Experiment 01 - Submission - Custom Machinima

The top level contained small objects where I aimed to demonstrate the destructive force of an explosion. The middle level had medium-sized objects with attached dynamite. Here I aimed to contain the objects within the grid restricting them from being randomly scattered like in the first explosion, thus, challenging the predictable effect of the explosion. Lastly, the explosions below the bottom level caused the larger objects inside to also be restricted and “jump”(my original concept).

References
1. Video footage recorded by self using "Fraps". Accessed: July 30, 2008.
3. Video edited by self using Sony Vegas Platinum Trial Version 9.0.
4. Font "Birth of a Hero" downloaded from http://www.dafont.com/search.php?psize=m&q=birth+of+a+hero. Accessed: February 2007.
5. Font "HalfLife2" downloaded from http://www.dafont.com/halflife2.font Accessed: August 16, 2008.
6. Music from band "Linkin Park - Faint".

Experiment 01 - Submission - Found Machinima

This video displays two machinima videos I found that inspired my concept. “Jumping” is a term I have phrased to describe the sudden outbreak of movement and destruction caused by an explosion. The idea of “jumping” caused by an explosion is multifarious. Evidently in this video, the magnitude of an objects “jumping” runs parallel to its explosion. But how can we challenge this theory? That is the question I aim to investigate in my experiments.

References
1. Original video footage accredited to YouTube user "karzid" for "Battlefield 1942 Explosions Montage". Accessed: August 4th, 2008.
2. Original video footage accredited to YouTube user "uyesu" for "Massive Crysis Explosion". Accessed: August 4th, 2008.
3. Video edited by self using Sony Vegas Platinum Trial Version 9.0.
4. Font "Birth of a Hero" downloaded from http://www.dafont.com/search.php?psize=m&q=birth+of+a+hero. Accessed: February 2007.
5. Font "HalfLife2" downloaded from http://www.dafont.com/halflife2.font Accessed: August 16, 2008.
6. Music from band "Linkin Park - Faint".

Week Three - Marking Schedules

Image 01. Marking sheet done by Rachel MacKenzie.

Image 02. Marking sheet done by Xiao Pan.

Week Three - Documentary modes (150 words)

My machinima videos are a combination of expository and reflexive documentary modes that play out chronologically. They begin with a brief introduction to the idea of the video or experiment, basic setup of the scene, followed by the action of the explosions and ending with the aftermath. Throughout the entire video, the footage of the experiment in GMOD is complemented with text that further address and inform the audience of what is being shown as well as structuring the entire scene together. This combination of visual techniques not only helps to simplify the message being communicated but strengthens its impact upon its audience. The aforementioned elements displayed in the videos categorises them as an expository mode. However, the textual elements of the videos do not raise arguments or try to state the message being communicated. They are simply used as titles to introduce the visual as well as indicate certain chapters in the video. The message is not clearly stated. Therefore, the audience is made to reflect upon the cause and effect of the footage being presented to them in order to discover and understand the truth or concept behind the video. GMOD in itself challenges the impression of reality and the video tries to enhance that. My videos show vehicles floating in mid air with dynamite attached to them within a large hollow cube. They’re explosions trigger randomized movement and collision with other objects within the cube, where the two drafts show two different results. In the first, the vehicles eventually escape the barriers of the cube and in the second, they destroy the structure of the cube causing it to collapse. Theoretically, herein is where the message must be discovered. What do these objects represent in reality? What questions do they raise about gravity and movement? Does the collapse of the cube suggest a need for stability? These are the sort of questions the audience are directed to ponder upon when viewing my machinima, hence, use of the reflexive documentary mode. In conclusion, my machinima are obviously simple in representation yet this combination of aforementioned techniques fabricates a video that can be universally understood and diversely and innovatively interpreted.

Independent Study - Week Two

Draft 01


Draft 02


Above are my two video drafts of two thirty second clips that investigate the physical effect of an explosion on porosity. In the first draft video, we see many cars inside the cube exploding, pushing other cars around, moving in every direction, eventually outside of the cube itself. In the second draft video, the setup is mirrored but in this version, the structure of the cube collapses, hypothetically, as a result of the explosions and clash of objects within the cube. I have recently done another experiment involving the use of different size vehicles inside the cube exploding in similar fashion as the two above videos. I will upload these when I have completed editing a video for it.

Week Two - Task for today

Above is a simple test video of 3 x 10 second clips showing my intentions for Experiment 1 using the 2-d grid. I created a 3-D hollow cube using the grid and placed a single car with a hoverball and some dynamites attached to it by ropes. Using similar techniques to my previous work in week one, I intend to study the movement and direction of the single car as it explodes inside the cube. Progressively, I will add more cars and more vehicles of different sizes in forecoming video clips to further investigate the physical effect of an explosion on porosity.

Independent Study - Week One

The above video is a compilation of experiments and tests I did in GMOD to mirror concepts explicated in the two below machinima videos I chose in week one. My video shows my progression and explorations as I aim to build upon/expand the concepts.