Christmas Eve

It is almost Christmas Eve while I write this. Just in time to tell about the new machinima I finished and uploaded this afternoon. It was a high speed project when I look back. All shots done in a week and a half and the editing in 4 days. With little to no sleep, because I was determined to finish it before Christmas. Once I put my teeth into something I guess I just cannot let go anymore. I start to work round the clock and change into a person with a high adrenalin level. Not because of stress, but because of passion and dedication and being completely and solely focussed on what has my attention. Creativity for me always comes with this super alert state of mind. This flow is needed to get a good balance in what I work on. To feel every inch of it and developing ideas on how I want it to be as result. I shuffle with footage, cut and stitch, move sounds and music around until I get that ‘Yes’ feeling and above all I delete a lot of what I filmed. Still this machinima has become a long one in duration. But I think it is not disturbing or boring because the story makes it okay to need some time. Like becoming curious where that lost spirit will be.

The ermmm  . . .’director’

So yes, I am exhausted and this blog is on automatic pilot more or less. The adrenalin still is active, just less than before. I surrender more to the tiredness taking its space back now.  The reason I blog is not even for promotional reasons in the first place. It is because I want to thank the ones who worked with me. Actually I never did a machinima with several other avatars. I suddenly also was director, talking people through the script and ask them to perform in a certain way. I even shouted in local chat one day, because the actors were out of chat range and the conference chat refused or heavily delayed. But I had a great group of people who simply had fun in participating, all dressed up and making jokes or funny bloopers.

The actors

So I would like to start with thanking Dr. Nax, Naxos Loon, because he plays a main role together with me as cat. Gizmo and Spunky is how we are called. Gizmo is a chipmunk and Spunky is a cat. The others I need to thank are Elvira Kytori who plays a cute little teddybear called Nalle, Beagle, who plays a big playful and carefree bear called Maskrusbarn (Dandelion child), Cayenne Republic who plays a friendly sweet racoon, Mark Balut who plays a hard working mole called Skipper, Dalia , who plays another cat  (no specific name given) and ChimKami who plays a raindeer girl called Stormy. And well, not an actor but creator of many Dinkies freebies, Veloce Bertone, I also have to thank because his shop Wee Wonders gave us many fun items to use. Last but not least a thank you to the sim creators and owners for sometimes granting me permission to rez and just for making beautiful places. This is the list of sims I used, together with the names of their creators.

Northern Shore  – Elvira Kytori

Walsh County  – Randonee Noel

Where our journey begins  – Vivian Ewing

‘Tis the Season  – Maia Gasparini

Boulder  – Valium Lavender

Silent Night  – Nessa Nova

Cherisville  – Lam Erin

Jacksonville Island  – JacksonTrig, Isabella Knave, Corina Canning, Danni Okelly

The story

The story is on Spunky the cat who lost her spirit and tries to find it back together with Gizmo. They meet all other characters who become friends too. They travel the far North and finally reach a place that sheds a light, literally and more. I guess the message is simple but effective: your spirit is what and how you are and taking care of each other helps to keep a spirit high.

The Machinima

Just watch and enjoy ; )
And  . . . . Merry Christmas!
A strange one for many probably. I myself never did or will do family meetings with big dishes etc on Christmas, so all is pretty much the same as all other years, but I do feel  how all is messed up of course due to Covid, and here in Europe also Brexit close to the climax of YES or NO deal and borders being closed at a very uncomfortable moment as if we are already in a cold turkey NO DEAL zone. It all impacts feeling relaxed and secured and no one is immune to that I think. So, yes, the message also is about taking care in RL.  I wish us all a better 2021.

The feeling

Did I tell you already I felt different as Dinkie in Second Life? It changes the mood and not only the appearance. You feel cute and funny, little and adorable. The reason we like animals is their cuteness and unconditional love. I guess that is a bit the effect when changing into a Dinkie cat. Oh and if you see many typo’s, my head is like an empty battery, missing things . . . , so forgive me  . . .