Twice a week, our writers will tell you more about themselves, and let you get to know them and the characters they play a little better. Click here to read more About the Bloggers.What do you do for WoW Insider?
I write the daily machinima posts for both WoW Insider, and its broader MMO sister site, Massively.
What's your main right now?
This won't make me very popular, but I actually don't really play WoW. I did for a while after it came out, but I'm not a very good grinder and it just got lonely.
This is an outrage! How dare you write about WoW without playing it?
That's actually a really good question. I got my start in machinima roughly two years ago when I was hired to promote it in Second Life, an oft-mocked virtual world. Through experimentation with machinima, as well as the education that I provided to others, I became known as one of the "It" people for machinima in SL.
When Second Life Insider folded into Massively in November 2007, I volunteered to write the daily Cinemassively. After about 45 days straight of blogging them, WI asked me to do the same for WoW Moviewatch!
Read on to find out more about the Notorious M.O.O. ...
Seriously, though. How does that qualify you to write about WoW machinima?
Well, what qualifies you to rant on and on in comments about a specific class or race that you've never played? Machinima is machinima no matter what platform it's made on. Through my experience with filming and editing, I can recognize what techniques are used, as well as what's good or bad.
In order for something to be posted, it usually has to meet a bare minimum standard that I've set. Not everything will be Baron Soosdon or Dopefish level, but I don't want it to be like that, either. I enjoy giving the underappreciated, yet highly talented, newbie a chance, hoping that one day, they too will be on that expert level.
Do you even know anyone that makes WoW machinima?
As a matter of fact, I do! There's a whole machinima clique that meets monthly on Skype and in Second Life to discuss developments in the scene. At one such gathering, Dopefish was the special guest. We got to chatting and he invited me into #machinima on Quakenet. When I was asked to take over WoW Moviewatch, I embedded myself in their community. This allowed me to get submissions and information from them faster.
In addition, at the 2006 Machinima Festival, I moderated a panel that I created on Machinima from a Professional Standpoint, which featured Terran Gregory (Rufus Cubed/Return) and Tristan Pope (The Godfather/Crafting Worlds/Machinima101), of Blizzard.
You think you're so cool writing under an alias! What's up with that?
It's really not that exciting of a story. I was recruited to blog for Second Life Insider. My Second Life name is moo Money, so that became my writing name. When SLI folded into Massively, we went over to the new site, and my name stuck. If you must know, since it's not that hard to find, my real name is Sasha Rudie!
What's the number one thing Blizzard could do better?
I'm biased, but I'd have to say that they could change their EULA to allow more WoW machinimators to profit off of their work.
When I'm not playing WoW, I'm...
... starting riots, sabotaging PR campaigns, and accidentally blogging subliminal machinima. Speaking of riots, today is the First of May! I'd like to give a shout out to Jonathan Coulton and Mike Spiff Booth!
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
5-01-2008 @ 12:42PM
Freelier said...
Ha! That's a funny writeup. :)
Is Blizzard alone with their EULA that doesn't allow you to profit from machinima?
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5-01-2008 @ 12:45PM
Moo Money said...
Actually, they're not. They, like other companies, are generous enough to allow people to MAKE machinima. They even let them have sponsors on a very limited basis so that they can earn some money.
Second Life is one of the few places where you can actually profit from machinima. The rest you would need special permission, which isn't granted often.
5-01-2008 @ 12:52PM
Freelier said...
How is it working out for Second Life? I can imagine arguing with Blizzard or, more likely, a smaller MMO that allowing commercial machinima could help promote the MMO.
Is anything like that happening with Second Life?
5-01-2008 @ 1:03PM
Moo Money said...
I've been full-time in SL making machinima for almost two years. Not only are corporations widely embracing the medium, but Linden Lab is as well. I've done a project for LL and I can name at least 2 or 3 other prominent SL machinimators that have too!
Of the machinima I blog about on Massively, I end up featuring more SL and WoW machinima than anything else, so, is it helping them? Absolutely. They're up on YouTube and every other video site out there.
I think that the only reason corporations aren't using other mediums to advertise online is because they can't. They'd need to clear it and have a huge sponsorship deal, etc. It's just not worth the hassle. They can come to SL, contact me, or another filmmaker, and get it done for much cheaper. Not that it's a sweatshop by any means. It's just cheaper than a production for hundreds of thousands of dollars.
5-01-2008 @ 12:49PM
Hollywood Ron said...
Yet Blizzard loves the free promotion they get from machinima.
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5-01-2008 @ 1:00PM
anonymoose said...
" Well, what qualifies you to rant on and on in comments about a specific class or race that you've never played? "
Actually a fair number are commenting on the classes they have played over time--so I don't see how that arguement holds water.
I won't say that you are not qualified to write about WoW Machinima--I will say that I think your lack of game experience may lead you to pass up some gems that are relevant and meaningful if you actually play this game.
That is a loss in that some of what is circulated very specifically addresses current time concerns, praises, trends in the game, along with utilizing current technology and methods of machinima creation.
There are some machinima that have been selected that not only have been highly imperfect as a medium, but have been completely irrelevant. So the assault to the senses and intellect at times makes me wonder why other types of content are passed over in favor of such fluff.
I'm going to give an example (and feel free to call me biased)--I submitted a link weeks ago that generated huge WoW forum activity, and every PvPer that I e-mailed it to (across multiple servers) was deeply moved by the video.
http://www.warcraftmovies.com/movieview.php?id=68065
I'm not the creator of this machinima, so clearly I have nothing to personally profit from, however it makes a very interesting and moving statement. For those who actually have played this game over time, regardless of which side of the divide we fall on current time issues, this movie provoked a conversation that lasted for days.
I think that is far more significant than some of the machinimas of someone running fast over and over again to music, or the recycling of movies that are years old (and have been viewed multiple times).
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5-01-2008 @ 1:20PM
Moo Money said...
Anonymoose,
Whether I play WoW or not, I only focus on the artistic side of it usually. However, I also don't want to ignore the PvP side of things. I'll forward these on to the appropriate person that can talk about them.
I've stated multiple times in posts that I won't blog PvP. It's just not my thing. If you feel there's a PvP vid that really needs to be looked at, though, I'd suggest using the general website contact page for the Moviewatch system. It will go to all of us and then I can explain that if someone else wants it, they can cover it.
5-01-2008 @ 1:23PM
Moo Money said...
I'd also like to note that I actually *DO* have a current WoW Europe account where I have a character. She's a gnome warrior on a PvP server. I'm very lonely there and haven't encountered many people that speak English. So I'm not a total newb. I'm just not some uber grinder that's studied my whole WoW life to pass an interview to get into a guild. I'm a prancer that takes time to stop in the meadows and pick herbs.
5-01-2008 @ 1:37PM
anonymoose said...
"I'd also like to note that I actually *DO* have a current WoW Europe account where I have a character. She's a gnome warrior on a PvP server. I'm very lonely there and haven't encountered many people that speak English. So I'm not a total newb. I'm just not some uber grinder that's studied my whole WoW life to pass an interview to get into a guild. I'm a prancer that takes time to stop in the meadows and pick herbs."
LOL
It's not an indictment against you--but just noting that if you aren't in a game the way your audience is, you will be missing some areas where we have our fingers on the pulse, and you don't.
Many of us become informed about our game by our participation in it--I'm a working mom. I don't have time to study WoW to the point where I can interview with some incredibly leet guild. All the same, I do find time to level trade skills, do end game raiding, and pvp. I'm not a great theory crafter, nor am I terribly mathy--because of my limited time I rely on the mathiness and theorycrafting of others, along with common sense.
If you are living in Europe it's still possible to play on US servers. I was guilded with a Canadian living in Germany who did that--he still found reasonable cross over of hours of game time to make it worthwhile.
5-01-2008 @ 1:48PM
Moo Money said...
The funny thing about that is that I'm actually in the US. I got a Euro friend to get me an account and we played together for a bit, but we're both busy a lot of the time. WoW is just such a timesink to get involved in. It requires active participation and I'm way too ADD to sit and wait for hours on a raid.
It's not for everyone, but I can totally see why people do it. I played Ultima Online for about 6 years. I wrote for UO Stratics, SWG Stratics, and TSO Stratics. I do appreciate feedback on what I need to blog about more.
I think that one of the reasons I don't blog about PvP is that people comment on gameplay, rather than the artistic side. If people want to comment on gameplay, there are plenty of other sections of the site where a blogger can welcome those comments. Nothing peeves me more than when I offer up a beautiful vision of machinima and people call someone a "clicker" or say he should fight with x or y instead of z. I can understand them hoping for a different race to be cast as the lead or secondary, but fight style is open to interpretation by the machinimator.
5-01-2008 @ 1:50PM
Oblitherax said...
While I agree that a person who does not play World of Warcraft on a regular basis (or at all) may not have the best perspective on what content is most relevant to those playing, I think that you are missing out on the fact that she obviously knows what she is talking about when it comes to the quality of work done.
I watched the machinima that you posted here, and while it was good and the content was relevant it lacked in the quality department. The shots were not consistent, the change overs from "artsy" camera shots and slow motion that go directly into in game sequences were poorly done.
Now I'm not knocking the movie. I enjoyed it, however, I feel like there are reasons why it would not have been featured here.
5-01-2008 @ 3:03PM
Silverrealm said...
That was a great link... as most of that content was popular before I started playing.
Thank you.
5-01-2008 @ 1:01PM
anonymoose said...
I wanted to add one more thing--I love seeing your irl picture. You have beautiful eyes! (I'm female irl, not hitting on you!)
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5-01-2008 @ 1:06PM
Moo Money said...
Thanks! So many people think I'm male, so this is kind of liberating. w00t for females!
(Is this my "HI MOM!" TV moment?)
5-01-2008 @ 1:01PM
Milktub said...
I actually fear what SL machinima would be like. Maybe after work I'll find some youtubes of it.
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5-01-2008 @ 1:11PM
Moo Money said...
I actually have no way to filter by both Second Life and machinima, so here are some choices:
http://www.massively.com/2008/04/11/cinemassively-visit-mexico-in-second-life/
http://www.massively.com/2008/04/09/cinemassively-second-life-bravia-commercial/
http://www.massively.com/2008/04/01/cinemassively-divas-episode-5/
Keep in mind that, like WoW, a lot of the machinima sucks and you have to find the gems.
5-01-2008 @ 1:34PM
Afu said...
The Artists:
The Notorious M.O.O.
Junior Moo-fia
Moo-Pac Shakur
The Hit Songs:
"Moo Money, Moo Problems"
"One More Moo"
"Hyp-Moo-tize"
"What's Beef?"
"I Love the Dough (Moo-lah)"
Apparently rappers are "For The Horde!"...and they all rolled Tauren. (for the +Stam and "Stomp" ability. Of course, the boost to herbalism seems awfully fitting as well :)
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5-01-2008 @ 1:36PM
Moo Money said...
I like your style!
5-01-2008 @ 2:20PM
DigitalMonitor said...
I think the rappers are "For the Herd!"
5-01-2008 @ 1:35PM
Gror said...
Thought U was to pretty to play WoW. Have u actually seen real women that play WoW? Ugly as sin.
Reply