Well ya just know I had to pipe in here.
A few more hours and the entries close. I have my "current" list of ten which may of course change in the final hours.
It doesn't take much reflection to see that their have been fewer entries this time out. I doubt this has anything to do with "theme" or "rules" or any other things that the University has control over. It is simply a mirror of what is going on in the creative world of Second Life.
It is Halloween Eve as I post this message -- a special time for some folks, a close friend being one. There is an energy associate with this night. If you have ever lived in one of those "woo - woo" communities (and I have several times) you know what I mean. I am feeling it and hence "the veils are parting". OK. I have to admit I am laughing here.
Any-way.
Along with fewer entries, I think we have some spectacular work. In my mind Tutsy's was his best work and I said so on his YouTube page. I am going to be honest here. I seldom finish his films. Most (only to me I am sure) need more editing. But this one? I only found a few places I would have cut and I watched to the end and even introduced it to a real life artist friend of mine who was visiting.
She was of course supportive of MY film which used the $79 editing program when I am thinking Tutsy has the high dollar software as I know he can do things I can't. Honestly? It ain't the software folks; it's the vision.
It was interesting to me that two films to make it on my list (so far) had to do with war -- an early war which in itself is a comment. Perhaps as a culture we are hesitant to bring things too close to home. War is war and in my mind there has never been a "good" war except perhaps WWII which I would only go so far as to categorize as "just" not "good".
There were a couple of films that I really enjoyed that didn't make it on my top ten list -- not because they weren't good; simply because there wasn't enough content. They were short and clever but needed more filling out to make it onto my tally. Honestly, I suspect that is why my first entry into UWA a few years ago didn't win a prize. There was plenty of clapping, but it was short -- and while I didn't get that then, I do now.
I always think my film is in the top ten. Well, what can I say? Ego DOES get in the way at times. Now and then it makes it, often times it does not. One real life friend (SL long ago but no longer) thought my latest was my best. I'll go with that and not worry about the actual awards.
You may or may not know that quite a few of the machinimatographers were disappointed with last year's awards. Some are (so far) noticeably absent. I don't know if they have lost interest; I am not a networking gal. I do know that my list wasn't all that close to the actual winner's list last time. My "top folks" just barely made the cut.
I can understand their frustration with so many of the people judging not being in the machinima world. But, in the end, I believe it is most important to support the creative process. Whether we win or lose? That's not really the highest priority.
I was pleased to see several films with footage taken and credits given to MOSP. Thanks guys!
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