There are not much more of them on the streets, masters of puppets. Sometimes on Sundays one can see them in front of Sacre-Coeur or in Jardin de Luxembourg making the shows for the children but on the streets, nope. This guy is one of the last ones, one can see him quite a lot all around Paris and he seems like really enjoying in what he is doing. And the music is always good also:)
J.J.B.
Friday, 30 March 2007
Thursday, 29 March 2007
About
tracking shot I want to speak today. On Sunday I took the train to reach the shooting location. Driving with the metros all the time I almost forgot how beautiful is to travel with the train and to look outside the window. It's just a loooooooong tracking shot. Ok, it's not exactly 1:1,85, even less a wide screen, but still: moving images par exellence. And then, the real beauty comes out when you start to combine those shots with other camera movements. I guess, sans precedent was Orson Welles' opening shot in Touch of Evil, over a 4 min long shot in which the frame heights are changing all the time and we travel through the whole city, through many different atmospheres, hundreds of extras and at the end, still in the same shot, we even change the country. Although Hitchcock shot Rope in 1948 (the whole film in 9 shots), it's impossible to compare those shots with Touch of Evil in a way of richness of the mise-en-scene. Robert Altman's opening scene in Player is a great hommage to Orson Welles and I like it a lot. As I also like the opening scene of Kusturica's film Time of the Gypsies where (I'm just speculating) they did a good job together with director of photography Vilko Filac. After all, I'm not a great lover of Sokurov's Russian Ark, because he had to help himself with a kind of narrator, and for me, it was a bit of just showing the muscles. I got the same feeling with Haneke's Code inconnu.
Anyhow, I shot quite some of my films by myself and, especially in my student's years, I did some camera work for the other directors also. Here is a shot I did in a short film by Shailesh Macwan and there is some motivated camera movement. The idea was to have steady shot at the begining (we shot with Aaton A-Minima S16 mm camera so it wasn't really steady :)) and when the actor approaches we start with dolly and it finishes with hendheld when the fight starts. I was assistant director on Slovenian film Headnoise directed by Andrej Kosak, where director of photography Dusan Joksimovic had done something similar and I just wanted to try it by my self.
J.J.B.
Anyhow, I shot quite some of my films by myself and, especially in my student's years, I did some camera work for the other directors also. Here is a shot I did in a short film by Shailesh Macwan and there is some motivated camera movement. The idea was to have steady shot at the begining (we shot with Aaton A-Minima S16 mm camera so it wasn't really steady :)) and when the actor approaches we start with dolly and it finishes with hendheld when the fight starts. I was assistant director on Slovenian film Headnoise directed by Andrej Kosak, where director of photography Dusan Joksimovic had done something similar and I just wanted to try it by my self.
J.J.B.
Tuesday, 27 March 2007
Undisclosed
On Sunday we finished another student's shoot. It was the 2nd term awarded script by Adriana Calvo. The film was shot on S16 mm and the shoot was very well organised. Most of the days we were at Epinay-sur-Seine, 20 or something kilometers out of Paris.
Undisclosed
J.J.B.
Undisclosed
J.J.B.
Friday, 23 March 2007
Lady Svit
Two months ago I was speaking with a young distributer from Paris. He asked me: "What do you prefer to work on, fiction or documentaries?". My answer was: "I like to do documentaries while I'm preparing fiction." At the moment, I'm very slowly working on the new idea for my new feature (about that maybe some other time). And of course, I'm doing a documentary. It's acctualy a portrait of Slovenian writer Brina Svit. She has lived in Paris since 80's, at the time she was writing books in Slovenian language, and then, few years ago she changed the language and now she writes in French (last two books and the third is coming). That's quite a big step for a writer and some of the difficulties of writing she described in her book Moreno. Interesting thing language wise is that her last book Un coeur de trop has, as I remember, 8 pages more in French than in Slovenian. And here we speak about the language, about the beauty of French language in which one can convey so many feelings and emotions in so many ways(one of the next posts I might devote to the same subject from the point of view from filmmakers; especially among the international filmmakers there is this joke that these days in French films there are no activities but they speak so beautiful:)).
Anyhow, back to the subject, I'm trying to follow Brina few days a month in different situations in Paris, in May we will spend some time in Buenos Aires dancing tango and of course we will be with her mostly during the summer in Slovenia. The film is produced by TV Slovenia - documentary program and it will be screened there hopefully in the begining of 2008. So, here is an extract from Wednesday session of tango with a famous Argentinian tango dancer Coco Dias. We shot in a small appartement in Paris, credits go also to Jean-Nicola Risler who was recording the sound and Andraz Sumrada, camera assistant who also shot this small moment of our work.
J.J.B.
Anyhow, back to the subject, I'm trying to follow Brina few days a month in different situations in Paris, in May we will spend some time in Buenos Aires dancing tango and of course we will be with her mostly during the summer in Slovenia. The film is produced by TV Slovenia - documentary program and it will be screened there hopefully in the begining of 2008. So, here is an extract from Wednesday session of tango with a famous Argentinian tango dancer Coco Dias. We shot in a small appartement in Paris, credits go also to Jean-Nicola Risler who was recording the sound and Andraz Sumrada, camera assistant who also shot this small moment of our work.
J.J.B.
Tuesday, 20 March 2007
Chéri bibi opened the doors
On Saturday internet died in the area of Montmartre. I spoke with two friends, they both have different providers and the situation was the same. Apocalypse Now. Colaps of the system. On Sunday it worked occasionaly. However, with a bit of delay, Saturday's opening of restaurant Chéri bibi, 15 rue Andre del-Sarte. I had a great time, free drinks all night and Lulu and the Comets All-Stars Band.
J.J.B.
J.J.B.
Thursday, 15 March 2007
Sierra Grande Lodge
I'm cleaning my drawer, putting the archive slowly together. So, here is commercial that we shot in August 2005 in New Mexico (published on this site with a permission of the author). Screenwriter and director was Karim Raoul, Director of Photography Gilles Arnaud, I was the assistant director and later the editor, Andrew Brook was assistant camera and Ishan Shapiro a gaffer. Sound post-production was made by Jean-Nicola Risler and I forgot the name of the guy who wrote the music (Karim please help, so I can update this later).
Anyhow, we shot it in a town with a really funny name: Truth or Consequences. When I entered the States, the border policeman hardly believed when he saw this name written as a destination. Btw, the story with the name is quite interesting. Back in 50's there was a very successful radio show called Truth or Consequences. They offered some free publicity to the town in US which will take the name. So, the town called Hot Springs took the opportunity and changed the name into the Truth or Consequences (more about that you can read here). The story goes further; after changing the name, local economy, which is mostly established on tourism (health resorts with hot springs) instead of growing up, started to fall down.
Anyhow, in 2005 it reminded me of an old and abandoned film studio.
But here is the commercial, shot in 35 mm, and the post-production was made in HD.
sierra grande
To get the feeling of the town and our shoot, here are some photos (for a teaser, just this amazing religious advertising).
J.J.B.
Anyhow, we shot it in a town with a really funny name: Truth or Consequences. When I entered the States, the border policeman hardly believed when he saw this name written as a destination. Btw, the story with the name is quite interesting. Back in 50's there was a very successful radio show called Truth or Consequences. They offered some free publicity to the town in US which will take the name. So, the town called Hot Springs took the opportunity and changed the name into the Truth or Consequences (more about that you can read here). The story goes further; after changing the name, local economy, which is mostly established on tourism (health resorts with hot springs) instead of growing up, started to fall down.
Anyhow, in 2005 it reminded me of an old and abandoned film studio.
But here is the commercial, shot in 35 mm, and the post-production was made in HD.
sierra grande
To get the feeling of the town and our shoot, here are some photos (for a teaser, just this amazing religious advertising).
J.J.B.
Monday, 12 March 2007
CHERI BIBI
Two days ago I got a message from my friend Raphael in which he was inviting me to inauguration of his restaurant Cheri Bibi. The opening is about to happen this Saturday. Raphael is otherwise an actor and he played in two of my movies: in short film Touché and in feature paris.love (here is a picture of him from the film).
Btw, Raphael was my first contact in Paris. Four years ago, when I was about to move here, I wrote several e-mails to my friends all around the world asking them if they know anyone in Paris. Few days after, my friend Jorg Vincent Malotki, the actor from Germany, answered: »His name is Raphael, this is his address, he will take care of you.«. Actually, few years earlier Raphael went through the same situation when he had moved to New York for a year. His contact at the time was Jorg and he didn't know him neither (friend of a friend of a friend story). So, in October 2003 I knocked on Raphael's door. I've stayed in his appartment for three weeks until I found my own place.
Anyhow, today I passed by the restaurant and the situation was as following.
Looking forward to Saturday!
J.J.B.
Btw, Raphael was my first contact in Paris. Four years ago, when I was about to move here, I wrote several e-mails to my friends all around the world asking them if they know anyone in Paris. Few days after, my friend Jorg Vincent Malotki, the actor from Germany, answered: »His name is Raphael, this is his address, he will take care of you.«. Actually, few years earlier Raphael went through the same situation when he had moved to New York for a year. His contact at the time was Jorg and he didn't know him neither (friend of a friend of a friend story). So, in October 2003 I knocked on Raphael's door. I've stayed in his appartment for three weeks until I found my own place.Anyhow, today I passed by the restaurant and the situation was as following.
Looking forward to Saturday!
J.J.B.
Sunday, 11 March 2007
The Air is on Fire
Jenny was late. As usual. Not that it really bothered me. I don't care waiting, at least I have time to observe surroundings. And Neil was already there speaking about some things that had happened to him the day before. I devoted him three percents of my attention, just nodding here and there. The queue was long and I decided to play a game which I'm usually playing when I'm surrounded by the crowd. I was imagining that I'm in bee-hive, hearing just one big buzz. Then I started to analyse particular voices, putting them on one stage: sopranos, alts, baritons, tenors. I had almost put together the whole orchestra, when Jenny arrived. It started raining. Jenny was wearing blue. And the rain was black. Or was it just becuse the night came earlier? I couldn't really say.
A minute later we were in. The band was already playing, not bad but rather flat. A dog was barking in a dictance and a child was crying in a room nearby which created quite interesting sound picture. Jenny and Neil plunged in the crowd while I was still standing indecisive. I saw some familiar faces. Sally was there, all in black as usual, with some blood stains on her face trying to look scary. Bob and Mr. Redman would appear in different corners. Bob was screaming while Mr. Redman was standing behind him with a knife in his hand. Their regular performance.
I moved to the bar. Something was out of the place. I had this image in my head of a chicken following me and screaming: »Put me together, put me together!«. A moment later it felt appart and I was followed by the particular parts: wings, thighs, back, neck. I ran all around the place but the chicken was behind me not leaving me for the slightest moment. In the corridor I met Neil and Jenny. They looked horrified. Neil was shouting while he was fighting with something invisible in the air: »Fishing-rod! Give me a fishing-rod!«. I had enough problems with my chicken so I ran away. That was actualy a good move because when I turned around I saw my chicken speaking with Jenny. I opened the first door in front of me and I found myself in a complete darkness. It was raining again. Black rain. I can tell that for sure because I enjoyed standing there while black drops were melting on my face. First image appeared: drawing of a strange chair on the napkin. Then the second. And the third. Strange shapes and objects drawn on even stranger surfaces: envelopes, bills, puking bags... I closed my eyes but the images were still there. There was no point in trying to escape from them.
I don't remember how long I was standing there but when I opened my eyes, I was standing on the beach and The Air was on Fire.
P.S. Yesterday I went with my friends Luc and Beatriz to see exhibition of David Lynch's work. When I woke up this morning I was still overwhelmed by the images that I had seen the day before. So, while I was drinking my second coffee, I put this story on the paper. Btw, I took the photo above few years ago in Dubrovnik. And here Bea and me in front of the exhibition are doing our best for Luc the photographer.
J.J.B.
A minute later we were in. The band was already playing, not bad but rather flat. A dog was barking in a dictance and a child was crying in a room nearby which created quite interesting sound picture. Jenny and Neil plunged in the crowd while I was still standing indecisive. I saw some familiar faces. Sally was there, all in black as usual, with some blood stains on her face trying to look scary. Bob and Mr. Redman would appear in different corners. Bob was screaming while Mr. Redman was standing behind him with a knife in his hand. Their regular performance.
I moved to the bar. Something was out of the place. I had this image in my head of a chicken following me and screaming: »Put me together, put me together!«. A moment later it felt appart and I was followed by the particular parts: wings, thighs, back, neck. I ran all around the place but the chicken was behind me not leaving me for the slightest moment. In the corridor I met Neil and Jenny. They looked horrified. Neil was shouting while he was fighting with something invisible in the air: »Fishing-rod! Give me a fishing-rod!«. I had enough problems with my chicken so I ran away. That was actualy a good move because when I turned around I saw my chicken speaking with Jenny. I opened the first door in front of me and I found myself in a complete darkness. It was raining again. Black rain. I can tell that for sure because I enjoyed standing there while black drops were melting on my face. First image appeared: drawing of a strange chair on the napkin. Then the second. And the third. Strange shapes and objects drawn on even stranger surfaces: envelopes, bills, puking bags... I closed my eyes but the images were still there. There was no point in trying to escape from them.
I don't remember how long I was standing there but when I opened my eyes, I was standing on the beach and The Air was on Fire.
P.S. Yesterday I went with my friends Luc and Beatriz to see exhibition of David Lynch's work. When I woke up this morning I was still overwhelmed by the images that I had seen the day before. So, while I was drinking my second coffee, I put this story on the paper. Btw, I took the photo above few years ago in Dubrovnik. And here Bea and me in front of the exhibition are doing our best for Luc the photographer.
J.J.B.
Thursday, 8 March 2007
La Cinematheque Francaise
Yesterday after the shoot I went to BiFi - Bibliotheque de film (national French film library) in Paris to make some photocopies of some articles concerning the famous Slovenian movie star from 20's and 30's Ita Rina. My friend Spela, who works at Slovenian Cinematheque, asked me to do that because they are preparing the book about Slovenian borned actress. I've spent several hours exploring the articles from the French magazine from the 20's "Pour Vous". I have to admit that I felt a bit like a secret agent from the cold war movies, searching through the microfilms, trying to get some important datas concerning his country.
Anyhow, when I came to Paris, I used to spend a lot of time at BiFi, preparing some essays for the school or just watching the films from the movie's library (mediatheque). At the time BiFi was a separate unit and not as today part of the French Cinematheque at Bercy (find some pictures here). Although the step that united cinematheque and library (plus restaurant and huge exibition facilities) was great, I'm still a bit nostalgic about the "old" cinematheque that was placed in Palais de Chaillot. Not just because of the history and smell of the old times, but also because of it's position in Paris - just a step away from Eiffel Tower. I think it was just belonging there. As I think it just not really belongs to Bercy.
However, the good news is that they finally made a good reduction for spectators: for 120 Euros a year or 12 times 10 Euros you get a free pass to all screenings and exibitions plus some discount for special events. Definitively place to be in Paris.
J.J.B.
Anyhow, when I came to Paris, I used to spend a lot of time at BiFi, preparing some essays for the school or just watching the films from the movie's library (mediatheque). At the time BiFi was a separate unit and not as today part of the French Cinematheque at Bercy (find some pictures here). Although the step that united cinematheque and library (plus restaurant and huge exibition facilities) was great, I'm still a bit nostalgic about the "old" cinematheque that was placed in Palais de Chaillot. Not just because of the history and smell of the old times, but also because of it's position in Paris - just a step away from Eiffel Tower. I think it was just belonging there. As I think it just not really belongs to Bercy.
However, the good news is that they finally made a good reduction for spectators: for 120 Euros a year or 12 times 10 Euros you get a free pass to all screenings and exibitions plus some discount for special events. Definitively place to be in Paris.
J.J.B.
Wednesday, 7 March 2007
Student's shoot - Andraz Sumrada
Today I started supervising second year Eicar – International Film School short film. At the end of each trimester we select several scripts to be shot on 35 mm, S 16 mm, 16 mm, HDV or DV. This is Andraz Sumrada's selected project Freezer from the 1st trimester. Here are some moments from the 1st shooting day.
student's shoot
J.J.B.
student's shoot
J.J.B.
Monday, 5 March 2007
And paris.love goes to...
Few days ago, my friend Caspar Schjelbred came for a visit. He has just finished the first part of his master's studies in History of Science, but otherwise he is an actor working with a group of people in an international improvisational theatre in Paris. We actually met to celebrate the news that my latest feature film paris.love, in which Caspar plays a supporting role, got accepted to Cyprus Film Festival (not in bad company there :) ). Anyhow, here is a short insert from the film with Caspar (with baguette) and Andrew Shemin - the main character.
I found also some making of shots made by Tomaz Pavkovic, 2nd camera assistant. We had shot the movie during 16 days in June and July 2005 using Canon XL-1S DV camera with a basic crew of 8 people. Always near the camera were Karim Raoul – director of photography and Beatriz Ciliberto – 1st camera assistant. Sound was recorded by Jean-Nicolas Risler, gaffer - Olivier Arnaudo, assistant director - Arnaud Gamet, cattering – Dorine Simon and Mirella Habr – producer. You can also see the main female character Samantha Larriva.
making of paris.love
Sorry for the bad sound, but making of was even more low budget than the actual movie.
J.J.B.
I found also some making of shots made by Tomaz Pavkovic, 2nd camera assistant. We had shot the movie during 16 days in June and July 2005 using Canon XL-1S DV camera with a basic crew of 8 people. Always near the camera were Karim Raoul – director of photography and Beatriz Ciliberto – 1st camera assistant. Sound was recorded by Jean-Nicolas Risler, gaffer - Olivier Arnaudo, assistant director - Arnaud Gamet, cattering – Dorine Simon and Mirella Habr – producer. You can also see the main female character Samantha Larriva.
making of paris.love
Sorry for the bad sound, but making of was even more low budget than the actual movie.
J.J.B.
Saturday, 3 March 2007
Eicar - international film school
This is the picture of Nenad Dizdarevic, Head of the Studies at International Film School Eicar, where I've worked since 2005. We have around 110 students from more than 50 countries from all around the world. This year I teach film directing for 1st and 2nd year. The first year program is based on introduction of the film language and basic film structure while the second year basises are how to tell the story in realistic way, dramaturgy and working with actors. After two weeks vacation, we'll start with lectures on Monday, 5th.
Biography
- April 1971, born as Boris Petkovic in Zenica, Bosnia
- 1983, moved to Slovenia with his family
- 1985/86, played guitar in punk band Free 48
- 1990, diploma at Boris Kidric Tehnical and Medical Secondary School
- 1991, moved to Piran, Slovenia
- 1992/93, wrote for student’s newspaper Tribuna
- 1994-96, street performances
- 1994-96, youth program at local TV station Vas kanal, Novo mesto, Slovenia
- 1996, Traffic Engineer – diploma at Faculty of Nautical Science and Traffic
- 1996, first awards for video films Escape and 10 Years of Free 48
- 1997, moved to Ljubljana, Slovenia
- 1998, first short film Straight Ahead
- 1998, main role in student's film Sine (credited as Viktor Gotovic)and supporting role in student's film Rop Stoletja
- 1998, 2nd Prize on Break 21, independent festival of young artists Ljubljana for Straight Ahead
- 1998/99, director and co-screenwriter of docu-fiction TV emission Odklop
- 1999, prize Viktor for the best TV emission – Odklop
- 1999, best first film on "Message to man" - international film festival in Sankt Petersburg – Straight Ahead
- 2000, directed TV emissions and commercials for VPK
- 2001, assistant director – Headnoise
- 2001, video clip Market Sweets - Elvis Jackson
- 2001, - First prize - Festival of Slovenian and Italian videoclips Mirano 2001 (Hihat - The Stroj)
- 2002, assistant director – Spare Parts and How I Killed the Saint
- 2002, short film Director’s Cut
- 2003, short film SStress
- 2003, documentary Frontiers of My World
- 2003, moved to Paris, France
- 2004, short film Touché
- 2005, started teaching film directing at International Film School Eicar
- 2006, documentary Devil’s Colony
- 2006, feature film paris.love
- 1983, moved to Slovenia with his family
- 1985/86, played guitar in punk band Free 48
- 1990, diploma at Boris Kidric Tehnical and Medical Secondary School
- 1991, moved to Piran, Slovenia
- 1992/93, wrote for student’s newspaper Tribuna
- 1994-96, street performances
- 1994-96, youth program at local TV station Vas kanal, Novo mesto, Slovenia
- 1996, Traffic Engineer – diploma at Faculty of Nautical Science and Traffic
- 1996, first awards for video films Escape and 10 Years of Free 48
- 1997, moved to Ljubljana, Slovenia
- 1998, first short film Straight Ahead
- 1998, main role in student's film Sine (credited as Viktor Gotovic)and supporting role in student's film Rop Stoletja
- 1998, 2nd Prize on Break 21, independent festival of young artists Ljubljana for Straight Ahead
- 1998/99, director and co-screenwriter of docu-fiction TV emission Odklop
- 1999, prize Viktor for the best TV emission – Odklop
- 1999, best first film on "Message to man" - international film festival in Sankt Petersburg – Straight Ahead
- 2000, directed TV emissions and commercials for VPK
- 2001, assistant director – Headnoise
- 2001, video clip Market Sweets - Elvis Jackson
- 2001, - First prize - Festival of Slovenian and Italian videoclips Mirano 2001 (Hihat - The Stroj)
- 2002, assistant director – Spare Parts and How I Killed the Saint
- 2002, short film Director’s Cut
- 2003, short film SStress
- 2003, documentary Frontiers of My World
- 2003, moved to Paris, France
- 2004, short film Touché
- 2005, started teaching film directing at International Film School Eicar
- 2006, documentary Devil’s Colony
- 2006, feature film paris.love
Thursday, 1 March 2007
Short film exercise
This is a short exercise that we've made in the third year of international film school eicar. The first trimester was about making commercials, so this is 30 seconds exercise that we've shot during one morning in October 2004 in Ivry - Paris. As I can remember, Jack Wung was camera operator and editor, Luc Walpoth did some basic lighting, Mirella Habr was an assistant director and I wrote the script and directed it. Our directing teacher was Ilkka Jarvilaturi.
Just a note for young filmmakers; in the shot before last one, we used the split screen, but in this case not as an effect but to cheat the number of people in the shot. If you watch very carefully, you will see that most of the people appear twice, ones on the left side of the screen and the other time on the right side.
Just a note for young filmmakers; in the shot before last one, we used the split screen, but in this case not as an effect but to cheat the number of people in the shot. If you watch very carefully, you will see that most of the people appear twice, ones on the left side of the screen and the other time on the right side.
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