Interview with Second Life Videographer Sabina Valeska
Funny story… I had never met Sabina Valeska, or known of her work, EXCEPT I had seen several recent posts by Linden Labs on their YouTube channel, Facebook and a few other places a new real in world video promoting Second Life. I was writing a story recently where I had mentioned the issues LL had using AI generated content to advertise SL. They have found the error of their ways and this is when I found Sabina’s incredible video, but it had no creator name other than Second Life on a SL YouTube and FB account. So… I stole (cough) I mean, embedded it into my article knowing I am allowed to use LL material for press and news content. Within MINUTES of posting the article, Sabina messages me on FB and thanked me for using her video. lol We talked, I revised the article to include her as the creator and after a pleasant conversation, I thought she would be great to do a 1ON1 Interview with… So without further delay. May I present the very talented Sabina Valeska!
Q: Welcome Sabina, I am so glad we met! Your content is amazing. You have almost 400 videos on YouTube. Seems more on Flickr and other channels. I’ve watched just a handful and I can’t stop clicking play. I’ve got to ask, how did you first discover Second Life, and what drew you to video creation within the platform?
A: Thank you, I’m so glad to be here. Well, I first discovered Second Life in 2009 by accident while browsing on YouTube. It wasn’t until 2016 that I tried recording short videos just for fun. In 2020, I began to pursue videography more professionally.
Q: That’s incredible.
A: What drew me to Second Life videography at first was the emotional experience I felt throughout the whole process from recording to editing. Through video, I can express things that I cannot put into words. Perhaps it’s similar to what the director of the film FLOW, Gints Zilbalodis, once said : “Creating an emotional experience is something I can’t explain with words. If I could, I wouldn’t have to make movie.”
Q: And that’s what I see when watching your videos. There is so much emotion in every one. Each has a different feeling or expression. Many creators dabble in photography, but you chose video as your medium. What inspired you to tell stories through machinima?
A: I tell stories through Machinima not only because I’m a film enthusiast, but also perhaps because of my educational background. I graduated from an art school majoring in film. At first, after graduation, I dreamed of becoming a director in real life, but it was too difficult to pursue. It’s in Second Life that I’ve finally been able to realize that dream.
Q: Your work has been featured by Linden Lab/Second Life itself. Can you share what that moment was like and how it has impacted your creative journey?
A: Being able to contribute to Linden Lab with my videos has always been my biggest dream. So of course, it felt like a dream come true when that opportunity came to me.
At the time, I was on hiatus from Second Life because I was starting to lose motivation and confidence in continuing my career there. However, some friends encouraged me to take this precious opportunity. They all believed I could do it. In the end, I decided to go for it.
Working with Linden Lab was such an incredible experience. They are truly professional people with great teamwork. This experience changed the way I see my own abilities. Second Life has made me feel reborn as Sabina Valeska—confident and full of passion to keep creating.
Q: That is amazing! I can relate to the lack of creativity or loss of motivation. What’s your typical creative process like—from concept to final cut—when producing a Second Life video?
A: Normally, as we were taught in school, we should always start by creating a concept and storyboard. But so far, I’ve done it spontaneously without a storyboard. For example, when I visit a beautiful sim, it inspires me, and it’s like I hear music in my head. At that moment, I have to execute it right away to capture that momentum. Or when a client gives me a product to advertise, a complete storyboard already forms in my mind. My way of working might be unusual, but that’s just how it is.]
Q: I’ve always brought in a lot of my real life knowledge when doing anything in SL. Second Life offers endless possibilities, but also technical challenges. What are some of the biggest hurdles you’ve faced as a videographer in-world?
A: The biggest challenge for me so far has been the limited availability of animations. We need certain animations to make everything look alive. Another challenge is lag, which can still be managed by manipulating speed during the editing process. However, all these challenges actually train our creativity, and it is through them that our creativity grows.
Q: I’m working on a new article with several animation and pose makers. Maybe we can all collab and give them some ideas on future items to offer. I’m familiar with of course Adobe products and Davinci Resolve and others for editing, OBS for video capture. I’m curious to which tools, software, or filming techniques do you rely on most to capture the look and feel you want?
A: For the recording process, I use the Xbox recorder from Windows. My signature filming technique is the slow pan shot. I always put my soul into every piece of footage. So in each shot I record, I have to be able to immerse myself in it. I achieve that through slow camera pans, which have become the defining character of my videos.
Q: The moves in your videos is flawless. Collaboration is huge in SL. Do you work with other creators—like musicians, dancers, venue owners, animation makers or fashion designers—when producing your videos? I know a few 1000 people and designers who would LOVE to be in your next production. lol
A: Yes, I have made many videos for them. Among them are Semina, Micheal VR, Anu Papp, Dido Haas, Dior Canis, Oema, and several other creators.
Q: What themes or emotions do you try to highlight most in your work?
A: Themes about life, especially around mental health. Such as self-love, self-healing, acceptance, hope, peace, and life motivation. I want to use my videos to touch the hearts of those who need it.
Q: They do all have a positive vibe and very uplifting…. How do you balance showcasing Second Life’s beauty with keeping your videos personal and unique to your style?
A: I simply stay true to myself. I don’t follow crowds or trends. Authenticity is essential in videomaking. I showcase the beauty of Second Life through my own perspective. When you stay true to who you are, you can pour your entire soul and emotions into the videos you create.
Q: I have heard a very similar answer from some of SL’s top designers and creators, it must be working. What advice would you give to aspiring machinima makers or videographers just starting out in Second Life?
A: Be your authentic self. Don’t give up easily. Never be too easily satisfied, so you’ll always keep the drive to learn. Support your fellow videomakers. Don’t see them as competition—collaborate with them instead. Through collaboration, you’ll grow so much more. And always remain humble, because the skills you have now are not really yours, but a gift on loan from God.
Q: Well said… Looking back, is there a particular project you’re most proud of, and why?
A: My latest video for Linden Lab. Why? Because this project was a wake-up call for me to believe in my own abilities. For that, I am deeply grateful to Second Life.
Q: How do you think AI tools, new graphics updates, and evolving technology might shape the future of Second Life machinima?
A: The recent technological developments in Second Life have been a great help to the world of SL machinima. More realistic and beautiful graphics make many things look more alive. Hopefully, this will inspire more new machinimators to feel excited about creating.
The involvement of AI is something inevitable in our lives. Of course, we all know that AI has been a topic of debate in Second Life over the past few months. It’s fine to use AI, as long as it’s done with the right purpose and doesn’t distort the real image of what Second Life is.
Q: “Machinimators?” I think you made that word up! lol I love it! If you could create a dream project in SL with no limits, what would it be?
A: A project of any kind that could contribute to mental health awareness. Perhaps a collaboration between various parties such as Linden Lab, musicians, artists, animators, mesh creators, venue owners, and many other professions in SL. Peace is what we all need the most right now, and it begins with peacefulness within ourselves. I’ve always hoped that Second Life can be a beautiful place for everyone.
Q: I hope you have a chance to produce such an endeavor and I’m sure it will be very profound. Finally, what keeps you inspired to continue creating in Second Life after all these years?
A: This may sound sentimental, but I keep creating these videos with the hope that one day, when I’m no longer in this world, I can still continue to inspire many people through my work. Creating SL video is also my way of giving back to Second Life, which has made my life more beautiful and meaningful. Thank you, Second Life!
Awww. Hopefully that is a VERY, VERY, VERY long time from now.
Thank you Vabina for taking the time to sit down with me and answer all my questions on machinima and the amazing productions you have created.
Please, everyone, go to Vabina’s Flickr, YouTube channel and all her links below and as they say “Hit Like and Subscribe”!
Sabina Valeska “Machinimator“ – Linktree
