Awesome amateur film making: Escape from City 17
Mikey 11 comments
Want to see what happens when you combine a couple of talented amateur film makers with $500? The result is the astonishing short movie embedded below, although for the life of me I can't figure out how they did this on such a small budget.
Produced by The Purchase Brothers, Escape from City 17 Part 1 is set in the Half Life universe, and those who are familiar with the game will appreciate just how accurate everything portrayed is.
It just goes to show what can be achieved with the right people with the right amount of passion. Hi-def version below, be sure to full screen it.
...in response to this comment by EricVonZipper. Ha that was my first thought too. Fired up Steam for the first time on months.
Kim OJ
Saturday 14th February 2009 | 12:57 PMGood production value! But I did not see anything that actually cost money to make. Obviously they have a CGI guy on the team who works for free.
...in response to this comment by Kim OJ. The costumes would have cost money. It would be too coincidental they had the exact same clothing as they characters in the game do. And the weapons are the same as well (these are fictional weapons from the game). The CGI guy would have done the work for free for sure.
I will see if I can post a screenshot of the character from this clip and from the game for a side-by-side comparison.
andrew
Saturday 14th February 2009 | 09:01 PMhey mike does it inspire you , i'd give you $500 to produce something...as long as i get to be casted.....was amazing stuff.............
Please someone give them $1000 and see what comes out!
Bob
Monday 16th February 2009 | 08:31 AMJust goes to show it doesnt take much to show insanity. $500 wouldnt even give you 2 hours in a audio mixing suite let alone create 3d. So I would say that most if not all was done for free. Maybe the $500 was used as lunch and dinner money at McDonalds?
Sorry guys but I don't find this type of film or related computer game a little bit interesting. It's just giving young and impressionable minds the wrong idea about life. In fact it is dumbing down everything that in reality should make you sick! Desensitizing everyone to death and destruction is and has been a major problem with films and computer games and has become so common that everyone below the age of 40 thinks its just normal.
The old story of movie making - if it hasn't got a good story or good acting - fill it up with death, destruction and special effects because the kids will just love it. In fact if it hasnt got all of these things then know one will buy or watch it!
John Robertson
Tuesday 17th February 2009 | 02:05 PMI don't know anything about the video game and I still enjoyed the movie; albiet differenty from those who know the back story.
I disagree that a film like this makes me or anyone I know "sick". I'm perfectly well adjusted.
Good job, filmakers!
Nate >.>
Monday 16th March 2009 | 02:21 PMWow, that is actually pretty good for something done on an exremely low budget.
Just as a point of interest, here is a fantastic machinima production also based on the Half Life universe called "Follow Freeman".
http://www.machinima.com/film/view&id=34278
It is actually quite well made, and I was very surprised at just how good it was (compared to all the sub-standard amatuer machinima vids I had been watching previously, most just FRAPS movies or even a cut-scene taken from the original game that were simply voiced over).
That's my 2 cents.
EricVonZipper
Saturday 14th February 2009 | 10:44 AMIt feels like I just watched a trailer for a awesome movie that I know will never exist.
Excuse me while I boot into windows, fire up Steam and play the Half Life series; again.
Cheers Mikey.