Machinima

Machinima is a type of CGI filming style in which a movie or animated short is filmed using 3D models from video games. Red vs Blue is a popular machinima made using the games in the Halo universe.

Machinima in Halo: Combat Evolved, such as Red vs Blue (seasons 1, 2, and 3), was filmed using the pistol, a glitch which raised a character's head if their gun was pointed at the ground, and panning using editing software. In Halo 2, it was filmed using the cease-fire trick, which left only the heads-up display to be edited out in post-production.

Halo 3 and Halo: Reach's Theater is extremely useful to machinima makers. Theater mode allowed machinima makers to record in game and then go back and view it from different angles. The camera was no longer tied to a character and could fly through the air, allowing for more free filming and more natural pans.

Forge is also very useful for machinima makers, allowing them to create their own sets and, by using Forge Filters, their own map atmosphere.