| Anyone who has seen any good quality Second | | | | something I would spend a long time doing, I |
| Life machinima, whether a resident of Second | | | | upgraded to Camtasio Studio 6, deciding it was |
| Life, another virtual world or no virtual worlds at | | | | worth the investment. Most PCs have Windows |
| all, will appreciate its artistic value. The better | | | | Movie Maker on them by default and if you are |
| machinima artists in Second Life create video that | | | | using a Mac, you should have iMovie. That takes |
| is beautiful, moving and incredibly artistic. The | | | | care of the video editing software. As for your |
| great news is that if you have a computer and | | | | imagination, well that really is down to you, I'm |
| can run Second Life, then you can learn! And you | | | | afraid. |
| can even learn Second Life machinima without | | | | I'm not going to turn this into a tutorial, as to |
| spending anything. You will need three things for | | | | offer such a tutorial on the various software |
| certain, on top of your computer and Second Life | | | | packages would take a fair amount of time. What |
| software of course: | | | | I will say is that the programs I have mentioned |
| 1. Screen recording software. | | | | here are very user friendly and simple to learn. I |
| 2. Video editing software. | | | | would recommend setting up a Youtube channel |
| 3. Your imagination. | | | | and subscribing to plenty of Second Life |
| Optional extras that may come in handy later on | | | | machinimatographers for inspiration. Some names |
| (once you have mastered the basics) are a USB | | | | that spring to mind when thinking of some of the |
| control pad and some Second Life building skills. | | | | best machinima artists are Nitwacket, Chantal |
| But these really are optional and there are plenty | | | | Harvey and Rockerfaerie. Watching their videos |
| of people who make great machinima without | | | | will inspire you to create your own - and perhaps |
| ever using a control pad and by always filming at | | | | make you feel a little inferior in your early learning |
| locations owned by others, as opposed to building | | | | stages. I've been working on this for months now |
| their own set. Generally, I prefer to film at | | | | and I still feel like covering my bits in shame when |
| locations belonging to random residents, largely | | | | watch their stuff! |
| because someone else's build is entirely unique, | | | | If you plan to upload your own creations to |
| born of their imagination and this, when coupled | | | | Youtube, avoid any copyright issues by using |
| with your own imagination, can work amazingly. | | | | music released under the Creative Commons |
| There are some really beautiful places in Second | | | | licence, available from sites like |
| Life and it's a pleasure to film at them. | | | | Play around. Find your style. And, most |
| The good news is, particularly for beginners, that | | | | importantly, enjoy it. If it does not become |
| all three of the necessary items are available for | | | | something you simply love, why bother? Though |
| free. There is free screen capture software | | | | most people I know who've started doing |
| known as CamStudio available from Camstudio.org | | | | machinima have soon found themselves 'bitten by |
| or a free demo of Fraps is available too. I started | | | | the bug' and somewhat addicted to this ever |
| using CamStudio and then, when I realised this is | | | | evolving art form. |