Machinima

In The Daily Telegraph, Vicky Frost explores the world of machinima, "the hybrid child of computer games, film and 3D graphics ("machinima" is a portmanteau of machine, cinema and animation."

Using features built into some popular computer game engines, you can "direct" characters and record their movements as if they were actors in a mainstream studio – you can even choose your camera angles. The film is then edited, a smart voice-over added and the finished product uploaded to the internet for the machinima community to view. There are games, such as The Movies, made specifically for this purpose. Many games have the necessary technology, even if it was included for different purposes.