CSI:NY wraps up virtual world killer mystery

I got word that my buddies at the Electric Sheep Company finished shooting the machinima for an upcoming episode of "CSI:NY" that wraps up the cliffhanger from last season. (Last year, I was briefly involved with producing some of the in-world CSI:NY game in Second Life for the Sheep.) This episode, continuing from where the episode "Down the Rabbit Hole" left off last season, finds the crime scene investigators traveling to an abandoned warehouse and back into Second Life where they hope to find "one of the city's most-wanted criminals."  Woo hoo!

Check your local listings for the episode "DOA for a Day" to catch all the machinima goodness.  The full press release follows...

ELECTRIC SHEEP COMPANY'S MACHINIMA ANIMATORS WRAP UP THE “CSI: NY” Virtual World Killer Mystery

Primetime CBS Series Offers A Glimpse Into The Future Of 3D Animation Using Electric Sheep's Machinima

March 31, 2008 -- NEW YORK, NY --  CBS drama CSI:NY and the Electric Sheep Company partner to wrap up the Virtual World killer plot line in the upcoming episode “DOA for a Day” on CSI:NY, Wednesday, April 2 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

The first part of the episode titled, "Down The Rabbit Hole" which originally aired, Wednesday, October 24th will re-air this Wednesday, March 26 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

In "DOA for a Day" the CSI's, working with an anonymous tip, travel to an abandoned warehouse and back into the virtual 3D computer world where they hope to find one of the city's most-wanted criminals. The Electric Sheep Company, a leading virtual world services company, was hired to supply the animation for both episodes. The machinima was produced by the former ILL Clan, machinima pioneers acquired by the Electric Sheep Company in January 2007 to head their machinima animation division.

"Speed is what distinguishes machinima from all other forms of animation," says machinima animation director Kerria Seabrooke. “In spite of the extremely tight deadline, we still had time to focus on details such as seamless animations, the richness of color, the flow of fabric, the metallic reflection on a gun, which bring the virtual world into the realm of high-end 3D animation."

Machinima (machine + cinema) animation differs from traditional 3D animation because it is similar to shooting film or TV.  It’s shot in real time without the long rendering times that traditional 3D computer animation requires.  The real-time aspect of machinima animation was very important on this project, as there was a two-week turnaround time from script to completed animation.

In addition to the animation, an ongoing cross platform experience was created last fall in the virtual world of Second Life by the Electric Sheep Company in conjunction with CBS and Anthony E. Zuiker (creator of the CSI Franchise). The experience includes a virtual lab where users can recreate the experiments and tests from the show as they solve one crime per month.

CSI: NY is produced by CBS Paramount Network Television in association with Jerry Bruckheimer Television.

 

The Electric Sheep Company (ESC) is the leading creator of 3D virtual world content and solutions. The company specializes in providing software products, interactive design, and integration and production solutions. Founded in April 2005 and headquartered in New York City, The Electric Sheep Company is dedicated to the complementary tasks of bringing relevant social and information products to consumers, and helping major organizations find ways to use virtual worlds to realize operational, marketing and educational goals. Customers include AOL, MTV, NBC, Nissan, Sony, Reuters and many others. To learn more about The Electric Sheep Company, visit www.electricsheepcompany.com.

 

For more information contact:

Frank Dellario

Director of Machinima Production
The Electric Sheep Company
www.electricsheepcompany.com

P: 718-599-2591
C: 347-277-1920

SL:  illbixby cerveau
Skype:  illbixby