WoW Moviewatch: I am Vengeance
by Michael Gray 
Mar 19th 2010 at 12:00PM
Malamenz created the majority of the movie in Fraps, which is a tradtional and time-tested method for machinimators who are just getting started in their craft. The voice over was clean and easy to understand, even if the production was all narrated from a first person point of view. The story is pretty straightforward and most of the audience shouldn't have much trouble picking it up quickly.
Congratulations to Malamenz on winning the Rise to Power contest. Here's hoping we see you to continue to explore creating machinima.
Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an e-mail at machinima AT wow DOT com.Filed under: WoW Moviewatch
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Dreamstorm Mar 19th 2010 12:06PM
Crappy voiceacting and graphics BUT good text, coordination and use of sounds.
Joakim Mar 19th 2010 12:17PM
The absolute void of emotion in the voice ...
I do not wish to hear that say "knock ... knock" outside my door. If it was a Jim Beam-too-many-cigarettes kind of voice, I'd just pick up Frostmourne and get on with it. But the "I don't care anymore ..."-voice ...
There's the enemy.
Here is a man (belf man) who had, literally, had every single emotion ripped out of him.
Could something be more scary than a man (belf man) who just doesn't have anything to loose? Or to care for?
Though a traditional movie-trailer thing, the voice ...
Actually, he didn't even sound that interested - and what more can you ask of an avenger, than the total non personal UNinterest in the well- or bad-being of a foe?
It's like "Arthas? Who's he? I remember a god, once, so who's Arthas?"
What will our hero do once Arthas is down?
Let's go find Deathwing.
Now that. Is. Epic.
Thyadorn Mar 19th 2010 12:29PM
What is the soundtrack used that kicks in after 41s ish? I really like it!
Lachdanan Mar 19th 2010 1:37PM
That's the music from the Opening Cinematic. It's called "Arthas, my son." And yeah, it's awesome. :)
Mushanga Mar 19th 2010 12:21PM
"windows movie maker for the editing" - part of my soul just died...
How this piece of machinima won, with all the clipping, badly acted voiceacting and its unattractive visuals, is a mystery to me. Call me an elitist and a jerk, but I think the US winners quality was abysmal compared to the EU winners.
Still, the movie shows plenty of effort. I'll definitely keep my eye on this director.
Endario Mar 19th 2010 12:29PM
Am I a bad person for automatically closing videos when I see that damned "MTV Title" (I think that's what the program calls it) effect for opening credits?
Andy O. Mar 19th 2010 12:45PM
"Call me an elitist and a jerk"
You're an elitiest and a jerk.
Drecin Mar 19th 2010 12:25PM
That was hot...and made very simply...I have Fraps and am very interested in what other software I can use to make machinema and to add music to it...I have a very basic and crude one I made back when Ulduar came out I will link a lil later(using my droid now)...anyone that can help I would appreciate a great deal
hpayne Mar 19th 2010 12:28PM
Well put together
beaglesan Mar 19th 2010 12:29PM
Video portion: Success!
Script portion: Success!
Voice acting portion: Fail!
This wasn't the void of emptiness, a void which brings a cold shiver to the listener...no, it was simply a lousy voice acting job. There are a number of voice acting styles which could've worked well: The void of someone who's lost it all and doesn't care; or several different stylings of a contemptuous avenger.
Andy O. Mar 19th 2010 12:49PM
I agree about the voiceover, but after listening a few times I think it works in favor. Obivously he's this character, but he's still you and me, the puppeteer behind the blood elf. I think it works. Gives it a bit of a rough spine chilling effect.
I'd also wager he was working on a budget (Windows Movie Maker?), so a professional mic was probably not an option. I'd guess it'll be the first thing on his shopping list though.
Nicely done.
Slaytanic Mar 19th 2010 1:12PM
^ This.
I'm thinking it would have been better with no voice at all. Just the scenery, music, and my imagination would have been sufficient.
Arodiel Mar 19th 2010 3:18PM
This. A normal voice vs all off the big drama (slaying dragons, vistas, etc) is an interesting idea. It's just that the voice used didn't work for me at all. Still a good video IMO
Jack Draven Mar 19th 2010 12:34PM
While I have to admit that some parts of that video were not of the highest quality,as others have mentioned. The words he said and the idea of the video was amazing. Frankly, I feel like a complete nerd because it gave me goose bumps thinking about everything that has happened and finally getting revenge.
The voice was too flat, but I liked the emotionless sound. After everything he has seen and done he has been left cold.
I really liked this video overall! More for the idea than anything else.
Unexpected EOF Mar 19th 2010 12:42PM
I completely agree. This video was a little rough, but the monologue's writing really sealed it. It almost feels like he was a bit nervous to express himself fully, but at some points he really got into it just right.
With a bit more time this guy could be really, REALLY good.
Andy O. Mar 19th 2010 12:43PM
whoa, that was REALLY good. At first I was like, OK need a decent mic and a voice actor, but I think the narration style really works in this situation.
Wow, I got chills...
schwonga Mar 19th 2010 12:49PM
I can definitely see why this was one of the winners, it was all the story line. Wait, isn't that blizzard's story? Erm, all of the WoW narrative basically? Huh, no wonder it makes for a compelling entry.
Sarcasm aside, I still appreciate what he did with Fraps, being that it gives only the most basic abilities for telling the story. And no, I'm not going to rag on him for the voice acting, because getting any sort of good voice in a story like that would be an amazing feat. It seems rather than try to be overly dramatic with the aforementioned "Jim Beam-too-many-cigarettes" or just flat fail at putting emotion into the character he decided to cut his loses and just tell it like it is. He chose clarity of story over emotional connection, which, in the end, was the truly compelling part.
Still couldn't stop the wanna-be actor in me from repeating the narration in my head with dramatic emphasis.
Unexpected EOF Mar 19th 2010 12:56PM
"Still couldn't stop the wanna-be actor in me from repeating the narration in my head with dramatic emphasis."
You too, huh? I kinda want to ask the guy if I could make a remake of it styled how I would interpret it.
Ramco Mar 19th 2010 12:56PM
Great vid. I love the fact that one of the winners only used in-game footage instead of model viewer, I love the fact that he used in-game music, and I really like the voices and the text. For those who think it looks bad, put it on HD quality.
5/5
Narlic Mar 19th 2010 1:02PM
Good, but he's got some Freddie Mercury sibilance going on, which made it hard to listen to.