Transcending Borders: 6. Yepar, Takni, Misio2, Ronin1, iSkye, Mistero

We have had several new entries in the last week or so for UWA 3D Art & Machinima Challenge: Transcending Borders. It's interesting to see how people use SL as a medium to create objects that may be very simple or very complicated. And how objects can appear similar, but are really quite different in approach. 

Yepar Saenz impressed a lot of people (like me) with last year's carousel entry for the Reflections show. This time Yepar's imagery is more subdued, but also more interactive. We are presented with a large box space with a wall of blocks. When touched, the blocks rearrange themselves into various configurations that represent different icons of location around the world, including the Eiffel Tower, Australian and British flags, a sitting Buddha, a pyramid, and several other identifiable structures. The wall is a symbol of the struggle for national identity. 

Almost immediately on the heels of Yepar's entry came a collaborative installation called "Offworld" by Takni and Misio2. These two have worked together often in the past, but I think this may be the first entry by Misio2 at UWA. Takni is well known for remarkably complex scripted objects that often have an underlying whimsy and humor about them. Offworld has a train station in the UWA gallery that will rez a train (or perhaps a submarine or a surfboard) which takes you up to a platform. If you stay where you land you can watch a fascinating particle show. Move towards the center and a set of blocks appears that will rearrange themselves into lots of interesting shapes, similar to Yepar's idea, but with a more playful set of objects and executed in a very different scripting technique. 

As one of Takni's biggest fans, Misio2 has also submitted an individual entry that is a sort of homage to Takni. It is a large replica of a real life piece of jewelry made of silver, opal, pearl, and a diamond all depicting a scene with a planet, stars, and a rocket ship. It's called "Google Planet Takni."

Ronin1 Shippe had wonderful 2D entries in the recent Freedom Project show. For this show he gives us a sort of twisted stained-glass image of a lute player.

iSkye Silverweb is well known to us at UWA from previous shows. Her entry this time is about how political borders are an illusion and that the elements that make up the earth and its inhabitants are all the same.

Finally, we have a dramatic mesh sculpture by Mistero Hifeng. Of this piece Mistero says: "Sometimes exceeding the limits means to lose oneself. In the image of the man who dissolves into a thousand pieces, there is all the drama of loneliness and desperation of those who can not go back."

  
Entry deadline for Transcending Borders is October 31 and the show is open to all 3D artists. 

First MachinimUWA VII Submission: Sophia Yates' 'Transcending Borders'

Sophia Yates film featuring "These Suffocating Thoughts", a poem by Laura DeWinter is the first submission to the L$545,000++ MachinimUWA VII: Transcending Borders, the 7th UWA Short Animated Film Challenge. The 'Transcending Borders' theme was selected by Professor Ted Snell, Director of the Cultural Precinct, UWA and who inspired the very first of the UWA art challenges in 2009. This theme is in honour of the 'Transcending Borders' exhibition at UWA's Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery in 2014. CLOSING DATE FOR SUBMISSIONS IS 31st OCTOBER 2014.

You may interpret the theme as you see fit, however the average viewer would need to be able to appreciate how you fit this theme (alternatively, please indicate in the notes how it fits in the film notes on the web). Your machinima must be made specifically for this challenge, and this should be indicated in the opening credits 'For The University of Western Australia's MachinimUWA VII: Transcending Borders'. You do not have to film on the UWA sims, however this of course will be appreciated, and there is a Special UWA Prize which will be made available to a film which includes either Winthrop Clock Tower, The Somerville Auditorium or The Sunken Gardens.


ALSO, public viewing for TRANSCENDING BORDERS: The 5th UWA Grand 3D Art Challenge is now open (though the closing date for entries is the same as the Machinima - 31st October)

Special prizes are also offered for machinima that best portray one or a few of the artworks entered to TRANSCENDING BORDERS: The 5th UWA Grand 3D Art Challenge.

Do visit the UWA Challenge Gallery HERE to view the submissions so far
 

LEA FULL SIM ART SERIES (Sept-Oct 2014): Eliza Cabassoun's "Follow Your Soul"

 

Continuing with the previous month in bringing out new talents in the virtual art world, Eliza Cabbasoun takes the lead for an unusual double month Sept - Oct round of the 4th cycle of the LEA Full SIM Art series at LEA 6. A full list of the LEA Full SIM offering since inception in 2011 can be found HERE.  Anyone interested in applying for either Dec 2014 or Jan 2015, please contact Jayjay Zifanwe with your interest and preferred month.

  FOLLOW YOUR SOUL: 

LAUNCH: 1st OCTOBER

LOCATION: HERE AT LEA 6

In Eliza's words:

"Everyone has a place where they found their soul.  This is where I found mine.  I found mine in a cabin by a lake where the fog rises in the morning into the mountains like a warm blanket.  I began writing novels here and taking photos here.  Nature can bring forth great inspiration, simply from towering trees or just the midnight sounds of tree frogs and rain hitting a tin roof.   Wander around the sim and you'll find photography not only from RL but from SL as well.  I've also placed several of my tortured prim sculptures among the trees.  This lake is where I followed my soul to realize I have two gifts--writing and photography--and a part of my soul will always be here."

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Machinima - 2014 Project SciFi Competition (Registrations Essential by 3 Oct)

2014 Project SciFi Competition in partnership with Screen My Shorts and sponsored by the Parramatta City Council is giving filmmakers, Machinima makers and animators 30 days to write, shoot, edit, produce and upload a 3-10min short film with $5,500 (Australian Dollars) in cash prizes. 

All films that enter into this years Project SciFi will be screened at Riverside Theatres.

Teams must register by 3rd October 2014 and nominate 2 scifi subjects that they would like to make their film about. For registrations visit ... https://screenmyshorts.wufoo.com/forms/project-scifi-entry-form/

* Note: Machinima makers who wish to enter the same film to both this challenge as well as UWA's Transcending Borders Machinima Challenge are able to so long as both themes are met in the same film

2014 Subjects Machinima makers subjects...

1. Sci-Romance – Love between Aliens, Robots and more! (Can be Happy, Sad or Tragedy) 
2. Sci-Comedy – Science fiction that is humorous in nature. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is a good example of SciFi Comedy. 
3. Save the Environment – A theme focuses on saving the dying planet and/or ecosystem 
4. Zombie / Disease – A theme focuses on the effect of a disease in the future. 
5. Apocalyptic / Post-Apocalyptic SciFi – Stories about the extinction or near extinction of humankind either by forces of nature or by our own means. Post- focuses on telling the tale of the survivors of an apocalypse. 
6. Spy-Fy – Science fiction about futuristic spies and espionage, and the effects of technological advancement on their professions. 
7. Super Hero – Stories related to super heroes who get their powers from technology or because they are from another world. Often focuses on futuristic superheroes. 
8. Robots / AI – Fiction in which the science of Artificial Intelligence and robotics is a central theme, typically relating to Robot stories. 
9. First Contact / Alien – This sub genre imagines the various scenarios in which humanity makes contact with other civilizations. 
10. Social Science Fiction - Fiction in which future societies are extrapolated, explained and often criticised, usually for the purpose of social satire. The social sciences are the overriding theme in this type of fiction; however, science and technology will usually play a central role in the structure of the extrapolated society.

Filmmakers are responsible for putting together a team, cast and crew (producers, directors, cinematographers, writers, etc..), as well as securing equipment, locations, and costumes. Each team needs to be represented by a Producer. With no limit on age or budget, all filmmakers are welcomed.

Prior to Kick Off of the competition, the organisers will email each team, One (1) of their nominated subjects/topics to make their film about.

Competition begins, Friday, 3rd October 2014 at 7 pm (19:00) local time in each participating city and town


Ends, on the Sunday, 2nd November 2014 at 12 midnight (24:00) of that weekend local time.

Awards Ceremony – 16th November 2014 at RiversIde Theatres, Parramatta.
For further information about Project SciFi Competition visit www.scififilmfestival.com.
Awards & Prizes 

The jurors will choose the best International and Australian SciFi film from which one will be awarded to the 2014 Project SciFi Best Film Project 

SciFi Best Film $2000 Australian Dollars 
Project SciFi Runner Up Film $1000 Australian Dollars 

Categories below open to all filmmakers 
Project SciFi Best Performance $500 Australian Dollars  
Project SciFi Best Cinematographers $500 Australian Dollars 
Project SciFi Best Special Effects $500 Australian Dollars 
Project SciFi Best: Production Design/Art Direction $500 Australian Dollars 
Project SciFi Best Machinima Film $300 

Runner up Machinima Category $200

Transcending Borders: 5. Cherry Manga, Corcosman Voom

The current entries in the  UWA 3D Art & Machinima Challenge: Transcending Borders have so far  been heavily weighted towards veteran artists and the latest are no exception. Come on, you guys who have never entered a UWA show! This is a great opportunity to have your work seen alongside many of the great established SL artists.

Cherry Manga is well known to all in the SL art world and especially to UWA. I believe she has had more total entries in our shows over the years than any other artist and we are always delighted to see where her imagination has taken her. Cherry's latest offering is a wonderful illustration of the transcendence of reality with imagination. The scene includes interactive poses that mimic the figures and an ethereal soundscape.

Cherry Manga - Imagination Transcends Borders

Corcosman Voom is another regular contributor who can be counted on to make us think and wonder. He has a marvelous talent for making regular prims look expressive and full of motion.

Corcosman Voom - The Tribes Go Up

UWA FREEDOM PROJECT BOOK NOW AVAILABLE!

The long anticipated exhibition catalogue for the Freedom Project has finally been printed and is ready to ship! The book is part of the UWA Studies in Virtual Arts e-journal, and the electronic version can be seen online now. As part of this publication series, it will be archived at the UWA library as well as the National Library of Australia (ISSN 2200-7865 (Print), ISSN 2200-7873 (Online)).

Each artist or group participating in the project can receive one copy of the printed book for free. Artists wishing to claim a free copy should contact JayJay Zifanwe with a shipping address for the book.

Others wishing a print copy can purchase one for L$5000 each, shipped anywhere in the world. Contact JayJay Zifanwe for ordering.

The Freedom Project has been a profoundly moving and inspirational exhibition. It has gotten tremendous recognition in real life and promises to get a final boost with the publication of the journal. The works can still be viewed in the UWA gallery for the next couple of weeks, but will then be removed to make room for the Transcending Borders show already in progress. I strongly encourage everyone to see the show at UWA before it's gone. Pictures in a book are a great memento, but they can't compare to the "real" thing.

Without Whom...

UWA thanks Gentle Heron and members of the executive team of Virtual Ability, Inc., as well as Dianne Elton and the Centre for ME/CFS and Other Invisible Illnesses in Second Life for their guidance, support and advice. As fully participating members of the organizing committee, they have been integral to the entire project from planning through execution and beyond.

Also many thanks to our co-sponsors: Eliza Wierwight (who also created the poster for this event), David Doyle and Simone Flavelle of DADAA’s stARTSPEAK Project, Tom Papas and Screen My Shorts Inc. (Sydney), West Australian artist Len Zuks, Beverley Hill of UWA’s Equity & Diversity Office, Craig MacKenzie and Deborah Bolton of UniPrint, and TheDove Rhode of Peace is A Choice
Gallery. We thank Taralyn Gravois and Petlove Petshop, who assisted with the filming and creation of video in support of the event as well as other valuable assistance. We thank AviewTV and LaPiscean Liberty, who provided live streaming assistance for events and hosting of machinima submissions. We thank Eleanor Medier and The Sim Street Journal as well as Kit Guardian and Guardian 11:11 for their multifaceted commitment towards the event. Thanks to iMoogi TV (imoogi.tv) and Nu Vibez Magazine (nuvibezmag.com) led by Filipa Thespian who provided iMoogi.TV prime channel distribution along with writeups in Nu Vibez Magazine of selected submissions.

JAY JAY EDIT: Of course the biggest thanks goes to FreeWee Ling without whose remarkable efforts, the book would not have come to light