Quake 3, Half-Life, and Beyond
"Rendezvous" is produced by Nanoflix, Australian production company spearheaded by Peter Rasmussen. A relative newcomer on the scene, Nanofilx created one of the few pieces of machinima not created in a specific game, but created using a 3D game development tool, 3D GameStudio. Based on a love story between two deep space probes, "Rendezvous" manages to pull off one of the most story-centered machinima pieces in years. New material also comes from Mike Beery, known for his humorous machinima shorts "Stomp," "Thin Ice," and "Smart Gun." Berry's style shares the more simple visual look of the ILL Clan, while bringing a Southpark sensibility to the screen. Strange Company has continued its tradition of excellence by producing a series of four films (Matrix: 4 x 1: Subway shown here) based around the blockbuster film The Matrix. " "Fake Science," by Dead on Que, takes an entirely different approach by sidestepping 3D realism in favor of abstract, or expressionistic rendering. Made using the Half-Life game engine and parts of a mod for the game known as the Spirit of Half-Life, Fake Science explores the filmic landscape most often occupied by experimental art films. The disparate and experimental visual styles currently being explored by Beery, Rasmussen, Dead on Que, and Strange Company promise that the field of filmmaking known as machinima is beginning to come into its own as a practice, good news for digital artists, designers, and storytellers who might benefit from its young, but rich history.
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