Making machinima: animation, games, and multimodal participation in the media arts

Abstract

In the project discussed in this article, 30 11-year olds made an animated film in the machinima style, influenced by both film and game culture, and using a 3-D animation software tool, Moviestorm. The processes and products of the project will be analysed using a social semiotic/multimodal approach, exploring the social interests behind the integration of visual design, music, voice acting, story-writing, and animation which characterise the project. The outcomes suggest a need to move beyond established thinking and practice in media literacy practice and research in three ways. Firstly, we need to develop moving image education to recognise new genres and cultures. Secondly, we need to recognise that such productions are intensely multimodal, involving music, drama, story-writing, and visual design. Thirdly, such projects demand connected pedagogy across media, literacy, music, drama, computer science, and art.

Keywords:

• film
• animation
• media arts education
• kineikonic
• multimodality

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes on Contributor

Andrew Burn is Professor of English, Media and Drama at the UCL Institute of Education, and director of the DARE (Digital Arts Research Education) centre.

Notes

1. The project, entitled Montage, Mash-up, Machinima, was a collaboration between the Institute of Education, University of London, the University of Leeds, and the British Film Institute. It was conducted in 2012, and funded by First Light.

2. The UK government's schools inspection service.

3. Moviestorm is a 3D animation tool based on the practice of machinima: www.moviestorm.com

4. All children's names used in this article are pseudonyms.