Machinima (pronounced ma-shin-i-ma), is the art of making movies using video-games. Film- makers are now using the increasing power of video-game engines as a fast and cost-effective way of producing animation. Pioneered by the underground gaming community, Machinima is now making waves in mainstream culture, as advertisers and game developers begin to recognise the potential of this emergent gameplay. Machinima Festival Europe Toby Moores, CEO of Sleepydog was Executive Producer and Compère of the first European Machinima Festival in 2007. The three day event was supported by the Academy of Machinima and Arts Sciences (AMAS), and included a packed programme of workshops, seminars and panel discussions which provided insights into the world of Machinima from leading film-makers and industry experts. Hosted by De Montfort University’s Institute of Creative Technologies (IOCT) the festival also offered practical advice to budding Machinimators and showcased some of the best examples of Machinima from around the world. We’re looking forward to being involved in the next Machinima Festival Europe, and if you’d like more information, please visit the official website.