Since I couldn't make this year's Second Life Community Convention, I asked former NWN Events writer and non-profit metaverse developer Rik Riel, who was there to give a talk, to do some photo-blogging from the scene, profiling some of the notable Residents in attendance - HA
Here's my selection of some of the coolest folks in Second Life who were at the Second Life Community Convention in Tampa last weekend. Each in his or her own way is an innovator and pioneer in this space. For example, check out this impressive trio of Second Life video artists: Nonny Writer, Lifefactory Writer, and Draxtor Dupres.
Nonny Writer is a a journalist and documentary filmmaker who
created the "Gone Gitmo"
installation to educate and provoke action on the Guantanamo
detention center. Holding the mic is Lifefactory Writer, a media professional and independent
filmmaker who has created a compelling "docu-narrative" machinima
she calls "Life on Life."
Draxtor Dupres on the right is a musician, video producer, and machinimator who produces a
regular series of video news stories on various developments in the
metaverse, which you can catch on his YouTube channel.
Starr Sonic, a producer for the SLCN virtual television network, helped organize panels on machinima and television at SLCC. Starr coordinates various productions on SLCN, including the popular “Metanomics” talk show, concerts, fashion shows, and other special events.
M. Linden, a mixed reality magician, and more personalities from SLCC after the jump...
M Linden (aka Mark Kingdon in real life), the new CEO of Linden Lab, gave his first real world address to the Second Life community on Friday morning at SLCC. M in his address described the places and communities in Second Life that most impressed him for their beauty, richness and depth, a strategically savvy way to address the SLCC attendees, effectively communicating "I get it." Then M detailed the areas of Second Life that he hoped to improve in the coming year to make it more accessible for newbies, a better tool for business and education, and more stable overall.
In contrast to Philip Linden's typically expansive and imaginative musings on the future of Second Life ("we're exploring inner space," "it's going to take over the web," etc.), Mark demonstrated that he's going to focus on practical issues like improving the User Interface and stabilizing the grid.
Coreina Grace and Jade Lily are a sweet couple that first met in Second Life, then connected in person for the first time at the 2007 SLCC in Chicago. Coreina is a former Linden now working as an educator at Global Kids while Jade Lily is an SL developer working for the metaverse firm Metaversatility. (Jade was also profiled by Hamlet Au in 2005 because of his female avatar’s relationship with Torley Torgeson.) Particles flew when Coreina and Jade met in Chicago, and soon they were dating and then living together in their home in the Southern United States. Coming full circle, Jade proposed to Coreina on Saturday night at SLCC!
Illbixby Cerveau, head of the machinima crew Ill Clan, moderated a session on television in Second Life on Sunday afternoon at SLCC. Illbixby mused that we’re in a period similar to the early years of television in the 1940s, when TV producers were making up the rules as they went along, pioneering formats and technologies on the fly. He’s in a unique position to consider the use of video in SL. As a director who has been making machinima films for more than 10 years, before the term “machinima” had even been coined. His company Ill Clan is responsible for some of the most cutting-edge machinima ever created using Second Life, notably for two episodes of the television show “CSI:NY.”
Here's another Second Life power couple. Wearing a stylish top hat, Tuna Oddfellow on Sunday afternoon performed his “virtual magic show” in the sports bar at the Marriott Hotel where SLCC took place (see video of his performance here.) An artist, magician and entrepreneur in SL, he is almost always accompanied by his partner Shava Suntzu, an activist/artist with a long history of using the Internet to fight for civil liberties, from the days of Usenet and gopher to the metaverse.
Read more of Rik Riel's SLCC 2008 coverage on his blog.
Hey, All! I am guessing you had a wonderful time at the SLCC. What a great and diverse group of people and such an "oddly" enjoyable environment!
There were so many really amazing people present: Meeting Tuna and Shava was a HUGE thrill (it was virtually impossible to not want to hug them!) and Beyers Sellers and Bevan Whitfield of the Metanomics show were very much appreciated for their gung-ho assurance that the fire kept on burning throughout the entire event! (Beyers is SO charming!) I was particularly honored to meet Nonny Writer and Illbixby Cerveau along with the rest of the Ill-Clan crew--there is actually a very impressive woman in that mix too! I had assumed the Clan was an all-guys shop! And, well, I guess everyone already knows that Draxtor is just a really really cool guy Speaking of impressive power couples--Eureka Dejavu and Schmillson Nielson of Dancing Ink Productions are nothing to sneeze at! Oh gosh...I could go on and on listing people I am so delighted to have met! Corghan Mayo (whose name I surely have misspelled) from Non-Profit Commons and Phelan Cormel from Rockcliff....
I am sorry I missed shaking hands with you, Hamlet...I should have found my way into your orbit in LA! I think I missed you at the Wilshire bar by about 15 seconds.
Oh...and even though I probably should not admit to this...Woodbury's Griefer Appreciation Parties were really among some of the best :D Maybe there are things I really still do not know or understand...
I hope everyone had a great time at both conferences--I did! Thanks for reporting, Rik!
PS-- did you guys catch that rather radical bit about the meerkat viewer...?
_ Life
Posted by: LifeFactory Writer | Wednesday, September 10, 2008 at 04:32 PM
Excellent to see some coverage here :)
LifeFactory, the "impressive woman" you speak of is Kerria Seabrooke, one of the fantastic ILLclan members I get to work with very often.
Her and Paul Jannicola are an amazing machinamist duo who pay attention to every single detail to give each shot a polished feel!
I've been very lucky to work with the entire ILLclan crew, including Tom Donnelly on a lot of their machinima projects - watch this space :)
Posted by: Damien Fate | Wednesday, September 10, 2008 at 05:35 PM
Hello Damien!
Yes, Kerria and Paul were also on the machinima panel although, unfortunately, not pictured. I was not sure of Kerria's SL name, and did not know if I should list a real one here. What impressive folks--the pioneers of this medium! Such a pleasure it is to have met them. Great for you to be working with them consistently! I will surely keep an eye open for more of the upcoming works.
Posted by: LifeFactory Writer | Wednesday, September 10, 2008 at 06:04 PM
Hello Damien!
Yes, Kerria and Paul were also on the machinima panel although, unfortunately, not pictured. I was not sure of Kerria's SL name, and did not know if I should list a real one here. What impressive folks--the pioneers of this medium! Such a pleasure it is to have met them. Great for you to be working with them consistently! I will surely keep an eye open for more of the upcoming works.
Posted by: LifeFactory Writer | Wednesday, September 10, 2008 at 06:39 PM
And great meeting you as well Life, your energy is infectious (and your gams are amazing).
And though in the past I've been the head of the ILL Clan, we're all an equal team at the helm of ILL Clan Animation Studios now. Works so much better that way.
Thanks for the write up Rik, and thanks Star and Drax for putting the machinima panel together.
Kerria's SL name is Skyla Volitant. If she's in world and not shooting machinima, she's buying clothes, lots of clothes.
Posted by: Illbixby Cerveau | Wednesday, September 10, 2008 at 07:24 PM
"And great meeting you as well Life, your energy is infectious (and your gams are amazing). "
...tee-hee...he likes my legs :D
Posted by: LifeFactory Writer | Friday, September 12, 2008 at 10:16 AM