Morning Run Amok at the OMFF
May 14th, 2008 by Frank Fox
I am not a good blogger! For me writing one is like pulling toes off of a fly’s leg: tedious and damn near impossible! But now I have the distinct pleasure of writing that my first real machinima collaboration, Morning Run Amok, won the Gold for Best Comedy and Silver for Best Sound Design at the Online Machinima Film Festival award ceremony last Saturday.
The best comedy gold took me by complete surprise because MRA was up against some awesome movies. But the sound design award was not a surprise to me whatsoever. Ricky Grove did top notch magic on the sound and Phil “Overman” Rice created a wonderful and inspiring musical score. I was so pleased to see their work rewarded by their peers.
Thank you to everyone who voted for MRA. It was such a fun project for me!
And thank you to the cast of my friends and family. Adam Albert, you gave me more than I asked for and nearly hyperventilated for your role. CJ Ambrosia, you let me run with your outtake and made it something fun and funny! Lisa Segien, your acting is the tops, girl. And you shined at the mic. David McElhinney, I miss you out there in Texas. I need to hear your jokes more regularly. Oh man! Love you, mean it! Chief Wilson, you made it fun! Ricky Grove, your talent and generosity really made my year! Phil Rice… Overman! My gosh, I can’t thank you enough for taking me under your wing and trusting me with your musical talent. Anna Berlin, you were awesome. Lori Highland-Fox, see I told you you could do it. And you did it great! JC Smith, Aunt Jeannie, you are a natural! Aaron Shelton, great job and thanks for letting me use your laugh. Gina Davis, thanks so much for playing along. You are one cool actor! Ingrid Moon, you were invaluable! And I still can’t get over how you managed to take only one line! Terry Copley, You’re my VO rock! It was great working with you again. See you at the next gig, old friend. Roxi Rhinestone, cousin you made it look easy; thanks!
These awards go out to you all! Here’s to the next project!
The comedy award was well-deserved, too, congratulations! Your sense of comic timing is exceptional (a trait I’d already noticed in Screen Scenes), and you really brought out the funny side of those early beta Moviestorm characters.
For me, the part of the film that I think is pure genius and destined to be an iconic machinima moment, is the whole supermarket sequence. Those gorgeous reference photo backdrops, the writing and the VO delivery (featuring one of the most believable laughs I’ve heard in any animated short in a long time), the details of the sound (especially that announcer bit), the goofy Muzak-ish track… the way the first couple joke scenes overlapped a bit for continuity… everything about this sequence worked, and represents machinima at its absolute finest.
There are other great moments in the film, too many to name. Great job, Frank! It was gratifying to see MRA get some award attention which I think was overdue.
Congratulations, Frank. And thank you for your acknowledgment. I don’t care much for awards, but I thought our work on the film was the best of any film I’ve worked on. I’m glad that other people can see that. And I agree with Phil that the Supermarket scene is really something. MRA has been due for a while.
huge congrats, truly well-earned!