Source Filmmaker: Giving Filmmaking Power to the Players

By Emmanuel Gundran

Source Filmmaker is a significant piece of software within the past five years that enters gamers into the world of film. Source Filmmaker is a 3D filmmaking software developed by Valve Corporation that was originally used solely for their promotional videos for games such as Team Fortress 2 (Valve 2007), and Left 4 Dead 2 (Valve 2009). Those, such as Bay Raitt, one of Valve's filmmakers, who previously worked on blockbusters "realized that movies could be made much more efficiently, and with more creative freedom." So they worked with Valve since 2005 to build a storytelling tool within Valve's source engine. This would eventually become Source Filmmaker. Until July 27, 2012, only Valve's filmmaking team had permitted access to the software, but on the same day that Valve released their Team Fortress 2 (2007) promotional video "Meet the Pyro," they finally allowed the software to be used for beta testing so it can be released to the public for free.

"Meet the Pyro" introduces the insane, flamethrower-toting unit from Team Fortress 2.

After the software was released for free use, players got a taste of the unique features that it uses to make Internet videos. Source Filmmaker blends the experience of playing a video game with making a 3D animated film. When making a film in Source Filmmaker, the user loads a world map straight out of one of Valve's games to use as their setting then places character models into the map to serve as their actors. The user can then choose a character to control and move around the map and in front of the camera. Plenty of aspects of production and post-production are present such as framing and reframing shots, positioning actors in front of the camera, configuring lighting, inserting and cutting shots, and adding special effects and music. Source Filmmaker also includes features exclusive to 3D animation software such as fully-animating character models and props.

​Having learned and mastered Source Filmmaker's tools, many users have created plenty of masterful films through them. Valve has even encouraged players to take advantage of the software by holding an annual Source Filmmaker film festival called the Saxxy Awards. The awards are divided among five different genres: action, comedy, drama, shorts, and extended films. One out of four nominees in a given genre is chosen for the Saxxy Award, and then one overall winner is chosen among the nominees of all five genres. The 2015 Saxxy Award's last overall winner was "Turbulence," an entry from the "extended" category that sets the characters of Team Fortress 2 (Valve, 2007) in a fierce airplane race. 

A team of "Scouts" intimidating an enemy plane off-camera.

Fans of Source Filmmaker have even gone beyond the assets that Valve has given them and done so much more with the software than Valve had likely expected. Using 3D modeling software, users have made additional assets for others to download from Valve's Steam Workshop and use in their projects. These assets range from unique maps, character models, textures, and even music. Not only were fanmade assets created for Valve's properties like Team Fortress 2 (Valve 2007), Portal (Valve 2007), Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (Valve 2012), and more, but also for games and series outside of Valve such as Five Nights at Freddy's (Cawthon 2014), Splatoon (Nintendo 2014), and Undertale (Fox 2015). Valve's inclusion of fans into the filmmaking process and the fans' passion for creating and sharing with others have contributed to Source Filmmaker's success and a big step for entering gamers into the film industry.

Works Cited:

Source Filmmaker. "Introducing the Source Filmmaker." Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 27 Jun 2012. Web. 11 Apr 2016