And Now For Something Completely Machinima

About And Now For Something Completely Machinima

Machinima, real-time filmmaking, virtual production and VR. Four veteran machinimators share news, new films & filmmakers, and discuss the past, present and future of machinima.

Publisher

Ricky Grove, Tracy Harwood, Damien Valentine, and Phil Rice

Category

arts · technology

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

31 Jan 2021

Latest episode

22 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

297 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   22 Oct 2026

   S6 E247 RUS-T - Can an AI Film Tell a Story? (Oct 2026)

   Tracy Harwood and Phil Rice review RUS-T, John Martin’s science fiction short about a robot abandoned on Mars. They discuss its expressive character design and story of care and disposability, then trace the production workflow through Reallusion AI Studio, Character Creator and Seedance 2.0. How much control does image guided video generation give a filmmaker? And can a film succeed as both a story and a demonstration of new tools? Alongside praise for RUS-T’s character consistency, Tracy and Phil examine its visual slips, frequent crossfades and unresolved questions about its voices, music and sound design. Key moments 01:00 — Why RUS-T is an unusual choice for the podcast 01:43 — Tracy introduces the film, its maker and its Mars setting 06:57 — Abandonment, robot labour and the discovery of life 12:22 — Visual continuity, sound design and the tools behind the film 17:36 — What AI Studio and Seedance can do, and what the production notes actually establish 24:38 — Phil on RUS-T’s expressive face and emotional range 33:38 — Image guided generation versus animation control and style transfer 37:31 — Why character consistency is the film’s strongest technical achievement 41:17 — Crossfades, short clips and the film’s editing choices 44:23 — The AI voice and the mystery of the soundtrack 50:14 — Comparing RUS-T with another AI film made as a proof of concept Credits - Co-hosts: Phil Rice, Tracy Harwood Producer/Editor: Phil Rice Music: Phil Rice, Suno AI

2. 

   15 Oct 2026

   S6 E246 Avalon - Has Garry’s Mod Reached a New Peak? (Oct 2026)

   An eight-year labour of love made in Garry’s Mod, Dan Shetter’s Avalon takes us into the world of Half-Life for a feature-length story of occupation, memory and survival. Damien, Phil and Tracy discuss its extraordinary cinematography, animation, sound and music, and why it works even for viewers who have never played the games. Tracy explores the film’s characters and layered ending, while Phil asks whether this is the best machinima film he has ever seen. Spoiler warning: The story discussion begins at 15:28. Watch the film first if you want to experience its twists for yourself. Key moments 01:17 — Damien introduces Avalon and explains why he chose it. 04:37 — Phil makes the case for its place among the greatest machinima films. 11:27 — How exceptional work can inspire other filmmakers. 14:30 — The brief behind-the-scenes video and the mystery of its production. 15:28 — Spoilers begin: Tracy introduces Dan Shetter’s eight-year project. 17:40 — Camp Haven, Teagan and the film’s opening attack. 20:30 — Breen, Freeman and the film’s relationship to Half-Life. 22:03 — Memory, extraction and the Combine’s plans. 25:30 — Portals, the final battle and collective resistance. 27:44 — The meaning of Avalon, restoration and the recurring crows. 29:27 — Atmosphere, sound, visual storytelling and the film’s limitations. 33:29 — Earlier Half-Life machinima and the achievement of finishing such an ambitious film. 36:39 — What makers working in any engine can learn from it. Credits - Co-hosts: Phil Rice, Damien Valentine, Tracy Harwood Producer/Editor: Phil Rice Music: Phil Rice & Suno AI

3. 

   8 Oct 2026

   S6 E245 The Horror of Classic Fallout: When the Vault Becomes the Threat (Oct 2026)

   Phil brings us Lando’s video essay The Horror of Classic Fallout. What makes the original game unsettling: its grotesque creatures, its unforgiving countdown, or the institutions that promise safety while exercising control? Ricky, Damien, Tracy and Phil discuss how the essay uses game footage, visual effects and sound to uncover the anxiety beneath Fallout’s cheerful retro imagery. They explore the Master, the game’s haunting ending, and the strange power of its early animated faces. The conversation then moves from Cold War nuclear fears to the concerns that keep Fallout relevant for new generations. Key moments 01:26 – Phil introduces Lando’s essay and the darker origins of Fallout 04:43 – What makes a compelling game documentary or video essay? 07:05 – The original game’s countdown and the freedom to explore 12:17 – Tracy examines the essay’s structure and visual style 18:01 – The Master, cosmic horror and the cost of survival 21:00 – Uncanny character animation and Mark Morgan’s soundscape 25:32 – Cold War memory and Fallout’s appeal across generations 29:03 – Corporate control and distrust of institutions 30:59 – Modern anxieties, the news and why the game still resonates 33:46 – How a film about a 1997 game sparked a discussion of the present Credits - Co-hosts: Ricky Grove, Phil Rice, Damien Valentine, Tracy Harwood Producer: Ricky Grove Editor: Phil Rice Music: Phil Rice & Suno AI

Who has been a guest on And Now For Something Completely Machinima

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Finzlow
• Eltorro64Rus
• Ricky
• @ILLRobinson
• Evilhoof

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

6,348,746

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

3 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 82 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

100

Social presence

0

YouTube

93

Engagement

68

Contact And Now For Something Completely Machinima

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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