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Film, international Talent, Interviews & Features!, Reviews, Interviews & Features!, Screenwriter, Women

Renowned Writer Camilla Sauer Talks Top Projects

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Camilla Sauer is one of Germany’s most successful head writers. Over the past 20 years of her career, she’s been accredited for her remarkable work on over a dozen different TV series, produced by some of the biggest German and European TV and Film production companies.

Getting her start as a creative writer at the young age of 19, Sauer proved early on that she was destined to spend her life creating and telling stories. Just three years after her first professional gig, she went from intern to full-time storyliner on Germany’s second highest rated TV series, Verbotene Liebe (Forbidden Love). With numerous awards won and over 4,5000 episodes aired, Verbotene Liebe circles around the lives of young men and women in Germany, their friends, and their families, and has become well known for its positive representation of LGBT characters and its presentation of controversial issues. The show is produced by UFA Serial Drama (Metropolis and The Blue Angel), one of Germany’s oldest and most distinguished entertainment brands

Sauer worked on Verbotene Liebe for two of its 20 seasons. From there, she climbed the ranks and earned what would be her first of many head writer titles for a season on the crime series Einsatz für Ellrich, of the award-winning production company, Constantin Entertainment.

“Two years later I started working for Alles Was Zählt, where I continued to work for three years,” Sauer said. “I was there from day one and was fortunate enough to be able to create this TV drama with some of the most talented writers. We were all so different, but each and every one of us was passionate about the show. We were encouraged to tell fresh, new, and compelling stories. We all put 100% of our effort into the stories – and it paid off.”

In February of 2008, while Sauer was the head writer on the show, Alles Was Zählt was awarded Blu Magazine’s Best National TV Format award for its portrayal of the relationship between two of its characters, Deniz and Roman. Additionally, Guido Reinhardt, Chief Creative Officer of UFA and producer of the groundbreaking series, provided Sauer with the opportunity to work as a creative producer together with the producer of the TV series Unter Uns, ultimately trusting her to relaunch this show and work with a different team of writers, with a different broadcast station in the process. “Camilla is truly a writer of extraordinary merit and ability,” Reinhardt recently commented of his professional colleague of over 10 years. “She possesses a talent that is rare, and it is her unique combination of talent and experience that has resulted in her becoming one of Germany’s most successful head writers.”

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Camilla Sauer

Having aired in 2006 to the present, Alles Was Zählt is one of the longest running TV dramas in Germany.

While it’s obvious that creative talent is a must-have when it comes to being a successful writer, one of Sauer’s greatest strengths that Reinhardt pointed out: life experience, along with empathy and a sense of structure, are also qualities that mustn’t be overlooked. Sauer is well versed when it comes to all of these, her expansive success as a head writer in the entertainment industry serving as proof. Expanding upon what she’s learned regarding the importance of these assets, Sauer explained, “It takes empathy to create characters and to be able to connect with how they feel and act. Not because you would do so, but because your character with his background, culture, and personality would do so. It takes some life experience because life gives you the best inspiration every day, everywhere. The best stories I’ve ever heard stem from real life experiences. Lastly, structure is needed to be able to take your story to the next level; To create a plot, a script, a scene. I know a lot of writers who are either very creative, but have issues with creating structure, and vice versa. If you have both – you are considered one of the lucky ones.”

In addition to head writer, Sauer has also worked diligently as a creative producer and story consultant on numerous distinguished projects broadcasted on some of the most established networks throughout Europe such as, Soko Familie, Herzflimmern, Unter Uns, the award winning Dahoam is Dahoam, and Lena – Liebe Meines Lebens, the latter which she first began working on a few years post her work on Alles Was Zählt.

“A story consultant in Germany is probably considered a creative producer, or a co-showrunner in the US. It’s someone who works closely with the producer and/or show runner. Together they create the story concept, characters, and the long running plots of the TV series,” Sauer said of her job title. “This particular work is not so much focused on the details like scenes or dialogue, but more so of the development of the whole concept of the TV series. The staff writers break our ideas down into episodes, scenes, and scripts.”

In 2010, Sauer was hired by the academy award winning production company, Wiedemann & Berg (The Lives of Others, WhoAmI, Welcome to Germany, and Dark), to create Lena – Liebe Meines Lebens with showrunner Günter Overman (Storm of Love, Verschollen, and Hinter Gittern – Der Frauenknast). The series title translates to Lena – Love of My Life in English, and is an adaptation of the Argentine series Don Juan y Su Bella Dama, created by Claudio Villarruel and Bernarda Llorente.

It was on Lena – Liebe meines Lebens where Sauer first worked with co-founder and CEO of Wiedemann & Berg, Quirin Berg. Berg, who thinks quite of the writer’s talents, shared, “I have had the pleasure of working with Camilla Sauer and can without a doubt certify that she is an exceptionally talented head writer, and furthermore, one of the best head writers in Germany. Camilla is extremely unique in many aspects. She is outstandingly creative, a very fast thinker, she has a wonderful ability to express her ideas clearly, create deep and three-dimensional characters, and eventually bring them to life. Additionally, she can immediately identify specific problems in a story and articulate a solution to them.”

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Camilla Sauer

Since 2012, Sauer has been staffed as the head writer for Germany’s hit series Schicksale – und plötzlich ist alles anders (Fate – and suddenly everything is different). Produced by Constantin Entertainment, the TV series has been running for eight years, consists of twelve seasons, and was recently picked up for another (1 year).

In Camilla’s words, the idea behind Schicksale – und plötzlich ist alles anders is that, “Things are not happening to you, they are happening for you. Even if it looks like something bad is happening to you, it just creates a new opportunity for us to learn, to grow, and to eventually make better decisions that lead to a better life. ‘Fate’ is about that one single moment, that ‘accident’ that might look like some random situation, that completely changes your life.”

While working on such a long running show for an extended period of time has its challenges, Sauer has demonstrated that she is an expert when it comes to contributing fresh and exciting stories to an ongoing series, and in doing so has played a pivotal role in the success of Schicksale – und plötzlich ist alles anders. Former CEO of Constantin Entertainment Christoph Knechtel raved of the head writer, “Camilla is truly a head writer of extraordinary merit and ability. I was fortunate enough to witness her extraordinary talent in screenwriting when she served as writer, head writer, and showrunner on numerous television series like K-11-Kommissare im Einsatz, Einsatz für Ellrich, Schicksale, In Gefahr, Im Namen Der Gerechtigkeit, and Soko Familie for huge networks such as Sat. 1, RTL, VOX, and more. Her demonstrated skill and unparalleled creativity on these and other projects have earned Camilla widespread recognition and international acclaim as one of German television’s leading writers.”

Presently, Sauer is in development with the German TV production companies, UFA Serial Drama, Constantin Entertainment, and Bastei Media, on a few pilots and television series while continuing to write for Schicksale – und plötzlich ist alles anders.

 

For more information on Camilla Sauer, please visit: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm4646044/?ref_=nv_sr_1
 

Article Written By: Ashley Bower

Cinematographers, Film, Reviews, Interviews & Features!

Saif Al-Sobaihi: A Cinematographer with an Eye for Story and Success

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Saif Al-Sobaihi
Cinematographer Saif Al-Sobaihi

Cinematographers are instrumental figures in the filmmaking process. In the past it was the actors, and occasionally their director, whose names were remembered by the public; but there is a growing list of creative cinematography auteurs who are are finally receiving their due praise for their contributions to the film industry.

Cinematographers need to possess the ability to blend technical practicality with specific artistry. They both employ and manipulate lighting, shot angles, close-ups, color and have to guide camera operators and gaffers to create moving pictures that present the visual story to an audience in such a way that goes beyond simply ‘looking impressive.’ Cinematographers create images that drive emotional responses from audiences and ensure a film takes a place in the cultural framework.

Saif Al-Sobaihi is one such example of a cinematographer whose crucial role in the construction of films like “El Circo” and “Pinwheel” has helped create striking visual sequences, and he’s built an excellent reputation amongst his peers as a consequence. Indeed, the foreign filmmaker received praise and an Emmy Southeast Award for his cinematography work with “El Circo,” while “Pinwheel” gave Saif an opportunity to showcase themes around true love.

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Film Poster for “El Circo”

When discussing “El Circo,” Saif recounts how it “was pitched to me by…the Salvadorian director Jose Pablo Ramirez. I really enjoyed reading the script and the values Pablo wanted to capture. It was certainly one of the most joyful sets I’ve worked on.”

“El Circo” director Jose Pablo Ramirez is a renowned filmmaker who’s also known for his work on “The Astronaut’s Son” which starred Megan Mazzoccone, who’s known for the TV series “The Buzz.”

“El Circo” concerns a circus clown, Charles, who invites three audience members on stage to assist him with his final act. Invoking the spirit of his predecessor, Charles tries to teach his audience a thing or two about one’s self, family and the power of laughter. Saif recounts how he used his expertise to showcase the character’s dual personalities – Charles, the good side, and Stupidus, the evil side.

An actor might do that with shifts in mannerisms, a costume designer might do that with different wardrobe pieces – but Saif discusses how he achieved this goal with “subtle changes in camera compositions.” He elaborates, “For Charles I chose angles that were predominantly eye level, and for Stupidus I chose to use slightly tighter shots. The emotional impact that I wanted to achieve with Charles is that his personality is still in the comfort zone of the audience.”

“For Stupidos, I chose to shoot some intimidating angles like I mentioned ‘in your face.’ I chose lower angles and close ups to ECU shots. Stupidos breaks the 4th wall in some of the shots and look straight into the viewer’s eyes. His personality is confusing and unclear, so I encouraged my focus puller to intentionally miss his focus marks on some of Stupidos shots. That way we were visually showing the audience that he is [abnormal] and doesn’t follow the rules.”

Such a detailed explanation proves Saif’s specific understanding of shot composition and his expert-level cinematographic skills being crucial to the development of the story in “El Circo.”

Saif’s expert level knowledge is also evident when discussing “Pinwheel” and how he shot the project. “We shot ‘Pinwheel’ with the Arri Alexa SXT (camera) [and] Cooke S4/i Primes (lenses)… There were a lot of camera and dolly movements; my camera operator Ryan Hance and the hardworking dolly grips were on the same page all of the time, and that made everything so much smoother.”

That project was directed by Francesca Crichton, well known for her project “Jamil Houston: Make it Last,” which starred Sebastian Condor (“When I was Younger”).

Saif’s down-to-earth attitude has clearly also been a crucial factor in developing his distinguished career. Unlike actors, who build their reputations through associating their face with big studios or other famous actors, a cinematographer like Saif has crafted his career through working with top-level companies like Sony, Viacom and PopSugar.

In addition, Saif also has enjoyed spending time on set with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Zac Efron while working on blockbuster films like “Baywatch” for Paramount Pictures.

All of these accomplishments are not surprising, but Saif is very humble about the strong start he had in the industry. These auspicious beginnings were obviously a sign of a distinguished career to come.  

“My first ‘real’ gig as a cinematographer was for the Swedish singer Peg Parnevik for her music video ‘We Are,’ which we shot in Florida. It was later picked up by Sony Music. I was nervous, of course, and wanted to meet so many expectations. My crew and I made some mistakes, but we learned from them and had so much fun shooting this project.”

 

Behind the Scenes, Film, international Talent, Reviews, Interviews & Features!

YUXIN BOON HEARS THE ART IN FILM

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Sound editor Yuxin Boon works in the film industry but when she is asked exactly what a sound editor does, she often explains that it’s like being in a band. Boon does have a background in music so this isn’t simple conjecture…she knows what she is speaking about. Yuxin describes, “The general public has a view that the only job of a sound editor job is dealing with sound effects. The truth is that editors are divided into different categories of sound, like dialogue, Foley, and ambience. A sound editor is not usually in charge of remaking all the sound the audience hears. Editors are assigned to one particular category of sound but also applying their work to the overall sonic image of the film. It’s like a band; every member has one instrument and task. They need to play their own instrument while also working cohesively as a team to make the music and deliver the emotional intention of the song.”

As a professional female sound editor focusing on dialogue and Foley editing in the film post-production industry, YuXin has created a career path in the industry that includes working with Oscar-Award winners (as she did in “Heavy Rain” with Bill W. Benton) that display nature’s fury, romance films (“Christmas in Mississippi” & “Enchanted Christmas”), Westerns, and a myriad of other genres. A sound editor is required to be creative as well as detailed, which are the characteristics which drew her to this work. While many vocations in the TV and film industry steer professionals towards a certain genre, it’s the absence of this aspect for sound editors which allows professionals like Boon to test themselves to apply their talents a wide variety of story types. While the application of abilities may differ, the means by which they are applied is often universal.

A sound editor must possess a discerning eye, well…perhaps ear is the appropriate body part in this particular scenario. Talent is a requirement and the application of these are a given but Boon believes that this is only a baseline for contributing to a production. One needs only to watch your favorite movie with the sound down to gain an immediate appreciation for the work of a sound editor. Even this simple example does not properly communicate the affect a sound editor has on the entertainment. The work of Boon and her peers involves layers upon layers of sound that weave together a sub-story that most of don’t ever fully appreciate. In Yuxin’s opinion, a good editor not only inspires the other professionals on the production team to perform at the next level but also carries the emotion to the audience for a better understanding. A good sound editor can offer intriguing soundscapes which the director is looking for as well as combining it with creative designs and techniques. Skill is an element that can be used to evaluate editors’ work, but it’s far from the only one. Creativity may be the most important trait a sound editor can bring to those they work with.

It’s likely that Boon’s unique perspective came from her path to sound editing. As a child of parents who were not musicians but great lovers of music, her parents took her to piano lessons and encouraged (but did not push) YuXin towards making music a part of her life. While she thought that her aim would be in the music world, Boon took a film class and discovered that her natural inclination towards detail and her finely tuned ear (thank you piano) made her highly adept at timing and sound editing/design. The process of mixing different elements to create completely new sounds, such as the dinosaurs’ roar in “Jurassic Park” fascinated her and stimulated her creatively. As Boon discovered that a sound editor is given the opportunity to work with aspects like dialogue, Foley, and other sonic presentations of a film, she became increasingly drawn to it. Trail blazers like Singapore’s Ai-Ling Lee (Oscar-Award Nominee for La La Land) continue to reinforce the idea that an Asian woman/professional has a place in the film industry of Hollywood.

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Any art form must grow. To achieve this requires individuals with fresh perspectives who understand and respect the process and individuals which created the template being used. Yuxin Boon has already created a community of peers and professionals who recognize this in her work and her view of her own application of her talent. The very fact that she sees her role in a manner that is simultaneously similar and differs from the traditional idea indicates the reasons why she has found herself so busy with an eclectic set of productions these days.

international Talent, Producer, Reviews, Interviews & Features!

From Narratives to Documentaries, Producer Assya Dimova Brings Powerful Stories to the Screen

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Producer Assya Dimova

Film is a remarkable medium. It can make us laugh, cry, scream, think, and occasionally all of the above. It offers weary audiences an escape from the tedium of the real world, and it gives them a glimpse of places they may never see otherwise. That’s exactly how producer Assya Dimova first fell in love with film, and ultimately with filmmaking.

As a producer, Dimova is essentially a project’s chief architect. It’s her responsibility to guide the entire process, from finding talent to organizing the countless moving parts that make up every production. But having spent nearly her entire life producing films, plays and events, Dimova is a master of putting on a show.

Born in Tokyo, Japan and raised in Sofia, Bulgaria, Dimova has worked in nearby Italy and Germany for much of her professional career. The rich culture and artistic traditions of Europe have greatly influenced her work. Her upcoming film “Our Blood Is Wine” is a tribute to one of the continent’s most under appreciated contributions.

“It focuses on Georgia’s fascinating history of winemaking, past and present,” Dimova explained. “Director Emily Railsback and award-winning sommelier Jeremy Quinn provide intimate access to rural family life in the Republic of Georgia as they explore the rebirth of 8,000-year-old winemaking traditions almost lost during the period of Soviet rule.”

Dimova served as a line producer on the film, which is slated for release in 2018. In her position she was responsible for overseeing the planning of the film and ensuring the day-to-day production went according to plan and stayed within the budget. It’s a difficult job in any production, but the challenges are even more pronounced on a feature-length documentary like “Our Blood Is Wine.”

Traditional filmmaking is an indescribably intense process, and there are certainly benefits and drawbacks from working with tightly-controlled sets, schedules, and scripted dialogue. Documentaries, by their very definition, offer filmmakers none of that control. It was up to Dimova to plan for and provide everything director Emily Railsback needed to tell the story, with no telling what that story would ultimately be.

Because of her, “Our Blood Is Wine” grew into a beautiful story about an ancient art form in an ancient place, and about the families that still live on the same land and in the same pastoral way as their ancestors did thousands of years ago. When the film is released in 2018, audiences will be able to see for themselves how the prehistoric craft of winemaking in Georgia is still thriving there today.

Prior to her work on the documentary, Dimova was the producer of the 2015 drama “Stygian.” The film is the tragic tale of a dying man who spends his last hours of life haunted by his mistakes.

“‘Stygian’ is a Western following the trek of an old gunman across a barren desert. Injured by a fall from his horse and suffering from dehydration and illness from an infection, his time is running out,” Dimova said, painting an image of hopeless desperation that the film captures brilliantly. “The central themes of sin, guilt and atonement make for a powerful and thought-provoking story.”

“Stygian” immediately won audiences over with its distinct blend of minimalist qualities and emphasis on visual storytelling. It was showered with critical acclaim and was named an Official Selection at five film festivals, including the 2015 Santa Fe International Film Festival and the 2016 Wild Bunch Film Festival.

Film has always been a major influence for Dimova, but her work as a producer isn’t limited to the screen. Some of her most impressive work has been as a curator of events, including the prestigious Leiden International Film Festival and the Hollywood Film Festival. As a curator, Dimova watches the films submitted by potential festival entrants and works to decide which ones the festival will screen. Her experience as a producer is invaluable to her curatorial work, which demands a fastidious and analytical approach that she’s honed through producing her own films.

“As a producer, one must have a wide range of taste and ability to spot up-and-coming talent. With my international experience and background I’m able to critique submissions for both their production and creative value,” Dimova said. “As in my personal producing career, I always go for story first and how captivating, original and authentic it is. I always look for something fresh that surprises me.”

Assya Dimova has built her career around her ability to examine every project not just from the perspective of a producer, but through the eyes of the audience. Her love of film inspired her to seek out and empower filmmakers with new stories to tell; and by giving them the platform and means to create and share their work, Dimova herself has continued the work of inspiring future filmmakers in audiences around the world.

Producer, Reviews, Interviews & Features!

Producer Yayun Hsu talks new film ‘Next Door’

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Taiwan’s Yayun Hsu sees her role as a producer similar to that of a magician; she is often required to make things appear out of nowhere, with the end goal of enthralling audiences and providing a temporary escape, and a source of entertainment. With each new project, this revered producer analyzes what she can do with the resources she has, looking to see how to make things happen no matter the budget. Whenever she wraps a project, she reviews what steps were taken to ensure everything is the best it can possibly be. Despite constant success, she always feels a slight sense of surprise and delight by such good results, giving her the positive power to make more movies and tell better stories, and audiences around the world are thankful for such a commitment to her craft.

Throughout her esteemed career, Hsu has worked on many films and various projects that exemplify what she is capable of. This year alone, Hsu worked on a series of successful endeavors. She created a video for the Westfield Century City Mall Grand Opening Event, made a national commercial for the Whisk Wiper, produced the inaugural American Influencer Awards, and worked on several successful films.

“I give myself the rule of ‘practice what you preach.’ For example, if I expect my actors and crew to be to set on time, then I need to be there even earlier; if I hold a vendor responsible for delivering a quality product, then I need to make sure I’m delivering the same quality both in my word and work ethic. I find this strategy pays off for everyone involved,” said Hsu.

This strategy has indeed paid off for Hsu’s most recent film, Next Door. It is a horror film that conveys the message to not always trust what you see. Next Door follows Lily and Earl, who have just moved into a new home and become Morgan’s neighbor. Lily makes Morgan think her father, Earl, is an abuser, but it turns out Lily has dark secrets of her own The script is what caught Hsu’s interest in the film, and she knows the importance of a good story.

“A good storyline and a plot twist will always make a film memorable. Leaving a lasting impression on an audience is of course the ultimate goal of a filmmaker. I prefer thought provoking storylines and I hope that this one inspires change after viewing,” she said. 

The film had its premiere at the Asian World Film Festival at the beginning of November, and impressed both audiences and critics. It is expected to make its way to several other film festivals over the next year.

“It was amazing to see all the footage we made come together into a real film. It feels nice that it is now doing well at festivals. Receiving recognition from the professional filmmakers is a compliment especially from people I admire. We worked hard on this project for almost half a year, so to see it on the big screen was definitely is a pleasure,” said Hsu.

In her role as Unit Production Manager on Next Door, Hsu was involved in casting, location scouting, applying for permits, arranging catering, controlling the budget, and working on set to solve unexpected problems. In one instance, the Director of Photography realized he forgot to rent camera batteries for the shoot. Hsu knew exactly who to contact at the last minute to help the shoot continue without delay. Additionally, before Hsu joined to the team, the director already had completed casting, but he couldn’t get the right actors for the performance. Hsu then was invited to take part in the casting process, and she posted casting information on different platforms, which led to the right actors being cast for the film. There is no doubt that the film would not have achieved what it already has without her extraordinary talents.

“Yayun is very well-rounded and able to help out the team in numerous different roles. As a producer, Yayun has a strong leadership ability to solve problems. As a partner, she is dependable and reliable when I need support. As a worker, she always does her best to find the best solutions in a time efficient manner. These are all very desirable qualities in a team member. Yayun gives every working partner a relaxed and happy environment, while also supervising the filming process. We have worked on many projects, and I foresee Yayun’s support as an advantage for any team she is on in the film industry,” said Mimi Masters, Producer of Next Door and CEO of IMC Production.

Masters specifically sought out Hsu to work as her partner, as she was working on several films at the same time, and she knew she needed someone like Hsu as an on-set producer to make Next Door a success. Hsu’s commitment to every project she works on was invaluable to not only Masters, but everyone she worked with.

Despite working on many acclaimed films, Hsu had never before produced a horror film. She says it was an adventure everyday on set. They planned many things ahead, but the plans could never keep up with the changes, which is where her ability to work under pressure and problem solve proved vital. After a long 12 hour a day on set, the cast and crew’s energy began to dip, and a happy crew is of course a first priority for Hsu. It was 7 p.m., and she knew the next break wasn’t until 1 a.m. Most of the restaurants were closed by then, and she thought, “How am I going to feed my crew?” Putting her strategic thinking abilities to use, Hsu contacted the catering person she worked with earlier that day, and they made a special hot and fresh meal at midnight and delivered it to set.

“A story about food may not seem too exciting, but I learned that as a producer, the key to any projects success begins with resourcefulness and a full stomach,” she said.

Be sure to check out Next Door and keep an eye out for Producer Yayun Hsu’s future work. It is evident with everything she does that she is a “magician” when it comes to filmmaking.

Chinese Filmmaker, Film, Reviews, Interviews & Features!

Lili Huang casts an honest lens on the life of “Xixi” in award-winning documentary

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Alfred Hitchcock once said, “To make a great film, you need three things: a great script, a great script, and a great script.” For award-winning screenwriter and producer, Lili Huang, these words resonate deeply. If her career has taught her anything, in fact, it is that a well-written script is absolutely essential to the success of a film. For this reason, Huang pours her heart and soul into ensuring that when she writes a script, she fine-tunes each and every detail to perfection, regardless of its size. This dedication to scriptwriting, coupled with her business acumen and knowledge of film production, make her a rarity in the entertainment business and an asset to any project she works on.

“For me, screenwriting is about using my writing skills to take a simple idea and turn it into a gripping story for an audience. I enjoy the entire creative process of writing, from developing each character, to building the structure, planting every small or large detail, and ultimately, of course, presenting a final story that people will eventually fall in love with,” told Huang.

When Huang looks back on her career, however, she recognizes that originally, her passion for screenwriting and producing were not as clear cut as most. On the contrary, they have slowly and progressively built over the course of the last decade and as she continues to explore the film industry, her love for the two professions only grows stronger. To date, Huang has written upward of thirty film and web series scripts and makes no plans to stop any time soon. In addition, she has received a number of prestigious awards for her unique set of skills and techniques. For instance, in 2011, Huang tested her abilities as a screenwriter, director, producer, and editor when she created her film, The Flower of the Future, and earned herself a nomination for Best Screenplay at the Golden Panda Awards in China. For another of her films, Mei Mei, Huang won Best Film at the Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Film Festival, earned herself an Official Selection at the IndieFest USA International Film Festival, and more.

To little surprise, Huang is used to receiving a substantial amount of praise for her work from her peers and fellow film-lovers. For instance, well-known Chinese director, Xuehua Hu, acted as both a mentor and colleague to Huang over the years, considers her to be an asset in the industry. When asked about what makes Huang so good at her job, Hu had the following to say:

“Lili Huang has a rare professional dedication and passion for filmmaking. Throughout her career, she has gained a comprehensive understanding of the filmmaking industry, especially as it pertains to the differences between filmmaking in China and in other parts of the world. I can say confidently that she is an invaluable, professional filmmaker.”

After years of developing her skills in the genre of drama, Huang felt that she was ready to branch out of her comfort zone and explore the realm of creating a documentary-style film. Given that documentaries interest her greatly, Huang was confident that this was an area of filmmaking through which her talents could prosper. In 2012, she felt compelled to tell the story of Xixi, a girl who was born in China, immigrated to the United States as a child, and moved back to Shanghai, China, as a young adult. Huang spent the next eight months gathering raw footage of Xixi’s daily life, endeavoring to capture every moment of happiness, hardships, romance, friendship, and more. Ultimately, Huang wanted to shed a light on the Xixi’s unique life circumstances and allow audiences to draw their own conclusions about the intricacies of Xixi’s cultural transitions.

“I wanted to show my audience what her daily life is really like. For her, having had just moved back from the United States to China, she was definitely experiencing life in a very different way than local Chinese people were. I wanted to share her point of view on her new life in Shanghai, on how she was adopting new customs, etc. I also wanted to audience to draw their own conclusions after watching the film,” she said.

Once she had concluded her filming process, Huang edited her footage and eventually, in 2013, Xixi premiered at the Golden Panda Film Festival in China. Later, at that same festival, she received a nomination for Best Director of a Documentary Film, and was overwhelmed with pride. Director Haiying Wu, who acted as an advisor for the project, offered a great deal of praise for Huang and had only positive things to say about the film. Xixi, in conjunction with Huang’s other achievements in her field, have proven that there are very few limits to what she can achieve when she sets her mind to it and fortunately, she intends to continue dedicating her efforts to telling meaningful stories and continuing to help contribute the art of film for years to come.

Featured Actress, Model, Reviews, Interviews & Features!

One to watch: Russia’s Yana GoodDay

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Yana GoodDay

Entertainment comes in many different shapes, sizes, and forms. For instance, actors entertain by temporarily transforming themselves to fit the mold of a specific character description and adopting all of the various mannerisms, personality traits, and quirks that go along with it. In contrast, models entertain by serving as a visual aid for individuals creating works of art, taking photographs, or advertising commercial products. Regardless of how an artist chooses to appeal to their audience and entertain their supporters, it requires an unprecedented amount of hard work, dedication, and perseverance. For Russian model, actress, and television host, Yana GoodDay, it is a commitment to fulfilling a childhood dream and beyond that, entertaining is a career that she wouldn’t trade for the world.

Despite the grueling nature of the modeling industry, GoodDay has managed to rise above her competition and has earned herself work representing a number of prestigious, world-renowned companies such as Huggies, Citroen, KRKA, and more. In 2007, GoodDay began working with one of Europe’s largest lingerie and swimwear manufacturers, Naturana. In fact, she has often been credited with helping enhance Naturana’s signature brand and has been instrumental to their growing customer base over the years.

“After representing Naturana in both print and runway formats, Yana was enlisted to become a spokesperson after each show, where she once again impressed everyone with her sensational gift to push the boundaries of the Naturana line. She has been absolutely critical to a massive increase in sales for Naturana, as well as stirring up even more appeal for the brand across the world. It has truly been one of the main highlights of my career to be in her presence. She is an extraordinary model and I have enjoyed seeing her career skyrocket over the years,” Renata Kowolik, Sales Manager, Naturana.

In addition to her modeling career, GoodDay has worked as a television and radio anchor, reporter, and journalist for media network gurus such as MTV, Channel One Russia, NTV Channel, Russian Radio, and several others. When she sets her heart on a job, she will stop at nothing to secure it and her unparalleled talents, coupled with her feverish passion for entertainment, have helped her build an unbeatable reputation in her industry.

One area of her career that GoodDay takes particular pride in, however, is in her ability to act. Over the years, she has acted in films, television series, as well as commercials. In fact, three years ago, GoodDay began working for a production company called Kino Atelye and in her work with this company, she has earned herself roles acting in several of their productions, such as The Detectives and The Track. Prior to working with Kino Atelye, the largest focus of GoodDay’s career had been on her opportunities to model and host television programs. For this reason, she was thrilled by the prospect of refining her acting skill set and expanding her reach in the acting world. Unlike modeling and television hosting, GoodDay is particularly motivated by the idea that, as an actress, she can assume the lives of unfamiliar individuals and experience new worlds through the characters that she plays.

“I make an effort not just to act, but to really live my character. I want to understand how I might react in their shoes or how I might interact with them if I were to meet them in real life. In addition, I think that extracting elements of your real-life experiences helps enhance your characters but I also appreciate the guidance of a director on set,” said GoodDay.

In 2015, GoodDay landed herself a prominent role in Kino Atelye’s production, The Sled, which tells the story of a new governmental body, FES, created to solve X files and high crime cases. Launched as an experiment, FES trains young professionals to solve crimes, and assists other special organizations to do so. For her role in the series, GoodDay had the opportunity to engage in uniquely intricate scenes involving lots of action and exercise. In one particular scene, her character enters into a physical altercation, for which GoodDay had to act a very rough scene. In reality, she enjoyed all of the action inherent within the scene and considered it to be a very good workout. She embraced every chance she had to let her natural acting instincts guide her through the scene and considers recalls working on The Sled as being one of the many highlights of her career.

In the case of The Sled, GoodDay’s character was pivotal to the storyline but incidentally, GoodDay became instrumental to the cast. The show’s casting director was looking for an actress who could convincingly portray herself as an almost angelic, innocent looking character whilst disguising a twisted, cold-blooded killer within. When it came time to cast this part, he was adamant that GoodDay play the part. In fact, he was so certain that she was the ideal candidate for the job that he did not look elsewhere for comparison. He knew that GoodDay had the skills and the expertise to master the dynamic elements of this character and he was ecstatic to see that his instincts served him well. For GoodDay, on the other hand, the joy of working on this series came with the onset relationships she built and the opportunity to explore every great length of both the script and the visual effects department.

Working with Kino Atelye served as an invaluable opportunity for GoodDay to develop herself both personally and professionally. For the talented entertainer, getting to work with like-minded individuals and receiving praise from others in the entertainment industry is extremely humbling. Stay tuned to see what this versatile, talented entertainer has in store for you next!

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Charlotte Chimes On Acting Real: Playing Real-Life Characters

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Charlotte Chimes has always believed that the best acting performances are those which are ‘real.’ Others might choose the words ‘truthful’ or ‘believable’ for the same effect, but whichever term is used, it’s clear that Charlotte has carved quite the niche for herself as a leading Australian actress regularly called to play real-life people in gripping dramas.

Such is the impressive significance of her reputation in Australia, Charlotte played the key role of Katrina in the acclaimed Channel Nine movie, “Schapelle.” Directed by award-winning “Better Man” filmmaker Khoa Do, “Schapelle” tells the story of Australia’s most notorious and high-profile convicted drug smugglers in the nation’s history. Schapelle Corby spent nine years in an Indonesian jail cell, and maintained her innocence that she did not plant marijuana found in her bodyboard bag by Indonesian airport security. The case drew international headlines and remains as one of Australia’s most well-known real-life stories, and was therefore the country’s most highly-anticipated television event when it aired, drawing millions in viewers.

Any actor who would be involved in the narrative production documenting Schapelle’s story could easily therefore be called successful, because the story is so well-known; the fact that Charlotte Chimes played a key role “Schapelle” therefore puts her in the top echelon of Australian actors.

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Charlotte, with director Ben Mathews, on the red carpet for the prestigious Sydney Film Festival last year.

Co-star Krew Boylan, well-known for her roles in Logie-winning series “Molly” and international favourite “A Place to Call Home,” speaks very highly of Charlotte. “I had the pleasure of working with Charlotte [on SCHAPELLE]. Charlotte is a gifted actress…I highly recommend her skills, dedication, craft and talent for any work both in Australia and abroad.” Boylan, who is also one of the founders of the Dollhouse Production company alongside Golden-Globe nominated star Rose Byrne, played Schapelle herself. “Krew was lovely to work with,” Charlotte explains. “We had a great time exploring the story from all different angles.”

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“Schapelle” was a highly-anticipated movie on Australia’s #1 network, Channel Nine.

In addition to her work in “Schapelle,” Charlotte is also well-known for her role as Anya Habschied in “Catching Milat.” Charlotte explains her character well. “Anja Habschied was one of Ivan Milat’s seven victims  –  it was so important that all of his victim’s stories were told in this mini -series…to honour them.” The mini-series was especially important in the Australian film industry because it was directed by Peter Andrikidis, Australia’s most prolific television director also responsible for helming the award-winning ABC series “Janet King” and the feature film “Alex and Eve” with “Chasing Life” star Richard Brancatisano.  

In another strong reflection of her truly unique talent and incredible accomplishments, Charlotte featured as Erin Everett in the successful series “Deadly Women.” Her performance was therefore available to 300 million Netflix subscribers all over the world who watch the popular program. For her role in the chapter titled “Green Eyed Monsters,” Charlotte explains the importance she placed on bringing truth and giving justice to the real-life story of her character. “Female murderers are rarer than male murderers and often become quite famous for their crimes, as the media sensationalises them. It was important to portray her not simply as a one dimensional monster but a three dimensional heart-broken woman who made some very grave choices.”

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Charlotte in a gripping scene from an episode of “Deadly Women.”

Charlotte, who has also given critical turns in film “Loco” (with “Neighbours” star Taylor Glockner) and TV series “The Verge” (with “Twilight: Eclipse” actor Matt Deane), warmly expresses her gratitude when it comes to her career success.

“At the end of the day, I feel very lucky that I’ve been able to give voice to such interesting and complex, real-life characters.”

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Introducing Josué Catalán: The Sound Engineer You Should Know About

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The music industry is comprised of driven professionals who are fueled by a love and passion for their work. More often than not, the initial spark of inspiration is ignited by one or more successful precursors and blossoms over time with rigorous practice and determination. For the emerging Chilean sound engineer Josué Catalán, his musical brilliance was firstly motivated by his love for music as a whole, combined with a childhood spent listening to Pink Floyd, U2, and The Beatles. No matter his age, music has always existed as a part of Catalán’s life in a very deep way, and it’s now a craft he’s proved himself to be quite gifted at both mixing and mastering in very significant ways.

Born and raised for the majority of his life in Chile, the start of Catalán’s career as an engineer began in early 2011 during his studies at Duoc UC in Santiago, Chile. In addition to a rigorous course schedule, Catalán was part of a live sound company where he engineered live concerts, recorded his first album from rock/blues band Trio-b in 2012, and soon after achieved his first big success after working with folk band ZOI.

“We produced ZOI’s first album together,” said Esteban Pavez of ZOI. “We recorded the complete band live at the studio and did the overdubs at Josué’s house, where it was mixed and mastered. His sharp ear allows the sound details to be worked with delicacy. Undoubtedly, his work of mixing and mastering is of very good quality and, in my opinion, his hearing and emotional sensitivity allows him to have a better connection with the musician and his music.”

When it comes to the details of his job, Catalán is responsible for taking care of capturing and further processing all of the elements and instruments that compose a song and crafting a final phonographic product from them that can be delivered to the public. Expanding upon this, Catalán explained, “When the artist and the music producer have a song ready, my job is to record it the best way possible, depending on the music genre and the song’s instrumentation. Then I mix the song, a process that consists of putting all of the instruments and vocal takes together in a perfect balance, ultimately creating the experience of listening to a whole band and arrangement in any type of playable format.”

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Josué Catalán recording drums at Studio Master

Of course, acquiring the knowledge necessary to create the musical pieces of virtuosity that Catalán has requires dedication, repetitive practice as well as some experimentation, and mentorship. In 2014, he received just the latter upon becoming sound engineer and music producer Barry Sage’s (The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, and New Order) assistant at Studio Master. Sage was the very first to introduce Catalán to the world of professional studio and record production. The following year, he had the riveting opportunity to learn firsthand from music producer Joe Chiccarelli (U2, Frank Zappa, Alanis Morissette, and Jason Mraz) at an exclusive master class in Chile.

Aside from learning from some of the most monumental names in the music industry, post Catalán’s 2015 graduation from Duoc UC where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sound Engineering in addition to the award for academic excellence in his studies, he began engineering for a vast variety of them.

While Studio Master was the launching place of Catalán’s professional career, it was only the start of his renowned success. For nearly two years, Catalán worked as the studio chief sound engineer at Studio Factoria where the hit, soul-pop single Son Con Soul was completely mixed and mastered by Josué himself. Son Con Soul was awarded at the 2016 Fox Music USA Awards for best pop ballad and has been aired by some of the biggest radio stations of the country.

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Josué Catalán on the console at Studio Factoria

The Fox Music USA Awards are held annually and are dedicated to promoting the music of Latin creators worldwide. Both established and emerging artists are eligible in the competition, ultimately providing the possibility of opening new doors for all.

“The Fox Music USA Awards stems from their organization (Fox Music USA) which holds the vision to promote Latin culture and create a community that supports Latin talents worldwide. It started back in 2004 (the awards in 2010), and since there are not a lot of international contests apart from the Grammy’s and Latin Grammy’s, to have worked on a song that was awarded among some of the best exponents in the Latin world is a big credit,” Catalán shared.

When one makes music, not only is winning a highly prestigious award such as a Fox Music USA Award a big credit; receiving recognition via being played by a handful of the most popular radio stations serves as testimony to a musician’s talents, too. The majority of artists create with the hope that their products will one day reach vast audiences, but not all do. Josué Catalán’s work, on the other hand, is one of the exceptions.

Most of the singles and albums Catalán has worked on has reached listeners through cable TV, Spotify, live radio shows, and/or online and FM radio stations, to name a few. When asked what hearing one of the songs he worked on through one of these mediums for the very first time, Catalán reacted by saying, “To me, hearing my work on the radio or television feels like success because the goal is to deliver the experience and the message of the song to the biggest number of people you can. Knowing that my work is being heard gives me a combination of feelings. It makes me feel prideful, but such exposure is also very adrenaline-inducing.”

It is because of these intense emotions that Catalán values his senses of humility and professionalism when it comes to his work. It takes a lot more than just talent to create the overall success of a project, including fighting against one’s own ego in the way that, “You don’t let your own thoughts and emotional attachments interfere with the song and the potential it has,” Catalán explained. Even past colleagues would agree that these are some of Catalán’s strengths, and contribute to what makes him so good at what he does.

Folk/Rock musician Fepe Aguirre, who’s 2015 album Somos De Tierra was recorded, produced, mixed, and mastered by Catalán, praise the sound engineer’s demeanor, work ethic, and talents enough. “Working together with Josué is knowing that the result has an assured quality. He is open-minded and is clear with his opinions and knows exactly what he is looking for. There are many elements that make up his professionalism: his dedication, constant study, and the way he’s always acknowledging new music. As for his personality, he is very capable of facing great challenges without intimidation, and he has great will and great strength. This has led him to meet great personalities in the music industry and become the engineer he is now.”

These few examples above only touch upon the notable resume of professional experience Catalán has achieved in his career as a sound engineer thus far, and is a testament to how exceptionally far he will go.

Currently, Catalán is working on a couple of singles from Chilean blues artist Jano Letelier, various pop ballads from singer Dani Ilabel that are set to go straight to national television grid, and a pop single from singer Hueso Carrizo.

 

For more information on Josué Catalán, please visit: www.josuecatalan.com

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An Exclusive Discussion of Award Winning Actor Christopher Capito’s Best Work

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To be an actor is to be an expressive, fearless storyteller; Christopher Capito has been one of these since he was seven years old. Over the past fourteen years, it is a job he has fully embodied.

Originally from Quito, Ecuador, Capito initially got his start in a theater troupe before making the transition into film. Since then, his work has been viewed by a wide range of audiences and has been nominated for and won numerous awards at a variety of film festivals.

In the 2017 short film Rotten Grapes, directed by Marc-Ivan O’Gorman (The Black Magic, A Kiss and a Click, and Blood Coloured Moon), Capito plays Andres De La Vega, a grandchild of a Latino woman who is recently deceased. “The film won more than two festivals, and I won the award of best ensemble with the rest of the main cast,” Capito stated.

Rotten Grapes is a sitcom that follows the De La Vega family after the loss of their beloved grandmother. With the promise of leaving the entire fortune to only one of her grandchildren – the one who holds the most family values – the story delves deeper into the lives of each grandchild, revealing their individual troubles along the way.

The cast was lead under the guidance of experienced acting coach Michael Aspinwall, who’s known for his acting work as Dr. Shelby in the 2012-2013 TV series WWE Raw, and has also worked for companies such as Titan Sports Productions, USA Network, and World Wrestling Entertainment. Given the film’s comedic tone combined with Capito’s prior experience in both short and long form improv, the pair worked well together in training. Expanding upon this, Aspinwall said, “While the other actors had trouble bringing the characters alive, Capito didn’t have to make any effort. He has a natural timing for comedy, and that’s something you can’t learn. Capito was born with that.”

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Actor Christopher Capito

Also in 2017, Capito co-wrote and starred in the three-time award winning short film Milk Fang. “In Milk Fang, I played the main character named Andrew. The project is about a young vampire who lives in a conservative vampire family. In this world of vampires, there are two types: blood drinkers (who represent the societal norm), and the milker (who are vampires who drink milk instead of blood, and are an analogy to gay people),” Capito explained. “In the story, the young vampire Andrew comes out of the coffin with his parents, and has to face the prejudice of the rest of the vampire society.”

Ultimately exemplifying its success, Milk Fang was awarded with the titles of Best Screenplay, Best LGBTQ Film, and Best Sci-Fi Short Film at three different film festivals. It was directed by Nicholas Joseph Cunha (Red Souls, Outdated, and Daisy) and written in a collaborative effort. Two-time Daytime Emmy Award winner and Primetime Emmy Nominee George McGrath (Pee-Wee’s Playhouse, On the Television, and Tracey Takes On), who also worked as one of the three writers of the film, speaks highly of his writing partner and actor Capito, affirming, “Christopher has a special talent when it comes to writing and acting out real, human stories. He also has the ability to play multiple races, such as Latino, Italian, and Iberian, as well as a wide age range of 13 to 20 years old.”

Aside from his natural talent, this criterion played a crucial role in casting Capito as the main “Chambelan” named Santiago in one of his first U.S. based short films back in 2016, Terintañera. The story of Terintañera revolves around the Quinceañera party, a celebration that is a vital part of Capito’s culture. The film was based in Los Angeles, ultimately showing how the Latin culture is a growing minority. Additionally, the role of Sebastian provided Capito with the perfect opportunity to show his ability to connect with both the American and the Latin cultures.

Elaborating on this, Capito said, “For me, playing Santiago was an amazing experience. Not only was I challenged as an actor with having to revert back to thinking as a younger version of myself in order to pull inspiration from my Latin roots via experiences from a much earlier age, but I was also given the chance to rediscover my culture and ultimately revel in the nostalgia of growing up in it.”

 

For more information on Christopher Capito, please visit: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm7462667/?ref_=tt_ov_wr