The machinima reader

Machinima refers to making films with the engines that power video games, and over the past ten years it has become a lively part of digital culture. Its roots lie with hobbyists who learned on their own how to borrow game technology and produce animated movies fast and on a small budget. This anthology gathers writing from both university researchers and artists who work with the form, offering a first sweeping look at a field still taking shape.

The essays approach machinima from several directions. Some address the technical side, including production in real time, while others consider it as a performance and as a cinematic medium. Legal, cultural and educational questions run throughout. The collection carries debates that began inside the machinima community out to a broader readership and gives scholars in many disciplines a starting point for further study.

The book also traces how machinima has grown into a game-based form of cultural production that crosses technologies and media. Along the way it has built new communities of practice and is moving toward a recognized history, a distinct aesthetic and a commercial market.