Editing Birth of a Spartan

{{Status|RealWorld}}

{{Film infobox

|image = [[File:Augmentation Begins April 28th.jpg|250px]]

|name = Birth of a Spartan

|director = Noam Murro{{Ref/Reuse|press}}

|release date = April 28, 2010{{Ref/Reuse|press}}

|runtime = 2 minutes, 30 seconds{{Ref/Reuse|press}}

'''''Birth of a Spartan''''' is a live-action short made exclusively for the launch of ''[[Halo: Reach]]''.<ref name="press">[http://gamerscoreblog.com/press/archive/2010/04/26/kz982.aspx '''Xbox360 Press''': ''Witness the Dramatic "Birth of a Spartan" in the Stunning Live-Action Short for the Biggest Blockbuster Game of 2010, "Halo: Reach"'']</ref> The trailer was directed by Noam Murro.{{Ref/Reuse|press}}

 

The short showcases the [[SPARTAN-III Program|SPARTAN-IIIs]], members of a project to create economical and expendable super soldiers and successors of the [[SPARTAN-II Program|SPARTAN-IIs]]. It depicts the [[Project CHRYSANTHEMUM|transformation]] of [[Carter-A259]] from a teen trainee to a superhuman [[SPARTAN Program|Spartan]] supersoldier.{{Ref/Reuse|press}}

The muted colors and the lighting in the short were intentional design choices, to make the world feel realistic despite the sci-fi setting. The shot of the surface of [[Onyx]] was shot at a coal mine, although the truck driving through the scene was filmed in a different location and added to the shot digitally, as the filming team could not get the truck into the coal mine. The cliff and the monolithic [[United Nations Space Command|UNSC]] base were both added digitally, and the base's design was inspired by architecture in Prague. The [[D77-TC Pelican|Pelican dropship]], as well as the model of the {{UNSCShip|Hopeful}}, were re-textured higher-resolution models of ''Halo: Reach'' in-game assets. The planet Onyx seen from the windows is a matte painting.<ref name="fxguide">[http://www.fxguide.com/qt/2584/birth-of-a-spartan '''fxguide quick takes''' - ''Birth of a Spartan'']</ref>

The operating room featured real, working Mitsubishi robot arms with moving drills. It was noted that the team spent some time rehearsing the use of the robotic arms, and that the needle that is shown going into Carter's arm was retractable. The camera that follows Carter during the augmentations, as well as the view screens in the operating room, were digitally inserted. The shots of the augmentation liquid going through tubes in Carter’s skin and the resulting vein effect were achieved digitally, with the interior of the vein being a matte painting. The needle was actually a live action element that was punctured through "some fleshy material". The final overhead shot of Carter waking up also involved matte painting work of the environment beyond the bed.{{Ref/Reuse|fxguide}}

*According to ''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx'', the SPARTAN-IIIs, (at least those of [[SPARTAN-III Gamma Company|Gamma Company]]), were unconscious during Project: CHRYSANTHEMUM and the drugs were slowly administered over the course of a week.<ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', page 101</ref> In the short, Carter is awake and the procedure seems to take only minutes. However, the short is meant to reflect the augmentation process in a condensed timeframe,{{Ref/Reuse|prototype}} explaining why the procedure seems to take so little time to perform and perhaps suggesting that Carter was anesthetized for most of the operation. The short also shows Carter's eyes changing color to bright blue, a side effect never mentioned in any other ''Halo'' media.

*The Director's Cut of ''Birth of a Spartan'' features extended scenes that are absent from the finalized commercial version.<ref>[https://vimeo.com/16066468 '''Vimeo''': ''Director's Cut of Birth of a Spartan'']</ref> Significant changes from the finalized version include alternate scenes of Carter waking up after his augmentation procedure, the appearance of [[De Guzman]], and the inclusion of [[UH-144 Falcon]]s.

*Carter's Spartan tag is printed on the left side of his prototype armor,{{Ref/Reuse|prototype}} while it was printed on the right side of the final version of his suit.

*In ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary]]'' and ''[[Halo: The Master Chief Collection]]'' the player earns the "[[Birth of a Spartan (achievement)|Birth of a Spartan]]" achievement for completing the game on [[Normal]] difficulty.

File:BirthOfASpartan - Hopeful.png|A [[D77-TC Pelican|Pelican]] carrying SPARTAN-III candidates to the {{UNSCShip|Hopeful}} for the bioaugmentation procedures.

File:BirthOfASpartan - Augmentation.png|Carter's status during Project CHRYSANTHEMUM. Four bioaugmentation chemicals are visible.

File:BirthOfASpartan - AugmentationCarter.png|Carter after finishing his bioaugmentation procedures.

File:BirthOfASpartan - Destiny.png|Carter facing a prototype of his future [[MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor/Mark V|MJOLNIR Mark V]] armor.<ref name="prototype">[http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=20994364&postcount=4754 '''NeoGAF''': ''View Single Post - Halo: Reach Beta |OT|'']</ref>

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