Daily Marauder

MOLOTOV ALVA: FROM SECOND LIFE TO THE TV SCREEN

Definition

Machinima:

Filmmaking within a real-time, 3D virtual environment, often using 3D video-game technologies

Before hearing about this documentary, the word machinima never crossed my radar. Perhaps, that’s because I have never found real value in the experience of Second Life. Perhaps, that’s because my brain couldn’t wrap itself around the process of filming in a virtual world. Whatever the reason I didn’t have cause to think on it before, I have cause now. Molotov Alva, created by filmmaker Douglas Gayeton, takes the viewer on an experience through Second Life as Gayeton himself lived within the avatar, Molotov Alva. In watching the first 6 ‘dispatches,’ I must say that I was not overly intrigued by the production values or the particular story captured on film. What did amaze me though was hearing Gayeton speak to the process by which he came to make this documentary.

The Beginning

For 8 months, Gayeton locked himself away in a room in his Sonoma CA-based home, blackening the windows and consuming himself in experiencing Second Life. Before doing this, Gayeton was by no means an active Second Life user. Instead, he was granted a budget for creating an interactive documentary and Second Life is where he thought to devote his time. Entering Second Life originally as Gayeton Ringo in June ‘06, he set about experiencing new worlds and meeting new people. One of the first things that he noticed; people in Second Life have little to no care for who Gayeton was in the real world. Based on this, Gayeton re-named himself Molotov Alva for his experience in this virtual world.

The Story

The story focuses on Molotov Alva’s search for the creator of this virtual world with his new-found friend, Orhalla Zander, who Gayeton met in Second Life. Gayeton met Orhalla Zander in a world where avatars devoted themselves to looking beautiful. Gayeton was drawn to Zander who was living on the side of the road as a hobo in a box in this land of the beautiful people. Gayeton has never met Zander in the real world nor has he seen his picture. Up until recently, he hadn’t even spoken to him on a phone. To set up scenes, Gayeton would text or Skype his Second Life friends scenes and then film them from there. Almost seems like Curb Your Enthusiasm tactics for filmmaking … but not a comedy and in machinima.

The Affair

Above is a woman Molotov meets and has a relationship with in Second Life. Being that Gayeton is married with a 2-year old baby at home, I was immediately fascinated by this idea of ‘loving’ someone in a virtual world while maintaining another relationship in the real world. When asked about this, Gayeton simply shrugs and responds that all women ask him about this. I doubt that I would be as liberal in my understanding of my husband’s virtual relationship but then again, it seems better than real world cheating.

The Promotion

• Premieres tomorrow (5/15) on Cinemax (dispatches 1 – 6) – The first time a machinima film will air on television.
• Dispatches 1 – 10 can be found on Cinemax on Demand
• All 10 dispatches will be available here Thursday (5/16) for 5 additional days
• Dispatches 1 – 2 will premiere in Second Life at the Cinemax Island simultaneous to the on-air debut. In addition, users are invited to take the Molotov Alva journey reliving places and people from the film. At the end of the journey, users will receive a graphic novel gift that can only be read online.
• Dispatches 1 – 2 are on YouTube now. Click the image below.