RETRO-ARC STUDIOS
THE SPARTAN PROJECT
The Spartan Project is a fun filled exploration of the Halo universe. A visual story told through the eyes of a diverse cast and crew built of military veterans, artists, and industry professionals. This film features the fully functional Warthog replica “The Warthog Build” and it’s revealed for the first time in this debut film! A Parody Music Video, The Spartan Project is a passion project that represents the glory of 80s Power Ballads mashed up with the fantastic futuristic world of the Halo Franchise.
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The Spartan Project is perfectly positioned to carry the enthusiasm of the fandom to new heights! We plan to breathe life into the fan favorite characters that everyone is clamoring to see. In our take on the Halo story, we blend our favorite elements from the games and tell a mini side story that takes place in the post Halo 3 timeline. We want to show the best of each character, honoring their backstories, while simultaneously leaning into the established tropes & our own original ideas. Not only are we all true Halo fans, this crew and cast is built of film industry professionals and military veterans. With this blending of expertise, not only are we perfectly positioned to produce quality content, we can also deliver on realism with visual delivery of accurate tactical form, along with functional and visually accurate replicas (apparently, it’s a sore point among the Navy vets on our team that the WASPs throttle in the game is on the wrong side).
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As of right now, we are about 75% finished with the production. This campaign will help us raise the funds to finish the project! The funds raised here will help pay for the last two shoot days along with the post production costs of Editors, Colorists, and VFX Artists. When the production is finished, the final video will be available to all backers for limited private viewing/prescreening as soon as the edit is done.
The Spartan Project will then be submitted to film festivals, with the final product available to the public on YouTube/Vimeo when the festival circuit is done.
Stretch Goals!
If we surpass 100% of the requested funding, we commit to pushing the limits to give our film the best visuals and graphics possible! Additionally, we will create bonuses for the actors and volunteers who made this amazing film project happen!
In the unlikely case that that we exceed the funding request in some sort of astronomical fashion ($20,000+) we will take the ground work, connections and assets generated with this film; and expand the scope into a ODST themed short feature that explores the lore and extreme danger facing the legendary shock troops backing the Marines on the ground.
CAST
Master Chief:
Mark Malone Pafford Jr.
Marine #1:
John "Strider" McTavish
Marine #2:
Nelson Martinez
Marine #3:
Isabel Martinez
Marine #4:
Daniel Bae
Cortana:
Sheilava
Sheilava YouTube
ODST Squad Leader:
Chase Carter
ODST Gauss Operator:
Jeremy Chang
UPW Design IG
Warthog Operator:
Pete "Wally" Walczak
The Warthog Build
Creature Costumes "Flood":
Suit Build: Mikey Karrver
Creature Performer: Shelley Karrver
Karrver Workshop
Grunt (Needler)/Purple Spartan:
Lauren Evans
CREW
Producer/Creative Director:
Eric Tracy-Cohen
Founder Retro-Arc Studios
RetroArcStudios.com
erictracycohen.com
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Director Of Photography:
Ben Casias
www.benjamincasias.com
Second Unit Camera:
Matt Howe
PortfoliohoweMR
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Drone Operator:
Bejan Faramarzi
SpaceFire Films
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Makeup / Body Art:
Anna Chapovalov
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Colorist:
John Hale
Gear Box
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A.I. Supervisor
VFX Artist
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Jonathan Tippett
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Co-Producer/Co-Lyricist:
Joey Hudson Sr.
CEO Xero eSports
Vocals:
"Dee Wolf" Diletta Pellizzer
Hat's Effects YouTube
DeeWolf Soundcloud
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Sound Engineer
Musical Compositions:
Joey Fabian
Producer Tomato Farm
joeyfabian.com
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Additional Compositions:
Kristian Pando
Zeditt Music
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Sound FX/Backing Tracks:
Dane Gerous Schmidt
Gerbil Hamster Records
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Storyboards/Concept Art:
Raine Hopper
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3D Prints:
Large Scale: Jordan McGarvey
Sentinel Creations IG
Micro Prints: Charles Poynter
Executive Producer/Set Medic
Laura Tracy
Warthog Coordinator/Grip Assist:
Jason Scott Ramirez
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Warthog Provided By:
Pete "Wally" Walczak
The Warthog Build
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UNSC Coordinator/Armorer:
Rick Martinez
Nelson Martinez
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Mongoose Provided By:
Rick & Nelson Martinez
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Filmed In Cooperation With:
The UNSC Capitol
UNSC Capitol Facebook
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Asst Armorer / Grunt Handler
Chris "Evans" Rork
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DISCLAIMERS AND LICENSING
HALO © Microsoft Corporation. "The Spartan Project" was created under Microsoft's "Game Content Usage Rules" using assets from HALO, and it is not endorsed by or affiliated with Microsoft.
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Please review Microsofts Game Content Usage Rules for the complete guidelines/restrictions.
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Characters and Imagery
HALO © Microsoft Corporation characters featured in this film are as follows:
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Characters
Master Chief
Cortana
ODST
Flood (marine)
Imagery:
Warthog
An image symbolic of Halo,
1:1 game accurate Gausshog replica provided to the film by
Pete Walczak
Banshee (Halo Wars)
WASP (implied)
WASP cockpit is an original design from the creative minds of
Eric Tracy-Cohen and Sean O'Toole
Weaponry
All guns in the film are 1:1 replicas from and icons of the Halo Franchise. (Assault Rifle, BR, Pistol, Spartan Laser)
Video
As per the Usage Guidelines provided by Microsoft, they (Microsoft) are free to use all VIDEO elements if they so choose, as well as the final and complete music video in its WHOLE and FINAL form.
Audio
ALL audio music, sound effects, backing tracks and lyrics while inspired by Halo, are original compositions created by Joey Fabian, Dane S and Joey Hudson in collaboration with Retro-Arc Studios.
All audio elements are unique to the Retro-Arc production "The Spartan Project" NO audio elements or effects were sampled from Halo or provided by Microsoft.
Because no copyrighted elements registered to Microsoft or its Affiliates were used in the audio mix/song, under the US laws of parody and fair use, Retro-Arc Studios reserves the exclusive usage rights to all AUDIO elements (in both whole and part) and the complete song "Holding Out For A Spartan". The intent of the Audio disclaimer is to clarify that the use of the song if unpaired with the video is restricted to the parody creators at Retro-Arc Studios. To the best of our understanding, this usage does not conflict with the ideas outlined in the Usage Rules.
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The terms applicable to the potential monetization of the "Spartan Project"can be found in the Microsoft Usage Rules under section 5
"You may make your Item available on Youtube or Twitch and participate in programs on those sites that allow you to earn revenue from ads displayed in connection with your Item.
If the Item you create and distribute is a free app, then you must distribute it for free (you can't charge for it), and you also can’t earn any money from advertising in that app.
You may use the Item to enter a contest or sweepstakes as long as the contest organizers agree to follow these rules.
You may use the Item on a page where you ask for optional donation requests.
Once you've made and distributed your Item, anyone else using it also has to follow these rules."
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We understand the term "Item" as specified in the Usage Rules to reflect only upon the video portion of the "Spartan Project" that utilizes imagery and characters from the HALO franchise.
Thusly, Retro-Arc Studios considers the"Spartan Project" in its Unpaired Audio form, as a wholly new Audio Project different in its entirety from the "Item" as this Audio Project does not contain any assets owned by Microsoft.
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Therefore Microsoft has no claim to the rights of, and no valid basis to claim the Audio Project, as a Licensor.
Microsoft is only considered a Licensor of HALO imagery utilized in the "Spartan Project". As such, Microsoft has the right to utilize the video elements of the"Spartan Project" as it sees fit in whole or in part, as well as in its final and complete video form.
Retro-Arc Studios will retain exclusive rights to the Audio Project
Retro-Arc Studios has no obligation to disclose metrics, statistics or any other form of sales data to Microsoft or its Affiliates. Nor do we (Retro-Arc Studios) have any obligation or plans to take part in any profit-sharing arrangement with Microsoft or its Affiliates. The original song that is being parodied "Holding out For A Hero" is owned by the SONY Music Group.
This is a not for profit fan project and SONY retains ALL rights.
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LEGAL
The production team at Retro-Arc Studios, along with our Affiliates
are acting in good faith as both fans of the HALO franchise as well as industry professionals. We have reviewed the Usage Rules in full and believe ourselves to be in fully in compliance with the Usage Rules as of December 1st 2021 when pre-production on "The Spartan Project" began.
In the unlikely event Microsoft, its Affiliates, or SONY and its Legal Counsel object and feel we are not fully in compliance with the provided Guidelines, please contact Eric Tracy-Cohen immediately, to clarify and resolve Microsofts concerns.
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ALL Element and aspects of this project are subject to the terms of Fair Use. This is a non-profit parody project by fans for fans and we firmly believe that all elements comfortably fall under the Fair Use Doctrine.