Tuesday, November 13, 2007

"Mask:" Robbie Dingo plays with Machinima and makes magic, again

Some people need no introduction, but for those of you who have yet to discover the wonder that is Robbie Dingo, have I got a treat for you.

Robbie's newest vid "Mask", was released today, and already the feedback is - as expected - one giant HUZZAH! It features many NPIRLers, too! Utilizing a total of 70 images that he collected from friendly avatars in Second Life, he spliced and morphed their faces into one seamless sequence that is a joy, especially if you know some of the people involved. Robbie shared with me just now that he wishes to thank all those who sent in images, per his requirements.

Music is "Harper's Song," by Angry Man.

This is a man who repeatedly breaks ground by exploring new concepts via Machinima... the PC-based film medium of virtual worlds. Robbie says he's a "self-taught hobby-ist" but I would hardly call his amazing Watch the World(s) video the work of an amateur. It literally brought tears to the eyes of every man and woman I know in Second Life who found new inspiration in this gentle, soulful piece. In it, he recreated - in 3D - Vincent Van Gogh's "Starry Night," and accompanied the whole with Don McLean's poignant song "Vincent."

I know I am not alone in wishing that I had been able to walk the set for that film, but sadly it was dismantled soon after the shoot. If I had to point to just one creation - and there are many many that bend my mind - in my own Second Life... one that has given me hope that the metaverse actually will become the greatest tool ever for creative expression... it would have to be "Watch the World(s)."

While Robbie is lauded for his Machinima, he is also a sensational and technically expert builder, as well as the creator of surely the most sought after musical instruments in Second Life. In fact, he is probably best known for creating a guitar out of prims for Suzanne Vega - the first major recording artist to perform live in Second Life - and then making the in-world film about it, back in July of 2006: Suzanne's Guitar.

Robbie says he's working up some ideas for his next video. ;-)

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1Z8pSXCNFI

Make no mistake: "Mask" is a masterful feat of machinima ... but the concept is VERY derivative and, aside from the use of avatars rather than real life faces, completely "possible in real life."

Bettina Tizzy said...

Hehe... yea... tis true. They've been doin' the morphing thing for a while... but Robbie Dingo is a NPIRLer, there are oodles of NPIRLers in this vid, and sometimes we just gotta fixate on some "industry" stuff, ya know?

...and *anything* with Flea Bussy in it gets the NOT POSSIBLE IN REAL LIFE seal of approval.