This week is another pick from the Archives, a short by Thuyen Nguyen aka @evaneon and @collectivenounfilmworksdev4297 . The film was released in 2007 - it is a love letter to games and gamers at a time when seemingly the whole world was filled with haters. Catch up with our comments and reflections and do add your own below. 1:13 About the Archive…

Alongside S5 E176 Red Faction Guerilla: Optimism Bias (Apr 2025), Tracy spoke to Andrew about his machinima series, his creative practice and the problems he encountered when attempting to distribute the work. They also discuss his upcoming works and aspirations for his future career. Check out the interview (also on YouTube). Credits - Speakers: A…

A viewer nominated series, this week's ep is another great example of brilliant writing. Optimism Bias was directed by @AndrewGoodKnight and originally released in 2013 having been showcased at the Melbourne International Animation Festival @melbourneinternationalanim3991 - its Australian comedy, deeply rooted in game lore, at its very best. Tracy …

It's lovely to hear a fellow machinima fan discuss their passion for the creative works that have inspired them. This week's ep is a documentary by one such person, Angelikatosh, who reminisces about the 'golden age' of classic World of Warcraft films. We highlight a few films from our own and possibly slightly older archives that she's not managed…

One of the most extraordinary picks we've made, probably ever, on the show! This week, we review an emergent absurdist talk show, focussing on the life of the Glurons - a post-human race of critters set in a future world, but most creatively uses generative AI tools. Its outstanding quality is, however, the writing. Check out our review and pick up…

Leading with compassion is one thing (and a good thing at that). But what if whole departments ran on a standard of sensitivity and genuine emotional concern for the people in their care, be they customers or employees? Before leaving The Granite Group to start her own consultancy, Tracie Sponenberg held the title of Chief People Officer. She’s cre…

This is our regular monthly news update on things relevant to the world of machinima. 1:19 Projects: Isoterica’s latest release, DisUtopia; Hamilton in Animal Crossing by GK Animations; EvilDrPorkChop’s No Man’s Sky cinematic 4:28 Phil’s Chuck Norris vs 50K Cavemen – a true scientific experiment 11:20 ElevenLabs vs a cast – choices and rationale 15…

This week we review a 'golden age' machinima, starring none other than Ricky Grove playing 'Bogart', and Ingrid Moon playing err, 'Ingrid', with Phil having created the score and Ricky having produced the sound design. Its a short by German-American creator, Andre Pesch, called The Days After, made in GTA San Andreas. Its a story that pre-2020 prob…

Pop quiz: What does CRM stand for? Brian Gardner says there’s more to the acronym than customer relationship management. He’s the Founder and CEO of SalesProcess360, a consultancy that helps distributors secure greater ROI from their CRM. Jason caught up with Brian to learn more about the company’s “reverse order” approach to picking the perfect CR…

A once in a lifetime event in Elite Dangerous? Yup, that's what fascinated us all too. This week we review a series of machinimas that approach the destruction of a Thargoid ship attacking planet Earth in different ways - a strange and unusual phenomenon in a game world that we reflect on, only possible in open world sims. 1:30 Elite Dangerous: an …

A packed news episode, with Tracy's analysis of the AI art copyright ruling decision and a discussion with Damien about his hit fan series, Heir to the Empire - the Star Wars story that everyone always wanted to see made. Do comment on the discussion (on the YouTube channel or the Blog post). The links are available in the show notes. 0:45 Tracy is…

Relationships drive distribution. The theory holds up even as automations and AI integrations infiltrate every aspect of business. But how do personal affinity and an enduring professional alliance actually work in practice? Darin Arnold has decades of experience forging relationships. As president of Sales Northwest, Inc., a manufacturer’s rep bas…

This ep, we take a walk down memory lane to the first major peak of #machinima with a documentary produced by @ProducerStuartBrown , released in 2003. The film is a fly on the wall documentary of the creative practice of the legendary Hugh Hancock (founder of #Machinima.com) and his @strangecompany 0:39 Introduction to the film; shock and awe: Hugh…

This week's pick is nostalgic for a time before machinima... its a rare look back at the demoscene era that informed and influenced the evolution of machinima all those years ago. The film selection is called We Are Demo, made in 2016 by Fairlight, Noice, Offence, and it was originally shared on X by the Commodore Computer Museum. Check out our rev…

Conversations often go sideways when the topic turns to AI. Most of the anxiety stems from widespread misunderstanding about the activities this tech can and will eventually execute. Brooks Hamilton is the guy that C-suites rely on to cut through the chatter. He’s the CEO of Hamilton AI Strategy Advisors, a development service specializing in artif…

This week's pick is a machinima run through of the female V character in Cyberpunk 2077, by Charles Liu, edited to a Johnny Cash classic, Hurt. Sound design in this is everything, and we especially like how the fade is used to emphasise the game footage vs the words of the song at different points in the film. Check out our views - 1:14 Intro to fi…

The Little Limpet is an Elite Dangerous animation by CMDR Nickweb85, released in July 2024. It has shades of Disney X David Attenborough X Busby Barkley. You could say it has something for everyone then... well, assuming you enjoy a good space opera/ballet (which of course we do). Check out our comments - 0:44 Intro to film, Elite Dangerous, Pixar-…

Career pivots don't always happen on impulse or as the result of a 180º turn. More often than not, change occurs slowly until the protagonist finds themself in different but not unfamiliar territory. That's the story with Steve Bailey, president of Bailey Safety. He parlayed a successful career in his family's distribution business into a lucrative…

This week's #machinima short is ridiculous, yep Ridiculous Ties - a meme response to Eltorro64Rus' review of favorite and least favorite words used by the Scientist in Half Life, created by Finzlow. And did we say its ridiculous?! We love the well-crafted humor in this, in-jokes with some of the best timing and inspired editing we've seen for quite…

Whilst January's news begins with more of the same ole genAIs doing their thang, because they can, there's now evidence of more concerted effort to control the efforts of creators... because the corporates and policymakers can at least try to do that, right? Well, maybe, but all this has achieved in the past is even more creative energy invested in…

Margins are slim for small distributors, especially in the food service industry. So, how does a local supplier take advantage of bespoke technology solutions without breaking the bank? Chris Elliott has the answer. He’s the co-founder and head of new business development at Kimelo by Cheetah Technologies, an elegant eCommerce platform that’s purpo…

Kicking off 2025 with a review of a classic and iconic #machinima by one of the pioneers of the movement, Paul Marino aka ILLRobinson. I'm Still Seeing Breen, made in HL2, holds a special place in our memories from those early years - not only was it a perfect 'protest piece' as the feature machinima demonstrating its potential for a 2005 Sundance …

What a fantastic short to end 2024 on... this week is yet another great creative work by GibbsonTV, released in April. The film is based on the award-winning Roblox-inspired game Lethal Company by Zeekerss. It's not actually machinima, being made in Blender, but in the spirit of being inspired by the game and with a original tale, it has all the ri…

Team training is hit-or-miss. Businesses either choose a generic version that doesn’t directly address their industry or a vertical-specific program that’s so complex the team fails to fully implement it. Jeremy Wall has a simple solution. He’s the co-founder and CEO of GoalMakers, a learning platform that bills itself as the 10-week MBA. Jason cha…

Not an actual comparison but a review of two shorts: The Internet is for Porn by Evilhoof & Flayed, originally released way back in 2005 and The Marstons Celebrate Christmas, But Things Get Out of Hand, by Paradise385 released 22 Dec 2023. Lots of lampoonery in both our reviews, but we especially hope you enjoy watching them. Happy Christmas from t…

Want to know a hiring secret? A self-directed development strategy can help you attract and retain top-notch talent in today's transient employment climate. J Carlton Harwood, a consultant and 30-year vet of Ferguson Enterprises, believes that staff success isn’t acquired through mandatory coursework. Instead, he champions a “hands-off,” self-direc…

Our monthly news update this month covers more genAI matters, game-related items and WoWness in the form of a 2 hour + stunning orchestral performance celebrating 20 years of musical history. Check out the news and our discussion, and do leave comments too! 1:35 Pioneers in Machinima, published by Vernon Press, is becoming part of the genAI ecosyst…

The future of HVACR distribution is already here. But if your company is solely focused on the impending changeover to more eco-friendly components, it’s missing out on future-proofing the industry’s workforce. Rhonda Wight is miles ahead on both fronts. As CEO of Ohio-based Refrigeration Sales Corporation (RSC), she believes that developing next-g…

A Source Filmmaker short by Dominzki, this is another of his well-crafted stories told in 3 parts, called Mission. This episode we focus on the third part Exodus and discuss its merits in detail. We conclude that if there was ever a machinima that should be made in a film studio, this would be it. Check out our comments. 1:17 Tracy's introduction t…

This week's film review is a Star Citizen cinematic machinima by Virtuality Media called Dangerous Love, beautifully made and with a well chosen music accompaniment. Its a tale that has a tragic twist for its lead character. The layers of emotion and depth to the storytelling are inspirational. Check out our review and do add your own comments. 1:1…