So...we made an Official Half-Life Documentary for Valve
YOUTUBE LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbZ3HzvFEto
Hey Patrons,
This is not official "noclip" business but as you know a few months ago we founded our video production company Secret Tape and it's finally time to show you what we've been working on for the past 7 weeks or so.
Yes that subject line is real.
Yes I'm still freaking out about it.
Yes, maybe I cried a little bit.
There's a lot to talk about - and I'll do a Patron Exclusive Q&A video on it next few days once the dust has settled, so please post your questions in the comments below so I can answer them in that Q&A. We're also thinking of doing a Director's Commentary over it.
For now, I just want you to enjoy what we made. I'm incredibly proud of it, and our incredible team who put it together. And sorry we've been slow on the Patron content for the past 7 weeks - I hope it now makes a bit more sense.
Thank you all so much. You've made my dreams come true a few times over at this stage. I cannot thank you enough for all the help and support you've given me over the years.
We'll talk again soon. Enjoy the doc.
Danny
Comments (67)
I'm so happy for you guys to have made this! I saw the doc pop up on YouTube on Valve's channel and was like Noclip should have made this lol
This documentary is excellent, just like the one you did years ago. The amount of wisdom and experience shared is amazing. Not only from things that went right, but also for things that went wrong and how they fixed them. It is always great to listen to this people. Keep up the good work! This kind of documentaries are the ones that made follow the channel.
Director's cut please. I'll watch a five hour HL doc. >_>
Omg, I am so happy for you and so thankful you made this! I also had no idea until now you made the doc, but I was recommending Noclip to everyone I talked to about this doc!
This is so cool! You guys did such an amazing job! I remember I got the GOTY edition when I was 13. Blew me away. The tram ride STILL gives me shivers.
Holy sh**. It didn‘t click for me that you guys had made the documentary. I just watched it and I was thinking “that reminds me of the Noclip style“ and then in the credits I saw your names. What a great documentary about one of my most favorite childhood games.
Congrats Danny and the Noclip crew on this documentary! This has got to be a dream come true. The hard work you put in over the last few years got you to this point! I finished the doc and it is some of your best work.
I noticed the documentary video got recommended to me on YT, and I immediately thought of you; then I read my Patreon notifications, and realized *it was actually you!* Whoa
This was fantastic. I remember playing the game in 1999 and being blown away by it. It was truly special.
Just under a million views in 24 hours, Valve getting their money's worth. 😆 I feel like I have a lot of questions about the project, but they all basically boil down to... how?! I'm sure the two unofficial Half-Life docs played a part, but it would be interesting to hear what you can share about how this came to be.
Congratulations to you, Danny and the NoClip Crew! You have been so passionate about Half-Life that it is so satisfying to see you being able to make what you'd dreamed of doing. Looking forward to sitting down and watching this!
Congrats!! I suspected as much soon after it started. Your team has a wonderful signature cinematographic style that shines through in every piece.
What an unbelievably high bar to set for the first project. Fantastic work! Possibly invasive question but I tried to come up with something nobody's asked: Obviously you can't talk hard numbers, but hopefully you can answer this in a more handwavey, feelings-y sort of way... how did the business side of this work out? It's early days, but are things going the way you hoped in terms of bolstering the finances?
Thank you for this!
Amazing - great to see Secret Tape start off with a bang! I’m really happy to have been a small part of this journey over the last years, looking forward to seeing where the future takes you!
Congrats can’t wait to watch it.
This came in like a thick blanket and warm soup of a past time where I could just boot win98 and play this “revolutionary” game, staying late and worrying only about my parents waking up to turn the pc off. Thank you sir
By god, Danny, you did it. Congrats! This is awesome!
This is the best half life documentary since… the last half life documentary you guys made.
Congratulations guys. What an amazing coup. All your hard work over the last few years has created opportunities like this and you deserve all the success that comes from it. Seriously though you should be so proud.
Holy crap!
It's truly amazing to see you all go from making two unofficial Half Life docs to making the official 25th anniversary behind the scenes doc for Valve. Truly wonderful to see and glad Valve recognized your talents to bring you all in to do this. My questions for you for the Q&A are how much editorial control did Valve allow you in terms of editing and were there any people you wanted to interview but weren't able to get a hold of?
What was the one question you always wanted to ask he devs about Half-Life, and did you manage to get an answer?
No way! 🤯 A director commentary would be really cool!
Did guys at Valve see Noclip's previous doc on Half-Life? What did they think? (It's the most memorable for me)
So awesome! A great way to spend an hour.
bloody hell Danny this is amazing.
Oh snap! I just watched it thinking it felt very noclip-y. I'm surprised/not at all surprised to find out it was you guys. Excellent work as always.
When you first said stuff like, "you won't believe it," my thoughts immediately went to Valve and Half-Life. What amazing validation for Noclip, the whole concept of Secret Tape, and for you personally, Danny. I'm so happy for you and all the team. 😭
You absolute mad lads
Wow this is amazing!
I thought you were kidding!! AMAZING! Can't wait to watch. We have come full circle now, Danny! What a journey. On to the future!
🔥🔥🔥SECRET TAPE🔥🔥🔥
Screaming.
Congrats Danny! So incredible how far you've come, and I know you guys are just getting started!
I'll have to watch this again, just binged through it and was way too tired to appreciate the nuances. But man... Just so happy you got the opportunity to do this. Must have felt like coming full circle on your career in games. Way to go, team!
FANTASTIC! Try to suppress that freaking out imperative, and just enjoy it. You are a legend, and I am quite willing to co-opt your success on behalf of all Irish people! So in many ways, I am proud of US. Belter, mate.
That was stellar! Thank you so much.
this is a genuinely surreal thing to see, some of my friends and I have been 'studying' half-life's development for upwards of six or seven years now, and something this in depth was only something of a pipe dream. incredible stuff.
That was awesome!!👏
Holy shit what an announcement!
Wooooahh. Fucking jazzed for you Danny. It’s things like these that must really give you that moment for pause/reflection. Drink it in, I can’t wait to watch but I know you and the team have totally earned this! ❤️
Congratulations! Can’t wait to check it out!
It’s fantastic. So dense, will definitely watch it again.
No F'in way! Congrats on the scoop, I've already watched your 'unofficial' HL doc at least twice now, glad to see Valve took notice of your talents and finally opened up!
It's awesome! Congratulations!
YESSSSS! Awesome work 👏
Stoked to watch this! Question, how did it come about that y'all were chosen to make it? From the previous work on 'Unforeseen Consequences' or the Black Mesa doc? Did they reach out after seeing the work? I'm so excited to watch it and thrilled you were the ones to make it!
Hahaha, no way. Congrats Danny. You earned it. (Congrats to the team too.)
I saw the thumbnail. Thought it looked like a noclip doc. And then this post. Great work
Omg! I love you! This has made a shitty week the best! Thank you x
sorry for your shitty week, I hope it's all uphill from here. metaphorically
That's great, I mean just seeing something half-life related makes me happy, but knowing you got to make an official half-life documentary makes me even happier. Even through its not a NoClip production, it was still an amazing content
Incredible! So glad to be a part of this community! Fair play ya boyos!
Wooooha. I was expecting something big - but Valve big? That's awesome! I'm going to skip out of my Friday meetings so I can watch this!
Holy fuckin' shit.
congrats
Danny!!! Huge congratulations! Feels like you willed this into existence with your unofficial doc
So goddamn proud to support y'all, and so damn happy for y'all.
Yesssssss!!!!! Letsss goooo
Knowing how much Danny loves Half-Life, I can't imagine what it must have felt like to get the green light on this. Can't wait to watch it!
holy shit! wasn't expecting this. thank you and apologies for still being a lowly scummy free patreon member. hopefully one day I'll get paid enough to support you guys.
Whhhhhhaaaaat!? Knew your audience when you said in the Patron Show it was both big and we'd forgive you 😂
Wow Danny, just wow 👍
Helllllllll yeaaaaahhhh!
WHAT Holy crap Danny. Congrats!
Listening to you latest pod earlier today. I did check Danny’s profile for the news on his X feed but it wasn’t to be seen. Oh well. I imagine this is a belter doc. Thank you.