What we do is novel in it's method... we make animation using real-time 3D rendering engines used in today's high-profile computer games. This allows us to record animation live and thereby speed up the production process. And because it's saved as a digital video file, we can tweak a lot of things in post: camera angles, additional effects, and more.

A simple breakdown of our process:

Preproduction:
The movie is first storyboarded. The blocking of each scene is then done via the ingame mission builder. Aircraft, buildings, ground armaments, cameras and movements are placed onto a 'map' within the mission builder.

Production:
The computer game is loaded, with the aforemention 'mission'. The user flies that aircraft according the predetermined storyboards, etc.
The 'flight' is saved and is then replayed under the director's eye while running a screen capture program that will record what is seen on the computer screen. The director makes all his selections of cameras and camera angles at this time.

Post production:
Similar to traditional filmmaking, select takes are edited in non-linear editing software. Additionally, specific shots can be tweaked and refined using post-productions techniques such as colour balancing and camera motion simulation. At this time the selected shots can also have additional video effects added such as enhanced exlposions, additional props, and lighting effects not possible in the game itself.

Dialogue is recorded and edited along with all the foley effects.

A near-final edit is then passed to the music department which writes/creates the score.

Advantages of Machinima
We can produce Machinima much faster then traditional cell animation or CGI productions because the modeling and animation is accomplished using preproduced CGI native to the gaming software being used. shoot live. And because we can tweak the original recorded shot files, we can change anything you want in post.

Many Uses
Besides traditional episodic animation, machinima is ideal for specialized shots. If your production needs an historical recreation, animatics for a complicated effects shot, an inhouse pilot or other shots requiring animation, CGI or a quick turnaround, machinima may be the way to go.