What is Machinima?

Machinima, the technique that inspired us to create Moviestorm, is a new media form in which videogame engines are used to produce 3D animation quickly, cheaply and easily. Machinimators create footage by manipulating characters within a 3D world - just as a computer games player controls her on-screen avatar. The resultant action is captured to a video file, and can then be post-processed and edited using standard video editing techniques.

Computer games, of course, are not principally intended as movie-making tools! Moviestorm is different. It's not a game. It's a dedicated movie-making tool-kit, with which anyone can dive right in and make their first movie quickly and easily.

You don't need to learn any complex 3D animation tools or frame-by-frame modelling techniques to use Moviestorm. It's easy, it's fast, and it's fun. With Moviestorm, getting to grips with machinima is as fun and easy as playing a game!

Find out more

If you'd like to learn more about the fast-evolving technique of machinima, or just see the work of other machinimators around the world, you might find some of the following links useful:

What is Moviestorm?

Moviestorm is a complete movie-making package.

Moviestorm will take you all the way from your initial idea to your finished movie. Its ease of use makes it accessible for first time film-makers, while its advanced features make it suitable for pro-am users.

This inexpensive and easy-to-use movie-making application has something for everyone.

Moviestorm allows you to:

• Develop your movie ideas from concept to script, and beyond
• Create sets and characters for your movies, based on a library of supplied templates and 3D models
• Record your own dialogue, and have your characters speak it back to you
• Choreograph scenes using animations supplied
• Film each scene of your movie using multiple cameras, and edit the footage into a single movie
• Create movie files suitable for upload to video-sharing sites such as YouTube and Google Video, or for upload to your personal Moviestorm Director's page

Moviestorm features:

• An interface designed to take advantage of real film techniques
• A movie-making toolkit that needs no animation or film experience to use
• The ability to control actors by issuing logical instructions
• Multiple cameras that can be set up and controlled in the same way as real-life cameras
• Intelligent automation of much of the standard functionality, such as breathing, blinking and lip-synching
• The ability to easily add your own voice, music, pictures and videos to your movies
• An active community website, on which you can share your creations with the world

Moviestorm expansion packs

Regular upgrades and expansion packages designed to enhance every aspect of movie making are already in development. Some of them will be free to all Moviestorm users, others can be purchased separately. Free upgrades will be available for download on a monthly basis.

Upgrades and new content

We release regular upgrades for the Core Moviestom pack. These are available for free to all Moviestorm users. The Moviestorm Automatic Update Tool will notify you of any new content each time you start Moviestorm.

Moviestorm Content Packs contain upgrades, new assets and new functionality to enhance your movie-making experience. We've already released over a dozen Content Packs, and we'll continue to release new content regularly. Many of them are available to Moviestorm users at no cost; other Premium Content Packs can be purchased separately from the Moviestorm Store.

Moviestorm Points

As a registered Moviestorm user, you'll be eligible to receive Moviestorm Points, which can be used to offset the cost of Moviestorm Premium Content. You can receive points for all sorts of things: for sharing a great movie, for recommending Moviestorm to your friends, or for submitting a winning entry into one of our many competitions. Check your Moviestorm Points total to see if you have enough points for a free Premium Content Pack yet!