Machinima --How To in Second Life

Machinima Majenna/TSL Pia Klaar/SL

Overview

Setting User Preferences

Shortcut Keys

Using Camera Controls

Recording Video

Editing and Compressing Files

Sharing videos

#1: Setting Up User Preferences

Preference: Draw Distance

Edit/Preferences/Graphics Tab

Then Check the Custom tab to open the settings

Decrease Draw Distance is easier on computer

(range is 64 - 512)

Set Draw Distance to : 128 or lower

Increase if:

shooting overhead scenes of landscapes

you need to see distant objects

To Set Draw Distance

To Set Draw Distance Check the “ Custom” box to open the menu

To Set Draw Distance To increase draw Distance -slider to right

Preferences: Mouse Sensitivity

Edit | Preferences |Input & Camera

You can increase the mouse sensitivity.

Also can invert the mouse so that when you move upwards it moves you up

Increase Mouse Sensitivity And Invert Mouse

Preferences: Chat Text

Edit/Preferences / Text Chat

Under Chat Options : select checkbox “Close chat after hitting return”.

When filming this will allow you to use the shortcut for Mouselook: M (otherwise, use View/Mouselook”.

Use Escape key to get rid of Mouselook.

How to Close Chat Window

Advanced Menu

PC

CTRL-ALT-D

Mac

CMD-OPTION-Shift -D

Or

Option-Control-D

For a PC Hide/Show Advanced : CTRL – ALT- D For a Mac Hide/show Advanced: CMD – Option – D

User Interface

To get rid of User Interface:

Must have Advanced Menu displayed

Hide/Show UI for PCs: CTRL-ALT-F1

Hide/Show UI for Macs: CMD-Option-1

Mouselook and no User Interface

Mouselook Mode:

Chat bar must be closed

Edit/Preferences/Text Chat/Chat Options/

Close chat after hitting return

Hit ESCAPE button or type M to return to default view

Get rid of UI and Getting it back Again:

CTRL-ALT-F1 –PCs

CMD-OPT-F1 – MACs

Now go into Mouselook---M

Hit Escape or M to exit Mouselook, then get back UI

CTRL-ALT-F1 or CMD-OPT-F1

#2: Shortcut Keys

Shortcut Keys

Must have Chat Window Closed Edit/Preferences/Text Chat/ Chat Options/Close after hitting return

M = mouselook

Escape to get back...

E = to jump up

C = to come back down

Shortcut Keys

1. Focus Mode/ Alt-Zoom:

Hold down ALT key & left mouse button

& move your mouse forward and backward

2. PAN your camera:

Hold down ALT-CRTL-SHIFT keys (together)

& drag your mouse on your own avatar

3. Go into ORBIT MODE

Hold down ALT-CTRL keys

4. Chatcam:

While chatting in a group, hold down the tab key—moves camera to shoulder of avatar speaking.

More Shortcut Keys

ALT + clicking on something focuses it to center of screen

ALT + dragging the mouse zooms the camera

ATL-CTRL + dragging orbits camera

CTRL- 0 – Zoom in

CTRL- 8 ---- Zoom Out

CTRL- 9 --- Reset Zoom

If you are on a Mac:

ALT = Opt

CTRL = Cmd

#3 Camera Controls

Camera Controls

Setting Up Shots using Camera Control

View/ Camera Controls + alt-zoom - moving mouse forward or backwards )

Open up our camera controls and use them to get a close up view of our av's face.

Using left blue wheel on the camera control, use the left or right arrow to spin yourself around.

Use the + sign at the top of the zoom bar to put yourself in the middle of the window---- a close up view.

Can you see yourselves?

Advanced/ Disable Camera Constraints This allows the camera to go farther

#4: Recording Video

Video Recording Programs

Free

CamStudio-PC

Taski-PC

WeGame.com -PC

Capture Me-Mac

Commercial

PC

Camtasia –$299

Fraps - $37

Game Cam –$25

Game Recorder –$39

Mac

IShowU –$20

Snapz Pro X - $70

Quick Overall

Set Window Size

File menu ---

Set window size to reduce file size

– 640 x 480

How to Set Window Size

Sizer can be used to resize the window if you cannot use File/Set Window Size http://www.brianapps.net/sizer.html

Quick Overall

Get rid of User Interface (UI)

For a PC

Open Advanced menu:

CTRL – ALT- D

Hide/show interface:

CTRL – ALT – F1

Quick Overall

Get rid of User Interface (UI)

For a Mac

Open Advanced menu:

Option -Control– D

Hide/Show Interface:

CMD – Option – 1

# 5: Editing and Compressing Video Files

Editing

After you capture footage

Need to edit into a finished movie

Can use –

Windows Movie Maker

iMovie for Mac

Other

Some Editing Software

Camtasia – PC- Capturing and editing software good for tutorials

Adobe Premiere-PC

Sony Vegas-PC

Sony Vegas – PC

MovieMaker -PC

Final Cut Pro or Express-Mac

iMovie - Mac

Rendering and Encoding

After editing the video, now need to compress the video size.

Many video editing software programs will do this as a flash, .avi or .mov file

I save as an .avi file, then open that .avi file in Quicktime Pro to export as a .mov file

Now ready to share

Video Hosting Sites

YouTube

Blip.tv

Jumpcut

Vimeo

Yahoo Videos

YouAre.TV

CacheFly.com

Some Tips

1. Screen capture software------FRAPS http:// www.fraps.com

2. Dolly shots ----free scripted camera --- Alt-Zoom Studios http://alt-zoom.com

3. Try to isolate your action ----no extra objects or scripts in view

4. Mouselook Mode – smoother camera movements

Tips

5. Capture footage --- 640 X 480 ---has a higher quality

6. Capture extra frames in front of and at end of scene

7. Do not move camera too fast

8. Hide User Interface –UI — CTRL+ALT+F1 or CMD-OPT-F1

How to Capture Video Using FRAPs

Pia Klaar

How to create a video with images http:// majenna.blogspot.com / I used this online video tool. Here is an example on my blog. Animoto.com

How long are animoto videos?

Free Animoto Shorts

30 seconds long

about 12-15 images

Animoto full-length

many images

Cost $3.00

Animoto Video Steps:

Sign up

Create a free 30 second movie

Get images

Arrange the images

Choose music

Finished. Video is done!

Upload video.

Where do I get Images for animoto?

Retrieve images from Flickr. You can retrieve images from Flickr, Facebook, Smugmug, Picasa, and Photobucket.

Or upload images from your computer

Where can I post animoto videos?

You can post the videos to MySpace, Facebook, Friendster, YouTube,your blog or web page, or your computer.

Machinima Samples

http://www.youtube.com/user/majenh

http://piaklar.blip.tv/

http:// majenna.blogspot.com /

Machinima --How To in Second Life

2 comments

Notes on slide 1

Favorites, Groups & Events