Discussion: Matrix Machinima Contest

Really good job Ashcraft.

I am finally nearing the end. I just need to go through 4 demo files and remove unwanted things like chat dialog and floatdmg commands and then capture it to put all together. Then that is when I decide on voice over or chat bubbles.

Another update from gametrailers:

They responded to my last email basically stating what was said previously (not the big "NO- one person") but the "we prefer one person but if you have all your documentation approved by them then they may be able to swing it through."

And on the use of MovieStorm...or other like software. You have to get written proof from the software rep/owner..etc that their models can be used for commercial use. Here's the clip:

"Per the MovieStorm, if any assets from this software show up in the video, i.e "models" etc we will need written confirmation from the software rep or proof in their documentation that it can be used for commercial purposes/ profit. "

Hope that helps. It definately clarifies.

Todd

OK, the latest contest entry, Babytoons, is pretty darn funny.

[ QUOTE ]
Here is what my entry was going to be.

Thanks to Hertz, Jester, Mindscythe, Dark_Respite, Mysidia and Trixi Hill for being voice and player actors.

Prime Time Grime

Good luck to the rest of you!

[/ QUOTE ]
Unfortunately, it's breaking a certain unwritten rule. When a TV personality gets beat up off camera, he must say "Not the face." Sorry Ashcraft, better luck next time!

Hehehe, put him in a body bag and make him go woo woo woo. I don't know if the judges will get that joke, but it had me laughing out loud!

um. yeah. it was really well made. i can't imagine how much coding went into that thing.

[ QUOTE ]

Unfortunately, it's breaking a certain unwritten rule. When a TV personality gets beat up off camera, he must say "Not the face."

[/ QUOTE ]

I substituted his mustache instead. Vic loves his mustache.

I got an answer from the Powers That Be about where you can and can't upload your video... (and within four hours - I don't know why, but I've NEVER had a problem getting an answer from these folks):

My initial email:
An isssue that is NOT currently addressed in the rules at the moment is that at present, our entries to the contest must be uploaded through your website (for initial and final judging). However, I'd like some clarification for the following:

1) In the (hopefully non-applicable) event that a video is disqualified for whatever reason, are we still allowed to post the videos on a) sites such as YouTube, Vimeo, or whatever, and b) our own personally hosted websites, for others to see? (For example, "Hey, this was my entry, but it was disqualified, but I still am proud of it and want to share it!")


2) In the event that a video is NOT disqualified, and/or even goes on to win/place/show, are we still allowed to post the videos on a) sites such as YouTube, Vimeo, etc, and b) our own personally hosted sites? While the rules DO state that the content (if it WINS) belongs to Spike GTTV etc etc etc, it doesn't state what happens to qualified entries that don't win.

Their response:
Michelle,

When you submit a video for entry, we have rights to display the video where we please. However, these rights are nonexclusive so you are welcome to show off your video where you like as well if it is or is not disqualified.

Thanks,
David

So yes. You can YouTube it, Vimeo, w00tstudios, my website, whatever.

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite

Hey Gang,

We have been watching the thread for submissions and concerns. As of the past few days we picked up some underlying concerns so we have contacted the support director at Gametrailers.com and he has given us the following statement:

[ QUOTE ]
"To clear up any confusion, any entry which contains multiple entrants will be disqualified unless, per the rules, prior written authorization is given by GameTrailers:
[ QUOTE ]
A group (e.g., multiple entrants) is generally not permitted to enter or submit an entry in this Contest and any attempt to submit a Contest entry form or Video (as defined in Paragraph 3 below) or to otherwise enter the Contest by or on behalf of a group without advance written authorization from Sponsor, will subject the entry to disqualification. If a group is permitted by Sponsor to enter, only a single individual (whose designation shall be set forth in writing by all of the members of the group and subject to any additional requirements deemed appropriate by Sponsor) shall have the right to be deemed the entrant, to participate in and to win the Contest and all actions, failures to act, decisions, determinations, agreements and authorizations from and by that designated individual bind each member of the group. Sponsor assumes no responsibility for any disputes among or between members of any group or any disputes among individuals or entities that claim to have any rights or interests in any Contest entry or Video or otherwise in connection with this Contest. Sponsor reserves the right to revoke its permission for any group to enter, participate in and/or win the Contest and be awarded a prize and to disqualify any group entry at any time, with or without notice of any kind."


[/ QUOTE ]Documentation can be faxed to David Muehl
Fax: 310 907 2219
Please include user name and video title and be sure the video is already uploaded to GT.


[/ QUOTE ]

Also David let us know that submitted videos do not go up right away, that they are first reviewed internally and if there are issues where a submission may need to be reviewed for content or resubmission it is kicked back to the person that submitted the video.

This is what is happening in the case of Ashcraft's submission, I am guessing it is currently being reviewed. It sounds like there may be some things you all can do to ensure your video is considered. We have found working with gametrailers.com that they have been very responsive to our request for information.

We look forward to seeing all the great submissions from our community and from those that are just trying City of Heroes for the first time.

Best of luck, if you have additional questions continue to post to the thread, you all have been extremely helpful with one another and that just continues to affirm what a great community we all have here at City of Heroes and City of Villains.

Regards,

Ex Libris

[ QUOTE ]
Here is what my entry was going to be.

Thanks to Hertz, Jester, Mindscythe, Dark_Respite, Mysidia and Trixi Hill for being voice and player actors.

Prime Time Grime

Good luck to the rest of you!

[/ QUOTE ]

Hilarious - and God, I sound like an idiot on there.

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Here is what my entry was going to be.

Thanks to Hertz, Jester, Mindscythe, Dark_Respite, Mysidia and Trixi Hill for being voice and player actors.

Prime Time Grime

Good luck to the rest of you!

[/ QUOTE ]

Hilarious - and God, I sound like an idiot on there.

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite

[/ QUOTE ]

It worked perfectly for what I wanted.


EDIT: And Star_Dancer, did you ever hear back about your release forms? If you get through, maybe I can still do that for my video.

So to reiterate, my suggestion is that folks enter as soon as possible so that they can find out if there are any barriers to their entry. I think once a video is posted it is considered eligible for judging, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't go through the necessary steps to make sure you pass the legal gates.

Good luck everyone.

Ashcraft, refer to the end of my quoted text for the fax number and contact information for the release forms.

I think in the end nobody wants to get into a chainsaw war over the car!

Regards,

Ex

Dueling chainsaws at twenty paces. I'll see the rest of you on the field at dawn.

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite

[ QUOTE ]

Ashcraft, refer to the end of my quoted text for the fax number and contact information for the release forms.


[/ QUOTE ]

I Know, but I want to know that bothering my voice actors with release forms and such will actually cause any change in the condition of my video before I do anything. Star_Dancer had quoted this earlier:

[ QUOTE ]
EDIT: Just got teh following followup:

[ QUOTE ]

Thanks, our legal is reviewing your releases and I will get back to you this afternoon.

Our legal team here prefers that all entries be by one person only and its up to their discretion to take in a "Groupe designate" from an entry that contains work from multiple people. It is easier on all ends if you stick to one voice

[/ QUOTE ]

[/ QUOTE ]

So I'm just holding out a little to see if it will do any good to pester the kind people that lent their time to my crazy endeavor.

Ex thanks for the clarifications....and for keeping an eye on things.

Todd

Well, it is well past "lawyers' hours" on the west coast and I haven't received the promised "get back to you" from Mr. Muehl. (Yes, he is the person I am dealing with but I didn't want to release his name until I was sure he was accomplishing anything positive)

Ex, thank you SO MUCH for going out of you way on our behalf. We lub you too!

I was really hoping to have some good news (i.e. - that the legal language I used - which is used by several entertainment organizations, BTW - was "good to go"). If that language does prove to be "good enough", the I'd suggest that the contest organizers certify it as "pre-approved" for getting a "group" entry cleared.

(hint - Ex, can you talk to David about that?)

Maybe the good folks at GT could even put that form (or something similar) on their web site as a way to assure that everything is to their liking.

Got a couple of things to tweak on my vid and I'll post it tomorrow.

Go Team Machinima!

[ QUOTE ]
Dueling chainsaws at twenty paces. I'll see the rest of you on the field at dawn.

[/ QUOTE ]

LOL - I am so doomed...

Errr, excuse me. Dooooooooomed!

Well I finally finished recording all my footage and putting it together. I should have it up Thursday night as I am going to be at Disneyland tomorrow all day.

Now I just need to decide if I want to include the NCsoft and Cryptic logo at the beginning or not as well as their copyright logo at the end.

I'm *still* working on the voice track for my video. Everything else is done. If someone wants to give some feedback, this version has no voice at all:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VB2tJO_Doaw

I'm uploading a version with the current voice track right now. YouTube is *really* screwing up the sound though, looks like they added a hard limiter filter with *way* too much gain.

I just have a simple text credit at the end - "Music and Graphical Elements (c) City of Heroes / NCSoft"

Mine is rendering now. I'll upload it to GT and also to my YouTube acct.

Mine is called "Dark Star Rising". Look for it soon in a theatre near you...

LMAO!

Star Dancer: Kitty! Look out!
Kat Scratch: Oh, man...
Star Dancer: Oh my God! They killed Kitty!

Yeah, it's that kinda video...

EDIT: OMG - Leo! Get that thing finished, friend! But I'm gonna miss the original maniacal evil laugh for Fusionette: "Mwa ha ha ha ha ha -ha... OK. Mwa ha ha bah ha ha badah!"

adding sound to mine now watching babytoons making me sweat lol mine will be CROOK911930 look for it in the next couple days .

VERY NICE BTW LEANDRO

OK, the version with Amanda's voiceover finished uploading:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMkhjQlja6Q

Video is horrible quality, so if you want to take a better look at the video use the previous link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VB2tJO_Doaw

I'll try to get Amanda to re-record most of it tonight. Again. Argh!

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OMG - Leo! Get that thing finished, friend!

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I'm trying! The video part has been done for a week already... It's the voiceover that's killing me.

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VERY NICE BTW LEANDRO

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Thanks!

Very well done Leo! Even without voices. Very, very nice.

And I loved the raining donuts

Todd

p.s. I want to see a "directors cut" somewhere with audio outtakes of ol' Fusionette.

omg, I was hoping to get into the top 5 but my doubts about that have increased drastically over the past couple days.

[ QUOTE ]
Here is what my entry was going to be.

Thanks to Hertz, Jester, Mindscythe, Dark_Respite, Mysidia and Trixi Hill for being voice and player actors.

Prime Time Grime

Good luck to the rest of you!

[/ QUOTE ]

You have got to enter that!! Make them reject it, don't do it yourself! Send them the voice actor releases and just dare them... please. This is very funny, and needs to be in there.