WelcomeHub Cinema Shows Fantasy Faire Inspired Show by Saffia Widdershins

 

 

Last week on Thursday November 15 at Noon SL time, there was a premier film short screening at the Cinema in the WelcomeHub area. The featured show was the Episode One of "Harland Quinn and the Omega Hex." The machinima takes place in the Fairelands of the yearly Fantasy Faire event. and was directed by Saffia Widdershins. It was mentioned in the Fantasy Faire and Linden blogs.

Calling all Second Life film buffs and machinima mavens! Get ready to be enthralled by the cinematic magic of "Harland Quinn and the Omega Hex Ep 1," directed by the talented Saffia Widdershins. 

Join us on Wednesday, November 15th, at 12pm PT at the Second Life Cinema for this exciting movie screening. Immerse yourself in the world of Harland Quinn, where fantasy and adventure intertwine, leaving you at the edge of your seat. The screening concludes with an exclusive promotional commentary on the Fantasy Faire in Second Life, offering a glimpse into another spectacular event within our virtual world.

I dropped in a little late, but the video started from the start for those just walking in. Saffia was there, as well as Strawberry Linden. It started off with a reporter asking one of the Fairelands officials about a supposed major threat called the Omega Hex, and the official playing down the threat as overblown. The scene then changes to a man going about a town in a desert in native garb who "ended up here because of a good run of bad choices" as he says to himself in his narration, and instead of magic would rather rely on his pistol. While going about, he's approached by an old adversary who offers a certain proposal.

The audience applauded at the film's end, "Bravo!" "That was amazing!" "It was a wonderful episode, congratulations to the entire team!" "This is so well done." And there was thanks for the theater, "Huge thanks to Linden Lab for letting us open this spectacular venue." Saffia was appreciative, "Thank you so much for watching!" She would also announce, "and in a few minutes ... there a PARTY!"

 

The party itself was in a skybox high above in the Garden of Dreams sim.  Over two dozen went there, and danced to the music.

Saffia would mention several people who helped with the film, "Terra Volitant created the special effects. Bain Finch did those fantastic tracking shots. Aisling Sinclair created the avatars. Ketsui was the assistant director. And Julala and Lil Cinnamon organized the fantastic market in the desert!"

Episode One, "With Friends Like These," is still showing at the WelcomeHub Cinema until the end of the month. Episodes Two and Three can be seen on the Fairelands media website.

 

https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/WelcomeHubCinema/52/128/23

Bixyl Shuftan

Filmed in SL Movie "Waarheid" Priemers At Film Threat

 

 Last week on Thursday December 15, the made in Second Life movie (or machinima) "Waarheid" premiered at the "Film Threat" theater. Scheduled to start at 10AM SL time, the 100 second countdown started at 10:30. There were over a hundred people in the sim. 

The movie is a dystopian sci-fi tale of which the script was written by Huckleberry Hax, who has also done over a dozen novels and numerous short stories in Second Life, the most noted being "AFK", and also plays the part of the antagonist, Belletristik. Caitlin Tobias is the actress behind the protagonist Erika Janssen/Waarheid. Other roles played include AvaJean Westland, Ylva (Soulfullife ), Boudicca Amat, Lydia Lindemann (Lydiadecremorne), Mich Michabo, and Strawberry Singh (Strawberry Linden). The movie is a sequel to Stomol, Huckleberry's first major SL film, which debuted in July 2020. 

The movie starts with Waarheid / Erika trying to track down the location of the man who nearly killed her, recalling what happened to her, losing her arm, and her recovery. But things do not quite go as she planned. She eventually wakes up in what apparently is a very sophisticated virtual reality simulation, placed there by someone who says she wants to help her accomplish her tracking down her attempted killer, but wants her to trust him, which she's reluctant to do. 

 

The movie ended with applause, and afterwards much of the cast and audience went to a club to celebrate at an afterparty, Huckleberry saying at one point, "We have this amazing venue tonight due to the generosity of Amelie (amilee34) and Ylva - please show your appreciation to the venue and DJ."

 

Yours truly doesn't want to give too much away about the movie, though with her in an ultra-realistic virtual reality simulator comes the question how does she truly know she's out of it (Total Recall anyone?) I was pleased with the ending. A lot of work was done on the movie and it was well-done.

A few days before on December 9, Strawberry would interview Huckleberry, Caitlin, and AvaJean in a Lab Gab episode. Huckleberry would say he didn't plan on doing a sequel to Stomol at first, but hearing what people thought eventually came up with the idea for Waarheid. It was filmed in a number of locations, some of which are no longer around. Huckleberry spoke that he has no plans for a sequel to this, though he won't say "never" either.

Caitlin would also write about the movie in her blog: https://caitlintobias.com/ .

To see the movie, head to Film Threat  (48/126/23). It should be there for a few more weeks. Exactly when the theater's next movie is scheduled to be up is unknown. 

Bixyl Shuftan

SL Film: "Virtual Cultures in Pandemic Times"

 

On Saturday April 2 at 1PM SL time, Draxtor Despres' full-length movie "Virtual Cultures in Pandemic Times" premiered at the "Film Threat" theater. The result of months of work, Draxtor had gone through both Second Life and the game of Animal Crossing, "following UC Irvine Department of Anthropology researchers Tom Boellstorff, Evan Conaway, Chandra Middleton and Sandy Wenger around Animal Crossing and Second Life to find out how the COVID-19 pandemic is reshaping online interaction,"interviewing many people. 

The premiere was shown in front of a live audience, of which I was part of, as well as a number if Lindens and Moles. And Draxtor talked to a few people in the film for a few minutes after the showing, Boellstorff among them. 

While Drax wasn't putting down Animal Crossing, he felt Second Life was so much more versatile, that the comparison between the two wasn't just apples and oranges, but more like "apples and a lamborgini."

Others would also sit through the showing, such as Zada Bury. 

Bixyl Shufan
 

Weekend in Brief

 

A number of events happened this weekend. The Virtual Worlds Best Practices in Education conference (above) took place and concluded. Draxtor Despres' film, "Virtual Cultures in Pandemic Times" premiered at the Film Threat theater. There were a number of Relay for Life events, notably the "Dreamfair" by Roos With a Dream and Cure Chasers. The Royal Antiquity Theater had the "Iconic Moments" performance, and more.

More on these events later.

Bixyl Shuftan
 

Film Threat Has New Movie Review, Plans To Offer Monthly Shows

 
For fans of the Film Threat theater, which appeared in July to review "Attack of the Doc," it's back with a review of a B movie from a small producer, "Corona Zombies."

Enjoy next level watch parties in SL with the new Film Threat virtual cinema experience!

 “We’re amazed at how Linden Lab was able to bring the spirit of Film Threat to life in this virtual space and thrilled that we’ll be able to conduct screenings and other special events in a whole new way,” says Chris Gore, founder of Film Threat. “It’s our hope to grow this venue and events to engage with Film Threat and indie film fans around the world.” Film Threat is the leading independent film news and review site, offering the scoop on the latest releases as well as curated picks from past decades.

Inspired by theaters and film festivals from the physical world, this two-story virtual cinema venue offers a unique and immersive way to experience movies. The space was first revealed back in July for Kickstarter backers of Gore’s upcoming Attack of the Doc documentary as part of an exclusive sneak peek. This region offers food trucks, sleek cafes, and modern lounges to house insightful discussions amongst Residents. Additionally, Film Threat-branded exclusive collectible merchandise can be found at booths throughout the venue.

On October 28, about a week after the announcement in the Linden blog, a video review of a movie went up at the theater: "Corona Zombies." Planning for the film had started before the Pandemic started. When it hit, the producers decided to have fun with it, and had the virus zombyfy the infected. And like other zombies, they would try to eat the living. In response a "Corona Squad" was created to deal with them. The review showed the film going about like a cheesy 1970s monster flick, with low budget special effects, bad and unnecessarily dubbed dialouge, characters making dumb decisions that get them killed, etc. But the producers and actors had fun doing it. 

Dropping in at the opening, which lasted from 11AM to 2PM SL time, there were a number of Lindens in the crowd. Cris Gore was also there in his avatar with the same name.

The next review, for the movie "Insert Coin," is scheduled to appear about a week from now on Thursday November 11, "The oral history of a team of geeks and misfits in the back of a Chicago factory creating the biggest video games (Mortal Kombat, NBA JAM, and others) of all time." On December 16

To see the blog post in full, Click Here.

Film Threat PortalA (238/103/23)

Addition: Checking again, the theater wasn't playing the film review at the time. It may be playing only at certain times, or perhaps has stopped until the next one.

Bixyl Shuftan
 

Announcement: Burners Without Borders Movie Night: "Our Digital Selves"

Burners Without Borders  SL 1st  RFL event (this year) woot!

Showing new, full-feature documentary about Second Life by filmaker, Draxtor Despres.

WHEN: Tuesday, May 22 7pm SLT and again on 29th at 5pm SLT

WHERE: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Escapades/92/17/23

We are excited to see this film together with you in SL!!

One day we will celebrate the Cure, until then we Relay! United, Together!!

SL Video: "The Drax Files - World Makers Episode 40 - Bernhard Dörries"

(Click here if the video fails to play)

The latest "Drax Files" video from Draxtor Despres on Sept 1, "This episode of the Drax Files focuses on 88-year-old Bernhard Dörries. A successful German film director whose prolific career spans more than 50 years and 129 films, Bernhard continues to explore storytelling and creativity through Second Life.

"In Second Life, Bernhard’s avatar is Bernhard McIntyre - a youthful representation of his creative intellect, as well as a vehicle to cope with the emotional and physical challenges of moving into an assisted living situation.

“'My avatar is co-creator, equal partner in sharing feelings, co-owner of feelings and emotions,' he says.

[**** please choose your subtitles in the lower right corner by clicking "cc" and for an English transcript go to http://bit.ly/tdf40_english ***]"

SL Video: "Lighthouse"

(Click here if the video fails to play)

From Dragonflyhum on Aug 2009, "A short SL movie"

Kobuk Farshore, Elif Ayiter, Get Top Awards at MachinimUWA VIII: Pursue Impossible

Click here if the video fails to play.


On Sunday December 13, the winners of the MachinimUWA VIII video and art competition, "Pursue Impossible" were selected. Both the best filmmaker and the best sculptor received 60,000 Linden dollar prizes (about $240 USD) In a close vote by the judges, the  top prize for machinima went to Kobuk Farshore.

An awe-inspiring and brilliantly crafted film, 'Pursue Impossible' by Kobuk Farshore of Alaska, took the top spot and its L$60,000 prize for the 8th UWA International Short Animated Film Challenge (MachinimUWA VIII - Pursue Impossible), in a thrilling one point victory over defending champion and four time winner of the UWA film challenges, Tutsy Navarathna, the dominant Frenchman from Pondicherry, India, who delivered a tour de force with the stylish and visionary 'Death of Death?'. The US-Swiss combination of Haveit Neox and Lilia Artis finished 3rd, but also won one of the 2 UWA Special Prizes through their thought provoking offering, 'Tis An Egg'. Indonesian Diana Al Martini was the other recipient of the UWA Special Prize, with a film showing 3 amazing Australians who successfully pursued the impossible, Professor Barry Marshall, Dr Fiona Wood and Turia Pitt.

Top prize for the best artist went to Elif Ayiter (Alpha Auer) for his work "The Bridge." One can take a look at his 3D work at UWA (198, 106, 324), and the main gallery at UWA (20, 175, 247).

For the UWA Grand 3D Art Challenge, 'The Bridge' by Elif Ayiter of Sabanci University (SL: Alpha Auer), Istanbul Turkey widely regarded as among the most brilliant creators in the virtual world, was the winner over Australian Carmsie Melodie's work, 'Achieve Impossible' inspired by Thomas Edison and Nicola Tesla. The UWA Special Prize, selected by the UWA members of this international judging panel, went to Krystali Rabeni of the United Kingdom. Her creation Dream within a Dream' was deemed to the artwork that best encapsulated the UWA essence of 'Pursue Impossible'. Haveit Neox & Lilia Artis proved formidable winning awards across both the film and art challenges. The curator's award, went to someone without whom these challenges might never have come to be what they are, West Australian, quadrapop Lane. The alpha and the omega. It all started with quadrapop Lane in 2009 and its fitting that she is honoured in the last, as the sun sets on the Grand UWA Art & Film challenges in 2015.

 This is the last of the University of Western Australia's yearly 3D Art and Machinima contests, they having announced there will be no more of this particular event, though may have others in the future should funding be available.

For more information, check the UWA blog.

University of Western Australia Announces Dec. 13 Art and Film Show Will Be Their Last

On Friday December 4, the University of Western Australia in Second Life made a dual announcement. The date of their yearly 3D Art and Machinima show would be at December 13 at 6AM, with the films playing 24 hours before the event. There will be a total of over 500,000 Linden dollars given out as prizes. Unfortunately, they also announced that this event, which has gone on for several years, will be their last, the "Grand Finale."

So what will happen next? This isn't the end of the UWA sims themselves as they will continue. Nor will it be the end of art events, which will continue to run under FreeWee Ling. However, it "IS THE END for the major international art and film challenges that have run annually since 2009. There may be special art of film events if funding is secured to run those special events (of if a large amount is suddenly available to the UWA for work in virtual worlds)."

"It has been an amazing honour to run these challenges over the years, and it's with a heavy heart the sun is now setting."

For the announcement on the UWA blog, Click here.

SL Video: "Past | Beyond by Vilvi "

(Click here if the video fails to play)

From Turrivideot on June 2013, "Short film about past, choices and what lies beyond the mirror. Placed 1st in the Machinima Challenge put forth by the University of Western Australia (UWA) in 2013. The theme of the challenge was 'Reflections'."

SL Video: "Official Machinima Expo Trailer"

Official Machinima Expo 6 Trailer - Tom Jantol from Ricky Grove.

(Click Here if the video fails to load)

Featured in the Linden blog, "We’ve seen many great machinima films created in Second Life over the years and are happy to see events like the Machinima Expo recognizing the talent and amazing work that goes into creating machinima.

The Machinima Expo celebrates its sixth year with screenings and panel discussions about the art of Machinima on November 17th, 2013.

Interview With Pooky Amsterdam Part Two

Second Life Newser recently interviewed media personality Pooky Amsterdam, noted for her work on the game show "The 1st Question" and machinima such as the "Time Travelers" series. She had so much to say, we met again the following day to finish. Here is the second part of the interview, in which she talks about her "Date Your Avatar" parody, Pookymedia's "Flufee" videos, and her future plans.

Read the second half of the interview in People.

Interview With Pooky Amsterdam: Part One

Pooky Amsterdam is one of the major personalities in Second Life media. In the past, her "1st Question" science quiz show was filmed every week on the Grid in front on an audience, and entertained thousands on Treet.tv. Today, she's taken on other projects such as the "Time Travelers" machinimas, and on occasion will give a public talk on the future of the Internet and social media. Recently she got together with the Newser for an interview about her and her virtual career.

Read Part One of the interview in People.

SL Video: "Traveling"

A machinima made by a "Pep Lemmon" in 2011, showing a number of locations. Note AM Radio's classic locations early in the video.

"Music and video by Pep Lemmon. This machinima was filmed in several well known locations in the virtual world of Second Life.

"In the second half of the video I played a little bit with some tweaks that you can find in the advanced menu in Phoenix viewer. Thanks to all the amazing builders and sim creators who make possible filming in such wondeful locations."

SL Video: "Gangnam Furry Style Second Life"

A "Gangnam Style" tribute by Soniccity Fitzroy. The craze it seems keeps going and going.

SL Video: Gangnam Hamster Style

Remember the "Gangnam Style" Second Life machinima done last month? These new hamster mesh avies added a new twist with what might be called "Hamsterdance Gangam Style" or "Gangnam Hamster Style."

Source: New World Notes

SL Machinima: "Gangnam Style in Second Life "

From Iron Serpentene, "Gangnam Style Parody Video made by Second Life users. We tried to make very close to original video using several second life items and tools. Thanks to Korean SL players and sim managers who supported places."

Hamlet Au had a few words about this funny machinima of the Korean pop fad Here.

Einstein's Avatar, and "The Virtual Marathon for Medical Research" Machinima

Made by BobE Schism and Susan Writer, this machinima is about a fundraiser for the IMRIC (Institute for Medical Research for Israel and Canada). With a marathon theme, "each avatar runner represents a condition or disease that is the subject of IMRIC research and funding in partnership with Canadian laboratories and universities."

The machinima itself was started during the fundraiser, but not finished until the results were known, BobE shooting multiple endings ahead of time and selecting one only after the winner was officially announced.

Hamlet Au talked to BobE, whom told him his objective was to dramatize the outcome of the fundraiser, "The avatars represent real-life people who were raising money for medical research in real life." He did his best to make the avatars at least somewhat similar to the donors, which often had them looking a bit weathered instead of fresh young athletes, "Originally I was just meant to make ten 'representations' of the real-life people, but on review of the test shots, I was asked to make them as close as possible to the real thing, which ultimately made them much more endearing and believable than the ten young superfit aves I had originally created."

To add to the challenge, not everyone showed up at the same time, "At most there were four of us logged in, controlling ten to eleven avies, sometimes scripted, sometimes manually." He credited Elizabeth Calderwood and Katje Jewel for helping him out. Despite the help, much time was lost due to various SL bugs from avatars going off-sim, lag, and the runners sinking into the ground.

"No avatars were harmed in the making of this film, though some might have shed a few pounds."



Also in the video was an Albert Einstein avatar, also designed by BobE Schism. Approved by those in charge of the great physicist's estate, it is the official Albert Einstein Avatar in Second Life, created for the purpose of helping out with the Marathon. The voice of the avatar was the only German speaker BobE knew, who used special effects to lower his voice, "now every time I speak to him on the phone, it sounds like I'm speaking to Albert Einstein on helium."

Sources: New World Notes, IMRIC

Bixyl Shuftan

SL Machinima: A New Babbage Xmas by the "Designing Worlds" Team

A little Steampunk Xmas story, by Saffia Widdershins and Elrik Merlin

"Saffia and Elrik are visiting New Babbage to deliver a shipment of seasonal gifts from Prim Perfect Publications to the urchins of New Babbage. Saffia will be meeting our old friend, the Assistant Maceholder of New Babbage, Victor Mornington, to deliver the gifts, while Elrik hopes to get a look at some of the exciting new steam-powered technology developed for the winter season by their ingenious engineers. And this is New Babbage, after all, so absolutely nothing at all can go wrong…"