Working with the SFM

The source filmmaker (SFM) is a movie-making tool built and used by Valve which was opened to an invitational beta last week. So far we've seen a few comic varients of 'Meet The Heavy' as well as some other good productions. I imagine some of the longer term projects will present some incredible work which we should all look forward to.

The must see video at the end of this article was directed by Jojje, a keen machinima producer who has been making videos for a few years. Although Jojje admits the animations aren't as crisp as he would like, it's incredible to think such a piece can be put together in roughly 20 hours he says. "It was faster than I'd thought", comparing the tool to the old way he made videos.

Although the SFM is still in a beta build, it's future looks extremely promising with video producers like Jojje always looking for new ideas and areas where the SFM can be used.

Even at this early stage it's clear the SFM is going to change how machinimas are made. Bringing new talent to the scene, making it easier to learn and drive up the quality of the productions. Jojje's keen to keep learning, "I'm not sure what I'll do next but I'm definitely not stopping now that I have such a neat tool at my disposal. And I take all criticism I get in an effort to get better, as I look at the film now, I know there are things I'd do differently. I take all of that into the future to make my stuff look better and neater."

What is all the fuss about? Well you can watch Jojje's video, "Just One More Hat" below.

You can check out Jojje's youtube channel here. If you want to get into the SFM beta, you can apply for a free invite at sourcefilmmaker.com. If you've already got access, watch Valve's tutorials before you begin.