2017 Winner
Showcase / Syfy
Halcyon
Secret Location
SilverBest Transmedia
BronzeVirtual Reality
Halcyon was launched to the public on 22 September, 2016. The series was broadcast on Syfy International channels, available online and via virtual reality apps for Oculus Rift and Gear VR.
Halcyon in an original concept and designed in a unique hybrid series format: combining short-form linear and interactive virtual reality episodes.
A key objective for Halcyon was breaking new ground for entertainment formats, bring audiences together across broadcast, web and VR platforms.
Working within this brand new format, the production team addressed numerous challenges, including how to gracefully move an audience between linear and interactive modes using narrative cues, sound design, visual environments and user interfaces.
As one of the first series uniting a TV broadcast with virtual reality, Halcyon pushes the boundaries ofstorytelling. The 15-part series seamlessly alternates between on-air and VR episodes.A futuristic murder mystery that explores the dark side of Virtual Reality (VR), the series includes 10 short-form episodes, interspliced with 5 interactive VR episodes that take you deeper into the story.Halcyon opens with a murder that happens in VR and invites you into the crime scene to help solve the case.
For the ultimate experience, the Halcyon VR app for Oculus Rift and Gear VR contains all 15 episodes, allowing you to experience the show through an interactive 3D world and discover the evidence for yourself.
We crafted the narrative of Halcyon to work as a standalone short-form series, suitable for viewing on broadcast or web, while at the same time weaving the interactive episodes into the main narrative.
We digitally mapped the crime scene from the on-air episodes using 3D modelling, and recreated the murder using motion capture. Viewers can move around, examine objects, and search for clues within the crime scene.
Each time a clue is discovered, this unlocks valuable insights into the crime and progresses the story.
The VR episodes form an integral part of the story and enhance understanding of the world, plot, and characters. Even if fans don’t own a VR headset, they can still enjoy the show: the on-air episodes form a self-contained narrative that can be viewed on TV, or online at HalcyonVR.com.
To bring Halcyon to the widest audience possible, we partnered with Syfy International for the series premiere in September 2016. This included a coordinated launch in 15 territories worldwide and versioning of the series and app into 7 different languages.
Following the success of the international premiere, Halcyon was launched in North America in December 2016. In Canada, we partnered with Showcase to bring Halycon to Canadian audiences through the broadcaster’s online channels.
Credits
CAST
JULES DOVER
LISA MARCOS
ASHA
HARVEEN SANDHU
ALAN
CODY RAY THOMPSON
GAVIN SPENCER
VICTOR ERTMANIS
BLAKE CREIGHTON
MICHAEL THERRIAULT
MIRANDA REYES
CLAIRE RANKIN
DYLAN HIGGINS
ANDREW DI ROSA
ROB
JASON JAZRAWY
HOST
CATHERINE BURDON
NEWSCASTER
RORY O’SHEA
DIGITAL PRODUCTION TEAM
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: JAMES MILWARD
EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR: PIETRO GAGLIANO
EXECUTIVE TECHNICAL DIRECTOR: RYAN ANDAL
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: NOORA ABU EITAH
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: ERIC SHAMLIN
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS FOR NBCUNIVERSAL: STEVE PATSCHECK, MEHRAD NOORI
DIRECTOR: BENJAMIN ARFMANN
WRITER: MIKE HENEGHAN
ORIGINAL CONCEPT BY: STEFAN GRAMBART
STORY CONSULTANTS: STEFAN GRAMBART, BENJAMIN ARFMANN, MARTY FLANAGAN
CREATED BY: SECRET LOCATION
SUPERVISING PRODUCER: SABRINA SACCOCCIO
PRODUCER: MICHALA DUFFIELD
PRODUCER: CHRIS BENNETT
CREATIVE DIRECTOR: STEFAN GRAMBART
ASSOCIATE TECHNICAL DIRECTOR: JOSH MANRICKS
DIRECTOR OF MOTION: STEPHEN BOSCO
LEAD APP DEVELOPER: CRAIG HARWOOD
APP DEVELOPER: ANDREW PEVERLEY
WEBSITE DEVELOPERS: KATE BAKER, TRAVIS NISCHUK
QUALITY ASSURANCE LEAD: JAMES FRASER
QUALITY ASSURANCE ANALYSTS: SHIANNE LEE, ALEX PREDUSEL
UX DESIGNER: RUTH BIRMAN
CONCEPT ARTISTS: EMRAH GONULKIRMAZ, MANDY WILLS, NICK KESTER
ART DIRECTOR: ANDY GARCIA
DESIGNER: FELIPE NASCIMENTO
ANIMATION CONSULTANT: STEVE MILLER
ENVIRONMENT ARTIST: MATHEW BORRETT
3D ARTISTS: SHAUN LARKIN, ANTHONY MURRAY
TECHNICAL ARTIST: CRAIG BARR
CHARACTER ANIMATOR: JOSH INGLEBY
MOTION CAPTURE SUPERVISOR: PLATO FOUNTIDAKIS
MOTION CAPTURE PERFORMERS: KIRPA BUDWAL, TYLER WILLIAMS
MUSIC BY: MENALON
SOUND DESIGNER: JOEL WALSH
PRODUCTION COORDINATOR: KANIA LOU-GAGLIARDINI
STRATEGY: HAYLEIGH WRONSKI
DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS: PIPER MCCUTCHEON
COPYWRITER: AINSLEY DOTY
PUBLICIST: GAB COMMUNICATIONS, GINGER BERTRAND
BEHIND THE SCENES & EPK CREW: SHARON SETO PRODUCTIONS, CONNOR ILLSLEY, IAN TUASON, ALEX UROSEVIC
SERIES PRODUCTION TEAM
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: JAMES MILWARD
EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR: PIETRO GAGLIANO
EXECUTIVE TECHNICAL DIRECTOR: RYAN ANDAL
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: NOORA ABU EITAH
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: ERIC SHAMLIN
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS FOR NBCUNIVERSAL: STEVE PATSCHECK, MEHRAD NOORI
DIRECTOR: BENJAMIN ARFMANN
WRITER: MIKE HENEGHAN
ORIGINAL CONCEPT BY: STEFAN GRAMBART
STORY CONSULTANT: STEFAN GRAMBART, BENJAMIN ARFMANN, MARTY FLANAGAN
CREATED BY: SECRET LOCATION
SUPERVISING PRODUCER: SABRINA SACCOCCIO
PRODUCER: MICHALA DUFFIELD
PRODUCER: CHRIS BENNETT
DIRECTOR OF MOTION: STEPHEN BOSCO
VFX SUPERVISOR: MICHAEL KAZANOWSKI
ASSOCIATE TECHNICAL DIRECTOR: JOSH MANRICKS
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: JORDAN EADY
PRODUCTION DESIGNER: DANIELLE SAHOTA
EDITORS: LINDSAY ALLIKAS, JORDAN CRUTE
MUSIC BY: MENALON
CASTING DIRECTOR: JENNY LEWIS & SARA KAY
1st ASSISTANT DIRECTOR: CHARLES SMITH
PRODUCTION MANAGER: HEATHER YOUNG
LOCATION MANAGER: NIKHIL D’SOUZA
OFFICE PRODUCTION ASSISTANT: JOYCELIN LAI
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT: CHRIS STIEBEL
DRIVER: JENN MESICH
PROPS MASTER/BUILDER: PHILLIP TOESEV
SET DECORATOR: MATTHEW BIANCHI
THEA HOLLATZ: ART ASSISTANT, JASMIN BENDER, NATHAN KOTYK, KERRY NOONAN, DOMINIKA MONICKA
2nd ASSISTANT DIRECTOR: LAUREN CHUNG
STUNT COORDINATOR: DERRICK FRANKLIN, DARYL PATCHETT
STUNT PERFORMER: DAVID SHERIDAN
1st ASSISTANT CAMERA: PAUL RAYMOND
2nd ASSISTANT CAMERA: SUMMER GAAL, CHERYL SILEIKIS
DATA MANAGEMENT TECHNICIAN: ADAM CUMMERFORD
CRAFT SERVER: DONNIE BLAIS, MAGGIE TURGEON, BROOKER WISE, SAMMY KADOSH
SCRIPT SUPERVISOR: CAROLYN ARBUCKLE
COSTUME DESIGNER: JESSICA CLAYTON
WARDROBE ASSISTANT: SOPHIE DUTIL-SEGUIN
KEY HAIR AND MAKEUP: KAT CRISP
HAIR AND MAKEUP ASSISTANT: CASSIE BRAGG, TAYLOR JAMES
GAFFER: EDWIN LAU
KEY GRIP: KATIE YEALLAND, DOUGLAS REID
SWING: ALVIN SUN, ADAM BELYEA, M. VICTORIA LOW, QUINTAIN MARTIN
ASSISTANT LOCATION MANAGER; CHRISTOPHER VARGAS
PRODUCTION SOUND MIXER: JEFFERY MAGAT
BOOM OPERATOR: ART PISANSKI
STORYBOARD ARTIST: CLINT LAVADO
MOTION GRAPHICS DESIGNERS: JOSH INGLEBY, JULLIAN ABLAZA
TITLES DESIGN: JULLIAN ABLAZA
VISUAL EFFECTS ARTIST: ANTHONY MURRAY
VISUAL EFFECTS DESIGNERS: FELIPE NASCIMENTO, ANDY GARCIA
VISUAL EFFECTS COORDINATOR: KANIA LOU-GAGLIARDINI
ASSISTANT EDITOR: EMILY CUMMING
COLORIST: ROSLYN DI SISTO
ON-LINE EDITOR: ERIC MYLES
PROJECT MANAGER, PICTURE POSTPRODUCTION: NATALIE SEGRETI
MANAGER, POSTPRODUCTION OPERATIONS: GARY BROWN
MANAGER, CUSTOMER SERVICE: MIKE PATERSON
DATA SUPERVISOR: TOM MAYCLIM
DATA WRANGLERS: ERIN SHEGELSKI, JORDAN BREWER, JEFF VITKUSKE
VICE PRESIDENT, OPERATIONS & CUSTOMER SERVICE: NICK IANNELLI
VICE PRESIDENT, SALES: DIANE CUTHBERT
SOUND RE-RECORDING MIXER: COLIN MCLELLAN
FOLEY ARTIST: KEIRAN SHERRY
FOLEY RECORDIST: DANIEL MOCTEZUMA
ADR RECORDIST: DEVIN DOUCETTE
PROJECT MANAGER, SOUND POSTPRODUCTION: JAMIE GOULD
MANAGER, SOUND OPERATIONS: MIKE BASKERVILLE
VERSION FRANÇAISE: MEDIADUB INTERNATIONAL
ADAPTATION: GIACINTO PICOZZI ET PHILIPPE BERDAH
DIRECTION ARTISTIQUE: ERIC SOLA
CHARLOTTE MARIN - JULES
ANATOLE DE BODINAT - ALAN
ADELINE CHETAIL - ASHA
ARNAUD BEDOUET - ROB
CATHERINE DAVENIER - MIRANDA
XAVIER BÉJÀ - BLAKE
PATRICK REYNAL - GAVIN
SUPERVISING SOUND EDITORS: JANICE IERULLI, MARK SHNURIWSKY
DIALOGUE/ADR EDITOR: DAVE JOHNSON
SOUND EFFECTS EDITOR: CLIVE TURNER
ADDITIONAL SOUND: JOEL WALSH
SPECIAL THANKS TO: GRAND HYATT SHANGHAI
© 2016 HALCYON VR PRODUCTIONS INC.
PRODUCED WITH THE PARTICIPATION OF
Independent Production Fund
Ontario Media Development Corporation
Entertainment One
NBCUniversal: Syfy International
Corus Entertainment: Showcase