SL Cert - Intermediate Machinima

Overview

The following are the criteria required for an individual to become certified in the area of Machinima using the Second Life platform at the Intermediate Level.

Audience

Mid range professional animators and filmmakers who use Second Life to produce videos.

Pre-requisites

Intermediate Certification.

Testing Criteria

Intermediate Machinima criteria includes all criteria for Basic Level certification plus:

• Lip syncing

• Intermediate animation

• Intermediate lighting techniques

• Intermediate editing and motion graphics

• Intermediate sound (foley, soundtrack music, spatial audio)

All skills will be demonstrated as a combination of a theoretical (multiple-choice) test, practical application in-world, and a complete final video containing all required certification criteria. The video will be done according to a defined set of different scenes with the specific results called for within each scene.

Intermediate Level

Completion of Intermediate level certification will demonstrate that successful candidates have the skills necessary to operate as the Assistant Director and/or Editor of complex machinima projects.

Lip syncing

• Demonstrate ability to produce lip synch animations to avatar speech.
• Must be convincing on midrange shots
• Must be demonstrated using one voice actor.

Intermediate animation

• Demonstrate ability to produce lifelike animation shots and scenes.

• Demonstrate ability to produce shots using effective facial expressions, avatar movement, and lifelike qualities of human avatars.

• Demonstrate understanding and control of frame rates, control over in-world obstacles such as lag, and use of animations without visible pose balls.

Intermediate lighting

• Demonstrate ability to produce convincing set lighting in world.

• Demonstrate ability to craft lighting to match mood called for in different script situations and genres (e.g. training, romance, sci-fi, horror, comedy).

Intermediate editing and motion graphics

• Demonstrate ability to produce complex edits using professional video editing tools (e.g. Adobe Premiere, Apple Final Cut Pro).

• Demonstrate ability to produce complex motion graphics effects and titles.

• Demonstrate intermediate incorporation of still images

• Demonstrate consistent color management across all scenes.

Intermediate sound

• Demonstrate ability to control sound requirements on in-world sets.

• Demonstrate ability to capture vocal dialog and do seamless overdubs to ensure consistent high quality sound.

• Demonstrate the effective use of foley and effects sounds added as post.

• Demonstrate the effective use of soundtrack music:

• According to genre (e.g. training, romance, sci-fi, horror, comedy).

• Proper placement in scenes.

• Proper mixing and equalization.

• Proper use of spatial effects (e.g. doppler effects, distance, close up)