In July, several gaming outlets reported on a demo of BioWare and Microsoft's epic sci-fi role-playing-game "Mass Effect" that left onlookers stunned.

It was an interactive story sequence featuring a major supporting character and the game's hero. IGN wrote:

Wrex is a Krogan, a powerful race on the verge of extinction. A few hours after joining up with your party, Wrex and our hero, Commander Shepard, have a disagreement. The potential results of this conflict left everyone in the room stunned. If we ever had doubt about Mass Effect, it was wiped away at E3.

To illustrate a piece I just did for MTV News.com about how BioWare gave such scenes their cinematic punch -- which basically involves the Canadian studio's clever decision to hire some of the world's best machinima-makers -- Microsoft is allowing me to be the first to air that scene.

Watched it once? Good. Now read on to sea how BioWare lead cinematic director Ken Thain explain his thinking behind the scene's key shots. Read more...