We're beginning Season 6 with one of the best machinima-animated shorts we've ever seen (probably)!

🎥 Back to the Future UNHINGED, Machinima Film Made in Blender

In this episode of The Completely Machinima Podcast, hosts Phil Rice, Damien Valentine, and Tracy Harwood review “Back to the Future Unhinged”, a viral machinima short film by Landon’s Animation Wheelhouse, created entirely in Blender 3D.

This chaotic, hilarious reimagining of Doc Brown and Marty’s adventures has racked up 700,000+ views and showcases incredible 3D animation, storytelling, and sound design. It’s packed with visual gags, cinematic camera work, and even a Doom scream!

🎬 What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

• The brilliance behind Back to the Future Unhinged and why it feels both planned and chaotic
• How Landon built the film’s world entirely in Blender (not a video game engine!)
• The hosts’ breakdown of the film’s humor, detail, and love for the original trilogy
• Landon’s backstory as a young animator with huge potential in film and game design
• The film’s connection to the 40th anniversary of Back to the Future
• Why even Dr. Helen Sharman, the UK’s first astronaut, reacted to the film!

Credits -
Speakers: Phil Rice, Tracy Harwood, Damien Valentine
Editor/Producer: Phil Rice
Music: Phil Rice & Suno AI

🎬 Ricky’s Wonderful World of Sound – Footsteps

In episode 5 of our Maker Series, Ricky Grove explores the often-overlooked power of footstep sound design — and how something as simple as a single step can define mood, build tension, and reveal character.

👣 What You’ll Learn:
How footstep sounds convey location, emotion, and suspense in film.
Why footsteps in the Spanish horror series 30 Coins masterfully foreshadow violence.
The challenges of using video game sound libraries for cinematic sound design.
Practical tips on recording and manipulating ambient sounds for realism.
How to find free, high-quality sounds using Creative Commons resources like freesound.org

🎧 Ricky breaks down how to use sound not just as background, but as storytelling — helping filmmakers, sound designers, and creators elevate their craft through the language of footsteps.

#SoundDesign #Filmmaking #MakerSeries #RickyGrove #FilmSound #FoleyArt #AudioDesign #HorrorFilm #CinematicSound #CreativeCommons #FreeSound #30Coins #Suspense #IndieFilm #FilmTips #machinima

About Ricky Grove
Ricky Grove is an award-winning actor, director, voice artist, and sound designer with decades of experience in stage, film, and virtual production.

After earning his BFA in Directing from Arizona State University and a Master’s in Acting from the Yale School of Drama, Ricky built a rich career in theatre and television, appearing in works such as Army of Darkness and ER. In the late 1990s, he became a pioneer in the machinima community, collaborating with trailblazers like Hugh Hancock, Phil Rice, and Jason Choi.

His contributions as a voice director, actor, and sound designer have shaped many award-winning early machinima films. He’s hosted festivals, championed the art form, and continues to share his passion as co-host of the Completely Machinima Podcast.

The first episodes of Ricky’s Wonderful World of Sound were originally created for the early-2000s machinima podcast The Overcast. This updated series expands his original teachings, offering timeless advice for creating powerful sound in machinima.

Credits -
Speaker / Producer / Sound Editor: Ricky Grove
Visuals & Music: Phil Rice

🎃 Halloween Special | Ricky’s Wonderful World of Sounds: MONSTERS! 👹

This Halloween, step into the dark side of Ricky’s Wonderful World of Sounds — where we explore the terrifying art of monster sound design! 🧟‍♂️

What do monsters really sound like? From the primal screeches that haunted early humans to the eerie, unearthly noises that send chills down modern audiences’ spines — this episode reveals how sound designers craft the perfect scare.

Discover:
🔊 Why you should hear the monster before you see it
🦴 How altered animal and environmental sounds create fear
🧬 The science of sound that taps into our instinctive fight-or-flight response
🎥 Classic monster sound examples from “Them!”, Godzilla, Predator, The Exorcist, and more

Whether you’re a filmmaker, sound designer, or just a Halloween horror fan, this episode will make you listen to fear in a whole new way.

💀 Subscribe, turn up the volume, and enter the world where sound becomes terror.

Ricky Grove shares his expert insights on using ambient sound to bring machinima to life, offering practical tips and creative ideas you can apply to your own projects. Whether you’re crafting your first indie animation or refining your cinematic game scenes, you’ll be inspired and better equipped to design unforgettable soundscapes.

About Ricky Grove
Ricky Grove is an award-winning actor, director, voice artist, and sound designer with decades of experience in stage, film, and virtual production. After earning his BFA in Directing from Arizona State University and a Master’s in Acting from the Yale School of Drama, Ricky built a rich career in theatre and television, appearing in works such as Army of Darkness and ER.

In the late 1990s, he became a pioneer in the machinima community, collaborating with trailblazers like Hugh Hancock, Phil Rice, and Jason Choi. His contributions as a voice director, actor, and sound designer have shaped many award-winning early machinima films. He’s hosted festivals, championed the art form, and continues to share his passion as co-host of the Completely Machinima Podcast.

The first episodes of Ricky’s Wonderful World of Sound were originally created for the early-2000s machinima podcast The Overcast. This updated series expands his original teachings, offering timeless advice for creating powerful sound in machinima.

🎧 Tip: For the best experience, close your eyes and immerse yourself in Ricky’s words.

Credits

• Speaker / Producer / Sound Editor: Ricky Grove
• Visuals, Monsters & Music: Phil Rice

#Machinima #SoundDesign #Filmmaking #3DAnimation #GameEngines #MonsterSounds #HorrorMovies #IndieFilm #VoiceActing