Half-Life Uplink (film)
{{DISPLAYTITLE''Half-Life Uplink'' (film)}}
{{Article|hl1|safe}}
{{Noncanon}}
{{Youmayd|the short film|the first Half-Life demo|Half-Life Uplink}}
{{Image}}
{{Film Infobox
| title = Half-Life Uplink
| image = FileUplinkfilmlogo.png|234px
| image2 =
| director = Jamie Matson
| producer = Chris Birch
| screenplay = Anthony Potter
| based on = ''Half-Life''
| music = Kelly Bailey (reused ''Half-Life'' music)
| cinematography =
| editing =
| studio = Cruise Control
| distributor =
| released = March 15, 1999
| runtime = 000510
| country = GB / USA
| language = English
| budget =
| gross =
}}
{{Quote|Come with me if you want to live.|Assassin|Half-Life Uplink (film)}}
'''''Half-Life Uplink''''' is a short five-minute film loosely based on the events of ''Half-Life''. It was produced by British marketing agency Cruise Control, and commissioned by a parent company of wikipediaSierra|Sierra to promote the game and give a new perspective on the game and its plot.[http//bluesnews.com/s/115 Half-Life Uplink Movie at Blue's News (February 17, 1999)] It was released on March 15, 1999,[{{IA|20071018001555/http//planethalflife.gamespy.com/fullstory.php?id{{=}}86718|Editors Note Uplink Movie|Planet Half-Life (March 15, 1999)}}] after its intended release date of February 22. It was held back due to lack of approval from Valve Corporation|Valve and Sierra.[{{IA|20000818041719/http//planethalflife.com/features/articles/uplinkmovie|Half-Life Uplink Movie Review|Planet Half-Life (March 15, 1999)}}]
==Plot==
The film is very loosely based on the events of ''Half-Life'' and its expansions. It follows Jaz Meadows, an investigative journalist who has broken into the Black Mesa Research Facility after hearing about the Black Mesa Incident|Incident.
In the facility, he begins filming, streaming the footage to his accomplice elsewhere. He is interrupted by a soldier whilst talking, and gets away down a flight of stairs. He soon meets a Black Mesa Science Team|scientist hiding out behind some equipment, who refuses to move from his hiding place. Whilst he is talking, the tongue of a Barnacle lowers through the grates above. Again, Jaz runs away to avoid being caught. Whilst he is running, an unknown alien, possibly a Vortigaunt, pursues him and he tries to escape through a door. Discovering that it is locked, he runs off again, finding a passage way to crawl through.
Still filming, Jaz reports on the strange creatures he has seen. As he emerges from a doorway, he is stopped by a HECU soldier, who despite Jaz's attempts to convince him that they are allies, readies to shoot him. However, as Jaz closes his eyes, a Black Ops assassin shoots the soldier, killing him. The assassin then informs Jaz that he is to go with her if he wants to live. Picking up the dead soldier's gun, Jaz runs off, and the film ends with the sound of a helicopter in the background.
==Filming==
The film was recorded at a decommissioned WikipediaUSAF|USAF base in WikipediaBedfodshire|Bedfordshire, England. It was directed by Jamie Matson of Syndicate Pictures, whose previous works include "several pop videos for different U.K. record labels."[{{IA|19990505001501/http//gamecenter.com/News/Item/0,3,0-2502,00.html|Half-Life The Movie|Gamecenter (February 17, 1999)}}] According to Chris Birch, the producer, it was filmed in a "12-hour, non-stop session" using Sony digital Handycams.