Allan Ungar: 5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I First Became A Filmmaker

An Interview With Guernslye Honoré

Sacrifice — Making movies takes a huge toll on you and the people around you. Some people would argue that it doesn’t have to, but anyone who’s truly passionate and loves it with every fiber of their being knows that it demands a lot. I’ve missed out on opportunities with family and friends, and I’ve also given up opportunities for myself. The balance gets better over the years, and I’ve gotten really good at making sure I don’t disappoint the people that are important to me, but it still takes a lot out of you.

As a part of our series called “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I First Became A Filmmaker”, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Allan Ungar.

Allan is best known for the hit crime drama BANDIT, starring Josh Duhamel, Elisha Cuthbert and Mel Gibson. Debuting at #1 on Paramount Plus and Amazon Prime, it was the most watched Redbox title of 2022 with critics calling it a career-best performance for Duhamel. Most recently, Allan directed LONDON CALLING, starring Josh Duhamel, Rick Hoffman and Aidan Gillen. He also created the live-action UNCHARTED fan film, which stars Nathan Fillion and is based on the best-selling PlayStation franchise. It launched at Comic Con where it received critical acclaim and went viral with over 12M views. Last year, he produced the Nicolas Cage film SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL and is currently attached to produce an adaptation of the best-selling video game DEATH STRANDING alongside A24 and Hammerstone Studios.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Our readers would love to get to know you a bit better. Can you tell us a bit of the ‘backstory’ of how you grew up?

Thank you for having me. I grew up in Toronto, Canada to parents who loved movies. My family was incredibly close and I was fortunate to have a really great upbringing. We traveled a lot together and there was an emphasis on being involved in the arts. When my initial love for film started, I really thought I wanted to be an actor. I was in a lot of school plays and summer camp productions, but then I slowly realized I was a bit of a control freak. Writer/Director seemed to come more naturally…

Can you share a story with us about what brought you to this specific career path?

I remember there used to be this service called the Columbia House Movie Club back in the 90s. You would get access to a catalogue of films that were printed out on stamps, and you’d have to pick 6 movies that would then be delivered to your house. It was an activity I loved doing with my dad and siblings. Eventually, the VHS tapes would arrive and all I did — morning and night — was watch and rewind every movie we had. I always felt there was something magical about escaping for two hours and being able to experience a vast array of emotions. I knew there was nothing else I wanted to do in my life but make movies.

Can you share the funniest or most interesting story that occurred to you in the course of your filmmaking career?

When I was 25, I was making this fun little Netflix movie. One of the actors, Dominic Purcell from Prison Break, was set to arrive and we had never met in person. We had done numerous phone calls and email exchanges, but we hadn’t had any live interactions. At a certain point, you just assume the other person knows what you look like. Unfortunately for me, Dom had no idea. So the day he arrived on set, I excitedly went up to say hi to him, but didn’t introduce myself as Allan because I just figured he knew who I was. We walked and talked for about 5 minutes and ended up in his trailer. After a couple of exchanges inside, Dom awkwardly looked around like he wanted to end the conversation. He took a long pause, looked at me, and said “So when is Allan the director going to be here?.” I froze and realized that he thought I was a chatty assistant. Never made that mistake again.

Who are some of the most interesting people you have interacted with? What was that like? Do you have any stories?

I’ve been incredibly fortunate to both work and interact with people who have had a profound impact on me, but I’d say Mel Gibson was a highlight for me. I learned so much from him. I spent my entire childhood watching him in the Lethal Weapon films with my dad and admiring his directorial efforts like Braveheart, so being able to direct him was like a dream come true. His work not only had such an impact on my childhood, but I think it impacted pop culture across the board. I remember we were in between scenes on Bandit, and I went to go sit with Mel in his trailer. The door was open and all of a sudden we could hear this jazzy music emanating from somewhere. I recognized it right away because it was the theme song from Lethal Weapon. For a second, I thought he was playing it in his trailer, but he looked equally as confused as I did. So I poked my head outside and it turns out there was a guy just sitting in his car blasting the music to get Mel’s attention. Mel got a good chuckle out of it and sent a polite wave his way. Sometimes you just get these funny, surreal little moments where you realize this is what you do for a living.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

I’m grateful that a lot of people believed in me when I was starting out on my journey. I was in LA many years ago visiting for about a week. I ended up at a house party where I met someone else from Canada. We hit it off and he took a chance on me and helped me get my first movie made about a year later. I was only 23.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

“Sometimes the greatest things that never happen lead to the greatest things that do.” I’ve found that to be incredibly relevant in my personal life, but also in my career. I remember I was supposed to make this big action movie that I had been so eager to direct, and it was going to elevate my career. Unfortunately, a couple of days before it was supposed to start filming they pulled the plug on it. I was devastated and wasn’t sure when I was going to work again, if ever. About two months later I ended up in a meeting that changed the trajectory of my career, and ended up making something else that was incredibly successful and life changing. Had I made the previous film, I would never have had the opportunity that presented itself.

What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?

I’m finishing post production on a film I shot in Cape Town called LONDON CALLING. It’s a big action comedy that I’m really excited about. I’ve also got a really fun film that I’m directing sometime next year which is being produced by Bradley Cooper and Sylvestor Stallone.

Which aspect of your work makes you most proud? Can you explain or give a story?

I think a lot of us are always chasing the high that comes after you pour everything into a project. For me, I got into this because of the communal experience and the emotional resonance. So when I’m sitting in a theater on premiere night or at a screening for one of my films, seeing the audience react is what I do this for. However, I think the most proud I’ve ever been was when I launched a film at Comic Con based on a beloved video game. Fans had been talking for years about what it would be like to see one very specific actor play that role, and I went out and did it with him. It went viral and received a ton of praise and critical acclaim. The amount of people on the internet who expressed how much it affected them was unbelievable. To this day, more than 5 years later, I still get random people around the world reaching out to tell me how much joy it brought them.

What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why?

1. Get Used To Heartbreak- There’s this really great quote from Ron Howard, who is one of the most prolific filmmakers of our generation. He essentially equated making movies to heartbreak. He said every time you make a film means you have to be willing to have your heart broken. As a director, you pour everything you have into this one project which essentially becomes your baby. And very often, due to the organic process, you have to cut things out of the film, or you experience disappointment when there’s certain things that don’t materialize the way you hoped. I remember on my film BANDIT, there were so many incredible moments in the film that I was hoping for audiences to see, but it just wasn’t feasible due to the runtime and so I had to get rid of some really poignant scenes that were important to me, and it was really difficult to let go of.
2. It’s Not Always About Creativity — What people often don’t understand is that there are a lot of logistical and problem solving skills that a filmmaker has to employ when going through any production. Sometimes it’s time management or people skills. When I was in Cape Town filming LONDON CALLING, we had extensively scouted and prepped for a sequence that involved two characters driving a car through an apartment parking lot. We needed to lock it off and own the entire lot, which we made arrangements for and solidified. When we arrived on the day of the shoot, the entire parking lot was filled with residential cars. There was absolutely no way we could shoot there, let alone get our production vehicles onto the property. We knew that we had a separate studio space that also had a parking lot, so we raced over there and asked for the neighboring businesses to give us last minute permission to film there, and luckily managed to salvage everything.
3. Planning Vs Reactivity- I always thought that if you planned everything to a tee, the entire filmmaking process would become much easier. While I still advocate for prepping as much as possible, there are certain inevitabilities when it comes to the obstacles and hurdles you need to face on any given day. The interesting thing is that sometimes the results are more enjoyable when you are able to react and come up with new ideas. I remember on my Netflix film, GRIDLOCKED, we had planned for a sequence where one character had to use a defibrillator with paddles to resuscitate another character. The problem was, when we got there on the day, we realized that the prop didn’t actually have paddles. It had patches with an automated voice system. I had created my shotlist and notes based entirely on the idea of having paddles, and now that was out the window. So I took a few minutes to collect my thoughts and ended up restructuring the scene with more comedy so that the main character interacted with the guidance voice in a way that ended up making audiences laugh pretty hard.
4. It Doesn’t Always Get Easier — I think a lot of people assume that once you “make it” and you’re successfully producing films, the whole process gets easier. It’s funny because I’ve worked with a lot of incredibly successful and prolific people whose resumes would blow your mind, and they still lament the process it takes to get a movie made. There are certain advantages and credibility that you gain, but it’s literally a miracle every time a movie gets made. So many things have to come together which are often completely outside of your control. I don’t have a specific story for this because it literally happens all the time. I just think it’s a great cautionary tale for people to remember to stay grounded, work hard, hustle, and make sure you have multiple irons in the fire.
5. Sacrifice — Making movies takes a huge toll on you and the people around you. Some people would argue that it doesn’t have to, but anyone who’s truly passionate and loves it with every fiber of their being knows that it demands a lot. I’ve missed out on opportunities with family and friends, and I’ve also given up opportunities for myself. The balance gets better over the years, and I’ve gotten really good at making sure I don’t disappoint the people that are important to me, but it still takes a lot out of you.

When you create a film, which stakeholders have the greatest impact on the artistic and cinematic choices you make? Is it the viewers, the critics, the financiers, or your own personal artistic vision? Can you share a story with us or give an example about what you mean?

I think ultimately I always try to stay true to myself and my taste in storytelling. There’s a lot of people-pleasing and there can be multiple cooks in the kitchen, but I’ve been very fortunate thus far to have been trusted with delivering what I think is the best version of any project. At the end of the day, I make movies for audiences and I try to focus on how the film is going to play for them. I think on every movie I’ve made, I’ve had multiple scenarios where we’re running out of time and I try to fight for what I call a “popcorn moment” that I know will make the audiences cheer. One time, specifically, I was trying to get Danny Glover to pay homage to his famous line from Lethal Weapon where he says “I’m getting too old for this sh*t..” Danny didn’t want to say it, and the producers told me to let it go because we were running out of time. The problem is, I don’t let things go so easily. So I spent at least an hour trying to convince Danny to do it. I’m going to refrain from spilling the contents of that conversation, but needless to say Danny graciously decided to oblige and it ended up being a huge moment where the audience clapped and cheered at the first festival screening we had. On every film I make, I’m always considering the audience first and foremost.

You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

That’s such a great question. I think I’d love to create some kind of filmmaking program for underprivileged kids. While there are so many amazing tools at our disposal now, there are sadly far too many talented children out there who don’t have the access or the ability to utilize them.

We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might see this. :-)

I’m not sure if this is a lame answer because it’s so obvious — but I’d love to have lunch with Spielberg. Absolute legend.

How can our readers further follow you online?

You can follow me on Instagram @allanungar

This was very meaningful, thank you so much! We wish you continued success!

Thank you very much!

About the interviewer: Guernslye Honoré, affectionately known as “Gee-Gee”, is an amalgamation of creativity, vision, and endless enthusiasm. She has elegantly twined the worlds of writing, acting, and digital marketing into an inspiring tapestry of achievement. As the creative genius at the heart of Esma Marketing & Publishing, she leads her team to unprecedented heights with her comprehensive understanding of the industry and her innate flair for innovation. Her boundless passion and sense of purpose radiate from every endeavor she undertakes, turning ideas into reality and creating a realm of infinite possibilities. A true dynamo, Gee-Gee’s name has become synonymous with inspirational leadership and the art of creating success.