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Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, the first game in Naughty Dog's now well-known action-adventure series, was barely a year old when we started hearing rumblings about a film adaption, but it's been a very bumpy road since then. Directors and screenwriters have come and gone a whole bunch of times, so it's no wonder people are saying that the project is in development hell. Most air their frustration by writing comments in forums and on social media, but a relatively small group of people decided to take matters into their own hands last week when they published the Uncharted - Live Action Fan Film last Monday. This wasn't one of those fan films we've seen in that past that have been put together in someone's garage, but a well-produced short directed by Allan Ungar and with Nathan Fillion finally getting to play Nathan Drake.

The film spread like wildfire across the Internet, as many considered it to be near a flawless adaption of the beloved franchise. It has more than 3,330,000 views at the time of writing, and this includes a few of the games' creators and developers. Both Amy Hennig and Neil Druckmann have expressed their admiration of the film, so it seems like it has delivered what both the fans and creators wanted to see from a cinematic adaption. This made us curious about how the project came to be, how it managed to stay so faithful to the games, and what it might lead to in the future - so we contacted director Ungar himself to ask him a few questions. This is what he had to say.

Credit: Jerry Buteyn

Gamereactor: How did you end up making the film?

Allan Ungar: It's something I had wanted to do for a long time. I was a big fan of the property and always thought about the possibility of tackling it between projects. I called up a close friend of mine, Alex Lebovici, who was a producer on my first film. He and Nate were friends and so I pitched him this idea. He put Nate and I in touch, and we sat down in January to have dinner and discuss the project. We really hit it off and shared a lot of the same enthusiasm for the game, and decided we were going to do it

How did you come up with the story?

The story was something that took a bit of time to crack. I was trying to figure out what compelling lost treasures or mythical cities had not been explored on screen before, and ended up doing a lot of reading on the Flor de la Mar. The fact that it's still the most valuable lost treasure of all time was one of the main reasons I wanted to do it. In addition to that, it was really neat to see real historical figures cross paths with one another during the time of the sinking as well as before and after.

Were there any specific moments from the games or other media that inspired you?

I definitely took a page out of a couple part of the franchise when trying to figure out how to construct the actual story and film itself. We knew we couldn't shoot in these lush exotic locations or structures, so I was thinking back to the cargo ship scene in Uncharted 3 where Nate is being interrogated by the pirate. It was a nice blend of danger and humour.

Have you played all of the games by the way?

I've played all of the games and Lost Legacy with the exception of Golden Abyss.

Which is your favourite and why?

That's a really tough question. I love them all. Even though the first was what really started this whole adventure, I would say that the fourth - if I had to choose - is my favourite. It's a beautiful story with phenomenal set pieces. There's a lot of heart in it between the Sam/Nate relationship as well as Nate/Elena.

Did all of the actors know what Uncharted is before getting the job, or did you have to show them?

Mircea wasn't familiar with the game and Lang was vaguely aware of it because of his sons. Otherwise, Nate was obviously a huge fan and Geno's son was as well. For Mircea and Lang I sent them basically a character bible for each of them and created a few emails with references and clips.

Which references were most important for you to include?#

It's hard to try and stuff so many things into 15 minutes, but I really wanted to get as much in there as I could without crowding it. Mostly, it was about nailing the tone and the character as well as ensuring the story was as compelling as possible.

Which one is your favourite, and are there any hidden ones we might not have found yet?

I really enjoyed throwing in a line from Sully where he tells Nate that when he starts spewing off history ten steps ahead of everyone else, nobody ever understands him. I really liked that. There are a few hidden ones that I'm not sure have been picked up yet. All I will say is pay close attention to Sully's inbox. We also threw in a prop from Firefly.

What was the most difficult part of making the film?

The most difficult part was trying to ensure that we made the fans happy. Obviously we had an ambitious piece that only had so many days to shoot it - and that is certainly difficult - but it was really about the balance in pleasing the fans and also creating something that could stand out on its own.

Which was the most fun and/or memorable part?

When we were filming, the most memorable part was doing the long take on the steadicam where we follow Nate as if it was gameplay. It was the most memorable because we did it 11 times and it took up most of our third day of filming. That being said, upon reflecting the most memorable part was seeing Nate in costume delivering his lines the very first time I called action. That's going to be something I remember forever.

Credit: Jerry Buteyn

Is this where your script ends, or do you know how the rest of the story would/will go?

This is where the script ends, but we did have talks back when we wrote it and filmed it with regards to what could theoretically happen next. For example, who is this mysterious employer/villain behind the curtain that seems to have such an affinity for lost relics and artifacts? As well as what do our trio stumble upon as they embark on their search for this lost treasure?

Did you fear that Sony and/or Naughty Dog might stop this project or take it down when published?

We tried not to get too concerned with that, especially because we knew what we were making right at the outset. It was always something that was being done as a tribute rather than a calling card to profit off of. We slipped it to a few people to check out and after seeing the amount of joy people got from it, it was hard to imagine that anyone would want to take it down. At the end of the day, it was going to be good publicity for everyone. It gets people talking about the franchise again.

How does it feel to see that seemingly everyone, both fans and Naughty Dog/Amy Hennig/the actors, absolutely love it?

This is the part that still blows me away. I knew that for the most part people were going to like it, and that we were going to get some decent exposure. But what I didn't expect was the fact that it was almost unanimously loved by everyone. I've never had that. With Gridlocked, a lot of people had a ton of fun with it but a lot of people also hated it. With this, there have been very few negative things......at least from what I've seen or been shown! I'm still catching up. There could be plenty.

So it sounds like you mostly made it for fun, but what would you say if Sony gave you a call right now to offer you the director's chair for a longer film or series?

We certainly did what we set out to do and have been pretty vocal about the fact that this was - first and foremost - about creating a love letter. That being said, if somebody wants to have a conversation about seeing this story continue I'd be happy to. But it's not something I'm banking on nor was it something we were relying on at the beginning. Obviously a lot of things would have to be considered and it would have to be in the right circumstances. Nate is on The Rookie for the next little while anyway.

As a director and writer, what do you enjoy the most about Uncharted?

I think more than anything, I love the world and the characters. Drake embodies everything we love about heroes; he's relatable. He's got flaws, he makes mistakes and he is driven by a purpose. In order for me to get behind something, I have to believe in the character and know that the audience will believe in their cause as well. The games have also always done a fantastic job keeping you engaged in the mystery and story in between wonderful set pieces.

Which character deserves more credit than he/she gets?

That's a tough one. I think they all have their love and respect from the fans. But that being said, I think Elena. She's such a strong character who is essentially the female version of Drake. She's smart, witty, brave, and driven. They play off of each other so well. Especially in the fourth game, you can really feel their love for one another. She also kicks a ton of ass.

Do you know what's next after Liberty Crossing and Decoy?

You always try to keep busy and stay involved in multiple projects. It's a juggling act. I have something that's set for the fall which could end up being early next year instead, as well as a couple other things I'm waiting for the scripts on. Even though I've only directed two features, I really want to make sure I don't make projects just for the sake of making a project. I really want to be emotionally invested in something. That's why I did this. When Decoy got pushed I didn't just want to jump into anything. I wanted a story and character I could get passionate about. That's why I did this.

Are there any other game universes you'd love to make into a film perhaps?

The list definitely isn't short. I think Splinter Cell is something they haven't been able to crack which would be great. Metal Gear Solid seems like it's getting closer. Max Payne I think deserved a bit more than it got. The difficulty is that games are essentially movies now. They are immersive, playable stories. I'd love to be able to take a crack at one either way.

Credit: Jerry Buteyn

So, it sounds like Ungar, Fillion, and company mostly just made the fan film to show their admiration for the series, but they're also open to expanding upon it in the future. We'd love to see this happen, so we suggest that you watch, like, and share the YouTube version to get Sony's attention. Wouldn't it just be perfect if we helped this fan film becoming "Sic Parvis Magna" (can be translated as "Greatness, from small beginnings")?

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What do you think of the fan film, and would you like to see the same team taking it one step further?