Filming a Half Life 2 Airsoft Movie
 

Hello everyone. My brother and I are making a short film adaptation of a computer game called Half Life 2, I'm sure many people here are probably familiar with it.
The game features a number of weapons very similar to modern day guns.

I primarily need the SPAS 12 shotgun, MP7, and USP Match.

There are a number of prop weapons companies in Toronto. But most nonfiring/airsoft/prop weapons rent for $100+ a week and I won't necessarily be able to film nonstop for a week. I don't want to rack up $400, $500 bucks in rentals. I have a contact with a firearms license that has imported for me in the past, a whole bunch of World War II airsoft for another project. But it usually takes months and I don't have the time. I'd consider looking for them used, but I haven't been age verified yet(I'm 24). =)

So I'm also coming here to see if anyone around Toronto would be interested in helping me out and perhaps having a cameo in the short. Essentially becoming a part of the team really. We add all the muzzle flashes, and bullet impacts, blood hits as well as many other graphics. So, anyone out there with airsoft SPAS 12 shotgun's, MP7's, and/or USP Match's or knows someone that does, get in contact with me if you are interested.

We know how to shoot an action scene pretty darn well on a low budget, but we don't talk the talk unless people have seen our work. So please check out our website and decide what you think for yourself. =)

http://purchasebrothers.com/Purchase...k-rangers.html

Thanks everyone! =)

awsome clip!

Sad that I'm not in Toronto because you've got some amazing talent right there.

hope you put that p90 to good use ;)

one this I'd recommend for getting the combine gear is doing it overseas.
http://cgi.ebay.ca/SAS-SDU-LEVEL-4-B...QQcmdZViewItem

Just be warned that this stuff is mostly for midgets. (5-10 and under)

The Mp5k can easily be stood in for the hard to get mp7. Not to mention that you can find full scale craptastic toy versions. (just paint'em up) for about 15 dollars at the toy store in the Eaton center. And those ones cock, unlike the P90.
http://www.blackdragonfly.com/images/hl2_01.jpg (older version combine were issued mp5ks)

http://www.masksoftheworld.com/images/zpGas2-a.jpg
This is the mask the combine are based on, but it is a rare collectors item.

http://www.craphound.com/images/sovietgasmask.jpg
This one is much easier to get and common. (recent issue) and is fairly close the the combine design.

Wow....That MP5k is rather big compared to the person...and apparently he doesn't like using vert grips (which just makes it look odd)....

Gravity gun.!

I don't have a gun you can use, but I just wanted to say it seems like you have some great talent there! All the best.

shik

Well you aren't the first to ask for props, but you certainly are the first (AFAIK) to actually have some work to show that lends credibility to your film-making claims (and actually looks quite nice).

So unlike what I'd tell the others, I actually wish you good luck. I'd actually want to help out if I was in Toronto.

love the clip :D

Awsome clip. I hope that it makes it out to a full movie. Good Luck with the filming of Half Life 2 I wish I can help out.

I sent you a Private Message, check er' out.

Just to point out. These guys are very legit. I have met them in person and they are not just some high school students looking for a Saturday play time.

Wow, thank you for the kind words everyone.

- Moz... hahaha, I'm simply amazed that we seem to keep bumping into one another. When I read your P90 comment/wink, I did a double take. I'm going to buy at least one of those Combine-esq vest right off the bat. The collar and look are dead on. BIG thank you, haha.

Do you know the name of the first gasmask?
I've already found the second one on ebay after you suggested it.

Check out this third one, also Soviet. I like it a lot. I would hope I could modify the bump over the nose if I get it.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MEWA:IT&ih=005

In terms of the MP7, I'm really pushing hard for that, at least for one lead character. Background characters, the MP5 will do just fine.

I was actually out shopping today for resistence costumes. We did some camera tests just an hour ago, they look amazing. Even made the little yellow lamda symbol arm bands.

Shikodo, Drake, Xandrex, Achanman, Thank you very much, gave me a smile to read. =)

Krap101 - We are going to try and get the gravity gun in there somewhere. The graphics we can do now (our skill/knowledge) have really increased since doing The 5th Rangers.

Penguin - I'll PM you. =)

Thank you Moz, and we really are aiming to do something cool with this. The CG tests we've done with placing the Combine Gunships into real handheld shots are jaw dropping. We got a bunch of footage from a demolition site in North York, looks like the warzone City 17 in Episode 1. Exciting stuff.

The MP7 shouldn't be too hard to get, actually. The USP Match is a different story.

here is the second one.... found from the same e-bay user on that link you posted..

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=150143931024

Looks really awesome. Too bad I am not near Ontario...

In the mean time, I'll try to see if I can make a Combine pulse rifle as a non-firering prop... might be usefull

More specificly, the usp match is only available as a springer.

Actually Taktorikku made one CNC'd, apparently it's incredible, but it's silver/chrome, and I'm not sure if he took it with him the Japan or if it's crawling around here somewhere.

Actually, though its painful to say, a USP Match springer would do the job if that was all I could get my hands on. Well... if I could custom paint it at least. I'd animate the slide later. Of course, a real airsoft like the one Duff_Man_in_CADPATs suggests would be best. =)

have you considered 3d animation for the grav gun? It may sound lame, but if worst comes to worst, you can get maya or such free, and model it. The only hard part would be editing it in, but I seem to remember a technique similar to green screen and motion capture that could make it work.

Man I got to say, tha the 5th Rangers clip was 5 thumbs up. It kinda really looked like the Band of Brothers type of clip.

Wish I could help you guys... Keep it up.!

Heres something interesting :)

http://www.g4tv.com/attackoftheshow/...Real_Life.html

Edit; so it turns out that the Nick Bertke guy who "found" this, is actually a friend of mine from like 10 years ago.....he he what a small world.

Actually yeah that is the plan for the grav gun. =) We still have to discuss how we would implement it into the story, which is about resistence fighters, not Gordon and Alyx. A second one perhaps. My brother is a 3d master, and I do a lot of compositing. We can do, but it is time consuming.

But for guns that actually exit, I want to go as real and faithful to the game as possible.

-Jaymz1911, Thanks, that movie is actually 40 minutes long. You should see the current wwII movie we are working on. We are calling it The 5th Rangers times a million.

NachoPuddin,
Yeah I've seen that stuff before. We've been planning on doing a HL2 movie for a year and a half, maybe two. We saw what that guy did only a month ago when we started researching, just kind of proved it was possible.

All the power to you. Good luck and i Hope it turn out good. If you can fit it in, a scene with the cross bow would be cool. After the shot is taken, you could have a close up of a real glowing rod.

sounds like it is all coming together.

I was actually thinking today on how a hev suit would go together, but going without Gordon would likely be a lot better. (he wouldn't be able to have dialogue, so what's the point?)

In regards to the combine. I think best bet would be to use that vest as a base, and build the rest of the uniform out of nylon fabric over foam. Like the kind of blue ground sheet stuff. I'm been considering making myself a faux bullet proof vest with a similar process. Making the templates out of poster board. I don't know how to work a sowing machine myself though :/, have to get my girlfriend to help me.

(she loves the Mario Kart btw)

The masks would need some customization any way you'd spin it. If you know anyone with a vaccum form table you could build up on one of those masks with clay and then pull moulds off of it for others.

Also, are you doing CP or full fledged combine infantry?

This is where I got the image, not to much detail on it though. (hella expensive)

http://www.masksoftheworld.com/Protection/zpGas2.htm

edit: Also look up that god awful crosman clear Spas. They break easy so I'm sure there are people willing to get rid of them for cheap. Paint it up and you have the shotgun.

Ian (my brother for everyone who isn't Moz) briefly suggested building a clay model mask and making a 95% accurate mould. We could most likely do the clay part, but the moulding... we don't have experience with.

At first we were planning only Civil Protection (using CG guys in the distance mostly). But for real costumes, our general thoughts are that CP would actually be more difficult to create, the clothing is very unique. The vest you suggested works well for the combine soldiers though. And we could use Hatch knee pads for the pads on the arms and legs.

talk to some 501st people. They practically print storm trooper costumes. I don't care for starwars too much so I don't know much more than that.

Your other option would be to cast it, but silicone casting is expensive, difficult and expensive.

get the USP Tactical form KJ works.. exactly the same thing.

should be around $220 CD or about $80 USD if you can import from the states

good luck with the HL2 clip.. taht should be AWESOME!!

Impressive!

Very good work! i wish you the best of luck with your HL2 project!

Wow. That clip was fantastic! Loved the Medal of Honor sound effects. I was surprised there was so much suspense in the gripping bit that you showed us, very cool. I can't wait to see more :)

Just watched "The 5th Rangers" clip, every thing's great! Except one thing that bothered me was the bright dress shirt that one of the characters was wearing... not sure if that's historically accurate or not, so I'm not gunna judge. Just sayin' you've made an impressive teaser. Good luck to your HL2 one, looks like it'll shape up to be something decent with what I've seen from your other project.

Yeah, that movie was play time for us. Actually none of the costumes are accurate. The 5th Rangers only cost $700, and that was from buying clothing on ebay. On my current WW2 movie, $700 is the cost of one allied uniform.

just wondering how you secured the location?

I've having nothing but trouble trying to secure mine.

If you have a san fransisco near you they carry a mp7 springer.

??

http://www.tramsoft.ch/gps/garmin_ma...o-overview.gif

lol moz

So true! Best of luck mate!!! Awesome clip :D

Nice video work man verry impressed,.

To be honest Moz, the place is this destroyed farm on an abandoned property. It's not like shooting in the city that way, we easily just walk in and walk out, no one knows the difference. Haha, my friend from Hong Kong always laughs and says they don't even get permits in the city, they just shoot wherever they want even on much bigger budgets then I've had, and have like 20 guys dedicated to spotting cops and distracting them.

I'd actually LOVE to get a hold of a MP7 springer, would be great for background people. Do a custom paint job on it and pow, looks 100 times better. SOOO MANY on ebay, arrgg. Harbringer of Darkness messaged me about his TK MP7, still waiting on a reply, but thus far no one else, about guns at least. =)

Hey everyone I think I have solved my prop gun situation. I settled on the crapsoft Spas 12 available at Canadian Tire. I'll paint it and make it look the way it should. Rather have a airsoft, but timing is an issue here.

And while looking for USPs, i checked out buyairsoft.ca and found much to my surprise, and MP7 clearsoft TM Clone. Only added to the website a week ago, which also happened to be the last time I looked at the site. I bought it immediately as well as their clearsoft spriner USP. I'm make the compensator to make it a USP Match myself.

I'll try and post some pics once they arrive and I've painted them.

Yeah please post. Since they aren't for airsoft they should do fine.

http://www.aeropause.com/archives/gfreemduct.jpg

http://cache.kotaku.com/gaming/half-lifecrab.jpg

does that abandoned farm happen to have a ravine or a river?

link isnt working for me in IE or Firefox... just freezes the explorer >:(