"One man's Halo dream becomes a reality"
More news regarding that old game Halo 3: Scott Robertson, from Cardiff, UK just won a Microsoft video competition called "Halo: RECUT."
The contest saw aspiring film directors from Europe create works "inspired by the unseen adventures of Master Chief". This ain't any small deal: Roberston, being the winner and all, gets an all expenses paid trip to L.A. to study at the "pretisgious New York Film Academy." I'm a little confused as to why the prestigious New York Film Academy has courses under its original name in Los Angeles, but I digress.
The competition saw many entries, and the race was stiff: there was Chief's exploits as a TV chef ("Cooking with Mister Chef"), a Spartan high school reunion, and a bunch more, but ultimately the folks at Bungie decided Roberston, with his "Master Chief's Day Off" entry was the one. This you can view through the alternate source (unfortunately this seems to be the only place its online, and it has no embed code).
While not exactly radiating high production values, the substance in the entry lies in its humour: my favourite part is seeing Master Chief hanging out on his couch in his sunny apartment, turning on the TV to see violent news footage in the universe of Halo, which he blasts angrily with his gun.
Robertson says he's baffled by his video being chosen:
“My head’s still a little bit in the clouds about it all - I'm such a big fan of Halo and have always enjoyed being creative – but to be chosen a the overall winner is just a dream come true!""I spent six years battling a serious illness which resulted in several major operations, the last being in November 2007. It was during my recovery from this final operation that I heard about the Halo: RECUT competition and working on this video really helped me through this difficult time.”
Scott is now entirely recovered and "thrilled at the opportunity to trade in his day job at British Gas in Cardiff and jet off to the home of cinema." I would imagine as much! Who says video games and movies aren't good for ya?
“I studied Animation at the University of Glamorgan, and this is great chance for me to throw myself back into the world of film – where better than the home of cinema to do this! I just want to say a huge thank you to Xbox, Bungie and, of course, Master Chief for all the help this competition gave me, and above all the opportunity to live out my dream!”
Bungie Studios’ Brian Jarrard has his own comment:
“This fantastic competition really showcased the creativity and passion that drives the Halo fan community. It was great to see people throw themselves into the task, infusing their personality and style into the Halo legend – often with hilarious consequences! We really want to extend a massive thank you to all those who entered, it’s amazing to see the creativity of the Halo fan base come to life.”
Aw, that's sweet.