The Codex
Encyclopedia
The Codex is a 20-episode online machinima
series made by Edgeworks Entertainment
and set in Bungie Studios' Halo
video game universe. Along with its prequel
, The Heretic, The Codex is part of the greater Codex Series. Written and directed by Alexander Winn
and produced by Alexander Winn
and Ryan Luther, the series relates the story of a Covenant
invasion of a Human world in order to recover a Forerunner artifact, and the ensuing Human resistance of that invasion. Since its initial release on February 9, 2005, The Codex has earned a large international fan base. In his September 29, 2005 Long Tail blog
entry, Chris Anderson
, Editor-in-Chief of Wired magazine, described The Codex as the best machinima production that he had ever seen and an excellent example of his Long Tail
theory. The series won in six categories in the 2005 Rockets on Prisoner Awards, which are intended to recognize exemplary Halo machinima productions.
On August 13, 2005, the 20th episode of The Codex was released, bringing the series to a conclusion. The production team set the episode limit at 20 because they wanted to end the series before leaving for college
. However, the team was also careful to leave a cliffhanger
ending, if they wanted to continue the series, they would have that option. On February 9, 2006, it was announced that a prequel to The Codex, entitled The Heretic, was in the planning stages and was to debut in the upcoming summer. The Heretic was delayed, however, to allow all the filming and editing to be completed before the launch. On February 9 2007, Episode One was released, exactly 2 years after the release of Episode 1 of The Codex.http://www.thecodexseries.com/forum/index.php?s=&showtopic=5386&view=findpost&p=172300
, The Codex focuses on action and drama, not comedy. Also, The Codex is set in the Halo universe, with many of the same situations as in Halo canon
, rather than a completely new world. Episodes were released every Friday, and the Characters and Story pages were updated with the new information from each week's episode, as well.
with Jack; and the Chief, the commander of the Spartans. The Covenant side's most notable characters are the Praetor, the supreme military leader of the army; Anda Sofadee, leader of the Special Forces
operatives of the Covenant army; and the Cleric, who speaks for the religious hierarchy (who are the Holy Prophets from Halo 2
).
The Spartans in the series are forced to fight the Covenant with guerrilla tactics and frequent tactical retreats. The Elites however are forced with planning the attacks against the Spartans, and preventing the religious hierarchy (the Cleric) from seizing power. Both sides in the end are fighting for control of the Codex, which has the ability to activate the Halo
megastructures all over the galaxy and thereby destroy all life.
The device in this machinima is similar to The Ark. In that it can be used to remotely activate the Array.
Machinima
Machinima is the use of real-time 3D computer graphics rendering engines to create a cinematic production. Most often, video games are used to generate the computer animation...
series made by Edgeworks Entertainment
Edgeworks Entertainment
Edgeworks Entertainment is a machinima and new media production company created by Alexander Winn and Ryan Luther. At midnight on February 9, 2005, Episode 1 of their new machinima series was released. The Codex crew, which then consisted of Alexander Winn, Ryan Luther, Patrick Malone and Meghan...
and set in Bungie Studios' Halo
Halo (video game series)
Halo is a multi-million dollar science fiction video game franchise created by Bungie and now managed by 343 Industries and owned by Microsoft Studios. The series centers on an interstellar war between humanity and a theocratic alliance of aliens known as the Covenant...
video game universe. Along with its prequel
Prequel
A prequel is a work that supplements a previously completed one, and has an earlier time setting.The widely recognized term was a 20th-century neologism, and a portmanteau from pre- and sequel...
, The Heretic, The Codex is part of the greater Codex Series. Written and directed by Alexander Winn
Alexander Winn
Alexander Winn is an American writer, producer, and director of live-action and machinima films. Winn is best known as one of the two founding members of Edgeworks Entertainment, and as the writer, director, co-producer and composer of the award-winning Halo machinima series The Codex Series,...
and produced by Alexander Winn
Alexander Winn
Alexander Winn is an American writer, producer, and director of live-action and machinima films. Winn is best known as one of the two founding members of Edgeworks Entertainment, and as the writer, director, co-producer and composer of the award-winning Halo machinima series The Codex Series,...
and Ryan Luther, the series relates the story of a Covenant
Covenant (Halo)
The Covenant are a fictional theocratic military alliance of alien races who serve as the main antagonists in the Halo video game series. They are composed of a variety of diverse species, united under the religious worship of the enigmatic Forerunners and their belief that Forerunner ringworlds...
invasion of a Human world in order to recover a Forerunner artifact, and the ensuing Human resistance of that invasion. Since its initial release on February 9, 2005, The Codex has earned a large international fan base. In his September 29, 2005 Long Tail blog
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
entry, Chris Anderson
Chris Anderson (The Long Tail)
Chris Anderson is editor-in-chief of Wired, which has won a National Magazine Award for general excellence three times during his tenure. He wrote an article in the magazine entitled The Long Tail, which he expanded upon in the book The Long Tail: Why the Future of Business Is Selling Less of More...
, Editor-in-Chief of Wired magazine, described The Codex as the best machinima production that he had ever seen and an excellent example of his Long Tail
The Long Tail
The Long Tail or long tail refers to the statistical property that a larger share of population rests within the tail of a probability distribution than observed under a 'normal' or Gaussian distribution...
theory. The series won in six categories in the 2005 Rockets on Prisoner Awards, which are intended to recognize exemplary Halo machinima productions.
On August 13, 2005, the 20th episode of The Codex was released, bringing the series to a conclusion. The production team set the episode limit at 20 because they wanted to end the series before leaving for college
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
. However, the team was also careful to leave a cliffhanger
Cliffhanger
A cliffhanger or cliffhanger ending is a plot device in fiction which features a main character in a precarious or difficult dilemma, or confronted with a shocking revelation at the end of an episode of serialized fiction...
ending, if they wanted to continue the series, they would have that option. On February 9, 2006, it was announced that a prequel to The Codex, entitled The Heretic, was in the planning stages and was to debut in the upcoming summer. The Heretic was delayed, however, to allow all the filming and editing to be completed before the launch. On February 9 2007, Episode One was released, exactly 2 years after the release of Episode 1 of The Codex.http://www.thecodexseries.com/forum/index.php?s=&showtopic=5386&view=findpost&p=172300
Overview
Unlike most Halo machinima series, such as Red vs. BlueRed vs. Blue
Red vs. Blue, often abbreviated as RvB, is a set of related comic science fiction video series created by Rooster Teeth Productions and distributed through the Internet and on DVD...
, The Codex focuses on action and drama, not comedy. Also, The Codex is set in the Halo universe, with many of the same situations as in Halo canon
Canon (fiction)
In the context of a work of fiction, the term canon denotes the material accepted as "official" in a fictional universe's fan base. It is often contrasted with, or used as the basis for, works of fan fiction, which are not considered canonical...
, rather than a completely new world. Episodes were released every Friday, and the Characters and Story pages were updated with the new information from each week's episode, as well.
Story and characters
The story focuses on two sides: the Spartan soldiers and the Covenant Elite army. The Spartan side's most notable characters are Jack Foster, an optimistic wild soldier; Candice McKenzie, a direct commander who has a love-hate relationshipLove-hate relationship
A love–hate relationship is an interpersonal relationship involving simultaneous or alternating emotions of love and hate. This relationship does not have to be of a romantic nature, and may be instead of a sibling one...
with Jack; and the Chief, the commander of the Spartans. The Covenant side's most notable characters are the Praetor, the supreme military leader of the army; Anda Sofadee, leader of the Special Forces
Special forces
Special forces, or special operations forces are terms used to describe elite military tactical teams trained to perform high-risk dangerous missions that conventional units cannot perform...
operatives of the Covenant army; and the Cleric, who speaks for the religious hierarchy (who are the Holy Prophets from Halo 2
Halo 2
Halo 2 is a first-person shooter video game developed by Bungie Studios. Released for the Xbox video game console on November 9, 2004, the game is the second installment in the Halo franchise and the sequel to 2001's critically acclaimed Halo: Combat Evolved...
).
The Spartans in the series are forced to fight the Covenant with guerrilla tactics and frequent tactical retreats. The Elites however are forced with planning the attacks against the Spartans, and preventing the religious hierarchy (the Cleric) from seizing power. Both sides in the end are fighting for control of the Codex, which has the ability to activate the Halo
Halo (megastructure)
Halos are fictional megastructures and superweapons in the Halo video game series. They are referred to as "Installations" by their AI monitors, and are collectively referred to as "the Array" by the installations' creators, the Forerunners...
megastructures all over the galaxy and thereby destroy all life.
The device in this machinima is similar to The Ark. In that it can be used to remotely activate the Array.