I received some info and images giving word on the upcoming release of a life-action short film based on Half-Life Uplink by UK marketing agency Cruise Control. Here are the shots, followed by a bunch from the press release:

"Half-Life : Uplink" : Live Action Film To Be Released On-Line!

Half-Life combines state of the art gameplay with all the suspense of a Hitchcock movie. The game sets you inside a secret government research facility where a horrific accident leaves you stranded deep underground and fighting for your life against marauding aliens and marines.

Half-Life : Uplink follows a journalist who hears about ‘the accident’and manages to break in to the Black Mesa base to see what’s going on….

The film was commissioned by Lisa Humphries, product manager for Half-Life at Cendant Software. “This long awaited title has met all our expectations and more. The film has been designed for two reasons, one to draw in new gamers and let them experience Half-Life, and two, to supply the gaming fraternity with a different angle on the game. Something to share and something to say thank you”.

Filming took place inside an underground military facility at a recently decommissioned USAF base in Bedfordshire, UK. “The location was perfect and must have been exactly how Valve imagined the Black Mesa base to look” said Chris Birch, producer of the film. “We tried to stay as true the game as possible. With a perfect location we had to get the right sound effects and thanks to Sierra we were able to draw on the entire sound library from Half-Life itself”.

“Half-Life has such a strong following. The aim was to support and build upon that as well as draw in new players whose interest will have been sparked by seeing the film” said Chris Birch. Fans will even be able to download two different endings with possibly a third to come. The second ending will be available two weeks after the release of the film.

The Half-Life film will be available in a variety of formats on-line at www.cruisecontrol.uk.com from Monday 22nd February. Please note that this website will not be active until Saturday 20th February.