First session: Creative and Strategic Alliances
Posted by: Ayelet Mitch on Jun 20, 2010
First session: Creative and Strategic Alliances
with:
Prof. Eitan Green - director
Elinor Kowarsky - producer
Yaron Seelig - writer and producer
Avi cohen - director
Eitan: film makking is a tricky art of collaboration. You work with other partners who are also artists, so you have to make them work for you, but at the same time enjoy their talent and allow them to express themselves.
My tip: don't be nice and cool. People would find out about you anyway. What they need to know is that they are working for someone who cares about his project, works for dream and it is important to him.
About the character: we are not teachers and judges. We do no judge our characters. Sometimes our characters are immoral, but their world is facsinating. We do not force our own moral on the character. As writers, we see them as they are.
About our star: The star is helping us by knowing his lines, by respecting and co-operating with the crew. By that, he is helping us maintain the right atmosphere that enables us as directors, work with the others and make the film.
Yaron: Embrace everyone, and no one.
About collaborating with the character: It's all about love. You love someone not just because, but also in spite. Your love to the character shapes the alliance and collaboration. You should examine their lives and achievements in order to pick you character, but think about the way you would tell his story. You must love him, but think about the appeal to the audience. Our alliance is based upon the characters lending us their story, and us doing justice with them. You'll have to make it dramatic, form a persona by researching and detecting. In every dramatic situation, you must stay within the four corners of the character's personality. Turn the disadvantage to an advantage. You start with the truth, and then you can go on to fiction, if you find out something about your character that is immoral or negative.
Elinor: The alliance with the character is morally fascinating, especially in documentary film making. You must love your character to a certain amount, and the film will be affected by your love to your character.
About the complexity of the relationship with your character in a documentary: up for you and you exploit them to say something through their story.
As a producer, I work on a film only if the director has passion or love for the character. I believe in a team work and collaboration. I work only with a director that allows me creative involvement.
Avi: About the alliance between the director and the star: it's a delicate collaboration, because eventually it is the star who is being identified with the film. There is a balance between them. Sometime the star chooses you, so it may be dangerous or tempting working for him. The star is the one whom the audience identifies, so their lines have a far greater influence and meaning then the director usually sees.
