Making a Machinima project requires a little bit of settup and fore-thought before jumping right in. To begin with, you will want to make sure you have the software you need to execute your vision.

Video Editing Software: Windows Movie Maker comes free with Windows. iMovie comes free with Mac OS
Video Capture Software: Fraps (free demo)

You will also need a game to use. Many games offer a free trial version that offer plenty of content to get you started.

Once you have your tools you will begin preparing your project idea...