The humor itself is fine, based on the absurdist observations about whether the two characters are riding a turtle or a boat. But, I enjoyed everything about the idea of the movie, and hope to see more like this in the future. I think my only real criticism would be that if the characters spend so much time talking about the Turtle Boat, we should probably see the boat itself. I was having problems trying to picture what they were talking about, and really wanted that reference to be able to "get" the comedy. Click here to see it for yourself! 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: I Gave You
One of the things I think is most awesome about Northrend is the fact that it adds a whole continent of "real-world" scenes to the game. Outland was so out there that it was hard to use any of the in-game terrain for any stories other than those that took place on another planet, but Northrend is a very grounded place -- while zones like Zul'Drak and Crystalsong Forest can seem very otherworldly, there are zones like Howling Fjord and Grizzly Hills that seem much more normal, if no less beautiful.Today's Moviewatch definitely isn't a crafted masterpiece -- even the creator says it only took him about two hours to make, but it does show how haunting some of this Northrend landscape is. Just the cliffs of the Howling Fjord are enough to complement this stark little song and give it an extra dimension. I can't wait to see some more of the machinima that comes out of the new Northrend locations.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: Darkwinds Scourge
The Darkwinds Scourge is a roleplay Guild on the Sha'tar realm. They've created this machinima as a kind of trailer for their Guild. In terms of setting up a movie to help promote your Guild's themes and ideas, I think this works pretty well. The shot locations are spot on, and the music's totally appropriate. (The song is by Disturbed, I think.) The movie is credited to Almighty Farseer.As a machinima, the visiual narrative could use a faster pace. The author's stuck in the loop of cool shot after cool shot. Individually, they all work well, but strung together, the scenes move a little slow. While AF says that the Guild is an evil-themed troupe, with the in-character goal of punishing "the traitor Darion Mograine," I'm not sure there's enough contextually in the movie itself to draw that conclusion. Some subtitles or screen overlays would help that immensely, and help draw the viewer into the story.Still, it's a trailer piece for a Guild, and on that level, it works fantastically. It would be nice to see more Guilds put this kind of effort into branding themselves, and I look forward to more in this genre.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: (Holy) Priest
It's like it's song week here on WoW Moviewatch, but today's entry is something I know many of our readers have probably been eagerly anticipating. Nyhm has released his new video, titled (Holy) Priest. (It's a take-off of Notorious B.I.G.'s Hypnotize, if you don't recognize the music.) He dedicates this piece to what he calls one of the most underappreciated, but most needed, classes in the game. And, of course, he's sure to thank them in that dedication also.The video itself is pretty standard Nyhm work, thematically. It has some creative music video shots of himself and Summergale as they sing. (Well, shots of their avatar personas.) The tricks Nyhm uses to create a variety of dance moves and poses are always impressive, and his work really brings the Blood Elf and Troll models to life. While this genre of music isn't my cup of tea, Nyhm uses creative cadence and lyrics to morph the lines of B.I.G.'s song into a great song about the struggles of healing in WoW. There's praise, jokes, complaints, and a little bit of everything else thrown into the song. Check it out, and enjoy!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 Lament of Captain Placeholder
Depending on how long you've been playing World of Warcraft, and which faction you play, the subject of The Lament of Captain Placeholder will require either no explanation, or a lot of explanation. I'll sum up. Back in the days of yore, the boats of Menethil Harbor were tricksy things. As you rode them into the distance, the boats could suddenly disappear out from under you. Stranded in murky waters, you were unable to swim to safety before Fatigue overwhelmed you, and you drowned. This was, obviously, a pretty rough state of affairs. The solution was Captain Placeholder, a man of such fame and skill that people still miss him. While Blizzard repaired the boats, Captain Placeholder simply teleported you across the ocean for free.Eledainn of Graystar long ago penned the words to "The Lament of Captain Placeholder." Now, Cranius has taken it a step further and created a music and video to commemorate the good Captain. I was floored by this piece. The music is absolutely fantastic. I was impressed by not only the music's composition, but the talent and skill of the singer. The tone and singing style do a lot to bring about a proper WoW feel. The video itself is perfect for the song and soundtrack. The footage is there to provide visual counterpoints and compliments to the music, and that's exactly what it does. With a piece like this, you really want your audience focused on the sound, anyway. I think the transitioning credits did a great job complimenting the style of the song, giving the entire piece an effective classic feel.If you have any suggestions for WoW Moviewatch, you can mail them to us at machinima AT wowinsider DOT com.Previously on Moviewatch ...
