'The Freeman Chronicles.' Amazing Live Action Half-Life Web Series Needs Funding
In late 2012 a fan-made short film based on the Half Life universe called Enter the Freeman premiered on youtube. Boasting great production values and decent acting, the film received over half a million views. The film was self-funded, and now the director Ian James Duncan is looking for fan donations to take the project even further with The Freeman Chronicles.
Slated to be a series of 6 episodes each around 7 minutes long, The Freeman Chronicles will portray the adventures of everyone's favourite silent hero in the same action-ised dramatic and thrilling fashion as the short film.
Receiving kind words from the writer of Half-Life himself, Marc Laidlaw, Enter the Freeman is a dark and moody horror-esque flick with lots of swear words and gruff, gravelly voices.
The Freeman Chronicles looks to continue the resonance cascade, with HECU soldiers doing battle with security forces while Gordon Freeman sorts everything out behind the scenes.
They're promising us action, good costume design and locations, but what of the actual story of this thing? Here's where the project gets interesting: In addition to fan donations, TFC is looking for fans to pitch in their own ideas and wishes in regards to the development of the story, making Freeman's continuing saga a communal effort. Though it should be noted that they already have a script worked out, so it remains to be seen how much of an impact the fans will have.
In addition to all that, Ian and the crew promise that the series will be completed no matter what - whether they raise the full $75,000 they're asking for won't determine whether or not the series gets made, but simply its scale. The crew are confident that they can make $75,000 go far, saying:
"Instead of a cottage at night, you will get the whole of Black Mesa and a frigging resonance cascade."
"Instead of just a headcrab, you get a frakking alien invasion and a battalion of HECU soldiers hell bent on wiping out everything."
"Instead of just Gordon and his trusty crowbar, you will get... everyone!"
It's clear from their page that this is a labour of love, and great things always come from a team with more passion than cash, as opposed to more cash than passion.
As with several of these fan-funded indie projects, there are goodies and rewards to be had based on the amount you donate. $4,000 will get you a role in the film, so any rich Half-Life fans, I beg you, unless you can act well, PLEASE only donate $3,999.
Jamie O'Flinn
