Editing Machinima (section)

===Limitations and solutions===
When ''Diary of a Camper'' was created, no software tools existed to edit demo files into films.<ref name="Lowood 2006 33" /> Rangers clan member Eric "ArchV" Fowler wrote his own programs to reposition the camera and to splice footage from the ''Quake'' demo file.<ref>{{harvnb|Lowood|2006|p=33}}; {{harvnb|Wu|n.d.}}</ref> ''Quake'' movie editing software later appeared, but the use of conventional non-linear video editing software is now common.<ref name="Kelland, 114">{{harvnb|Kelland|Morris|Lloyd|2005|p=114}}</ref> For example, Phil South inserted single, completely white frames into his work ''No Licence'' to enhance the visual impact of explosions.<ref name="Kelland, 114" /> In the [[post-production]] of ''[[Red vs. Blue: The Blood Gulch Chronicles]]'', [[Rooster Teeth Productions]] added [[letterboxing (filming)|letterboxing]] with [[Adobe Premiere Pro]] to hide the camera player's [[HUD (video games)|heads-up display]].<ref name="Moltenbrey">{{harvnb|Moltenbrey|2005}}</ref>

Machinima creators have used different methods to handle limited character expression. The most typical ways that amateur-style machinima gets around limitations of expression include taking advantage of speech bubbles seen above players' heads when speaking, relying on the visual matching between a character's voice and appearance, and finding methods available within the game itself. ''[[Garry's Mod]]'' and [[Source Filmmaker]] include the ability to manipulate characters and objects in real-time, though the former relies on community addons to take advantage of certain engine features, and the latter renders scenes using non-real-time effects. In the ''Halo'' video game series, helmets completely cover the characters' faces. To prevent confusion, Rooster Teeth's characters move slightly when speaking, a convention shared with anime.<ref name="Kelland, 131">{{harvnb|Kelland|Morris|Lloyd|2005|p=131}}</ref> Some machinima creators use custom software.<ref name="Kelland, 78">{{harvnb|Kelland|Morris|Lloyd|2005|p=78}}</ref> For example, Strange Company uses Take Over GL Face Skins to add more facial expressions to their characters filmed in BioWare's 2002 [[role-playing video game]] ''[[Neverwinter Nights (2002 video game)|Neverwinter Nights]]''.<ref name="Kelland, 78" /> Similarly, Atussa Simon used a "library of faces" for characters in ''The Battle of Xerxes''.<ref name="Kelland, 79">{{harvnb|Kelland|Morris|Lloyd|2005|p=79}}</ref> Some software, such as Epic Games' Impersonator for ''Unreal Tournament 2004'' and [[Valve Corporation|Valve]]'s Faceposer for [[Source (game engine)|Source]] games, have been provided by the developer.<ref name="Kelland, 78" /> Another solution is to blend in non-machinima elements, as nGame did by inserting painted characters with more expressive faces into its 1999 film ''Berlin Assassins''.<ref name="Kelland, 130">{{harvnb|Kelland|Morris|Lloyd|2005|p=130}}</ref> It may be possible to point the camera elsewhere or employ other creative cinematography or acting.<ref name="Kelland, 130" /> For example, Tristan Pope combined creative character and camera positioning with video editing to suggest sexual actions in his controversial film ''Not Just Another Love Story''.<ref name="Lowood 2007, 188">{{harvnb|Lowood|2007|p=188}}</ref>