Online promotion of film trailers
Film Promotion via Trailer – Editing and Specifications was the topics of the workshop that Macedonian editor Atanas Georgiev held on 12 December on the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Skopje, as part of the Cinematic program. Students could learn more about trailers as powerful form that helps the film promotion. The mapping of the current situation in this profession in the region, its advantages and disadvantages, directions and plan for its development, with special emphasis on exchange of experiences among the participating countries were the topics discussed on the first day. Trailers from domestic films on which Georgiev worked as an editor were screened – “Mirage” by Svetozar Ristovski, “Cash & Marry” and the cult “Fight Club” by David Fincher. Georgiev explained that the length and layout of the trailer depends on where they are screened and in front of which audience to promote the film. With three shots from the famous “Paris, Texas”, that Wes Anderson won the “Golden Palm” in Cannes in 1984 for, he explained how one trailer can be effectively edited to tells everything about the film. Atanas Georgiev was born in 1977 in Skopje, Macedonia. He graduated in 2000 from the Academy of Drama Arts in Skopje in film & TV editing, and edited numerous feature films, documentaries, shorts, and music videos. He lives and works as a director and editor in Skopje. The film Cash & Marry earned him a pulmonary embolism, and also the Regards de Neuf Award in Nyon, Switzerland. He is known for his work on Mirage (2004), To The Hilt (2014), These Are the Rules (2014), Lazar (2015) and Amok (2016).
TIFForum 2016
Script Development Workshop & Pitching Competition in collaboration with Torino Film Lab TIFForum is a 3-day intensive workshop for script development of 8 first or second feature film projects, consisting of individual consultations, practical writing exercises, and lectures. During the 3 days of the workshop, each of the 2 trainers in script development guide, and collaborate with, a group of 4 projects/filmmakers, forming a sort of creative family. Trainers and trainees are working together in planned meetings (individual and group ones), but they are also expected to be constantly “on call”, available to offer feedback to each other, each single day, from breakfast through dinner, through a series of additional, unexpected meetings moderated by the trainer/group leader, depending on the specific needs of each script of the group, at any given time. Coinciding with the Tirana International Film Festival 2016 (3-11 November), the workshop produces training and networking synergies. TIFForum is supported by Balkan Cinema Cities. Target group Only the following countries are accepted: Albania, Kosovo, Macedonia, Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey, Romania and Croatia.
Forum on production design
Film experts from Macedonia, Greece, Bulgaria and Albania talked about the possibilities of strengthening the mutual collaboration in the film industry and exchanging experiences during the 1st International Forum on Production Design that happened on 27th and 28th August in Bitola. The forum aims to strengthen the cooperation between film professionals in the region, and exchange experiences in the film industry. This event was excellent opportunity to compare achievements between the participating countries as well as an inspiration for future measures to improve the situation in this profession and the film industry in general. The mapping of the current situation in this profession in the region, its advantages and disadvantages, directions and plan for its development, with special emphasis on exchange of experiences among the participating countries were the topics discussed on the first day. Producer Dimitar Nikolov said that despite the difficult financial times we have great potential for investment in the film business. He added that the City of Bitola fully supports these film activities so they can gain their rightful place and can help with easier regional and cross-border collaboration, which is a European policy at this moment, especially in film and culture. The director of the Macedonian Film Agency Mimi Gjorgoska-Ilievska said that this kind of meetings are particularly productive for regional co-productions. “This Forum focuses on important part of the film industry for which little is spoken in Macedonia, so we must pay more attention to production designers because without this segment there is no film”. She also spoke about the Film Industry Law and explained the benefits of co-producing and filming in the country. Greek producer Michael Sarantinos explained how to finance films in Greece. He said that approximately 5,000 people work in the film industry in Greece operate. Most companies are small, usually of two people. About 20 million a year are invested in film. The biggest player is the Greek Film Fund, which allocates on average 150,000 euros per film. He added that the region offers excellent opportunities for development of the film industry that should be used. He said that even though is very expensive, a good production designer can actually save money because he knows the locations, knows how to camouflage etc. “Such activities are a good opportunity for the development of film cooperation between neighboring countries”, noted the Bulgarian actor, director and producer Nikolay Mutafchiev. He said that this way we unite our forces and develop domestic productions that talk about our traditions, about our problems and that involve hiring domestic teams and actors, which helps in the development of the domestic production. Director and producer Saso Pavlovski said that we know more about the American tradition than about the region. This must be changed immediately so we can compare what is good and what is bad. He thinks that we need more cooperation between the director and the production designer, to be more creative and spend a lot more time on preproduction. Production designer Vlatko Zafirkovski said that this first International forum for production design in Macedonia is a chance to raise a few questions about the problems and deficiencies that are actually necessary for the development of the film industry in Macedonia, in order to even try to solve some of them. Talking about the disadvantages of this profession he said that the lack of a professional film studio is simply one of the major poblems in Macedonia that slow down the development of the film industry. He also mentioned that the procurement of materials is a big problem because there are not yet companies dealing with professional specific material sales (various silicones, gelatins, pigments, alchemist solvents etc.). The second day the emphasis were placed on the ways of networking. The director of the International Film Festival in Tirana, Agron Domi was also present. He said that the second event of this kind during will be organized during Tirana Film Festival in May next year. The forum was supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Macedonia within the Program for support of the creative industries.
