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Computer Game Developers Satirize American Politics
International group of programmers, animators and comedians collaborate via internet to create new cartoon series using computer game technology
 New York, NY (June 8, 2004):
The latest to come from the video game industry isn't a new game,
but a 3D animated cartoon series satirizing American politics. By
combining biting satire with the speed of computer game technology,
the creators of "On the Campaign Trail with Lenny & Larry" can put
jokes about the latest news headlines in their cartoons as soon as
the very next day. The New York based animation and game development
studio, the ILL Clan Inc., helped pioneer a new technique
of real-time animation known as Machinima in 1998,
with their first short, "Apartment Huntin'." Today this group of comedians,
3D animators and computer programmers are best known for their unusual,
live animation performances, which include opportunities for the audience
to interact with the animated characters.
The group has enlisted the talents
of game developers and animators from all over the world to help produce
their latest cartoon series. "It doesn't matter what country
you're in, making fun of Bush is like shooting fish in a barrel,"
says Mike Steven, a 3D game-level designer in Hampshire England who
designs 3D backgrounds and environments for the show, which follows
two out of work lumberjacks as they pursue the two cushiest jobs in
America: President and Vice President.
"We've got background's
and 3D environment's being made in England and Germany, new 3D characters
being created in Australia and all the writing, voice acting and editing
being produced right here in Brooklyn" says Matt Dominianni,
the show's director and cofounder of the ILL Clan Inc. The show's
cartoon stars, Larry & Lenny Lumberjack were also created at the
ILL Clan animation studios in New York by another of the ILL Clan's
cofounders, Emmy award winning 3D animator, Paul Marino.
In addition to cartoon shorts,
the ILL Clan uses Machinima to perform animation for live audiences.
One such performance took place at the awards gala at the 2004 Florida
Film Festival, in which the ILL Clan's characters co-hosted the evening's
ceremonies, and presented awards to the festival winners. The cartoon
characters were projected on-screen, while the ILL Clan performers
voiced and controlled the characters like puppets, from backstage.
Their talent and experience as improvisers allows the performers to
make the animated characters respond to the audience and the human
gala host.
According to the ILL Clan,
the technique of Machinima is more like shooting film or TV, than
the usually time consuming and cost prohibitive process of pre-rendered
3D animation. "Because we are basically shooting animation live,
we don't have long render times and can make 3D animation much quicker,"
says Frank Dellario, cofounder and president of the ILL Clan. "When
people think 3D cartoons, they think long render times, a room full
of computers and high costs. When we think 3D cartoons we think 3
laptops and a server pushed so far to the max we have to keep it in
the fridge to cool it down."
The speed of the Machinima
process allows the ILL Clan to make more timely 3D animation than
has ever been possible before. The group uses this advantage to hilarious
effect with each new episode they publish on their website, www.illclan.com.
"We read the latest news, we write jokes and record the 3D animation
that same night, and post the result on our website the next morning."
Says, Matt Dominianni. "I'd like to see Pixar do that."
Episodes of "On the
Campaign Trail with Lenny & Larry" can be viewed on the ILL
Clan's movies page, www.illclan.com/movies.htm
Note to Editor: Please use all capitals
for the word "ILL" in the name ILL Clan.
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Contact and Interviews:
Frank Dellario
Company: The ILL Clan, Inc.
Website: http://www.illclan.com
Title: President
Phone: 718-599-2591
Email: illbixby@illclan.com
Media:
The ILL Clan Movies & Press Resources - www.illclan.com
Academy of Machinima Arts and Sciences - www.machinima.org
Movie Downloads Machinima.com - www.machinima.com
Florida Film Festival - www.floridafilmfestival.com
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