Einstein's Official Avatar Used in Awesome Second Life Machinima to Promote Medical Research Fundraiser

This is a remarkable Second Life machinima for many reasons: Created by the acclaimed SL machinimist known as BoBE Schism, it's easily among the very best SL machinimas I've ever seen. But that's just the start: It's using Einstein's official Second Life avatar, approved by the executors of the great physicist's estate, and the machinima itself is a promotional ad for a virtual fundraiser for real medical research, with avatars running in SL to raise funds to support research to battle HIV/AIDS, Prostate Cancer, Breast Cancer, Diabetes, Alzheimer's Disease, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, Parkinson's Disease, Visual Impairment, Autism and Spinal Cord Injury. Read more about the Virtual Marathon for Medical Research here.

So it's great SL content created on behalf of a real world cause. To make it, Mr. Schism employed some pretty impressive visual and audio tricks. For Einstein's voice, for example, "I coerced the only local real life German friend I have into voicing Albert," he tells me. "But his voice is quite high, so I pitch shifted him down a touch to give him suitable gravitas. Now, every time I speak to him on the phone it sounds like I'm speaking to Albert Einstein on helium. I'm not a big fan of SL lip syncing, but think I just about pulled it off without it looking looking too much like a 70s kung fu movie." I agree on both counts, especially as Einstein's bushy mustache helps quite a lot.

More production notes from BoBE Schism after the break -- machinima makers, be sure to take notes:

"I paid particular attention to the foley and sound effects...they're often neglected in machinima, but have a subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) effect on the emotional impact of a scene.

"Probably the hardest thing about making the film was getting the three avatars to run in a straight fucking line without them bouncing all over the sim, but that's SL for you. So it goes. Shot on a three year old graphics card, nothing special, to a tight deadline because it was made for an organization. Spent a lot of time on WindLights and prettying it up in post."

"I shoot the same scene over and over and over again, because there's always some gremlin or glitch or unpredictable oddness that can mess up a shot; and then I wade through the sea of multiple takes in my big edit-wellies. And naturally there's always human error, but you know, honour thy error as a hidden intention." Sounds like something Einstein himself would say.

Hat tip: NWN alum ColeMarie Soleil.

Comments

[ColeMarie Soleil]

My favorite for reason Ö

[Luke Connell]

Certainly is a good one.

[Eliza Wierwight]

Absolutely phenomenal work, I see a break with what's 'expected' and just enough tangible RL cue's in this piece to make it significant to a broader audience. The message itself is of incredible importance. Bravo and seriously well done to all involved.

You rock.

[Karla Shepherd]

This is incredible work. I can't believe this was made in SecondLife.

Absolutely stunning BoBE.

[Senban Babii]

Regarding the Einstein avatar. Really? As well-made as it clearly is and congratulations to those who created it, if someone hadn't pointed out that it was supposed to be Albert Einstein I wouldn't have known. In what way does it reflect the well-known image associated with Albert Einstein?

On the whole though, great job on the video :)

[Pathfinder]

Beautiful video. Especially the sound design. So many people forget the importance of sound.

One question. The Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada is located in Toronto, Canada. So why does the pull back shot at 1:16 show the lab located in San Franciso? ;)

[zuzu P]

lol big edit-wellies!

[Adeon Writer]

Amazing! Great job, and a great twist on Einstein's image too.

[Just Be]

Is the creation of an avatar representing a Real Life person (also if passed) allowed by ToS, in case of good causes?