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 

Support for the Wan Smolberg Theatre in Vanuatu following cyclone Pam

Hello Moviestormers

Many of you may know of John Herd, aka Primaveranz, a passionate Moviestorm filmmaker and modder, who has also taken Moviestorm to one of the remotest places on our planet, introducing the tool to the people of Vanuatu as a mean to teach, as well as a tool to record their cultural history via the wonderful Wan Smolberg Theatre.

Watch 'I Bin Gat Wan Taem' ...

Since the islands were hit by cyclone Pam, with devastating results last week, the resilient islanders have started the massive rebuilding process, but of course they need all the help they can get.

John spent more than 10 years as a volunteer IT advisor for the VSA, in Port Vila, Vanuatu and Dili, East Timor, and has kindly passed on the bank details for the Wan Smolbag Theatre account in case you want to make a direct contribution to an important local organisation, that will use the funds effectively, as only local people can in such circumstances.

John says "Here are the details for the Wan Smolbag account. I know any money sent will be very well used as they have years of local knowledge and are extremely well organised and audited. Thanks for any help you can garner"

Please direct your contributions to:

ANZ Bank Vanuatu Ltd
Account name: WSB 25th Anniversary
Account number: 1651383
BSB code: 010982
Swift code: ANZBVUVX

Please feel free to share this message, and thank you
Moviestorm

Moviestorm gets recognition at TEDx talk by Libertaria creator Sabrina Pena Young

Readers of this blog may remember an exclusive guest post in September 2013 from Sabrina Pena Young telling of the story of Libertaria: her virtual opera, created entirely online using Moviestorm.

Award-winning composer and published author Sabrina Pena Young composes works heard in Asia, North America, Australia, and Europe.

Production for Libertaria was entirely online. The cast auditioned virtually through Music Xray and other sites, the animators worked together using Moviestorm, communication continued through e-mail and facebook.

Libertaria has been growing in popularity ever since the world premiere screening in October 2013.

Recently, Sabrina shared her story at a TED talk, answering the question of how you stage an opera without an opera company, or singers, or a stage, or anything except your own ideas.

TED is a nonprofit organization devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. Started as a four-day conference in California 25 years ago, TED has grown to support those world-changing ideas with multiple initiatives.

Since 2011, TEDxBuffalo has taken place each October at Canisius College’s Montante Cultural Center. 

See Sabrina's talk at TEDx below:

    

Sabrina told Moviestorm: "I spoke about Moviestorm in the live presentation, and I am working on a new "rock concert" project that will be shown in music concerts this spring, also using Moviestorm.

"I will be giving an upcoming online presentation on machinima and music this April. It will be for an online music festival."

Sabrina added that she chose Moviestorm for the TED Talk because without the 'easy-to-use animation software' she wouldn't have been able to create her work Libertaria: The Virtual Opera. 

She said: "I have been using Moviestorm for several years now and have found it an excellent program for multimedia and music works, as well as presentations like the TED Talk.  

"For example, I am currently finishing up the commission Destiny: Eondwyr that incorporates live music performance with fantasy comic book panels created using Moviestorm.  

"I am also using Moviestorm for my upcoming virtual online performance Urban Night: Sounds, which is a musical performance of animated characters in a virtual outdoor concert venue, to be presenting online and in New York this spring. 

"Moviestorm has truly taken my artistic expression to the next level."

Sabrina said one of the reasons she recommends Moviestorm to musicians is because it is very affordable and easy-to-use, not to mention fun and easily customizable. 

She said that right now another Moviestorm animator, Matt Pittsinger, inspired by Libertaria: The Virtual Opera, is using Moviestorm to create a truly cinematic Baroque opera Aetius. 

Sabrina concluded: "My hope is that other musicians use machinima to explore innovative ways to share their original music with the world without any of the financial and societal boundaries of the past. Technology is truly the great democratizer of our age."

WATCH LIBERTARIA HERE:

Further links

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