Animated war

Abstract

In this feature article two DIY (do-it-yourself) film projects are examined from perspectives of resemiosis (transformations in meaning-making) and the textual production practices of contemporary multimedia authorship. These practices are considered as evolving in a complex media ecology. The two films analysed are Gzim Rewind (Sweden, 2011) by Knutte Wester, and In-World War (USA, expected 2011) by DJ Bad Vegan. The films are currently in production and involve many collaborators. Both films have themes of war and include film scenes that are ‘machinima’ – real-time animation made in 3D graphic environments – within live action film scenes. Machinima harnesses the possibilities of reappropriating digital software, game engines, and other tools available in digital media. War-related stories are resemiotized in the machinima film scenes as meanings are transformed in the story’s shift from a war game context to a film context. Thus machinima exemplifies how DIY multimedia storytellers explore new ways to tell and to ‘animate’ stories. The article contains four parts: an introduction to machinima and the notions of resemiosis and authorial practice; a presentation of DIY filmmaking as a practice that intertwines with new networked economics; an analysis of the two DIY film projects; and a discussion of implications including issues relating to IP (intellectual property) and copyrights when reappropriating digital assets from commercial media platforms.