Before the Dawn of the Apes
Three short films set during the Simian Flu outbreak.
Before the Dawn of the Apes is a series of three 2014 short films produced by 20th Century Fox and Vice Media's Motherboard. The films are set between the events of Rise of the Planet of the Apes and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, depicting the spread of the Simian Flu and the collapse of human society over a ten-year period.
Quick Facts
- Distributor
- 20th Century Fox / Vice Media's Motherboard
- Released
- 2014
- Country
- United States
- Language
- English
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The first short film, Spread of Simian Flu: Before the Dawn of the Apes (Year 1) or Quarantine, was directed by Isaiah Seret. It takes place during the first year of the Simian Flu outbreak and follows a father and his daughter learning to survive after the mother is infected and forced to quarantine. The second film, Struggling to Survive: Before the Dawn of the Apes (Year 5) or All Fall Down, was directed by Daniel Thron. Set in the fifth year of the outbreak, by which time most humans have died, it features an orphan teenage girl who scavenges supplies from abandoned houses and trades with others to survive, while managing her fear as the world grows more dangerous. The third film, Story of the Gun: Before the Dawn of the Apes (Year 10) or The Gun, was directed by Dylan Southern and Will Lovelace. It follows a shotgun whose ownership changes multiple times over ten years, with all owners meeting ill-fated ends. By the tenth year, human society has collapsed.
Reader's Guide
Before the Dawn of the Apes serves as a bridge narrative within the Planet of the Apes franchise, expanding the timeline between the first two reboot films. The series provides a human-focused perspective on the Simian Flu pandemic, showing the gradual breakdown of civilization through individual stories. Each short film covers a different year of the outbreak—Year 1, Year 5, and Year 10—illustrating the progression from initial quarantine to societal collapse. The films were produced in 2014 by 20th Century Fox in collaboration with Vice Media's Motherboard, indicating a cross-media approach to franchise storytelling. By focusing on ordinary survivors and an inanimate object (the shotgun), the series emphasizes the human cost of the apocalypse without directly featuring the apes. Its legacy lies in offering a more intimate, grounded view of the pandemic that sets the stage for the ape-dominated world of Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.
Did You Know?
- The series consists of three short films released in 2014.
- The first film is set during the first year of the Simian Flu outbreak.
- The second film features an orphan teenage girl who trades supplies to survive.
- The third film follows a shotgun that changes ownership over ten years.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Before the Dawn of the Apes?
It is a trilogy of short films released in 2014, produced jointly by 20th Century Fox and Vice Media's Motherboard. The series is set in the ten-year gap between Rise of the Planet of the Apes and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, chronicling the Simian Flu's spread and the resulting breakdown of human civilization.
How many films make up the series?
The series consists of exactly three short films, each directed by a different team: Isaiah Seret, Daniel Thron, and Dylan Southern alongside Will Lovelace.
What time period does the story cover?
The narrative spans the decade between the events of Rise and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, focusing on how the Simian Flu progressively dismantles human society over those ten years.
Who are the directors behind the shorts?
The three installments were helmed by Isaiah Seret, Daniel Thron, and a duo of Dylan Southern and Will Lovelace, giving each segment a distinct visual and tonal voice.
Why do fans consider the series important to the Planet of the Apes canon?
It bridges the narrative gap between two major theatrical releases, showing the human side of the pandemic in a way the feature films only hint at. By depicting the collapse of civilization from a ground-level perspective, it adds emotional weight to the world the apes inherit in Dawn.
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