Sims 4 Cinema
Machinima - the practice or technique of producing animated films through the manipulation of video game graphics.
This was a popular thing back in the early 2010s. Think of The Sims version of ‘Twilight’ or those rags-to-riches stories featuring My Chemical Romance songs. I started making machinima in 2020 as a fun way to bring scenes to life using viral TikTok audio, voiceovers, or full-on scripted drama. I saw this as a means of honing my directing, in the comfort of my home, with a cast of digital nightmares, no weather and no budget to worry about.
Sims Machinima offers a more hands-on experience - you get to build sets, dress characters, tweak lighting, choose camera angles, install multiple animation mods… and, yes, OK, sometimes you struggle to get exactly the shot and action you want. It’s no-budget filmmaking with more glitches, fewer catering options, and frequent one-sided shouting matches with your laptop.
Your actors are digital, yes, but they’re also more stubborn than Marlon Brando and have the emotional range of Tommy Wiseau. You’ll need to think outside the box, have the patience of a stop-motion animator, and the delusion of a god with absolutely no control over their creations. Which is probably why it’s so rewarding.
Mummy & Delicatessen’s
dinner date
Henry Rowley’s Posh Family
TikTok creator Henry Rowley has a hit improv series called ‘Posh Family’ - a parody of the painfully upper-middle-class, the kind who shop exclusively at Waitrose and break into a cold sweat at the sight of a tracksuit. Think ‘Schitt’s Creek’ meets ‘The Catherine Tate Show’.
I’ve edited a few episodes from Henry’s endlessly entertaining ‘Posh Family’ saga. Hit the button to watch the fan favourite - it’s already racked up over 500k views.
Mummy meets Delicatessen’s new boyfriend
Mummy makes dinner for Hugo
Mummy invites Delicatessen’s boyfriend for dinner
Mummy has the hots
for JD Sports
Delicatessen’s true parentage
Brother love triangle pt 1
Belatown
Bela Delgado is a TikTok creator best known for his series ‘Belatown’ - a chaotic, hilarious soap opera brought to life entirely with Barbie dolls. Expect everything from scandalous affairs to full-blown wedding brawls. He often mixes in toys from pop culture - Disney icons, superheroes, even ‘Family Guy’ characters - to keep the drama delightfully unhinged.
As someone who loves making Sims films with well-known characters, Bela’s work is one of my biggest sources of inspiration for Sims storytelling.
Brother love triangle pt 2
Brother love triangle pt 3
Cinderella vs Aurora
Pocahontas vs Elsa
Gandalf & Legolas
This is from an original skit by Heston Horwin where Gandalf and Legolas scout for some orcs. Back when it was first uploaded in 2021, it barely made a ripple: 600 views and 50 shares. But when I reposted in 2025, it got over 100k views and a compliment from Heston himself. Sometimes, it’s not the content - it’s the context: the timing, the audience and the algorithm. This is a lesson I will reapply to other unsuccessful videos that I believe still hold value.
The Introvert in
’Umbrella Academy’
I found a generic skit about an introvert trying to leave a party, only none of his extroverted mates will go with him. I reimagined it as a scene from ‘Umbrella Academy’: Viktor (played by a tiny Sim version of Elliot Page) walks around the dance floor asking his siblings to leave. I also added the ‘Shingaling’ bop from Season 1 as extra garnish. It gained 14k views and was immediately clocked by ‘Umbrella Academy’ fans. The power of a niche fanbase, eh.
Wooing in the 1700s
Promo of Saïna's song 'Movie'
Selly & Aisha
NHS waiting list
Prince Charming's blind date
Joe Goldberg from 'You' - musical
Why women file for a divorce?
Sherlock the sympathy violin man