Animation and Humor Essential Elements of Red vs. Blue Films

By Kirk Bangstad
kirk.bangstad@theanimationschooldirectory.com

Red vs. Blue has become a run-away web success with its innovative combination of comedy, gaming, and animation. As a result, a new cinematic genre called Machinima is growing in popularity, and as a result, animators are in high demand in the video game industry.

Pirated Gaming Animation Used to Create Cool Internet Comedy

If you're a fan of the video game Halo, you've probably heard of Red vs. Blue, an Internet odyssey that has been embraced by the web-savvy counterculture. Red vs. Blue is the name of a series of short films created by using the warlike animation within Halo. Instead of playing Halo with other gamers, Red vs. Blue's creator, Michael Burns, records funny voice-over conversations as his buddies move the heads of the warring characters onscreen with their joysticks. This process effectively makes it look like the game characters are having conversations with each other.

Superior Gaming Animation Spawns New Cinema

Red vs. Blue has become a run-away success on the Internet. Thousands of people download each episode moments after it is released. The success of Red vs. Blue has spawned a new cinematic genre called Machinima, and its popularity is directly related to the superior animation of today's video games. Video games today are much like animated movies. They employ cinematic shots and detailed backgrounds that help tell stories as players move around within the game. This high level of cinematography provides a terrific background for voice-over commentary, and often propels plot lines with interesting environments.

Machinima has attracted many non-gamers to the video game industry, and is thus being supported by video game developers. While their business is growing, demand for skilled animators is increasing.

Develop Your Competitive Edge by Taking Animation Courses

If you want to animate for video games, the time is right for you to hone your animation skills. To tap into the rising demand for animators, you should look into attending animation school. You'll be able to find animation courses both online and at traditional colleges. The 3D and computer animation courses offered at reputable animation schools generally provide the skills you need to land a job as a video game animator. Once you've created a professional "reel," or portfolio of your past work, you'll be ready to go out and look for an animation job.

About the Author

Kirk Bangstad is an artist manager and singer working in Chicago, IL. His previous experience includes consulting for technology companies in the Silicon Valley and serving as a field director and publicist for a statewide political campaign. Kirk holds a B.A. in government from Harvard University.