record – LABS

Thesis Info

Thesis Title: Machinima Fictions: a do-it-yourself practice to produce narrative movies from video games.

URL where full thesis can be found: pktweb.com/thesis/%5BMachinima%20Fictions%5D.pdf

Keywords: machinima, rhizome, DIY, film studies, video games, real-time, animation

Abstract: 200-500 words: This thesis investigates the growing moving image phenomenon of machinima, which has been defined as a technique that utilises 3D video game environments to produce narrative animated movies. The main argument centres on the hybridization of media languages and techniques that machinima exhibits, allowing a cultural appreciation of this phenomenon. The metaphorical concept of a rhizomatic surface (maraña) entangles throughout the thesis and fosters a view of the manifold facets of this moving image medium. Two productions that promote machinima qualities such real-time and film language are examined in order to observe how these features give shape to the machinima expressive potentialities as a hybrid medium resulting from the combination of puppetry, video game assets, and the classical style of narrative movies. Through this research, which encompasses the critical view of terms, the development of concepts, and review of relevant literature – I argue that machinima is more than a technique that imperfectly imitates the conventions and codes of mainstream film and television. Instead machinima is considered as a cultural phenomenon stemming from the persistence contact with machinic media entertainment and that is part of the current widespread of the do-it-yourself (DIY) mentality in media production that highlights production over consumption.