WoW Moviewatch: Yesterday's News
by Michael Gray 
Mar 25th 2010 at 11:44AM
Did you check out the movie? For some reason, it didn't place in the Rise to Power contest. I don't really have any feedback about why, since those decisions aren't really publicized. I won't guess at why the video didn't manage to score a winning spot, but I can say some things about this video.
There's obviously a lot of machinima out there. Some of the stories are beautiful and compelling. Some of the artwork is technically and visually amazing. Almost all of it is artwork derived from the effort and vision of its creators. One of my favorite things about being the Moviewatch guy is that I regularly get exposure to an entire host of artists who create so many amazing things.
Yet, among all that artwork I get to see, Yesterday's News stands out as one of machinima's masterpieces. I could talk about the film's technique or composition details, but I'd rather focus on the emotion of the piece. There's no one I've talked to from the machinima community or mainstream WoW community who hasn't been moved by this piece.
Yesterday's News has absolutely floored person after person. This is because the video is about a universal human experience, and touches on that experience in a beautifully orchestrated manuscript. The music, the images, and the story are all strung together with subtle, wonderful poetry. It speaks to our fears, our hopes, and the inexorable forward motion of society and technology.
My hat's off to Slashdance. I don't know why you weren't chosen as a winner for the contest, but I do know that you've created something amazing. In the least, I hope you're (rightfulyl) proud of your work.
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 gray AT wow DOT com.Filed under: WoW Moviewatch
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
Jiffah Mar 25th 2010 12:06PM
Awesome machinima...I felt really sad for the guy. Music kicks A too. 2 thumbs up!
Johan Forn Mar 26th 2010 11:38AM
Indeed. No words spoken, simply Chopin supporting the lovely story. Love it.
JoEsMhOe Mar 25th 2010 12:12PM
Wow, just an amazing video. Glad it has some sort of happy ending. Maybe it lost because its too true?
Valt Mar 25th 2010 12:21PM
It should've won tbh.
Im not 100% sure what were the rules but sadly I feel that it wasnt on top because it didnt really have "RISE to power" it was more like downfall and founding love or something like this.
It had good story. It actually you know.. related to game world and whats happening. Thats why its so good imo. Its not make-a-story like some random guy with random acts. Its something you can RELATE to. Running to meeting stones and think how awesome they are....were... :(
blizzardsprules Mar 25th 2010 1:05PM
This machinima is compelling, and beautiful, it opened my eyes as to how priveledged we are as to having these new tools in WotLK, and new features, plus upgraded old features such as in the video, flying mounts at 60, from playing day 1 of The Burning Crusade, I was still a person who had luxury, after hearing the stories of what Vanilla wow players went through, but still, it was harder in TBC than in WotLK now, but as the video points, it brought people closer together, I remember on my old server, half my friends list was created from meeting people in a dungeon group, before they quit, two people I met, One was a lvl 50 mage boosting us lowbies in WC, and his friend was in grp who was low lvl too, we made a real friendship that lasted until they quit in WotLK.
But, while I believe this and Boom de yada should've won as well, I think it's because it went over the 3 minute rule, sad, but true :(
Austin Mar 25th 2010 1:17PM
Dude, it's a game. Not some voyage to a new planet.
tabardsrock Mar 25th 2010 2:34PM
@austin: do you even have a clue as to what is going on here, or is it just your daily troll post?
this vid (game or not) was extremely well done... and i can't even begin to say enough for the music composition! :D
A+, 2 thumbs up, 4.0 gpa, etc, etc... this is one of the best :)
AnnieSue Mar 25th 2010 12:08PM
I have no idea why that didn't win either. It was beautiful, compelling and we can relate to it. Great job! You brought a tear to my eye.
Nookni Mar 25th 2010 12:09PM
I must say, that was one of the most amazing and subtle and Artistic machinima I've seen in a long time. Simple premise, flawless execution! Kudos don't quite cover it.
Grats!!
Donny J. Canup Mar 25th 2010 12:11PM
That was an amazing piece. Very moving and thoughtful. there's been only one other video I've seen better. Wonderful work. Congrats for a masterpiece!
Tobias Mar 25th 2010 12:13PM
*sniff* omg... that was so touching...
i love it, 5 stars from here ;)
FireStar Mar 25th 2010 12:15PM
I Really liked this one.
Eliezer Mar 25th 2010 12:16PM
I am going to go way out on a limb and suggest they didn't win because the film failed to follow the proscribed theme and depict a "rise to power" and instead showed a fall from grace.
Why didn't Avatar win the Oscar for Best Documentary? It was clearly far and away a better technically executed movie than an other one there? Oh? What? IT WASN'T A DOCUMENTARY THAT'S WHY!
This movie is awesome. It does not, however, by any stretch of the imagination, embody the theme of a Rise to Power.
Mr. Gray, your failure to appreciate this subtlety leaves me to wonder if perhaps you sit and scratch your beard wondering why all those HKs you rack up on the road in Arathi Basin somehow don't equate to a Victory in the match.
Gabriel Mar 25th 2010 12:35PM
Well if you're going to get all picky like that.... Who is to say what the true embodiment of power really is?
You criticize Gray's ability to understand subtlety, but you are the one who seems to think that power can only mean command over others or great physical abilities.
What I see is a man who is at the beginning alone, and while taking pride in his work, it's still just work. By the end, he is flying off into the sunset with someone whom presumably we are left to believe is his romantic interest.
Going from alone and slaving away at work to flying around the world with your new sweetiepie. Anyone with a whit of real life experience can tell you this is quite a powerful thing indeed. I bet that dwarf feels as powerful as a Fel Reaver right now.
Perhaps your mastery of subltety is lacking.
Kriegle Mar 25th 2010 2:03PM
@Gabriel
He must play Mutilate...
Tokkar Mar 25th 2010 2:58PM
(From the official rules and description of the contest:)
"We're looking for players to produce movies set in Azeroth, focusing on the rise to power of your favorite villain, hero, or even yourself."
(From the article by Michael Gray:)
"In the face of someone else's rise to power, his own living is destroyed."
NOWHERE does the description of the contest state that the figure for that rise to power must be shown, or even humanoid; ergo, your argument is invalid whereas Mr. Gray was right on the mark.
In this video, we have one person, a dwarf, who was rising to power, but someone else's rise to power took his own and left him bereft. Further, that same rise to power destroyed someone else's career and dignity, yet in the shadow of this specter, these two found one another and kindled something that had heretofore been missing - romance, love, peace and tranquility - something that all the power in the world can't give you.
Your statement, "your statement of "It does not, however, by any stretch of the imagination, embody the theme of a Rise to Power," has just been succinctly disproved. It therefore strikes me that it is you, Eliezer, who seems to have difficulty in understanding subtleties. Your further harsh criticism and sarcasm was completely unwarranted, so enjoy eating your crow.
Sedrin Mar 25th 2010 3:31PM
I just knew someone was going to do this.
Eliezer Mar 25th 2010 3:40PM
@Sedrin: By the by, I am actually friends with Mike Gray in real life, so I am mostly poking fun with him here. I thought the video was awesome, and certainly deserved to win as much as any of the actual finalists. Maybe someone at Alienware hates classical piano?
Tokkar Mar 25th 2010 3:57PM
"I am actually friends with Mike Gray in real life."
DOH!
Okay, pass some of that crow over here, please.
Mmmm...needs barbecue sauce.
Sedrin Mar 25th 2010 5:08PM
@Eliezer: Give Mike a hug for me some time. He's a very kind reviewer.
For what it's worth, I am mostly in agreement with you. In the official rules, I think it says somewhere the "content requirements are open," which I took to mean that--like in previous contests--the name of the promotion is just a name. I also knew my movie totally wasn't following the theme very well. But I had the music, had the idea, wanted to do it, and hey, deadlines are motivating.
So I disagree that it does not embody the theme "by any stretch of the imagination." You just reeeaaaally need to stretch! XD