Passion Competition 2016

Unfortunately, due to personal reasons, the organisers will be post-poning the Passion Competition this year, but expect it to be back again in 2017 ...

We are pleased to be able to offer Moviestorm users the opportunity to enter the latest Passion Competition.

This machinima competition, conceived and generously run by Harb40, and sponsored by Moviestorm, Sony Software and Reallusion is now in it's 9th year.

We are always pleased to see how successful Moviestorm users have been over the years, and we hope and encourage you to keep that going with your entries.  There are some really talented members of this community who could take advantage of this opportunity to showcase your abilities, and we can see more winners such as Godless and Pickman's Model, and runners up such as Remember Me and Dr. Cross 3.

Mini Competition

2016 sees a small change in the Passion Competition.  Currently there is a mini contest running to make a new teaser video for the competition.  Details can be found at the competition forums along with the Moviestorm forums.  $50 cash prizes are available to the winner(s).

Crowd Funding

In order to offer larger cash prizes to go along with the great software in the prize packages, Harb started a crowdfunding campaign to achieve this.  If enough funds are raised, cash prizes of $250 or even $500 can be added to the packages.  Harb says even if you can't donate, please pass on the links to people you know.  There just might be someone close to you that might find it interesting enough to join in.

So please join us in 2016 to make this the best year ever for the Passion Competition.  You can learn more about the competition by going to the official website.

Moviestorm operatic feature film showing

An update on Libertaria the Virtual opera by Sabrina Pena Young.

The film will be shown at Opera America in NYC on November 4th ... in case you are in the area! :)

Further links

Watch Sabrina's TedX talk Moviestorm gets recognition at TEDx talk by Libertaria creator Sabrina Pena Young
Artist Website: http://sabrinapenayoung.blogspot.com/
Official Film Website: http://virtualopera.wordpress.com/

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQqnHt3a-Oo
Soundtrack : http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/sabrinapenayoung4

New releases

We are pleased to announce the release of a 1.7.1 patch, and two new environment-based content packs ...

Content Packs

Metropolis

Create thoroughly modern cityscapes, with a generous leaning towards Manhattan and Hong Kong, using a selection of skyscrapers and buildings, street furniture and our interpretation of Liberty Island.

Customizable buildings, props, ground textures, and skylines combine to offer a multitude of variety in this colourful urban pack.

Rent for a month for 50 MSP

Purchase for 500 MSP

Go to the Metropolis content page to see more

Courtyards

A collection of buildings, structures and props, ideal to create enclosed sets, from Asian temples to historic towns and country vineyards.

Customizable temples, towers, buildings, statues, ornaments and foliage combine to offer a broad selection of potential set styles in this varied architectural pack.

Rent for a month for 50 MSP

Purchase for 500 MSP

Go to the Courtyards content page to see more

1.7.1

New features

• The prop customizer allows you to detach a prop from its parent or children props, so it can be moved or deleted separately
• Content pack meshpacks are only assigned memory when the content pack is first used; this should substantially reduce the likelihood of running out of address space for people using a lot of content packs.
• Movie scenarios and stock sets can now have a list of content packs that are needed to load them.
• Support for Courtyards and Metropolis content packs.

Resolved issues

• Shadows should work correctly on props that have a texture transformation (and on the Dance floor)
• Rescaling the Nav Mesh should work better (previously it didn't scale the walkable bit for purposes of connecting to the floor)
• Playing the drum kit should work correctly after reloading the movie (the drum kit and drummer were vanishing in the Cutting Room and Render)
• Camera UI now works after replacing the set with a different set from stock.
• Modder's workshop default gesture names now begin with Gestures/ so that they correctly appear in the gesturizer
• Modder's workshop addon filter should work with our published addons that have components in the ModdersWorkshop addon

Go to the Release Notes page to read more

2015 Passion Competition

We are pleased to announce that the 2015 Harb40 Passion Competition is underway...

The theme is Passion

Various dictionaries refer to Passion as:

1. a strong feeling of enthusiasm or excitement for something or about doing something 
2. a strong feeling (such as anger) that causes you to act in a dangerous way 
3. a strong sexual or romantic feeling for someone
4. the state or capacity of being acted on by external agents or forces 
5. a strong liking or desire for or devotion to some activity, object, or concept 

Create a film/write a short story about your interpretation of passion. 

Submissions will be open from August 8th to October 3rd.
Winners will be announced at the Machinima Expo on either November 21st or 22nd.

For those interested, please follow the links for more information:

• Video category thread - where submissions will be
• Short story thread
• Prize list
• Promo video
• Registration info - Entrants must register in order to post

Good luck with your entries!
- The Moviestorm Team

A beneficial learning tool for Asperger Syndrome students

Read the new Moviestorm Education case study about Kaimes School in Edinburgh

Mary Walters comes from a varied arts background and is the art teacher at Kaimes School for pupils on the autistic spectrum.

Animation forms part of their art curriculum as well as being a major opportunity for interdisciplinary learning. Her pupils enjoy the animation programme and it has proved to be an excellent teaching tool.

"The group loved the animation process and benefitted from the use of the CGI software ...a first time for the school."

Watch Galo's Story - Chile from mary walters on Vimeo.

One of a series of Unsung Stories - stories of people who were not born in Edinburgh, but who have come here to live. made at Kaimes School Animation Studios 2014

Read the full case study at
http://www.moviestorm.co.uk/hub/teaching/teaching_case_study_animation_for_aspergers