WebProNews

Tag: Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn

  • Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn Nominated For Emmy

    Last fall, in the run-up to the November release of Halo 4, Microsoft Studios released a five-part live-action mini-series called Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn. The series provided some back story for the Halo 4 campaign and was a surprisingly good live-action addition to the Halo lore.

    The mini-series has now been nominated for an Emmy Award. The nomination isn’t for the series’ acting or special effects, though. Forward Unto Dawn has been nominated for Outstanding Main Title Design. The other nominees for the award include the shows Elementary, The Newsroom, Vikings, Da Vinci’s Demons, and American Horror Story: Asylum. The award is given to primetime shows for their main title sequence, and in the past has been won by shows such as Game of Thrones, Mad Men, and Six Feet Under.

    Forward Unto Dawn follows a few weeks in the life of Thomas Lasky, a recruit at the UNSC Corbulo Academy of Military Science. As part of Hastati Squad, Lasky deals with bullying, family issues, and a burgeoning romance with a squadmate played by Anna Popplewell (Susan from the Chronicles of Narnia movies). When the inevitable Covenant invasion occurs, Master Chief himself arrives to usher the cadets to safety. Forward Unto Dawn‘s main title sequences tie the events of the series into the beginning of Halo 4.

  • Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn Episode 5 – The Rescue

    The conclusion to Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn gives a glimpse into what it would be like to be one of those UNSC soldiers that occasionally accompany Master Chief on his adventures. I can’t speak for others, but I barely notice when one of those soldiers dies while playing a Halo game. Thankfully for Forward Unto Dawn, the real Master Chief seems to care a great deal about these four cadets and their survival.

    For those who haven’t been following the series, Forward Unto Dawn is a live-action web series that follows the life of cadet Thomas Lasky at the UNSC military academy. The series, as promised, ties-in to the beginning of the Halo 4 story, which begins in less than one week. The previous episodes of the series, including the short character vignettes that proceeded it, can be found here.

    When we last left Lasky and his remaining squad mates, they had escaped the ruined academy and made off with a warthog for the pelican landing zone. As Lasky learns to drive the vehicle, the cadets put their training to use against Jackals hiding in the forest. Master Chief mans the guns, but we all know what happens when you let the UNSC soldiers drive in the games. It’s clear from cannon that Master Chief survives to participate in the original Halo trilogy, but if the cadets hope to survive they’ll have to become soldiers – because they’re being hunted.

  • Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn Episode 4 Reveals a Savior

    Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn Episode 4 Reveals a Savior

    Previous episodes of Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn have focused on Thomas Lasky – both his past and the struggles he faces at the academy as a result of his temperament and his family’s UNSC fame. This week’s episode propels Lasky into a leadership position and forces him to disregard his hesitations.

    For those who haven’t been keeping up with the series, Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn is a live-action Halo web series that follows the cadets of Hastati squad at the UNSC’s Corbulo Military Academy. The series will tie-in to the story of Halo 4 and airs in weekly installments every Friday on Halo Waypoint and Machinima Prime. All three of the previous episodes and the short character vignettes that proceded them can be found here. Also, check out my interview with the series’ executive producers, which reveals some behind-the-scenes info on the production.

    At the end of the episode three, the academy came under attack from unknown alien forces. Today’s episode sees Hastati squad running for their lives through the halls of the academy. When they get pinned in near the armory, panic sets in and hiding becomes the only option. When an Elite finally finds them, hope seems lost – until a savior arrives.

  • Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn Episode 3 Kicks Up the Action

    When I spoke with the executive producers of Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn this week it was hinted at that the series would be taking an action-packed turn. Today, the third episode was unveiled and it certainly doesn’t disappoint.

    For those unaware, Forward Unto Dawn is a live-action Halo web series that follows the early story of Thomas Lasky, a cadet at the UNSC Corbulo Military Academy. Lasky is uneasy about the current war against colonial insurrectionists and struggles with the expectations placed on him because of his family’s history with the UNSC. The story will tie-into the beginning of Halo 4. The previous two episodes in the series, as well as the character vignettes that proceeded them can be found here.

    In the beginning of this week’s episode, it appears things are looking up for Cadet Lasky. His allergic reaction to a cryo-sleep drug means he can leave the academy, where it’s clear he doesn’t fit in. Also, his budding relationship with Cadet Silva (played by Anna Popplewell, recognizable as Susan from the Chronicles of Narnia movies) is progressing. However, before Lasky can make a decision about his future, he and the other cadets are interrupted by the call of fate. It sounds a lot like the academy’s alarm.

    New episodes of Forward Unto Dawn air every Friday leading up to the November 6 release of Halo 4. That means there are only two episodes left – and less than 3 weeks until the release of Halo 4.

  • Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn Producers Talk Live-Action Halo

    Speaking with Lydia Antonini and Josh Feldman, it’s clear they have a passion for digital media. The two are executive producers for Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn, a series that delves into the deep back-story of the Halo universe, while also setting up some of the events and relationships seen in Halo 4.

    Both are veterans of digital content and distribution. Antonini was once the director of digital content for Warner Premiere, and helped shepherd the Mortal Kombat live-action series into existence. Feldman most recently worked for Playtone, Tom Hank’s production company, and co-wrote Electric City, the animated series that aired this year on Yahoo.

    When Microsoft and 343 Studios approached Antonini and Feldman about a Halo web series, the two jumped at the chance to bring the biggest sci-fi franchise in gaming to life. Though neither say they are particularly good at the Halo video games, both said they enjoy the expanded Halo universe created by books, comics, movies, and other media.

    “I’m pretty much dead in 5 minutes every time,” said Antonini.

    “I could never drive the warthog in the game,” said Feldman. He felt vindicated when the real-life warthog used in Forward Unto Dawn was similarly difficult to drive.

    In deciding to make the series live-action, rather than animated, 343 was looking to build upon the popular live-action Halo commercials seen in the past. “Nothing can replace the emotional value of watching a real person,” said Antonini.

    When scouting locations for Forward Unto Dawn, Antonini said the team looked at locations in Budapest, Ireland, Bulgaria, Iceland, and Chile. Eventually the decision was made to shoot the series in Vancouver, at Simon Frasier University.

    “We found this amazing university, SFU, in Vancouver that looked like it was just made to be an academy,” said Antonini. “We made a very conscious decision to pick a look and place that [evoked] Halo.”

    The characters in Forward Unto Dawn are recruits at a UNSC military academy. The series focuses on Thomas Lasky, who questions the war against the insurrectionists and struggles to live up to the high expectations placed on him because of his family’s history in the UNSC.

    Feldman stated that a lot of emphasis was put on casting for the series. He pointed out that the recruits in the series, as well as the actors, are poly-ethnic and global. Members of the cast are from places such as Australia, Israel, and the U.K.

    The quality of the series is evident, and though neither Feldman or Antonini would discuss the cost of Forward Unto Dawn, Feldman gives credit to 343 and Microsoft for wanting to create a high-quality series. He stated that the show’s creators reached out to “players who work in the space of premium television.” To Feldman, 343 isn’t just a video game studio. “They’re a repository for great entertainment,” he said. “They’re an entertainment studio.”

    “I think we’re very close to television-quality right now,” said Antonini of the series, and of digital media in general. She believes Forward Unto Dawn could have lived on a premium cable channel. For her, digital content is the most interesting place to be right now.

    For Feldman, digital content means the possibility of diverse distribution. “Increasing the number of ways people can get to these types of content – that’s a wonderful thing.”

    The third episode of Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn airs tomorrow on Halo Waypoint and Machinima. Episodes will air every Friday leading up to the November 6 release date of Halo 4.

    Also, make sure to check out the short previews for the series, which are short vignettes that give a bit of background for the show. Antonini revealed that those previews were shot by a second unit, and are not directly tied to the story of the series. Instead, they represent more personal character pieces for the recruits.

  • Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn Episode 2 Released

    Today the second episode of the live-action Halo web series Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn was released on Machinima and Halo Waypoint. For those who haven’t seen the first episode, the series chronicles the training of Hastati Squad, a group of recruits to the UNSC Corbulo Academy of Military Science. The UNSC is as war with insurrectionist colonists on disparate planets, but, of course, a greater threat looms out in the darkness. The series airs on Fridays up to the November 6th release of Halo 4 , and the story ties into the beginning of Halo 4.

    Last week we saw Thomas Lasky struggle at the academy, trying to live up to his family name and become a model soldier. Though he isn’t as disciplined as his brother, and doesn’t have the force of command as his high-ranking mother, he does possess a drive to do what he believes is best. And he is opinionated. It’s easy to see why these qualities might not immediately be of use at a military academy.

    This week, Lasky tests his superiors and squad mates even more by letting his temper flare. He also begins to show those leadership qualities everyone keeps insisting he must have. Meanwhile, something big is happening that the school’s superiors aren’t telling the trainees about.

  • Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn Episode 1 Premieres

    Today the live-action Halo web series Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn premiered. For the last few weeks, Halo Waypoint and Machinima Prime have been releasing short trailers for the series, giving a preview of what the series will hold.

    Forward Unto Dawn will air in weekly installments up until the release of Halo 4 on November 6th. The story will lead in to that of Halo 4, as the beginning of the premiere below shows.

    The first episode in the series follows the Hastati Squad, a fresh batch of recruits at the UNSC Corbulo Academy of Military Science. More specifically, it follows Thomas Lasky, a recruit that questions orders and believes he knows better than his commanding officer.

    The UNSC is at war with insurrectionist colonists in space, and the previews of the series haven’t been subtle in drawing parallels with both the American Revolution and the War on Terror. Anyone with some basic knowledge of Halo cannon, however, knows that insurrectionists are the least of the UNSC’s worries.

    As Lasky’s disobedience begins to create friction with his squad mates and instructors, he must decide if following in his mother’s footsteps and joining the UNSC was the right decision. At such a young age, he already seems to have a disastrous past that weighs heavily on him and feeds his angst.

  • Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn “Squad” Trailer Released

    The last in a series of short previews for the upcoming Halo 4 webseries Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn was released today. The series is a prequel to the Halo video games, set in a time before the Human-Covenant war began. The UNSC’s primary concern is “insurrectionists” who are vying for their freedom from UNSC oversight. The series’ story will lead into the beginning of Halo 4.

    Forward Unto Dawn follows members of the Corbulo Academy of Military Science as they train and fight for the UNSC. Previous trailers for the series have shown cadets enlisting, sharing their fears, and receiving a lecture while at the academy.

    Today, the characters in the web series (some of whom have been seen in previous trailers) are all briefly introduced with reality-show-type interviews. Some of them were army brats born into the UNSC, while some of them simply aren’t sure why they are there. No doubt their motivations will be tested during the web series when the Covenant (presumably) arrives.

    Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn premieres on October 5th, with weekly episodes on Machinima and Halo Waypoint leading up to the release of Halo 4 on November 6th.

  • Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn “Lecture” Trailer Released

    It’s Friday, and that means the release of another Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn special preview. For those who havent seen the previous previews, Forward Unto Dawn is an upcoming live-action Halo web series set at the beginning of the human-Covenant war. The previews of the series have shown cadets at the UNSC’s Corbulo Academy enlisting and dealing with their intense military training.

    This week’s trailer provides a glimpse into the UNSC’s ideals and what it teaches its soldiers. It features an instructor giving a lecture to a hall full of cadets about the need to oppose the “insurrectionists.” It is also clear that, during the time of Forward Unto Dawn, humanity has spread out into the start so much that it’s rare to have met someone from Earth.

    As more previews for Forward Unto Dawn are released, the story behind the series is beginning to come into focus – and it looks pretty interesting. While the instructor’s speech in the trailer below can be taken at face value as a rousing monologue about humanity being one, it can also be viewed as an argument that might be used by an empire to keep colonies under their thumb. Something the British Empire might have told New World colonists during the American Revolution, for instance.

    Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn premieres on October 5th, with weekly episodes on Machinima and Halo Waypoint leading up to the release of Halo 4 on November 6th.

  • New Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn “Joyride” Preview Released

    343 Industries, the developer behind Halo 4, today released the newest preview for its upcoming web series, Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn. The series is a prequel to the Halo videogames, and depicts UNSC recruits as they train at a military academy. The story of the series will lead into that of Halo 4, depicting how a leader on the UNSC Infinity was once inspired by Master Chief.

    The latest Forward Unto Dawn trailer, seen below, is called “Joyride,” and depicts the first-person view of a trainee who hops into a Warthog for a short-lived joyride.

    The previous Forward Unto Dawn trailer showed a more experienced recruit comforting her roommate about his upcoming cryo-training by poetically describing cryo-sleep as similar to a dreamless death. The one before that had recruits giving an inner monologue about their motivations in joining the UNSC while having their heads shorn.

    The web series will premiere on October 5th on Machinima Prime and Halo Waypoint. The five-episode series will air every Friday, leading up to the release of Halo 4 on November 6th.

  • Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn “Cryo” Trailer Revealed

    The next in the special series of previews for the upcoming web series Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn has arrived, and it shows how poetic (and scary) the prospect of cryogenic sleep can be. Forward Unto Dawn is a live-action web series set at the beginning of the human/covenant war. The previous trailer for the series showed the hesitations and excitement of new recruits as they get their hair clipped off.

    The new one released today features two cadets from the Corbulo Academy of Military Science. One is hesitant about his upcoming cryo-sleep training and asks his roommate what he should expect. She describes the process as similar to a dreamless death.

    The five-episode Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn web series will premiere on October 5th on Machinima and Halo Waypoint. The story in the series will lead up to a tie-in with Halo 4, which launches November 6th.

  • New Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn Trailer Highlights UNSC Recruits

    The latest preview for Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn has been released, and this time it focuses on UNSC recruits. Forward Unto Dawn is an upcoming live-action web series meant to introduce people to the Halo universe in anticipation of the Halo 4 launch.

    Despite the sci-fi trappings of the Halo series, the games are about war. That Microsoft and 343 industries are choosing to market the game through a more militaristic advertising campaign is an interesting decision. It could show a bit about the direction the Halo franchise is headed in and certainly shows the influence the success of games such as Call of Duty and Battlefield have had on the gaming market.

    Take a look below at the latest live-action trailer for Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn and get ready for the series premiere on October 5th.