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Behind the Scenes, Reviews, Interviews & Features!

MAKING FILTH CREDIBLE: CHRISTINA SPINA

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The world of politics can be gritty and rough. The task of telling the stories of politics can resemble that as well. Both the process and the look requires a consummate professional to do it properly; makeup artist Christina Spina is such a person. Taking over for fellow artist Jessica Panetta when she was called away early in the filming of Filth City, Spina stepped in and created a seamless transition. Working with both Jessica and director Andy King, Christina established a tone congruent with the tone of the productions. Whether maintaining the design continuity or creating on the spot looks for day players, Spina used her skill to assist the director’s vision, empower the actors, and be a vital part of what would result in the film winning the award for Best Comedy and Best Cast at the Canadian Film Fest 2017.

The 2017 action/comedy/crime film is based on true events inspired by Toronto’s Mayor Rob Ford. Filth City tells the story of a city’s crack smoking mayor competing for reelection whilst in the heat of a scandal. When local kids record Hogg smoking crack on video, numerous media outlets compete to get their hands on the footage. Hogg’s campaign staff and syndicate of dirty cops work to keep the video’s existence a secret while others want to use this to put an end to the mayor’s political career. Crime, corruption, and the largest garbage strike in York history are all components as the plot follows a wide range of characters through this neo-noir crime tale. The film itself was provocative similarly to the real life events it was based on. During the world premiere at the Canadian Film Festival in March 2017 (at the Scotia Bank Cinema) Filth City received a massive amount of attention from the media, stoked by intense negative public comments by the city’s late mayor’s brother. His comments created a media frenzy and the film received tons of media attention as a result, creating buzz and selling out tickets; the very definition of turning a negative into a positive.

The director and the designer (Panetta) had created a look that was inspired by modern television crime dramas, and classic film noir crime films. All of this was communicated to Christina when she took over. While the public often thinks of makeup in TV and film as making the actors more attractive, the goal was anything but this for Filth City. The filmmakers knew that the story was about the reality of politics and the people involved, not the pleasant way these individuals project themselves. To this end the goal was to present what they referred to as “hyper realism.” The look of the characters was to be very specific and not the somewhat bland “wallpaper” approach commonly seen in film. Christina describes, “For example, a lead cop character had a specific flip to the front of his hair. The Mayor had redness in his face and was intentionally sweaty and shiny on camera. The cop turned drug addict character had a dry red patch on his neck and darkness under his eyes. A young woman in one of the lead roles wore gold eye shadow. All of these choices are so simple but specific in forming the visual language of character. In comedy, depending on the circumstances of the script and the nature of the show, characters tend to have bigger makeup design elements to increase the comedy aspect. Since this was a crime drama comedy, the ham factor was turned down and simplified into hyper-realism.”

In the work of a makeup artist, what appears “normal” on screen is every bit as challenging to establish as that which seems striking. That might seem counterintuitive but anyone who has appeared on camera without the benefit of makeup can attest to the fact that it can greatly aid or detract from your appearance. In TV and film productions, extremes at both ends of the scale can be challenging. If the viewer finds themselves paying attention to the makeup, it’s done incorrectly. Christina concedes that it is very difficult to produce a makeup look that appears flawlessly natural, as if the person is wearing nothing at all. This type of makeup is erroneously confused with being easy and fast, which is not at all the case as it takes refining and attention to the most minute details and should never be seen. The makeup style Spina used for lead character Mayor Hogg (referred to as breakdown makeup) displayed redness all over his face to resemble broken capillaries from substance abuse. This makeup design was very specific and required both written and photo documentation to ensure perfect replication for each scene.

Not all of Christina’s work on Filth City required painstaking recreation for the lead characters. She often got the opportunity to improvise looks for a number of day players (actors on the set for a single day, often performing peripheral or background roles). It wasn’t uncommon on this production to have an actor with four different look changes in one day. Because the story was set in current times with an emphasis on politicians, law enforcement, and the media, Spina often took her inspiration from the generalization of these types on day to day television. The proper simple choices can have a dramatic effect on camera. It’s this type of wisdom which augments the talent that Christina is lauded for. Her quirky versions of real people benefited both the comedy and the crime sentiments of the storyline. She agrees stating, “I am actually able to execute last minute requests successfully with a combination of methods. It mostly comes with years of experience. I am always facing challenges and learning from experience, and am lucky to have those experiences to move forward so that I am more prepared each day. I have learned so much over the years, and am learning still. Each experience encourages me to revise and restock my kit. I have learned so many valuable things, one important tip is to be able to improvise requests on the spot by having a fully stocked kit with all the tools and items to execute any request. It could be stressful when requests are made and crew is forced to wait on me or my department, a general rule on set is that you do not want to be the cause of holding up shooting. But with thorough communication and a solid plan of execution everyone can get their respective jobs done and not feel stress in a way that would compromise the outcome.”

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Reviews, Interviews & Features!

THE MODERN PATH TO ALL THINGS ENTERTAINMENT

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Information moves more quickly than ever before. Included in this nowadays is entertainment. While it used to be music downloads, we presently see the entire season of a TV program released in a day, and films come out more and more expeditiously whether new productions or classic time capsule fare. All of this results in a closer relationship between the artists who create these works and those who are able to deliver them to the public. Red Touch Media (RTM) is a company which licenses and distributes entertainment content. It has created a world class content management and distribution system. The conduit between RTM, the artist/companies who have content to distribute, and the public is event producer Ian Pickup. As the professional who plans and manifests the situations/venues between those who “have” and those who “want”, Ian is the M.C. if you will of the modern entertainment mogul parties. Helping RTM to present their product at global prestigious events like MIP TV and MIPCOM, Pickup facilitates the meetings and conversations that lead to the rest of us being able to watch our favorite productions (and listening or reading them, depending on the situation). Whether it’s events in Cannes, Liverpool, Sydney, or others, Ian Pickup has found himself in the enviable position of being on the cusp of modern entertainment technology, while not actually being a filmmaker himself. If there is such a thing as a professional entertainment wingman, this event producer is at the top of the heap.

Held in Cannes, MIP TV and MIPCOM are where a significant portion of the worlds TV and film content is sold and purchased. These massive events facilitate and determine what a great deal of the world watches. RTM provides software for many studios at these markets who use RTM software to manage all their digital assets as well as to sell this content. It is a critical part of the sales process. If you think of MIP and MIP TV as a marketplace of digital and entertainment content, you have the right idea.  RTM’s job is to help studios use their software to display, manage, distribute, and ultimately sell that TV & film content. At MIP TV (which focuses on television content) Pickup finds himself on site from the very first set up of RTM’s venue to the final stages. During MIPCOM (which focuses more on film), Ian is responsible for the overall Operations and works closely with Reed Midem (the event organizers). With an attendance of around 14,000, MIPCOM may be the somewhat larger event but current trends show that more and more of the viewing public skews to the comfortability and accessibility of TV programing (though film as well is becoming more available). Pickup states, “RTM is very aware of how things are evolving in the entertainment industry and it is passionate about being a leader. I appreciate the proactive nature of this. These two events are a requirement for anyone who is part of the industry. Company executives are often asked to be on panels to talk about the latest technology and trends.  Given our position as a prime distributor of digital content to underserved markets, we really do see where things are headed and what might shape the market.”

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As an event producer for RTM Ian takes part in a wide variety of tasks. One minute might find him renting a yacht and hosting a dinner, then next might be throwing one of those parties that he is famous for; not in the sense of lavishness but rather in terms of providing an atmosphere of fun. In fact, Ian takes great pride in the fact that the events he creates are not solely focused on the spectacle but rather in creating a relaxed form of respite from what may have been a chaotic whirlwind of meetings and discussion that are a necessity of the situation. It’s somewhat surprising to hear that the person in charge of gathering great groups of individuals is adamant that his role is one of facilitating personal connection. The show itself is more about relationships than logistics.  Coordinating with unions, installation teams, and multiple companies doing different things on the installation is a really big part of the job, to say nothing of the multiple languages often involved in these events. As Ian puts it, “Most of the deals are made outside the ‘formal’ parts of the show.  Parties, dinners, off line meetings, anywhere where you can get to know someone on a deeper level rather than simply as ‘Steve from Sony with a quota.’ Our reputation in the business is one of deep relationships with not just our clients but people in general, we know how to develop relationships and we are good at it. Yes, I’m a professional who produces and coordinates events but I honestly think of my role as someone who creates an environment where people can relax, have fun, and be themselves. I think this is what allows people to understand if they want to do business with someone…when they feel as if they’ve truly met them rather than simply that person as a representative. It takes a lot of work and preparation to create that environment though.”

Meeting like MIPCOM and MIP TV are examples of the continuing evolution of entertainment in the world. RTM’s pervasiveness is in a positively correlated path to this and Ian Pickup is keenly aware of this relationship’s benevolent effect on all involved parties. His incredible aptitude for organization makes him skillful in his career but what makes him the recipient of such immense accolades is his focus on the personal touch. He communicates, “Whether it’s the people I work with or the people I see at our events, it’s all about getting to know each other better. Working side by side with someone gives a window into their character that is not usually apparent from casual conversation. It’s important to work with everyone both internally and externally to make each event smooth and great!” This sentiment is echoed by Wayne Scholes (Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Red Touch Media) who states, “Ian Pickup is an invaluable member of our management team and has always proven to be particularly capable of adapting to any manner of challenging situations during live events. The fact that people are always willing to ‘muck in’ when required is an absolutely crucial factor in the success of any business.”

 

Reviews, Interviews & Features!, Screenwriter

SHREEKRISHNA DOESN’T MIND IF YOU CALL HIM “LONGSHOT”

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(By Kelly James)

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One of the most important lessons in dealing with life’s fortune and misfortune is that we can choose to laugh or cry, most often at the absurdity of it all. A malevolent storm destroys a neighborhood with the exception of one house, one of two twins receives fame and fortune while the other suffers constant defeat and humiliation, even a well-placed gambling debt can make or destroy a person. Life is fascinating when one considers the minute variations that lead to (seeming) happiness or tragedy. Writer Shreekrishna Padhye has always been fascinated by these situations. His self-declared love of dark comedy has led him to create a number of disturbing and yet laughable productions. Rather than showing us the real hero that each of us has the potential to become, Padhye finds amusement in showing us all how potentially sinister we can become…or possibly how wary we should be that those around us might become. His stories of the baser aspects of human nature exhibit proof that he has made peace with the self-centered facet of the members of society.

The pervasive sentiment in a large number of the stories which Shreekrishna writes is not judgmental, although the viewer might impose their own sense of right and wrong onto what they witness in them. It is Padhye’s contention that human motivation and action is a delicate precipice on which circumstance and emotions teeter. He concedes that while many of us wear the visage of ethics, we all are suspect until placed in situations that test our resolve. Padhye explains, “Humans are generally peaceful until they’re not and I’m fascinated by how little it can take to push someone over that line. It’s not easy to acknowledge the darkness that resides in every one of us and I feel that through humor you can ask these tough questions without making the audience defensive. I think people are inherently selfish. That isn’t a pessimistic statement, because we are all motivated by the same desire to survive. This also doesn’t mean people are bad. Being altruistic or bad is the result of our selfish motivations and the situation.

Shreekrishna’s “Longshot” is more a character study than simply a story. In the film, a mailman drops a package off at a residence as a man and wife are in their middle of their weekly ritual of watching the lottery drawing. During the delivery, the wife squints at the TV and erupts in excitement as she sees that they have won the lottery. They break open a special bottle of champagne and offer a drink to the mailman. The postman recognizes opportunity and before the couple can call the Lottery Board with their winning numbers, the mailman procures a knife from the kitchen and stabs them to death. With the couple dead and no obstacle between him and the fortune, the mailman picks up the ticket. It’s at this point that he notices the numbers all match…with the exception of one. He discovers the wife’s reading glasses…which were unused when she saw the winning numbers, he killed for nothing.

What is so interesting and such an important part of Padhye’s writing is that he lays some of the blame (thought not evenly) on both victim and perpetrator. In the film, the mailman tries to change what he feels is his miserable existence by stealing the lottery ticket and ends up killing the couple. The husband invites the mailman in to celebrate because sharing his happiness amplifies it. Both sides of this story are motivated by selfish reasons. The intersection that both sides of this equation share is greed. One may be more socially acceptable but the outcome for all involved parties is destruction. Shreekrishna reveals that he has always been suspicious of lotteries because they seem to amplify greed and selfishness, thereby creating a perfect setting for him to construct a tale of humanity’s shortcomings.

The plot itself is fairly simple, but this isn’t the source of what makes so many filmmakers and audience members fans of Padhye’s writing. The sense of knowing and relatability that he brings to his characters is palpable. They seem familiar in a way that is sometimes too close for comfort. The Mailman feels that life has not given him the proper opportunities and he must correct it through his own actions. The wife focuses her energy on this “get rich quick with luck” idea that she feels will ultimately allow her to have the things she desires. The husband feels that he serves at the behest of his wife and under the surface may resent this. He “goes along to get along.” It’s the source of the characters and their true motivations that make the story work. Padhye had discussions with each of the actors playing these three main roles about what their characters felt and truly thought versus what they exhibited on the surface. He relates, “One of the pitfalls a writer needs to avoid is molding the characters to fit a particular story. This will make them seem unrealistic, instead the better approach is to create conflicting characters in a tense situation and let them tell you how a something would play out.

In this case the comedy arises not necessarily from the quirky characters but from the situation that they find themselves in. It’s naturally funny to see people fall and make a fool of themselves. The mistakes the husband and wife make in this film are relatively benign (being overly friendly with their mailman) but because the circumstance is so unusual and there’s a lot at stake, this mistake ends up costing them their lives. The mailman’s character is funny and relatable because he is a rookie… at crime. We can laugh at his failure without him having to act in an exaggerated manner.”

Audiences were thrilled by the film but even more exuberant were the actors of “Longshot” who were given the chance to play such layered characters. Asdis Thorlaksdotti, the Icelandic actress who played the wife in the film describes, “Great writing like the kind Shreekrishna creates gives an actor the opportunity to think and discover. There are a number of ways to communicate this character and discussing them with him was an exercise in creativity…which doesn’t always happen for actors. He brilliantly explored the sinister impulses that lurk just beneath the surface of normal everyday life, and ended up creating something truly unique and refreshing. It was an immense pleasure to find the humor, the malevolent situations, and actions in this film.”

Actor, Film, Reviews, Interviews & Features!

Canadian star Dewshane Williams recalls ‘Dogpound’ and why he went into acting

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From the time Dewshane Williams was a child, he always had one passion: film. He spent his earliest years watching movies and television shows as much as possible. As he grew, he started to see himself as an actor. After his first performance, when he was just a schoolboy, he was hooked. He began to immerse himself in musical theatre, writing, choreographing, and acting in productions. He never envisioned himself doing anything else, and today, he is one of the best actors to recently come from Canada.

Williams has spent most of his life in Canada, and has taken the country’s film industry by storm. He has starred in hit television shows, such as The Expanse and Defiance, as well as critically-acclaimed films like The Story of Luke and Home Again.

Williams’ first true taste of international success came in 2010 from his work on the film Dogpound. Georges Bermann, the Executive Producer of the film, credits Dogpound of launching a number of careers, including Williams’. His convincing portrayal of Frank the inmate was spot on and accurate, and Berrmann was incredibly impressed with the, at the time, not well-known actor.

“I noticed that Dewshane is the type of actor that focuses entirely on creating the best work. Watching him channel the teenage angst associated with juvenile distress made our director’s job easy. He’s a joy to work with. Dewshane’s generosity and focus are admirable qualities. I think his performance in our film speaks for itself; hard work goes a long way,” said Bermann.

 Dogpound tells the story of 17-year-old Butch, who is sent to the Enola Vale Youth Correctional Center in Montana for blinding an abusive correctional officer. He brings with him a deep-seated intolerance for injustices and a penchant for meting out retributions on his own. He becomes friends with two other inmates at the correctional facility, where they encounter gang violence, death, and harassment from staff and other inmates.

“This film is important because it’s a cautionary tale. It’s social commentary. If you look closely enough, it’s an opportunity to show anyone who’s going down the wrong path where they’ll end up. Particularly young people who might not have any idea what that kind of world is like,” said Williams.

In Dogpound, Williams played Frank. He was a juvenile inmate who worked as an enforcer. Frank starts a riot that involves everyone in the jail. His character has an important arc, as Frank appears to be an immoral character, but ultimately has a heart. Due to an injustice perpetrated against another inmate, he takes it upon himself to act, which was surprisingly selfless for the character. Williams is now known for taking on roles that will impact audiences, and at the time, this is exactly what he did.

Dogpound premiered in June 2010 in Paris, France, and later was an Official Selection at the Tribeca Film Festival. The director, Kim Chapiron, won the coveted “Best New Narrative Director” at the Tribeca Film Festival. The film impacted audiences and impressed critics all over the world, and skyrocketed Williams’ name in the Canadian film industry.

“The thought that anyone would pay me to do what I loved was a dream come true, it really was,” Williams recalled.

Dogpound was Williams’ first feature film. At the time, the entire concept of being on set and shooting a movie seemed unreal to the young actor. He auditioned for the role just dreaming he would get the part, but his raw talent eclipsed any lack of experience he may have had at the time. He greatly impressed the casting director, and won the role.

“It’s a standard thing to hear, but actors almost always have to audition for a part. Before getting to revel in whom you might be working with, you’ve got to compete. You’ve got to show everyone why you’d be able to bring something to the character. I studied for hours, trained with my acting coach, and left school early that day. I can remember being in Character the whole day, maybe that helped,” said Williams.

Once earning the role, a lot of research was required for Williams to truly understand his character. He read articles, watched films, and a number of documentaries. He credits a docuseries titled Scared Straight as being great source material for him to understand the juvenile delinquent correctional system.

“The film was a co-production between Canada, USA, and France. Most of our film crew had flown in from Paris, so I had to be a great listener on that set. English wasn’t our director’s first language, so I picked up a bit of French while shooting. I loved our crew; they really wanted to create a good film – I could tell, and that was infectious,” said Williams.

Now that Williams has become such a successful actor, it may be easy to forget that feeling of what it was like to be young and struggling, just dreaming of becoming what he now is. However, Williams remains humble, and Dogpound still holds a special place in his heart.

“You never forget your first film, and this one was mine. To this day, complete strangers come up to me and say ‘that film was so realistic, I would never want to end up in there.’ That’s the point, you don’t want to end up in Juvie,” Williams concluded.

 

 

Cinematographers, Film

Calvin Khurniawan on the impressionistic art of cinematography

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There is an age old saying that tells us “beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” For many different art forms, these words could not be truer. For instance, by nature, the art of cinematography is entirely subjective. What may appeal to one person, may disinterest another. What you consider beautiful, your peer may deem hideous. It all amounts to the different ways in which individuals perceive the world. In order to succeed as a cinematographer, therefore, an artist must be able to speak to multiple different audiences at once. They need to understand how to channel the vast array of emotions, thoughts, and experiences that life has to offer into their medium of choice. They require a different kind of creativity and they must use it to entertain audiences of all different sizes. They need to see the world the way that Calvin Khurniawan does and once they do, they need to share their artistry with people from all walks of life, challenging them to see their surroundings in new lights.

“It seems obvious, but if you ask ten different painters to paint a tree, you’ll wind up with ten different styles of paintings of the same tree. It truly comes down to an artisanal approach. No other cinematographer would be able to replicate and do the same thing as the other, even with the same material to focus on. Everyone will light and place the camera differently. For that reason, I would say that cinematography is an impressionistic art. It makes my job all the more enjoyable because I get to determine how I’d like to tell a story and then I get to bring it to life,” told Khurniawan.

Khurniawan’s unwavering passion for filmmaking extends back as early as his childhood and his perspective derives from years of immersing himself in the arts. At a young age, Khurniawan’s father allowed him to use the family camera to take photographs of their vacation and he became addicted to the feeling of seeing his photos once he had them developed. He began to notice the different ways to manipulate an image he’d like to depict and loved the depth of emotions he could capture. It wasn’t until he began taking videos with his first ever mobile phone that he realized how intrigued he was by filmmaking. From there, he never looked back. His work as a photographer and cinematographer has landed him success with a number of films, many of which he ended up winning awards. For instance, Khurniawan’s film Alchemist won Best Student Film at festivals like the Around the World International Festival, the Los Angeles Independent Film Festival, the New York Film Festival, and more. His other films, such as Antifilm and Kudeta, have also earned Official Selections at a number of prestigious festivals, as well as praise from his peers. He is a force to be reckoned with in the filmmaking industry and he has no plans of stopping any time soon.

In July of this year, Khurniawan collaborated with fashion guru Peggy Hartanto to bring Kudeta to life. The film juxtaposes modern choreography with modern fashion as it portrays Hartanto’s finesse in the fashion industry. The simplicity of her design doesn’t simply translate as modern, but rather it signifies a daring take on modern wear. Essentially, the basic idea of the film was to dress female warriors in dresses and present them like they hadn’t ever been seen before. It created an anti-thesis to fashion film and Khurniawan is drawn to the idea of bringing unexpected notions to life before his audiences. Prior to filming, however, Khurniawan was apprehensive given the amount of VFX shots that he would need to create. Rather than succumbing to the pressure, he dedicated every fiber of his being to learn how to use VFX to the best of his abilities and the result was profound. In fact, his mastery of VFX and his eye for filmmaking made him an instrumental key to the film’s success.

“It was truly challenging at first because I knew there were going to be a lot of VFX shots, but I trained and I took my time to understand the tools. I stayed up all night prior to each shoot in order to prepare so that I could be confident that I would capture the best content as possible,” recalled Khurniawan.

Another of Khurniawan’s favorite aspects of his profession is getting to collaborate with other top artists in the industry. For Kudeta, Khurniawan was fortunate enough to work with Hartanto and explore the world of modern fashion. He was also able to work with other designers and film enthusiasts on set. For instance, Kudeta’s production designer, Indrianty Lihardinata was humbled by the experience of working with Khurniawan for the film. Most artists who work with him are taken aback by the caliber of professionalism and expertise that he brings to the table when he works. According to Lihardinata, in fact, Khurniawan was the ideal combination of professional and enjoyable to create with.

“My favorite part about working with Calvin is his willingness to spend time with key departments to discuss the different aspects of the film. Kudeta was a fun one because it is a high-speed fashion film and so he would shoot everything in a high frame rate to accentuate the movement of the dancers. He is the coolest person to work with because he would take the time to frame every minor detail to ensure that it had a strong “wow” factor,” emphasized Lihardinata.

In all, Khurniawan takes great pride in the content he created for Kudeta. For this reason, he was even more pleased when Kudeta earned the recognition that it did so early on in its festival run. It was chosen as an Official Selection at both Tampa Bay Underground Film Festival in Florida, as well as the Short to the Point Festival in Bucharest and will likely go on to inspire even more audiences as time progresses. In the meantime, the esteemed cinematographer is excited to try his hand at creating a documentary. He believes that it will allow him to exercise his instinct as opposed to allowing technical elements to dominate his content. Stay tuned for more.

 

Photo by Joshua Kang

Chinese Films, Film

Sound editor Zheng Jia transports audiences to 1930s China in upcoming film ‘Luna’

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Zheng Jia at Luna premiere

Zheng Jia did not always plan on being a sound editor. She spent most of her young life working towards a career in computer sciences. However, when she realized she wanted to pursue something different, she started exploring as many career options as possible, and filmmaking kept coming back to her. It gave her the power to tell stories, to change lives for the better, and to share her work with the world. After starting to watch films for more than simply entertainment, she began to realize the power of sound. It has the ability to completely transform a scene, to take it to a new level. She would be storytelling, bringing out emotions with her work, and she was intrigued. It was this realization that put Zheng on the path to greatness, as she is now an internationally sought-after sound editor.

With an outstanding reputation, Jia has come a long way from that girl who didn’t know what to do with the rest of her life. She has worked with some of the world’s largest production companies and on many popular film and television projects. She is currently working with NBC Universal on their long-running show Law & Order: SVU, and her esteemed resume features many more hits. Earlier this year, Zheng worked with Warner Brothers on the upcoming film Luna, and once again, she has proven what a force she is as a sound editor.

“It was an absolutely amazing experience working with Warner Brothers, and truly a privilege to be able to work with the most experienced post production crew, alongside close filmmaker friends. I got to experience the freedom of great communication and artistic collaboration with talented filmmakers that I’ve known for years, and also got to go through the strict disciplined post-production schedule and protocol through one of the most professional film studios. It was also a great feeling to know that the whole studio system was there supporting the entire journey for us filmmakers and we could always communicate and work closely together towards any potential issues and obstacles. Our main goal was always the same: to create great art,” said Jia

Luna is set in 1930s Shanghai, China. It follows the famous prostitute Luna, who offers to play a gambling game with an unexpected guest. As the attraction between the two builds, both of their undercover political identities unravel, leading to unexpected consequences.

Zheng’s worked as the dialogue editor for the film. She was in charge of the whole audio build-up from the human voice perspective. All the crowds in different locations (on the street, inside the brothel) needed to be created from scratch. Because of the unique texture of the story, everything needed to be in Mandarin with a certain accent and in the certain location. To do this, Jia collected many Mandarin sound footage from past projects and from her own personal collection, and put them together piece by piece in order to create the perfect tune for a 1930s Shanghai brothel back in that era, which was a key point of the whole story. Her work was invaluable.

“Working with Zheng was a great experience. Firstly, she gave us constructive suggestions on sound recording before we started shooting. The story takes place in 1930s Shanghai but we shot it on Warner Bros. back lot. To make the story sound real, we needed a lot of effects to recreate the environment of 1930s Shanghai. Finding them in the United States was nearly impossible, so Zheng got them from her own collection,” said Xu Zhang, Director of Luna. “She has a lot of experience, skill, and work ethic, which make her one of the best at what she does.”

Luna is Warner Bros. first production that is fully produced and presented in Chinese Mandarin, with with a Chinese main cast and crew, telling a Chinese story, with a strong Chinese female lead character. As a Chinese female filmmaker herself, there wouldn’t have been a better fit than Luna for Jia. After, Zhang and writer/editor Mei Liying approached her to be a part of their project, knowing that they needed a talented sound editor due to the nature of their film, Jia was immediately on board.

The film required not just a good sound editor, but one that also was fluent in Mandarin. Although that is the language of the film, the lead actress was not fluent. There were many takes with good acting, but not a completely authentic accent. This is where Jia’s extraordinary talents truly shine. She had to go through multiple takes to find lines that would match the performance, and string them together flawlessly. To do this, Jia had to have full knowledge of the certain dialect in that region in China, back in the day, in that specific location or situation, with the very specific crowds and groups and everything human voice related. Such a task is normally daunting and time consuming, but Jia turned everything around in two days.

“Especially for Western audiences and Western crew members including Warner Brothers studio producers and other staff, my work was their direct way of experiencing a world that is vastly different from the nowadays Western World, and that was immediately affecting their whole emotional experience when watching it. I worked closely with Xu and Mei in order to pick up and fix the subtlest places of the dialogue in creative ways in order to keep the performance authentic while still making sure that culturally or language-wise everything still made sense,” Jia described.

Besides the technical part of dialogue editing, Jia was in charge of creating the human voice environment for the crowded brothel, with different groups of people – men, women, laughter, flirting, drunk conversation, polite, higher-class small talk, etc. in order to make the whole story as authentic as possible. To achieve that, she went through all of her sound library collections, and even went out and recorded some authentic materials herself. Eventually, she was able to build up the whole brothel environment, and it sounds remarkable.

The film premiered at Warner Bros Studios in May. It will begin making its film festival run soon, and there is little doubt that not only will Luna be a tremendous success, but Jia’s sound editing will receive acclaim from both critics and audiences alike.

“This project itself was a great pleasure to work on. Xu and Mei created such a great story and characters that were so very intriguing and authentic, and as Chinese filmmakers, it was an absolute honor and great presentation to be able to work on a great project featuring strong female minority lead in a major Hollywood studio,” she concluded.

Audiences can also look forward to Jia’s work on the small-screen in the upcoming CW series Life Sentence. It’s a dramedy, very different from the sound editor’s previous work. Be sure to check it out next year.

Actor, Child Actor, Film, Reviews, Interviews & Features!

Victor Gilbert reminds the world that a kiss should just be a kiss

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Victor Gilbert

From the time he was a baby, Victor Gilbert has been immersed into a world of full of films, acting, and make believe. Given the fact that his mother is a cinematographer, Gilbert has played child roles in several of her films and he has had the unique opportunity to test his acting skills against a number of different storylines and plots. Like most children, Gilbert loves to play pretend and he finds himself energized by the ability to play pretend for more than just enjoyment, but as a career. Playing a wide range of emotions interests him, and he thrives on the chance to explore playing different versions of “happy,” “sad,” or “mad.” For Gilbert, acting is all he’s ever known. It is a part of his family. He has grown with it and he wishes to continue to let acting grow with him for the rest of his life.

As he has aged, Gilbert has slowly branched away from filming with his mother and has begun working with esteemed production companies, directors, actors, and more. At the mere age of 10, Gilbert is taking the entertainment industry by storm and having earned such great success so early on in his life, it is intriguing to wonder where his talents will carry him next. One of his most notable works was for Netflix’s Hell on Wheels, where Gilbert played the son of a railroad worker called Jeff Strobridge, played by Reg Rogers. In this role, Gilbert had the chance to act alongside Rogers, Anson Mount, the series’ lead actor, as well as several other experienced professionals. It was a great way to expose himself to various acting styles and techniques, and since he was a recurring character, he had the opportunity to develop his character throughout each episode he acted in. Gilbert thoroughly enjoyed learning from the individuals he acted with, and submerged himself into the film’s extravagant, western-themed set. To this day, he considers it one of the highlights of his career.

Another of Gilbert’s more enjoyable projects evolved over the summer of 2016 when he aced the audition for, and won the role of Peter in the influential film, The Kiss. The Kiss tells the emotional story of a young boy, played by Gilbert, kisses another young boy at school. It is set in the 1950’s and unpacks a controversial dilemma for a mother who tries to understand what her child is going through. With the tag line, “a kiss should just be a kiss,” the film explores deep themes of love and homosexuality, and is gaining a substantial amount of praise from film festivals around the world. Being only 8 years old at the time of filming, Gilbert was unfamiliar with the emotional nature of the plot line and didn’t realize the importance of the topic in today’s society. Upon learning of meaning behind the film’s premise, Gilbert was eager to play such an impactful role. In fact, Gilbert’s character was pivotal to the The Kiss’ storyline and he set the tone for the entire film.

Gilbert credits his role in The Kiss as being the toughest he had ever played. Having to travel back in time to the 1950’s through the film’s costumes and set design was unlike anything Gilbert had ever done before. When filming, he had to act out emotionally charged scenes involving kissing another boy, being scolded by his mother, and portray feelings of fear, sorrow, and intimidation. Fortunately, Gilbert excels in any environment where he has to sell different emotions for the better of his character’s storyline. He has a remarkable ability to play multi-dimensional emotions and despite his age, he never struggled to explore a new emotion when asked. David Emmanuel, who both produced and acted in The Kiss, has nothing but respect for Gilbert’s natural affinity to play his characters as realistically and organically as possible. He was astonished to see an actor as young as Gilbert displaying qualities that even some of the most established professionals have not yet mastered.

“Victor had a very, – I cannot stress it enough – very difficult scene to act at such a young age. He had to pretend to have kissed a boy in school, to dress up, to wear lipstick, and more. Still, he did an amazing job and was so right for the role. He was extremely patient and open-minded for this movie. Not to mention, he was very professional on set for such a young age. He listened to the director very well and was open to giving his input whenever he didn’t feel comfortable,” noted Emmanuel.

If you ask Gilbert, however, the film simply helped him tell an important story to the world and he was happy to have had the opportunity. Even he himself was moved by his character’s strength and determination. To play such an integral character at such a young age is a rare feat for any child actor and he hopes to be able to do so again in future.

“I think the story of this film is important because there are tons of people who are still too shy to love another person of the same gender. I think these kinds of films help these people come forward. It is so important to respect people for who they are. Films have a big impact on people and they can influence generations,” told Gilbert.

Upon wrapping The Kiss, it made its way to several prestigious film festivals in Orlando, Los Angeles, Brazil, Cannes, Germany, Sweden, and many more. Gilbert, along with everyone else involved in the film, are excited to see where else The Kiss will go and how many more lives they can touch with this incredible story.

Film Editor, international Talent, Interviews & Features!, Reality TV, Television, videographer

Video Editor Emeric Le Bars Has Time on His Side

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Hollywood’s film community is populated by a host of specialized craftsmen and technicians, with many working behind the camera in unique, separate and distinct fields. These widely varying duties abound in the post-production stage of filmmaking and while many make limited contributions, others have a critical impact on a films audience. The editor is perhaps the single most significant of all post-production talent, with the ability to dictate the feel, pace and emotion of the finished product, and French-born video editor Emeric Le Bars is quickly proving himself as one of the best in the business.

While Le Bars has distinguished himself as an in-demand cutter with a solid reputation thanks to such as editing award winning features Lily’s Light and documentary Live Another Day, numerous episodes of TV series Say Hello, contributions to in-douse content for Smile TV and public television station PBS Socal, numerous freelance editing jobs and his own web series The French Touch. It’s a fast-growing body of work that ensures Le Bars status as a rising up and comer on a natural career path.

“As a youth, I was shooting a lot of small personal movies with friends and family,” Le Bars said. “And I started getting really good at video editing—the passion started there. Then when I went to college, I had classes and internships where I was doing a lot of video editing and camera work. I knew this was what I wanted to do in my life and moved from France to the United-States as soon as I graduated.”

Based in Hollywood, Le Bars keeps busy, thanks to his editing skills but has recently parlayed even more fascinating skill into a new facet of his career—time lapse photography, Time lapse, of course, is the sequential series of photos shot over a long period of time and compressed into a finished product that shows what was originally a gradual piece of action (a flower blooming, a dawn-to-dusk cityscape) at a dramatically accelerated pace. While the process sounds simple, it’s a discipline that requires comprehensive technical knowledge and painstaking attention to the camera’s mechanics to ensure a seamless final effect, and Le Bars is one of the best in the business.

“Time lapse photography is really a mix of photography and video editing,” Le Bars said. “That’s why I love it so much. I have a portfolio of more than 600 clips from all around the world. And time lapse has become a big part of my life—I now specialize in them, shooting for big companies like Skyspace LA, Google, Red Bull and, recently, on the Netflix original Real Rob.”

Le Bars’ previous work, and notable profile as a force to be reckoned with, made him a natural for the show (a charming fast paced series centered on comedian Rob Schneider’s day-to-day Hollywood life) which began to prominently feature his top quality time lapse.

“I had worked with Real Rob editor Darius Wilhere on The Hollywouldn’ts, a movie he directed,” Le Bars said. “He saw that I was also doing time lapse and asked me to edit a few for Real Rob. I wasn’t used to working on demand—usually I go out and shoot what I want, the way I want it. This time, I had to make sure I was doing what Rob Schneider wanted, make sure I am using the right interval for the subject, the right composition and the right shutter speed. The color correction is also very important as well because it has to be related to the subject is, Los Angeles, sunshine, palm trees.”

Characteristically, Le Bars nailed it: “Emeric is, without a doubt, in the top 1% of time lapse videographer-editors working in the world today,” Real Rob editor Darius S Wilhere said. “His work is gorgeous and the quality is evident to anyone who sees at it. It’s his attention to detail and his willingness to return to locations again and again until he has the exact right shot that communicates the beauty and power of a given location.”

“This level of work only comes from constant dedication to one’s craft for years and tens of thousands of hours. I applaud his diligence to the craft and look forward to working with him for many years to come. The director and producers were thrilled with his work and have asked me in advance to secure his services for season 3.”

“Rob Schneider and Netflix loved the shots,” Le Bars said. “My time lapse work ended up opening 8 episodes of season 2 and also as a few establishing shots in the episodes. It definitely is an amazing credit to have on my resume”

Having firmly established himself with a formidable catalog of professional achievements in just a few short years, the driven, ambitious Le Bars’ potential is unlimited.

“I have always been a big dreamer,” Le Bars said. “And every day I am thankful that I am where I always wanted to be, working in the field I always wanted to work in and that I am around so many creative people in the city of Angels. All of this helps me to create more and more content, to edit more and more time lapses and videos.

“Just follow your dreams in life. I know it’s easy to say, but if a young French man who came to the US with nothing and succeeds in the industry can do it, anyone can do it. Create a life that you will remember. Work hard for what matters to you, not to others.”

 

Reviews, Interviews & Features!

THE SWEET DREAMS OF RICARDO CAMPOS

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Artists suffer for their craft. For every self-important/self-indulgent creative type there are a thousand who are working in conditions that most of us would prefer to avoid. All of this is done for the sake of the creation of art. Cinematographer Ricardo Campos took this idea a bit too literally when working on the film “Sweet Dreams.” Because the story and the film’s cast and crew were so intriguing to him, he agreed to take on the DP position which was filmed in the North East of the US…overnight in the dead of Winter. A weekend shoot at the Beverly Hills Hotel this was not. While he admits that the experience was quite uncomfortable in terms of climate, the end product is what keeps him remembering more of the good than the bad. “Sweet Dreams” is dark and unsettling, which is an apt description of the physical sensation of making it.

The process of creating art can sometimes find itself positively correlated to the message it’s delivering. For a film such as “Sweet Dreams” this may not be a comfortable experience but channeling their emotions into their work is the positive manner by which artists deal with these occurrences. Like the postal service motto of old; neither rain, snow, freezing cold, or dark of night (all of which frequently occurred on this shoot) would deter Ricardo and the crew/cast of this film from their work. When the camera wasn’t rolling, it was quite common to find twenty or more people huddled together in a pop up tent with a heater. This energy and sense of desperation is palpable in the film. Eduardo Alcivar (director of “Sweet Dreams”) notes, “From the beginning of this project I knew it was going to be a difficult one to make but very rewarding. For starters, we began production on this show in the middle of winter in the North East which is as cold as it sounds. In addition to that, we were shooting overnight exteriors in the middle of the snowy woods so as you can imagine, things were a little more complicated than usual. I reached out to Ricky to shoot this project because he and I had been wanting to shoot a narrative piece together for a while and I thought that Sweet Dreams would be the perfect opportunity for that. He is a very driven professional. Once he understands what is needed there is no stopping him. He brought a high level of abilities and professionalism to the shoot that spoke to many of us.”

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The story of “Sweet Dreams” takes place over the course of one freezing night in the outskirts of New York. Two women, Carmen and Janie, are trying to discard a body. They are both call girls who work for a boss in the organ smuggling black market. Later that night when they find a suitable location and open the trunk to take the body out, they realize that the man inside is still alive. It becomes immediately clear to Janie that this man [Henry] and Carmen know each other and have been having a relationship. After a long argument in the snowy woods, and a message is sent to both of them by their boss with instructions to kill each other, both girls end up dead alongside Henry.

While everyone in the cast and crew had their hands full dealing with how the environmental conditions on set made them feel, Campos had to contend with how these factors affected what he was able to witness with the camera. Being aware of the possible outdoor conditions, Ricardo kept his lighting design decidedly simple but effective. A china ball on a boom was used as a floating key for the interiors. For the exteriors at the gas station scene, vapor lighting was used to match the practicals. Overall the lighting has a great deal of contrast and is punchy, as soft lighting would not be congruent with the feel of the film. Ricardo’s preference for natural organic imagery was the Alexa camera.

Fans clamored over this cutting and dark tale, which Campos confirms is always the goal. He concedes that he was quite happily surprised when the film was accepted to the 2017 Festival International de Cannes and was shown in the Short Film Corner. Cannes is perhaps the most prestigious festival on the planet and having your work accepted there communicates inclusion into a very noteworthy club. Ricardo states, “It was a huge honor to have the film show at the short film corner there. It was also amazing because it led to so much more work afterwards.”

Actor, Film, Reviews, Interviews & Features!

Michael Whalley steals the heart of ‘Jean’ and audiences in new film

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There is a camaraderie that comes from playing sports. Everyone has the same goal, they wear the uniform, they experience the same victories and failures as a team. For New Zealand’s Michael Whalley, he experiences that same solidarity from acting. He represents the team while still shining on his own. He works with that team spirit to achieve the best result possible. He loves to play, and considers acting a serious game, as each new project brings a new match and a different opponent. To use such a metaphor shows how much Whalley appreciates the intricacies of his craft, and this understanding translates to raw talent for this celebrated actor.

With an esteemed resume and unparalleled versatility, Whalley is an internationally in-demand actor. While working on many acclaimed films, such as the 2015 award-winning feature Psychoanalysis, he has shown the world what he is capable of. His work on Slow West, alongside Michael Fassbender and Ben Mendelsohn, received praise from audiences and critics, and this trend occurs with almost everything Whalley takes on.

“To think I could be paid for doing the very thing I wanted to do every day was such an incredible thought, so I sought to make that my reality,” said Whalley.

Earlier this year, one of Whalley’s newest films was once again a large success.  The actor played the leading character of Beverly Shepherd in the historical romance Jean. The film tells the story of Jean Batten, New Zealand’s greatest pilot, heroine, celebrity, and mystery. Beverly Shepherd is the romantic lead in the film. Beverly is a man with a strong moral backbone, a sense of fun for life and a determination to challenge for the things he wants in both affairs of his career and heart. Despite being the only son of wealthy Sydneysiders, he lacks the pretension of wealth. He can read people and knows instinctively if they are being untruthful. Independent and modern, he is attracted by Jean’s adventurous spirit and mystery. His greatest struggle is attempting to protect Jean from decisions that would put her in danger, only to have to accept that she isn’t someone who wants or needs protection. He knows he has to play a long game of love to not scare her away. Jean had lovers in her life, but Beverly is the one man who truly captures her heart. In the story, audiences see how headstrong Jean is with her life and career, and when Beverley sweeps in and shows her glimpses of recreation, fun and love, he innocently threatens her focus, creating Jean’s ultimate emotional conflict. Therefore, the filmmakers required a seasoned actor to play such a pivotal role in such an important story, and Whalley was the obvious choice, with the talent and passion to go with it.

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Michael Whalley and Kate Elliot in Jean, photo by Ginnie Loane

“Especially in the past few years, it has been of growing importance to remind ourselves of the power women had in shaping the world. Too many films are one-sided in their portrayal of male heroes, and Jean was a heroine that defied the constraints of a male-driven world. The film, the first about Jean Batten, is a piece of entertainment, education and inspiration for New Zealand and the world to see. I had known of Jean Batten in the past, but this was a chance to see behind the tabloids and popular public image into the life of such a mysterious firebrand,” Whalley described.

After premiering earlier this year, the film has seen vast critical success. At the Film Awards New York 2017, Jean won an unprecedented nine awards, including “Best TV Movie” and “Best Drama Special”. These are immensely prestigious honors, as New York Festivals recognize only the best content from over 50 countries around the world. In addition, the film was successful commercially, airing on TVNZ, which reaches over 2 million people and has recently been acquired by distributor Banijay International for the ROW market. Such success could not have been possible without Whalley’s portrayal of Beverly.

“He brought a charm, wit and strength to the character of Beverly Shepherd that we could only imagine.” said the Producer and Writer of the film, Donna Malane.

Taking part in this period piece was enticing for Whalley, and as an actor he is always looking for new challenges and experiences to refine his talent. This story is set in the thirties, and Whalley researched the decade extensively to ensure he would completely transport audiences. Parts of this process were more fun than others, such as driving around an open top 1930s Model A Ford, and getting to know about the planes they were working with, which by a happy coincidence, were taught to Whalley by an old friend of his grandfather, Dennis. However, some parts of the preparation process were more grueling. Whalley had to take on the language, manner of speech and the classic nature of the period drama, and work to make that all ring true for his mouth, body and mind to create a genuine portrayal. To do this, Whalley infused his character with the parts of himself that fit best, which he tries to do for every role he can. This helps create an authenticity that captivates audiences, and what the actor is so well-known for.

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Michael Whalley in Jean, photo by Ginnie Loane

Whalley says getting into the mindset of the time was made easier by the incredible costumes designed by Kirsty Cameron. As soon as he put on his gear, he felt clean, classic and upright. “Putting on my costume became a very important part of my morning ritual to get into Beverly’s shoes, literally,” he joked.

Improvisation also was a great tool for the actor when preparing for filming. During rehearsals with his co-star, Kate Elliott, they would have a series of improvisations around the scripted dialogue, which he says was a sure-fire way to find out what they knew or didn’t know about their characters and the world of the film. These exercises were helpful as the role of Beverly was a refreshing change for the actor, who often plays “punks and public nuisances”, and the character of Beverly is very dependable and ethical.

The actor also uses music frequently to prepare for roles. For Jean, Whalley made a playlist specific to what Beverly may have been listening to at the time, mixed with songs from Postmodern Jukebox to “get in the zone to play”, once again, similar to an athlete.

Undoubtedly, Jean is a must-see, and Whalley is enchanting in it, as he is so well-known to be. His passion for the story is evident, and his passion for what he does is even more so.

“This was a chance to act in an historical and important story in both New Zealand and International history. The true love of Jean Batten, at one point the world’s most famous and respected women. To play a character who had the charm, wit, intelligence and pilot skills to win the heart of the Lady that kept it locked away,” concluded Whalley.

 

Top photo by Ginnie Loane