Filmmaking: The Art of Machinima book released
by Kit

Wednesday, July 14 2004

3D Machinima book teaches art of 3D film making.

Paraglyph Press is pleased to announce the very first book on a leading-edge filmmaking technology, "3D Game-Based Filmmaking: The Art of Machinima" (U.S. $39.99, 496 pages with CD-ROM, ISBN 1-932111-85-9). Machinima, defined as animated filmmaking in a real-time virtual 3D world, is an emerging technology that is revolutionizing how animated films are made. This new art form and technology involves using powerful game engines, such as the ones provided with games like Quake and Unreal Tournament 2004, to create animation films on the desktop. Machinima is quickly being adopted by animators, designers, filmmakers, and technology enthusiasts who can now create their own animated films. The book features a foreword written by John Gaeta, the Senior Visual Effects Supervisor for the Matrix trilogy.

"3D Game-Based Filmmaking: The Art of Machinima" is a complete guide to Machinima, including many hands-on tutorials and projects that help readers create their own animations quickly. Starting with an introduction to Machinima and the technology platforms included on the CD-ROM, this book then shows how to create characters, set up virtual cameras for live-action filming, design sets, and produce a finished film that can be distributed on DVD and online. This book also covers set design, video capture, visual effects, and character development. The tools on the CD, in addition to basic hardware and software available in retail stores, give readers everything they need to start creating their own characters and films immediately.

In this book, readers will learn:

-The nuts and bolts of making 3D animated films -How to create virtual sets, add actors and cameras, and record everything in real time
-Specialized techniques for set design, cinematography, and character design -How to use powerful Machinima tools such as Machinimation and Unreal Tournament 2004 and its in-game camera system Matinee -How to edit, produce, and distribute a Machinima film -How to effectively use post production techniques to give animated films real polish.

--- Kit