View source for 3D Movie Maker

{{Short description|Movie making program by Microsoft}}
{{More citations needed|date=February 2020}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2015}}
{{Infobox software
| name = 3D Movie Maker
| logo = 3D Movie Maker logo.png
| screenshot = Microsoft 3D Movie Maker 640x480.jpg
| caption = 
| developer = [[Microsoft Kids]]<br />Big Blue Dot ([[Nickelodeon]] 3D Movie Maker)
| released = {{Start date and age|1995}}
| latest release version = ?
| latest release date = {{Start date and age|1995|10|09}}
| repo = {{URL|https://github.com/microsoft/Microsoft-3D-Movie-Maker}}
| programming language = [[C++]]
| discontinued = Yes
| operating_system = [[Microsoft Windows]]
| language = [[English language|English]]<br />[[French language|French]]<br />[[German language|German]]<br />[[Italian language|Italian]]<br />[[Japanese language|Japanese]]<br />[[Russian language|Russian]]<br />[[Spanish language|Spanish]]
| genre = [[3D computer graphics software]]
| license = [[MIT License]] (formerly [[Proprietary software|Proprietary]])
}}
'''3D Movie Maker''' (commonly shortened to '''3DMM''') is a discontinued children's [[computer program]] developed by [[Microsoft Home]]'s [[Microsoft Home#Kids|Microsoft Kids]] subsidiary released in 1995. Using the program, users can make [[film]]s by placing [[3D computer graphics|3D]] characters and props into [[Pre-rendering|pre-rendered]] environments, as well as adding actions, sound effects, music, text, speech and special effects. Movies are then saved in the .3mm [[file format]].

The program features two helper characters to guide users through the various features of the program: The character McZee (voiced by [[Michael Shapiro (actor)|Michael Shapiro]]), shared from other Microsoft Kids products like [[Creative Writer]], provides help throughout the studio while his assistant Melanie provides other various tutorials. In [[Nickelodeon]] 3D Movie Maker, the user is instead guided by [[Stick Stickly]].

Developed in accordance with Microsoft's broader ambitions towards multimedia software in conjunction with the release of its then-new [[Windows 95]] home computer operating system, 3D Movie Maker is built on [[BRender]], a [[Software rendering|software rasterized]] [[game engine|3D graphics engine]] created by [[Argonaut Software]]. The models and backgrounds were made by Illumin8 Digital Pictures (a now-defunct graphics studio) using [[Softimage 3D|Softimage]] modeling software, while the cinematic introduction and help sequences were made by Productions Jarnigoine, a now-inactive production company founded by Jean-Jacques Tremblay. In 1998, a user named ''Space Goat'' created the website 3dmm.com that allows users to upload movies and mods for 3DMM. 3dmm.com is still used as of 2025 by many 3DMM enthusiasts.

Following the [[Open-source software|open-sourcing]] of the licensed BRender engine prior in similar fashion,<ref>{{Citation |last=Turing |first=Foone |title=Argonaut Blazing Render (BRender) |date=2022-06-29 |url=https://github.com/foone/BRender-v1.3.2 |access-date=2022-06-30}}</ref><ref>{{cite tweet|number=1521574394761383936|user=foone|title=So I have some really cool news: I just got approval from Jez San, former CEO of Argonaut Games, to open source the BRender engine. That's the engine used in Microsoft 3D Movie Maker, Argonaut's own Croc: Legend of the Gobbos, and the first two Carmageddon games.}}</ref> Microsoft released the source code of the program under the [[MIT License]] in May 2022,<ref>{{cite web |title=microsoft / Microsoft-3D-Movie-Maker |url=https://github.com/microsoft/Microsoft-3D-Movie-Maker |access-date=4 May 2022 |website=Github}}</ref><ref>{{cite tweet|number=1521698902579159040|user=shanselman|title=Hey friends - we've open sourced the code to 1995's Microsoft 3D Movie Maker|first=Scott|last=Hanselman}}</ref> following a request by Foone Turing on [[Twitter]] a month earlier.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Carrasqueira |first=João |date=2022-05-04 |title=Microsoft open-sources 3D Movie Maker, its animation program from the 90s |url=https://www.xda-developers.com/microsoft-3d-movie-maker-open-source/ |access-date=2023-05-01 |website=XDA Developers |language=en}}</ref>

== Overview ==
Filmmaking in 3D Movie Maker is a straightforward process, allowing users to create various kinds of movies with ease. By default, 40 actors/actresses are available (each with 4 different costumes and a number of actions), as well as 20 different [[Theatrical property|prop]]s. Twelve different scenes are available to the user, each containing several different static [[camera angle]]s. While the actors and props are rendered as [[Polygon mesh|polygonal meshes]] with [[Texture mapping#Affine texture mapping|affine texture mapping]] and basic shading, the scene backgrounds instead are [[Pre-rendering|pre-rendered]] images with an associated [[Z-buffering|depth buffer]] that is compared against the runtime-rendered meshes so that aspects of the scene at hand can appear to occlude the meshes once a character or prop is placed behind a static object from the background.<ref>{{cite tweet |user=foone |number=991124575042727936 |title=this gives the illusion that the background is fully 3d, when really it's just two 2D images, a color image and a depth buffer image.}}</ref> Many sample voice and [[Musical Instrument Digital Interface|MIDI]] music clips are included, but original voices can be recorded using a [[microphone]] while external .[[wav]] and .MIDI files can be imported.

In 3DMM, movies are recorded from [[Film frame|frames]] in quick succession, featuring a [[Linear video editing|destructive editing paradigm]]. Whilst pre-created animations (such as walking or dancing) can be applied to actors and made to run over a number of frames in sequence, unlike conventional animation software, the interface explicitly does not expose any distinction between abstract [[Key frame|keyframes]] and [[Inbetweening#Digital animation|inbetweens]]. 3DMM stores the positions of the characters and objects for each frame. Lending itself to the hardware limitations of the time when computers with performant 3D graphics rendering were more out-of-reach for most families, the game's internal movie playback [[frame rate]] was capped to 6-8 frames per second, depending on the system.

A finished movie can only be viewed inside 3DMM using the virtual auditorium or the studio, unless converted to a video file format with a [[Third-party developer|third-party]] utility. The application's user interface is centered upon a theater building consisting of several rooms: the [[Box office|ticket booth]], where the user is greeted by McZee and then asked to play or create a movie; the [[Lobby (room)|lobby]] and [[concession stand]]; the [[Movie theater|theater]] for watching movies, a projecting room for tutorials for 3D logos and tips, an idea room for movie ideas (also where the talent book stands); and the studio for movie-making tools. The V3DMM version of 3DMM removes the surrounding [[Diegesis#In video games|diegetic]] theater interface and thus restricts viewing movies only in the studio.

The two common [[file format]]s used by 3D Movies are .3mm and .vmm. .nmm was a third file format once used by 3D Movies, but since the release of the "Nickelodeon 3DMM" add-on to 3D Movie Maker, which combined both editions in one program, this has been deprecated by the ".3mm" file format.<ref>{{Cite web|title=This Insane Rack Made Out Of 53 GoPros Captures 3D Movies|url=https://techcrunch.com/2016/02/17/this-insane-rack-made-out-of-53-gopros-captures-3d-movies/|access-date=2021-09-13|website=TechCrunch|date=17 February 2016 |language=en-US}}</ref>

The [[Comic Sans]] font, originally intended to be used for [[Microsoft Bob]],<ref>{{Cite web |last=Beausoleil |first=Michael |date=2021-01-21 |title=The ugly history of Comic Sans |url=https://uxdesign.cc/the-ugly-history-of-comic-sans-bd5d07f8ce81 |access-date=2022-06-30 |website=Medium |language=en}}</ref> made its first appearance in 3D Movie Maker.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.techspot.com/trivia/41-now-world-most-hated-font-comic-sans-first/|title=Now the world's most hated font, Comic Sans was first used in what Microsoft product?|access-date=October 3, 2019|archive-date=October 3, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191003031337/https://www.techspot.com/trivia/41-now-world-most-hated-font-comic-sans-first/|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Michael Shapiro (actor)|Michael Shapiro]], the voice actor for McZee, later went on to voice [[Characters of Half-Life#G-Man|G-Man]] in the ''[[Half-Life (series)|Half-Life]]'' series.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Wilde |first=Tyler |date=2022 |title=Hollywood Dreams |magazine=[[PC Gamer UK|Ultimate Retro PC Gamer Collection]] |pages=112–113}}</ref>

==Versions==
* A [[Japan]]ese [[expansion pack]] for 3DMM was released with characters from the popular children's [[manga]] and [[anime]] series ''[[Doraemon]]''. It consists of 11 new scenes, 5 new characters and 96 new voice lines.
* [[Nickelodeon]] 3D Movie Maker is a Nickelodeon-themed version of 3D Movie Maker. This version includes 12 unique actors and 11 unique scenes from ''[[Rocko's Modern Life]]'', ''[[The Ren & Stimpy Show|Ren & Stimpy]]'' and ''[[Aaahh!!! Real Monsters]]''. An unofficial expansion pack allows Nickelodeon actors, props, scenes, music and sounds to be used in the original ''3D Movie Maker''. 
* Demo versions: These only feature the studio, do not allow the opening/saving of movies and only feature two actors and one prop. They are Bongo, Nakita and a red [[car]] for 3D Movie Maker, while for Nickelodeon 3D Movie Maker they are [[Ren and Stimpy (characters)#Ren Höek|Ren]], [[Ren and Stimpy (characters)#Stimpy|Stimpy]] and a [[Space vehicle|spaceship]]. A demo version was distributed with the [[Microsoft]] Interactive CD Sampler (1996).

==Third-party==
Several user-made expansion packs and animation tools exist, such as:
* 3DMM Animation Pro (2002): Binds mouse movements to the keyboard, which allows directors to create more fluid movements on the screen.
* Doraemon Expansion Pack: This pack was only released in Japan.
* 3DMM Expansion Pack (2003): A user-made expansion pack known as "Frankie's Expansion" after its creator Frank Weindel, who introduced the first new textures, actors and objects to the software since release.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.3dmmstudio.co.uk/utilities.php|title=3dmm Studio / Utilities|access-date=November 27, 2015|archive-date=November 24, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151124033202/http://www.3dmmstudio.co.uk/utilities.php|url-status=live}}</ref>
* Virtual 3D Movie Maker (V3DMM; 2004): An unofficial third-party expansion management program that allows users to include their own customized expansions in their movies and allow them to be freely distributed. Notable expansions include characters from ''[[The Simpsons]]'', ''[[Pokémon]]'', ''[[PaRappa the Rapper]]'', and other notable media icons.
* 7gen (2005): A [[GUI]] for creating V3DMM expansions.
* 3DMM Pencil++ 2: A program for editing 3D Movie Maker datafiles that allows users to edit expansions.
* Nickelodeon Expansion Pack: An unofficial expansion pack that adds all the actors, props, textures, scenes and sounds from Nickelodeon 3D Movie Maker.

==Reception==
''Alamo PC Organization'' wrote: "This is not a program one masters in a few days, or even weeks. It is a wonderful demonstration of technological advancement for Windows 95 graphical programming possibilities. This program in the hands of casual, perhaps even dedicated home users, is not a threat to any commercial animation firm."<ref name=":0">{{cite web|url=http://alamopc.org/pcalamode/reviews/archive1/rev133.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021128090947/http://alamopc.org/PCAlamode/reviews/archive1/rev133.htm|url-status=usurped|archive-date=November 28, 2002|title=REVIEW: Microsoft 3D Movie Maker (Ver. 1)|access-date=November 27, 2015}}</ref> Aaron Matterson of ''Joystick Division'' said that "it looked impossibly goofy even by 1995 standards, but [I did] love it, and it taught me many things about my own creativity, the art of storytelling, and a strange, terrible humanoid creature named McZee".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.joystickdivision.com/2012/04/five_things_we_learned_from_3d.php|title=Five Things We Learned From 3D Movie Maker|work=Joystick Division|access-date=November 27, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208163238/http://www.joystickdivision.com/2012/04/five_things_we_learned_from_3d.php|archive-date=December 8, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>

''[[CNET]]'' said "Still, it's encouraging to see what kids can do--and want to spend time doing--with 3D Movie Maker. It ain't a master class from Scorsese, but it's better than a repeat viewing of Ace Ventura"<ref>{{cite web|first=Matt|last=Lake|url=http://www.cnet.com/Content/Reviews/Cdcentral/Reviews/0%2C50%2C251%2C00.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/19961222163430/http://www.cnet.com/Content/Reviews/Cdcentral/Reviews/0,50,251,00.html|title=3D Movie Maker|website=[[CNET]]|archivedate=December 22, 1996|accessdate=October 1, 2024}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|1990s|Free and open-source software|Video games}}
{{Commons category}}
*[[Hollywood High (video game)|Hollywood High]]
*[[Kahootz]]
*[[The Movies (video game)|The Movies]]
*[[Theatrix's Hollywood]]
*[[Windows Movie Maker]]
*[[Moviestorm]]
*[[Garry's Mod]]
*[[Source Filmmaker]]
*[[Mario Artist: Talent Studio]]
*[[MikuMikuDance]]
*[[Fine Artist]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
*[http://www.3dmm.com/ 3dmm Community] - A hub of hype, mods, discussion and sharing of movies created with 3DMM.
*{{GitHub|microsoft/Microsoft-3D-Movie-Maker|3D Movie Maker}}

{{Microsoft Kids}}
{{Microsoft FOSS}}
{{Aaahh!!! Real Monsters|state=collapsed}}
{{Rocko's Modern Life|state=collapsed}}
{{The Ren & Stimpy Show|state=collapsed}}
{{Nicktoons video games|state=collapsed}}
{{Blazing Renderer games|state=collapsed}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:3d Movie Maker}}
[[Category:1995 software]]
[[Category:1995 video games]]
[[Category:Formerly proprietary software]]
[[Category:Software using the MIT license]]
[[Category:Windows-only free software]]
[[Category:Microsoft free software]]
[[Category:Nicktoons video games]]
[[Category:Windows games]]
[[Category:Free 3D animation software]]
[[Category:Discontinued Microsoft software]]
[[Category:Microsoft franchises]]
[[Category:Blazing Renderer games]]
[[Category:Filmmaking video games]]
[[Category:Video games developed in the United States]]
[[Category:Commercial video games with freely available source code]]