Happy Halloween, Machinimists!!!!

Boo!  Why are so many of us fascinated with what goes bump in the night?  For one day - but really a few days or more - we attend costume parties virtually and in real life, and treat our eyes to scary movies (and trick them with special effects), even the cheesiest movies have a sense of appeal.  The holiday has grown commercially, but it still manages to carry with it a festive spirit that brings people together.  The historical origins of Halloween have been traced to the Celtic festival of Samhain, the Roman feast of Pomona, and other myths and legends.   It is a time for gathering and harvest.   Spring brings renewal, while October 31st marks the end of summer.

In America, Hollywood has a major role in defining Halloween.  It is the season when Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees are resurrected for a night, and sometimes a month.   It is when everyone potentially becomes an actor for a day, and adorns their body with a costume.   Machinimists, photographers and other artists capture these images in their own unique ways, from the macabre to the comedic, from clowns to fairy tale characters.

It is when people let loose and for a moment they are someone else.  It's all about suspending belief and playing a role.    That is the foundation of good machinima and storytelling, is it not?    So maybe a good scare might be the perfect prescription for the machinima writer's or producer's block.

The photos are from a couple of Halloween parties - one at a temporary Haunted House on the Island of Fame (near the corporate and production offices of Lowe Runo Productions LCC)...

...and the other one at Asil's NeoLondon, a steampunk sim complete with role play, shopping, and machinima areas.

http://slurl.com/secondlife/NeoVictoria/18/129/700

Here's a Halloween link from Draxtor Despres you might want to check out for fun!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=No7dlKsxGXc

 Happy Halloween!
  
Forthcoming, Machinima: The Art & Practice of Virtual Filmmaking (McFarland, December 2011) by Sonicity Fitzroy and Lowe Runo (Forward by Persia Bravin). The Professional Machinima Artist Guild graciously provides syndication of Sonicity’s blog Magnum: The Machinima Review to AviewTV.com