{{Short description|Machinima series in Half-Life}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2020}} {{Use American English|date=May 2020}} {{Infobox television | image = Freeman's Mind - title card.png | based_on = {{Based on|''Half-Life: Source''|Valve}} | genre = Comedy<ref name=":3"/> | runtime = 2-18 minutes (first season) | creator = Ross Scott | language = English | first_aired = {{Start date|2007|12|4}} | last_aired = {{End date|2014|12|31}} | first_aired2 = {{Start date|2017|4|1}} | last_aired2 = present | num_seasons = 2 | num_episodes = 94 }}

'''''Freeman's Mind''''' is a machinima series created by Ross Scott. Freeman's Mind used the Source remake of the 1998 video game ''Half-Life''. It follows the protagonist of the game, Gordon Freeman, who acts as a combination of narrator and running commentary, often criticizing and satirizing the game world's conventions in a style similar to that in ''Mystery Science Theater 3000''. ''Freeman's Mind'' ran from 2007 to 2014 and consisted of 71 episodes.{{Efn|Including the zeroth episode and two bonus ones}} It was hosted on Machinima until 2014. A sequel series, titled ''Freeman's Mind 2'' set in ''Half-Life 2'', debuted in 2017, and is still ongoing. In 2014, IGN reposted ''Freeman's Mind'' to their website. <!--It is left ambiguous in the series whether he really is talking or not. This is further confused by the fact that not many characters seem to react to what is said, and that the monologue is obscured whenever Freeman goes underwater.-->

== Synopsis == ''Freeman's Mind'' follows the protagonist of the game, Gordon Freeman, also voiced by Scott, who acts as a combination of narrator and running commentary, often criticizing and satirizing the game world's conventions in a style similar to that in ''Mystery Science Theater 3000''.<ref name=":4" />

== Production == thumb|200x200px|Ross Scott (pictured in 2018) Structurally, ''Freeman's Mind'' is filmed from the first person perspective of Gordon Freeman. All of the visuals and most of the animations come from the original game; however, many scenes of the series are manipulated through the use of cheats and mods to the game's engine.<ref name=":2" />

Often, Gordon avoids places where the player is usually forced to go. For example, Gordon performs pull-ups throughout the series to navigate to otherwise inaccessible areas. A typical way to film this is through the use of the noclip mode.<ref name=":2"/>

''Freeman’s Mind 2'' also features modifications to the original maps, adding new or changing existing set pieces and adding entirely new areas.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Roemer |first=Dan |date=2017-04-01 |title=Beloved YouTube Series, Freeman's Mind, Returns on the Worst Possible Day |url=https://www.gameskinny.com/culture/beloved-youtube-series-freemans-mind-returns-on-the-worst-possible-day/ |access-date=2025-07-22 |website=GameSkinny |language=en-US}}</ref>

=== Writing === Ross Scott describes Gordon's personality as having "shifting paranoia, egomania, mild schizophrenia, over-aggressiveness, petty motivations, and immaturity in general", and that "the only hint I thought they gave to his personality was how proficient he immediately was in weaponry for being a physicist."<ref name=":2" />

Emily Rose, writing for ''Ars Technica'', used "neurotic panicked narcissist" to describe the character; this is a depiction she noticed in a similar series—''Half-Life VR but the AI Is Self-Aware''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Staff |first=Ars |date=2020-04-16 |title=In Half-Life's improv scene, anyone can speak for Gordon Freeman |url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2020/04/from-fps-to-improv-stage-half-life-as-the-new-community-theater/ |access-date=2023-04-20 |website=Ars Technica |language=en-us |archive-date=April 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200419130837/https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2020/04/from-fps-to-improv-stage-half-life-as-the-new-community-theater/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Release == ''Freeman's Mind'' ran from 2007 to 2014 and consisted of 71 episodes.{{Efn|Including the zeroth episode and two bonus ones}} The series was hosted on Machinima until 2014.<ref name=":1" /> A sequel series, titled ''Freeman's Mind 2'' set in ''Half-Life 2'', debuted in 2017,<ref name=":3" /> and is still ongoing.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-04-03 |title=Half-Life YouTuber launches new campaign to stop publishers from destroying videogames |url=https://www.pcgamesn.com/the-crew/ross-scott-campaign |access-date=2025-07-22 |website=PCGamesN |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Legacy == In 2014, IGN reposted ''Freeman's Mind'' to their website.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-05-17 |title=Freeman's Mind - Episode 1 |url=https://in.ign.com/d/27556/video/freemans-mind-episode-1 |access-date=2025-07-22 |website=IGN India |language=en-in}}</ref> In 2015, Scott was a voice actor in the Half Life 2 Mod, ''Half-Life 2: Update''.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-03-26 |title=Half-Life 2 Modders Have Made Valve's Classic Look Better Than Ever |url=https://kotaku.com/half-life-2-modders-have-made-valves-classic-look-bette-1693838716 |access-date=2025-07-22 |website=Kotaku |language=en}}</ref> Zack Zwiezen of ''Kotaku'' said they were a "huge fan of ''Freeman’s Mind.''"<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-04-19 |title=How's It Going?: HL:VR But The AI Is Self-Aware Edition |url=https://kotaku.com/hows-it-going-hl-vr-but-the-ai-is-self-aware-edition-1842937799 |access-date=2025-07-22 |website=Kotaku |language=en |archive-date=April 27, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200427222407/https://kotaku.com/hows-it-going-hl-vr-but-the-ai-is-self-aware-edition-1842937799 |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Notes == {{notelist}}

== References == {{Reflist |refs= <ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.accursedfarms.com/videos/freemans-mind/|title=Freeman's Mind|website=Accursed Farms|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180102151402/http://www.accursedfarms.com/movies/fm/|archive-date=January 2, 2018|access-date=2020-05-25|url-status=live}}</ref> <ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=http://www.pcgamer.com/2010/08/06/community-heroes-ross-scott-of-freemans-mind/|last=Francis|first=Tom|title=Community heroes: Ross Scott for Freeman's Mind|magazine=PC Gamer|date=2010-08-06|access-date=2020-05-25|archive-date=June 14, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240614183757/https://15.taboola.com/tb?oid=15&pubnm=futureplc-pcgamer&unitType=244&tbloc=&pageType=text&pstn=Below%20Article%20Thumbnails&uuip=Feed%20-%20Below%20Article%20Thumbnails&cisrf=undefined&cirf=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pcgamer.com%2Fcommunity-heroes-ross-scott-of-freemans-mind%2F&encoded=1&uid=d6383d61-e59c-4bc9-afa4-b40a6364472b-tuctd661383&variant=-100%7C1481&callback=&cb=1718390277079&tagid=&cntry=US&platform=1&sesid=fef9fb8d3254ce43f5193e748e3f23b8&itemid=%2Fcommunity-heroes-ross-scott-of-freemans-mind&viewid=1718390275852&geolat=&geoing=&deviceifa=&appid=&sd=v2_fef9fb8d3254ce43f5193e748e3f23b8_d6383d61-e59c-4bc9-afa4-b40a6364472b-tuctd661383_1718390275_1718390275_CNawjgYQ2NA9GIz-qsCBMiABKAEw4QE4kaQOQIuwDkjz2NgDUKcGWABgAGjN7r2U2IfQhcUBcAE&ri=d976edc23aea1e810fa1123633bd8349&appname=&cdb=&gdprApplies=false&rid=&sii=-9018383761088669068&oee=true&tpubid=1009752&uis=2&fagg=1&ccpaDns=false&ccpaPrivacy=1YNN&region=CA&hasGDPRConsent=false&tcfVersion=2&cmpStatus=0&tnetid=1009595&prcnt=&layer=&normp=1&gvv=9864&gvv50=9864&gvv61=17311&gvv62=15709|url-status=live}}</ref> <ref name=":3">{{Cite web|url=https://www.pcgamer.com/youtube-comedy-series-freemans-mind-arrives-in-half-life-2/|last=Livingston|first=Christopher|title=YouTube comedy series Freeman's Mind arrives in Half-Life 2|magazine=PC Gamer|date=2017-04-02|access-date=2020-05-25|archive-date=January 19, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180119150755/http://www.pcgamer.com/youtube-comedy-series-freemans-mind-arrives-in-half-life-2/|url-status=live}}</ref> <ref name=":4">{{Cite web|url=https://www.popmatters.com/redefining-the-game-a-look-at-machinima-2496142409.html|last=Jeffries|first=L. B.|title=Redefining the Game: A Look at Machinima|website=PopMatters|date=2008-07-15|access-date=2020-05-25|archive-date=October 19, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201019154344/https://www.popmatters.com/redefining-the-game-a-look-at-machinima-2496142409.html|url-status=live}}</ref> <!--<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.accursedfarms.com/faq/|title=Frequently Asked Questions|website=Accursed Farms|language=en-US|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-05-25}}</ref> <ref name=":5">{{Cite web|url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2020/04/from-fps-to-improv-stage-half-life-as-the-new-community-theater/|last=Rose|first=Emily|title=In Half-Life’s improv scene, anyone can speak for Gordon Freeman|website=Ars Technica|date=2020-04-16|access-date=2020-05-25}}</ref>--> }}

== External links == {{Portal|Comedy|Video games}} {{Wikiquote}} * {{YouTube|user=chilledsanity|title=Accursed Farms|suffix='}} * {{Official website|https://www.accursedfarms.com/}}

{{Half-Life series}}

Category:2000s YouTube series Category:2007 web series debuts Category:2010s YouTube series Category:Comedy web series Category:Machinima works Category:Works based on Half-Life (series)