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Redefining “kurbits” with Hanna Petersson

10/27/2017

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PictureArt Director Hanna Petersson
Ever since Hanna Petersson was old enough to hold a pen, she has dedicated herself to a life of creativity. She has always loved to draw, to share stories, and to allow her ideas to flow freely through the world. When she was little, she would write fairy tales and create fantasy creatures from deep within her inventive mind; however, as she aged, her interests spanned into the everyday storytelling opportunities around her. From radio shows, to comic strips, to commercials and billboards, Petersson was bursting with ideas of how to garner the potential that these mediums have to inspire their audiences. Despite her affinity for storytelling with words, she has an even stronger passion to tell stories through images. For this reason, Petersson devoted herself to a career in advertising and since then, she has never looked back.
 
“Making a career out of my passion felt like a natural step for me. That is why I chose to pursue a career in advertising, where storytelling is key. More importantly, however, storytelling through images is key. What is more interesting than an image telling you a thousand different words at once? It’s limitless,” said Petersson.
 
By translating her passion into a career, Petersson has developed into a remarkable art director. She has been responsible for the visual style and images in advertising campaigns for several esteemed companies such as Samsung, Canon, Pringles, TD Bank, Victoria’s Secret, Lego, and more. Essentially, as an art director, Petersson is tasked with generating creative ideas to help her clients convey a specific message to their target audiences. Not only does she have to keep her content original and engaging, she has to ensure that any and every product she presents to a client is visually appealing. If consumers aren’t interested in looking at her advertisements, she will have missed the mark. Fortunately, Petersson has developed a reputation for presenting eye-catching content and her clients are often eager to see the next great thing that she will come up with.
 
According to Petersson, one of the most imperative aspects of her job is to extensively research her clients in order to ensure that she can fully grasp their branding, their target audiences, and what both parties would want to get out of the ad. She is committed to rooting her content on both fact and human truth in order to produce designs that not only look great, but that are perfectly suited to both the client and the target audience alike. She lends herself entirely to the task at hand and once she develops an idea, she is in charge of directing it into a high quality final product. Being in charge of such an essential role in an advertising campaign comes with its challenges and its pressures; however, Petersson considers any obstacle to be a motivation and she thrives off of the sense of fulfillment she feels when her ideas come to life before her eyes.
 
Unsurprisingly, a satisfied Art Director typically translates into a satisfied customer. Her clients are often taken aback by the caliber of content that Petersson produces. When Petersson isn’t producing high quality designs for her clients, however, she works to develop her own creations and recently designed her own line of tote bags and coasters that she markets and sells on her online store. Whenever customers stumble upon her artwork and her products, they are amazed by her unique style and refreshed by the knowledge that you cannot find anything like Petersson’s work in mainstream stores. For instance, when Anna Bergenheim came across Petersson’s tote bags online, she was blown away by their authentic designs and knew she had to have one for herself.
 
“It is easy to see why Hanna’s excellent designs, paired with her impeccable understanding of service, is making her online store such a hit. I found the design on the tote bags so lovely and colorful, I just had to get one for myself. Hanna was very helpful in the sales process and I got to know about the inspiration to the designs she made and how she created the totes. It’s great to be able to communicate directly with the designer so you feel more comfortable about your purchase and get to know a bit more about the product. I was very happy with my bag and even got some of my friends to buy a few for themselves too,” told Bergenheim.
 
Petersson’s idea for her tote bag and coaster line stemmed from her interest in the Swedish art folk style, kurbits. Kurbits typically portray vivid, colorful images of nature where the land is flourishing with animals and flowers. For an artist like Petersson, it is difficult to restrict herself to the traditional makings of an art form. She likes to add her own approach and her own flare to the designs she creates and after studying the brushwork and the shapes of historic kurbit paintings, she had conceived a new, modern approach for her pieces. With that, she began teaching herself about working in a digital space and learned how to translate her hand-drawn sketches into digital masterpieces. She spent months tweaking and refining her ideas in order to remain confident that she was producing the best final product that she possibly could. She enjoyed exploring both her own Swedish heritage, as well as the history of kurbits. In addition, she was energized in knowing that there were no restrictions on how she chose to present the designs. In the end, Petersson’s kurbits designs widely impressed, and led to her being sought-after by the company AdPlant, leading to a wide range of products.
 
“I find that if I start with a blank canvas, it is exciting but also somewhat limiting. Blank canvases present unlimited possibilities so I find that you need to know what you want to achieve before you begin. For this reason, I always start drawing the art piece out in my mind before I draw it. That way, it is already done in my mind before I begin the actual coloring process. The inspiration and excitement then come from the new paths that start appearing into places I didn’t know before I started. You never really know how an art piece is going to turn out before you actually get your hands dirty. This project turned out very nicely, and the response I got once I launched it for the public was a great confirmation that my efforts had paid off. All of this made for a very enjoyable project, both for me working on it and to people taking it in once it was finished,” she concluded.



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CAROLINE ABAECHETA HAS A FRONT SEAT TO AN INTERNATIONAL PHENOMENON

10/21/2017

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​  The X Factor UK and X Factor US (the US version had three seasons and no longer airs just to clarify) are massively popular hit television programs in their respective countries. Simon Cowell is a household name in both countries due to his work guiding these and other programs which fall into the reality/talent series genre. In the past decade these shows have overshadowed virtually all other programing in terms of ratings and their ability to integrate social media into the process, translating into advertising and content success. At Cowell’s right hand for these productions, with a somewhat less publically recognized name is Caroline Abaecheta. As a producer on the shows, Caroline worked closely with Simon and some of the incredibly famous acts that the show has discovered including: One Direction, Jedward, Olly Murs, Danyl Johnson, and many others. Consider the indisputable statistics that have vetted this program. X Factor UK is an S7 National Television award-winner (Best Talent Show), BAFTA nominated, created the super group One Direction, had a series average of 14.1 million viewers, and was recognized as ITV network's highest rating show of the year. The premier episode of the US version of X Factor debuted with 12.5 million viewers, was a People's Choice award-winner (S1 Best Competition show), and a Teen Choice award-winner (S1 – best breakout show and Best Reality Competition show). X Factor has already evaporated the cultural and generational lines that many productions find impermeable. Abaecheta’s work on the show and the results are something which she takes immense pride in and have made her a highly respected and sought after professional in the television industry.
  A key to the success of X Factor in relation to the show’s ability to reach many different viewers lies not in the erasing of differences but rather in the in the understanding of them, at least in production terms. Caroline’s understanding and ease with the differences between US and UK production needs of the X Factor are key to the success of each. The obvious difference is the ease (or lack of) with transportation for the crew when shooting the auditions for the contestants. More than this, the shooting and interview style, the job separation of producers, pop culture references, even the regional accents are vastly different. The most prominent of all differences relates to tone. Abaecheta reveals, “The UK version of X Factor is lighter than the US version.  The sense of humor is more at the forefront of the UK show. This doesn’t mean anyone takes it less seriously, quite the opposite. In fact, there is a bigger giggle factor in the UK version.  For example, I created a montage for the UK version were we pointed out the fact the Geri Halliwell (ex Spice Girl) never stopped talking. It was just something we noticed in the field so we created a montage of Geri talking and talking and cut it to a comedy song by Chaz and Dave called “Rabbit.” I don’t think we’d have made that in the US.  I don’t think it would’ve worked. There are certain social differences even with something like comedy and poking fun that require one to understand what people will accept.”
  The goal of every producer is to create an entertainment experience that immerses the audience so deeply into the story that they lose all personal worries and cares, if for only a short time. While X Factor might appear to be a light and unencumbered program, creating this is quite the opposite. Caroline’s role required her to essentially oversee four separate programs which were rolled into one. Stage one was travelling around the country for open auditions. The excitement of the crowd is palpable as long lines with cheering hopefuls are seen. Contributors go through multiple stages of audition: first in front of a producer, then in front of a TV producer/music industry rep, and finally they are filmed in front of the celebrity judges. The next stage is “Boot Camp” which documents the numbers of contestants going from around 100 to about 25 who will make it to the next stage. Following this, a shoot happens with the judges of the show shown in their homes or at exotic locations. With all of this work completed, X Factor finally arrives at the live shows that the public votes on. Caroline’s work as a producer in all of these stages is the complete opposite of showing up in a soundstage every day to tape a live TV program. Her respect in the industry is well earned as a result.
  One of the most exciting parts of Abaecheta’s involvement as a producer in X Factor is having a front seat to the beginning of major careers in entertainment. While she has worked with many entertainers who were first introduced by the show, the international juggernaut that is the band One Direction is perhaps the most notable. There is a very short list of those who can say that they saw the band from inception to global fame but Caroline is at the front of the line. She recalls, “Initially we didn’t know they’d be a band but we knew we had some outstanding male performers that year.  I think Simon put the group together at Bootcamp. I filmed with One Direction every day during the live shows. So I was there witnessing the phenomenon first hand.  It started with an initial few girls but by the fourth week of live shows we often couldn’t go out and grab lunch together as we were used to.  The choreography venue where rehearsals were done was in the middle of Covent Garden and soon became inundated with fans. I remember having to hide One Direction members under my coat to get into the building. The moment I realized we were experiencing something huge was we went to a shoot at TopShop on Oxford circus.  I’d stayed behind with all the contestants and was helping people get into cabs from choreography.  I travelled over to Oxford Circus with some members of 1 D (Harry, Niall, Zane, plus a couple of other contestants); when we arrived at Oxford Circus, probably already one of the busiest areas of central London, the crowds had brought the whole of the area to a complete standstill. Police where everywhere. There were thousands of fans filling every possible bit of space outside the store.  We had security but it was scary trying to get past all these youngsters. I made the contestants hold hands and told them not to let go until we were inside the front door but this was like a mob. After that we were followed everywhere by paparazzi on motor bikes trying to grab photos of the band.  We couldn’t go outside. I used to take the boys shopping at lunchtime but we couldn’t do that anymore.  They loved it, of course! It was stardom, what they’d hoped for. It was also overwhelming and often scary.” Very few professionals have been so close to this type of scenario and the experience deepened Abaecheta’s already impressive skill set. Of course, working with Cowell during this time served to inform Caroline about how both the business and artist perspective of such a phenomenon feel like to each side. A great producer understands the business needs as well as empathize with them.
  Not all of Abaecheta’s experiences involve hordes of screaming fans and paparazzi. The vast majority of the producer’s role on X Factor is meeting the contributors day after day and place after place. Because travel is an essential part of the program discovering new talent, Caroline often finds herself on the road. It can be close to home or flying for forty-eight hours to get to Australia to oversee auditions for essentially another forty-eight hours and then flying right back. For a TV show like X Factor you must go where the people are that you seek. Rather than avoiding these obstacles, Abaecheta is drawn to them. She communicates, “There are no shortcuts to being great. X Factor is the biggest learning curve for any producer. I wouldn’t be capable of doing most of my other jobs without this experience. I’ve seen many people become famous and achieved their dream. I’ve also seen people who attempted this and for different reasons it didn’t work out. What I recognize in all of them is the desire to do what they love and make a career out of it. That’s exactly what I want and the challenges of being a producer on X Factor have forced me to work hard, to be inventive, and to think outside the box. I think the obstacles in our lives can make us better and that’s why I look forward to them.”
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RUIXI GAO REVEALS WHAT'S  HIDDEN IN "LOCKED"

10/21/2017

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​  Some individuals aspire to the prestige of the spotlight, not literally. Being able to take sole credit is paramount to certain individuals. What they gain in esteem, they can sometimes lose in opportunity. This was the perspective of Ruixi Gao when she served as co-DP on the film “Locked” with David M. Brewer. Bremer is noted for his work on films like Insidious which was one of the most popular horror films of the past few years. “Locked” afforded Gao the chance to collaborate with Bremer and share ideas. Her willingness to be “creative driven” rather than “ego driven” allowed Ruixi to work with another professional in her vocation whom she respected and to also gain the respect of said individual. Producer Yuxiao Wang reached out to Gao to take part in the film with the understanding that the production wanted both Brewer and her on as DPs. She gleefully accepted and the benevolent results are vetted by Locked’s numerous accolades which include being an official selection at: Festival De Cannes (Short Film Corner), Madrid International Film Festival (Jury Award/Best Visual Effects or Design/Best Lead Actor in a Short Film), 50th Annual World fest -Houston International Film Festival (Platinum REMI Award Winner), Honolulu Film Awards (Aloha Accolade Short Film Competition Winner), and numerous others. In serving the film, Gao elevated both the production and her own respect in the industry.
  Perhaps one of the reasons that the film’s producer wanted two different DPs is due to the story possessing a certain duality. While it may appear at first as a horror film, Locked is actually a psychological thriller. The storyline created an environment for the filmmakers to freely share ideas. After reading the script, Gao realized felt that the film should be equally about the main character’s schizophrenia as the horror aspect. She communicated to Brewer her vision of a fast shaky camera to convey the uneasy relationship between the characters and the tension. Ruixi also introduced the use of camera movements that transitioned between characters up close and then retreating to create more tension, all of which were embraced by the producers and her co-DP.
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  In the beginning, “Locked” seems to be a horror film that keeps the audience guessing. This only exacerbates as the plot unfolds. What first appears to be a man fending off those who mean to harm him (and his wife) reveals a deep secret from himself and the viewer. His would be attackers force him to unlock a door, revealing his dead wife. Metaphorically, opening this door helps to reveal that the man has split personalities, one of which killed his own wife. Gao notes, “I was very excited to work on this project. I’ve always been intrigued by studies of the human mind and personality. I’ve never worked on a film about this specific topic although there are elements of a horror film which is not unfamiliar to me in my work. The opportunity to share ideas with someone who has had great success in the genre like David, cooperating with him and witnessing his process…it was very rewarding for me.” Both cinematographers worked with the director to achieve his vision. Running simultaneous location shoots can be a challenge even with a unified approach and vision. The location shooting schedule was very brief and thus prohibited any reshoots, making the initial execution paramount. David M. Brewer declares, “In addition to all of her talent, Ruixi has the energy of a young filmmaker. This is one of the most vital traits for the gifted individuals who push the art form into new areas. Ruixi is always thinking about how to make a shot great…not just getting a good shot. She is a rare talent in the field of cinematography. Across race, gender, and culture, she brings not only a keen understanding or art and technology but also the awareness of propelling it into new places. It will be Ruixi and her generation that keep the audience engaged in the great films that will be created in the future.”
  The inclusion of “Locked” into the famed Cannes Film Festival is a source of great pride for the young cinematographer. As perhaps the most recognized and celebrated film festival on the planet, Cannes gave Gao the ability to have her work seen by the elite of the industry of every country. She comments, “I am very honored and excited to have my work at Cannes. I have so much respect for the other cinematographers who will also be seen there; it’s wonderful to be considered part of that community. Yes, it means that others will see my work but it also gives me the opportunity to see theirs and learn from what they are doing. I don’t want to ever stop learning. “There are those who confess their own hubris and forge ahead with disregard for others. While this is one path, Ruixi Gao prefers to be aware of her peers and to adopt the parts of their process that complement her own and enable her to empower the storytellers she works with in her career. A constant state of evolution is her journey, never settling for “good enough” is her goal.

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Suzy van der Velden brings her creativity to Oilily artwork

10/18/2017

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PictureDesigner Suzy van der Velden
Suzy van der Velden believes she was born to create. She has always had a hunger inside her to make something and explore her creativity. Naturally, these early passions have led to a successful career in graphic design. Her instincts are unparalleled, and her talent has led her to the top of her industry not only in her home country in the Netherlands, but around the world.
 
Van der Velden’s career truly took off when she worked with the immensely popular Dutch brand Oilily. The company has products sold all over the world from children’s clothes to handbags, and is known for their vibrant designs. Everyone in the Netherlands knows of Oilily, and the artistic creativity that could come from working with such a brand made the opportunity all the more enticing for van der Velden.
 
Oilily was founded in the Netherlands in 1963. The brand started out with children’s wear and was the first ever to place the child at the center of its creative process. This groundbreaking new vision of children’s wear resulted in a spectacular and vibrant style nobody had ever seen before. The success of the children’s wear collection sparked the introduction of a women’s wear collection, which was launched in 1986. Virtuoso use of color, innovative design, playful patterns, detailed craftsmanship and a certified high quality is what Oilily is known for. Oilily is sold through 2,500 resellers worldwide among of which are some high street boutiques and high-end department stores in Europe and Asia as well as sophisticated online retailers worldwide.
“Everyone grew up in these bright colored, crazy printed and over the top outfits. It was known for its great quality and was very different from other brands back in the day. I felt that I would feel at home with the brand because it had such a long history of exciting and fun product and I wanted to explore all the different facets of creating artwork for clothing and accessories,” she said.
 
After starting as an intern, van der Velden’s abilities were quickly noticed, and she was promoted almost instantly. At the time, she was interested in fashion, but after just a short time at Oilily she knew she was meant to be a graphic designer. Despite this transition, her artistic instincts once again were on full display, and she seamlessly went from fashion expert to a sought-after graphic designer. Everyone she worked with was extraordinarily impressed.
 
“I worked with Suzy at Oilily. We were responsible, with the rest of the graphic design team, for all the creative prints, artworks and embellishments for all the collections of Oilily. It was great working with Suzy. She is a good and reliable person. Organized. Secure. And she had a good sense of humor. Suzy is very creative, qualified and a professional in her job. She is a nice person to work with,” said Frances Vessies, Senior Designer at Oilily during van der Velden’s time with the company.
 
While working for Oilily, van der Velden had many responsibilities, making her pivotal to the brand’s success at the time. She worked on toddlers, kids, and women’s products all at the same time. The brand was initially known for the children’s wear, making it even more important. She was able to bring a lot of creative new ideas to the established design team. She was consistently flexible, making sure to understand the different needs among each category she took on. She would then spend her days designing tee graphics, all-over prints, embroideries, hangtags, engineered jacquard panels for cardigans, sorting color cards and much more.
 
“It was beautiful to see a collection come together,” she described. “I was a very open and energetic person who was always looking for inspiration through music, fine art, nature and was able to translate this is in a suitable way for the brand. I found ways to learn all aspects of the design process, which made me a valuable team player and by doing so I easily adapted to design for both women and kids.”
 
The experience with Oilily gave van der Velden the chance to experiment, something that has helped her create her signature design style. There were times where she would work on fabrics that were velour burn-outs with all-over prints on top, which she says is a dream come true for a Graphic designer. All the garments had intricate details like embroideries, sequins, patches and trims.
 
“Oilily is an out-of-the-box type of company. This has really shaped my understanding that a garment is a canvas on which you can apply artwork and colors. I would make the craziest collages for the kids prints and would spend days creating all the small details,” she said.
 
During her time at Oilily, the brand was showcased in the Amsterdam Fashionweek for two consecutive years. As a fashion enthusiast, it was a dream come true for van der Velden. She saw her designs on the runway, and knew then she was not only designing clothes, she was making art.
 
Oilily provided van der Velden with the perfect way to mesh her passion for fashion with her instincts in graphic design. She then continued to do so with the popular sporting wear brand O’Neill, and now is known for her outstanding work with the yoga wear company Lululemon. Make sure to keep an eye out for this talented graphic designer and what she is up to next.



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Female Powerhouse: Victoria Marino on Filmmaking, Fighting and Fast Paced Filming

10/10/2017

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Production coordinator Victoria Marino
​By Alex Cubis

When chatting with successful production coordinator Victoria Marino, it’s clear from the outset that she possesses a unique skillset and determination that would land her golden opportunities in the difficult landscape of entertainment. It’s therefore no surprise to hear about her experience working on “UFC: The Road to Octagon,” a hugely popular sports show on FOX in which Victoria played a crucial role behind the scenes. As part of her responsibilities as a production coordinator with Figura Media (Brazil Production Services - BPS), Victoria was handed the key task of serving Positive Image Video (PIV) and the UFC. It’s clear when speaking with Victoria that she takes her job seriously, but found the joy in ensuring the project’s success.


She explains, “I was particularly involved in the shoot for episode 24 of the Road to the Octagon series, and worked closely with the entire team to make this shoot happen as well as it did. We were filming with Jacaré Souza, a world-renowned UFC fighter for this project and it was a demanding production in terms of coordinating all the elements to make it happen well.”

In a niche world like mixed martial arts, an outsider might be forgiven for thinking that the machine is so small that everyone knows each other and shoots would be easy to organise. Victoria, however, functioned as a liaison between all the moving parts in what proved to be a mammoth undertaking. “Some of the challenges I face when coordinating a shoot like this include communicating with the fighter himself and his agents and managers to schedule the shoot with them, putting together a production schedule that works within the fighters training schedule and in the best interest of the crew, and hiring the most talented crew members to best showcase the fighter in hand.”

An even more exciting part of her responsibilities working with the UFC? Victoria was able to use her unique knowledge of her home country as part of her work with UFC Embedded 212, a separate docu-series shot in Brazil. Each episode, released on YouTube, follows a UFC fighter for a whole week before a major fight. “We had a crew of over 20 people working to put these episodes together, filming the fighters everyday in their pre-fight routine in Rio, and editing the footage overnight to put it up the next day.” Victoria elaborates that it was an “intense schedule,” but joyously expresses pride in the huge numbers of viewers (700,000+) who show interest in the fighters. Victoria hints at a bright future in network television. “I...enjoy the fast pace of producing a series like Embedded 212. And it’s extremely rewarding to see the episodes go up online and get so many views and such positive feedback!”

The hard-worker she is, Victoria of course has not limited her experience to just one genre of programming as a production coordinator.  Her involvement with such hit shows like “72 Dangerous Animals - Latin America,” to air on the Discovery Channel and National Geographic, is further proof of her diverse skill-set and commitment to client interests. “I was involved in research and pre-production for about six weeks, starting in March this year. Production happened in the span of a month, and I am still assisting the client in the post-production process.”

A rich and varied resume like Victoria’s has ensured she has an exciting future to which she can look forward. Regarding her plans for the future, she talks with laser focus, “I am leading new marketing initiatives at BPS to get new Brazilian clients that want to film here in the USA also, since most of our clients are foreign clients that want to film in Brazil.”

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THE SOUND OF 4TH PARADOX

10/6/2017

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​  Musical scores existed before dialogue in motion pictures. Prior to “Talkies”, a single pianist or a small group of musicians complemented the actions of the film to sway the emotions of the audience in whatever way the filmmakers saw fit. It’s been more than a century since those days and the music which accompanies the stories being told have gone through vast enumerations. The common thread is that they all worked to further the emotional content of the story and characters. Tyler Hickman, Director &Screenwriter of “4th Paradox” wanted this and much more. He explains, “When I was working on our film 4th Paradox, I knew that it needed to have an otherworldly quality when it came to the music. I needed the music to transport the audience and elevate the film, especially since the film was designed to have very little dialogue and only one character. With such a cerebral and densely layered film, I couldn’t just leave the music up to anyone. I knew I only wanted one person to do the music: Sai Sriram Maddury. Having heard the music he’s made for other projects and after speaking with him at length about styles, genres, and the emotional punch that music can have, I knew he was perfect for this project. With an understanding of the film, Sai was able to create the sort of music one only hears in the great Hollywood productions. Without a doubt, Sai gave this film a beating heart to give it life, along with the soul we crafted for it.” This “heart” analogy is most appropriate as Maddury explains that his thought process was to create the music as an unseen additional character in the film. Rather than an accoutrement for the character, the score would be present and felt rather than simply heard. It’s an inventive approach that is full of creativity and hubris; it also was proven to be completely successful.
  “4th Paradox” is the story of a man who becomes stuck in a 4th dimension where his life events get looped. Detective John Ridley (played by Nate Lofton) wakes up in a looped space-time continuum with no memory and a corpse next to him. John walks through the forest not knowing where he was. He looks for clues about what has transpired as well as for an escape plan. He finds a car with a GPS which takes him to a deserted city. He enters into a building and comes to the realization that he has already been there, performing the same activity several times before. Later, being paranoid with fear he shoots himself…not to die but rather to wake up again (due to the loop).
  Creating the musical soundscape for a film in which the action keeps repeating itself, all to the confusion of the main character was just as complex as you might expect it to be. Maddury wanted to communicate the disorientation and complexity of the situation while also accentuating the emotion of Detective Ridley. The composer experimented extensively to find the proper tone, using both a warm/organic approach as well as a cold/digital one. Ultimately he opted for electronic instruments that represented this unreal/futuristic world and blended in traditional orchestral instruments to reflect the character’s psychological confusion and disorientation. In contrast to this complexity, Sai confesses that the simplest time signature was the most effective. He comments, “Generally a film score is written with many time signatures. This clearly delineates scenes and themes for both the story and the viewer. A particular scene might contain different themes or leitmotifs and the different time signatures can help define the emotion and the action. I decided to keep a 4/4-time signature consistent throughout the film in order to reflect the concept of the 4th dimensional space-time where life is looped. The score reflects this idea of getting looped in a 4th dimension of repeating time-space and by using the 4/4 time signatures as a rhythmic motif which loops again, it created this concept of 4th dimension of space-time musically. It was always familiarly on repeat and yet allowed me to introduce subtle new ideas.”
  One of the most stunning characteristics of the film’s score is that it accompanies the main character throughout the film. That’s not to say that it is always created a musical “bed” that we feel as the audience but rather, as John Ridley is essentially the only character in the story (other than the corpse) the musical actually serves as the detective’s only companion. No matter where he is in the film, this sonic partner accompanies him. The music is so intense and permeating that the audience instantly recognizes it’s changing emotions just as they might notice the facial expressions of another physical character, were one to be present. The voicings of the electronic and organic instruments Maddury uses are as much a type of dialogue as any spoken words in “4th Paradox.” This was fully intentional as Sai reveals, “Because this film has only one character onscreen, his emotions are profoundly felt. He has fear of where he was, hope that he could escape from this. When he finds a car and takes it, there is guilt. I always find myself focusing on characters when I am creating a score. I want to internalize their feeling and experience so I can convey this in the music. In this film, it was a special treat as I was given the opportunity to give life to this idea as a new character. It was incredibly creative, challenging, and rewarding. I’m so happy that Tyler allowed me to ‘stretch’ on this project.”
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DIRECTOR RACHEL ZHOU IS AMAZING ONCE MORE

10/6/2017

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​  Director Rachel Zhou is known for her dark side, not in her personality but in her presentation of films. A quality more commonly associated with certain older directors is a grittiness and mixture of humor with pessimism when it comes to the human spirit. Instead of exploring the idea that everything works out well in the end, Zhou prefers to explore the more selfish facets of the human condition. Rather than depression/doom and gloom, these films present stories with wit and honesty. One might say that they “have teeth.” Rachel plays her cards close to her chest, doing an excellent job of not hinting at the twists and turns that come as the story evolves. As alluded to earlier, this approach lulls many professionals and fans alike into a false belief that this director is a much older and somewhat jaded filmmaker. She confirms that most are very surprised when they meet this young and affable woman, discovering her to be the source of so many duplicitous characters and plot interpretations. It’s also earned her the admiration of many in the film industry, leading to collaborations. On the film “Once More” Zhou worked with Executive Producer/(two-time) Daytime Emmy Awards-Winner Victoria Hochberg, producer Christy Wang (of Chinese-US co-production blockbusters such as You Are My Sunshine - 2015, Run for Love – 2016), and famous Hong Kong actress Selena Lee; all of whom were enticed to work on the project at the prospect of cooperating with this exciting young director. The allure of a fresh and clear voice such as Rachel’s in the film world attracts professionals who work both in front of and behind the camera.
  Rachel is fond of pushing the story and the audience just a bit too far. She appreciates the edge that a lack of security brings. This also makes for great storytelling. She demands just as much from herself as those watching her films, which is why she wanted to direct this film which integrated dance so heavily. While she has an eclectic group of films to her credits that include car chase action (Los Angeles Kidnapping), the integration of live action and animation (“A Better World”), and others…dance was a previously unconquered genre. True to her own voice, she presented the beauty and grace with the nefarious personality traits of certain characters for which she is known. A great deal of preproduction work based on the choreography was required. The film boasts five major dance scenes with differing moods. Zhou was adamant that the emotional tone of these dance sequences matched the story development of the film. A substantial amount of time was spent by the director with the cast and choreographers, tweaking the scenes to present them in congruent fashion with the dialogue based scenes and trajectory of the plot. Rachel painstakingly designed the look of the film to integrate with these dance sequences, working with her DP Yang Shao (the youngest ASC member, and CEO of Tilta Inc. US). The director reveals, “We watched a lot of movies about dance like Black Swan, Step Up, Billy Elliot etc. to get inspiration. We are both into Steadicam shots and we agreed on shooting the dance sequences with a Steadicam and two cameras. The main lighting source was “a strip above the dancers’ heads. We had about eight rows of 1K cinema globes running 60 feet across the stage. We just used different gels and put the lights on different channels.” Victoria Hochberg states, “It’s very Rachel. The look of the film, the pace of the story, it carries you to one place and just when you think you know what is going to happen…”
  Zhou is very particular about the casting as she demands a great deal from them. “Once More” was particularly so when it came to the main character William Geller. Jaeme Velez was cast and required to not only dance well but to do so with a disability. Geller is a ballet dancer who has the drive and intense commitment that the field requires. He has also experienced a possible career ending situation and the despair created from this adds to the complexity of the character. The perfection required in the ballet world seems unattainable in his current situation and drives his action in the film, both expected and unexpected. Rachel worked with Velez to help create a character who seems known and incredibly difficult to pin down at the same time. While he presents plenty of personality, the spring from which it comes is unclear…a delightful quandary to the viewer, thanks to Jaeme and Rachel. Zhou relates that Selina Lee was in a state of deepening into her embodiment of her character throughout the entire production. As Geller’s love interest, she may be an even more tragic character than he.
  “Once More” is the story of William Geller, a psychologically collapsed dancer. His overwhelming nervousness causes his left leg to tremble while he is dancing. At audition for an American dance competition show called ‘Dance Miracle’, he is told by his manager to say something impressive as an addition to his dance. Following an overly confident statement,
 he falls and breaks his left leg. Losing all hope, he intends to commit suicide but is accidentally saved by a neighbor girl, Selina, whom he was secretly in love with. Unaware that he intends to kill himself, Selina encourages him to keep dancing. After Selina moves out, William starts pulling himself together. He tells his manager that he`s got a perfect story to tell the audience when he gets back to the stage. After a year, William returns to the show with a touching speech and dances well, even with his infirmity. Following his performance, he gives a heartfelt speech about how inspiring Selina was and how much he misses her. He confesses his love to the world and the audience is moved. William achieves instant fame with his tale of secret love that drove him to work back to achieve his dream. Months later, William, now a celebrity, returns home and meets Selina, who is waiting for him at the door. She tells him that she was surprised by his confession of love and she is available.  In a painful and well concealed plot twist, William turns her down and claims to not know her. Dismissing her as a crazy fano, Selina leaves confused. From his room, William watches her leave and then throws…. sorry, no spoilers here. But the unexpected ending is more than satisfying….and stunning. What can be revealed is that once William gets what he always wanted he finds out that the price of not being honest, the desire of superficial things and lies makes him miserable and at the same time. William Geller himself is a critique of the society that we live in now days.
  “Once More” with its deceptive characters and twisting plot lines earned immense praise. In a climate that is often formulaic, “Once More” is the antidote. Rather than denying the potential for the negativity of society, Rachel feels that exposing the potential makes for riveting viewing. She states, “I enjoy being artistic/weird, and I also enjoy being normal. When I am being normal and hanging out with friends, family, or a pet, I can get inspirations from them. Later, when I was working as an artist, I can utilize what I get from normal life. Art always originates from life and I completely understand the characters and the world created in this script, are just fantasy, or an escape. I enjoy the escape, but I also know the path back to my daily life. To deny that these motives exist in the world is to put yourself in their path. It’s much more fun to explore them artistically in film.”
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VFX FOR THE FANTASTIC AND THE COMMON PLACE: JACQUELYN RACINE

10/1/2017

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​  What do film’s like John Wick: Chapter 2, Suicide Squad, and the upcoming remake of Flatliners have in common with TV shows “Grace and Frankie”, “Justified”, and “Suits”…besides massive popularity? Their Venn diagram intersection is VFX coordinator Jacquelyn Racine. Whether it’s making sure that a soundstage is believable as a California beach front property or that Keanu Reeves appears to escape certain death yet again, Jacquelyn has established herself as the person in both film and TV to ensure that it gets done correctly and on time. One of her first forays into the world of VFX was working for Master Key VFX on USA Network’s “Suits.” This early project was equal parts learning and vetting for Racine, as much of the production world is, regardless of your vocation.  As the official VFX coordinator, Jacquelyn was the direct point of contact between the producers at USA Network and the team at Master Key VFX. Establishing lines of communication and navigating the sometimes political dynamics of the production world, this respected VFX coordinator explains that the goal is not for either party to flex their position but rather to maintain an open and honest relationship with all parties so as to alleviate any confusion. A lack of communication can cause problems which could otherwise be avoided if there is a copasetic relationship on both sides. With Racine in position this relationship between show and its aesthetic (in terms of VFX) had a solid foundation that has led to many continuing seasons as one of USA’s key programs.
  In her work on “Suits” Racine facilitated communication of timelines and schedules as well as developed a plan for the VFX team. It’s a multifaceted job which saw her managing a team of artists and their needs/requests, fielding questions and concerns, dealing with scheduling issues, and attending all meetings to define the process and communicate them to her team. She sat in on dalies sessions for all the shots and communicated notes from the VFX supervisor, producer and USA Network executives that were discussed and agreed upon. One of her most essential responsibilities was guaranteeing the delivery of daily shots quota back to the post-production department via ftp or file transfer software. Beyond talent, a great deal of commitment and responsibility was required of Jacquelyn. Associate Producer of “Suits” Ryan Kennedy comments, “ She was our liaison for Master Key VFX. We had to be in constant communication to ensure the visual effects deadlines were being met. I could depend on her and knew that shots would get turned around quickly. Their VFX studio was based in Toronto, so I know Jacquelyn and her team were kept late to meet our PST business hours. We expected a delivery of shots daily on the upcoming episode for our weekly broadcast schedule. There was always a clear line of communication from Jacquelyn to guarantee clean, air-ready materials were being produced. I enjoyed working together in this capacity because we had a good rapport and developed an excellent system that ensured our joint goals were achieved. A production this size has a lot of moving parts, which means dropping the ball can cause a crippling domino effect. Particularly when it comes to VFX, we needed the work done expeditiously and expertly. I could always relax knowing that Jacquelyn was in Toronto making sure that everything was perfectly handled.”
  The greatest use of VFX in the television series “Suits” was with background replacements, most commonly placing a New York City Skyline in where a green screen had been used during filming. This was necessary when the production team shot on location in Toronto, where they wanted the view out the window to look differently. Movement is then added to the background to make it look alive and realistic to the streets. A calling card that the show is known for is the use of unique transition shots (the cuts between two distinct scenes). The storyline often jumps around in timelines with flashbacks; Jacquelyn and her team helped to create some distinctive changing of time while maintaining the realism in the show.
  Racine is adamant about the positive experience of working on “Suits.” Although much of her time these days has been working on feature films and Netflix productions, broadcast television was an excellent opportunity for her to understand many of the demands on a VFX coordinator. Because “Suits” had already experienced successful seasons prior to her working at Master Key VFX, the system in place allowed her to both understand and add her own touch to facilitating the work. Specifically, “Suits” was the first time she had worked with CG, a field which she enjoyed so much that much of her work immediately following “Suits” was exclusively with 3D.
An essential part of the reason for the success of “Suits” was the very high standard established for shot approval. The numerous parties involved in this process in terms of Master Key’s VFX work meant that this demanded a substantial portion of Jacquelyn’s time. This also had the beneficial side effect of continually sharpening her communicative abilities and deepening the relationships within the community that would lead to numerous future professional opportunities and experiences.
  With seven seasons to date and a number of award nominations and accolades, “Suits” has become one of the evergreen series in USA’s lineup. With all of the technology, intensity, and deadlines, Racine confirms that for her the success lies in the people involved. She relates, “On a broadcast schedule for commercial television, things move very quickly. The key as a manager and coordinator is to keep your cool. The artists reflect the mood of their production team. We work in entertainment, so this job should be fun. I try to keep things light with my team as I feel it nourishes a positive environment for them to produce their best work. If you treat people as an equal partner collaborating on a common end goal, then the result will be much smoother and more pleasant for everyone.”
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