A short dance film feat. Angelina Rakova
This article is an update of a previous post. I added 2 videos to further show how these videos are made. The approach is different each time, but I sometimes come back to this method that I've used a couple of times now over the years. But before we dive a little further, just a few words on how this one came to be.
It became a habit... I find an apartment, make a couple of photoshoots, and then challenge myself to write a quick script or synopsis and do my best to make it happen. It's part of my training, and I am not even joking. I get access to these locations and tell myself that it might not happen again, so let's make the most out of it.
So here is the unaltered synopsis I initially wrote and sent to Angelina:
Synopsis
"A woman, haunted by the tragedy that binds her to a Haussmannian apartment, unfurls a long, transparent fabric and dances with it. Her movements, infused with deep emotion, convey her tragic tale, and the fabric symbolizes her emotional burden. As she collapses and disappears, a couple enters the apartment, unaware of her ghostly presence. Later, a real estate agent discovers the fabric on the ground and wonders where it came from, a poignant reminder of the woman's tragic story."
You'll quickly notice we changed a few stuff. I couldn't get a couple available for my ending so I had to ask one of the models to fill in and shoot the ending on a different day. Angelina did an incredible job, as a big chunk of her choreography was changed on the spot because we couldn't rehearse on location before principal photography. I even asked to change a few things because I had specific shots in my head I wanted to include in the final film.
So here it is, "For rent", filmed on the Fujifilm XH2s and native Fujinon glass.
- For RENT -
Dancer & Choreographer: Angelina Rakova
A film crafted by HazeKware
1st AC Marlène Blackdough
Filmed with the Fujifilm XH2s
Real-estate agent: Marlène C.
Visitor: Nina Portalier
Filmed in Toulouse
Music:
- Lashed Over A Hundred Times -
Music by Sebastian Kauderer
a HK VISUALS short film
Angelina did a fantastic job that day. We couldn't rehearse, she discovered the location on the day, and with the ideas I had on the day she had to rewrite a big chunk of her choreography. "Rewrite" is the right word. I wanted to film different angles of the same choreography in two different rooms (initially 3). I wanted the viewers to feel disoriented, not knowing exactly her position inside the apartment.
I still gave her 45 minutes before we started rolling, and gave her a few indications and the type of shots that were essential to make it work. The piece is short which is an advantage, she also doesn't start dancing right away. This was our only chance to make it work in a few hours. Once everything was set, I decided to apply the same method we used for my tryptic: "Will you be there"
From three to two rooms, we agreed to film the entire choreo (without the intro) from beginning to end for all the main angles I wanted to cover. A mix of tripod shots and handheld camera work.
I decided to share with you a quick edit of Angelina's performance in both rooms. The edit and color grading weren't baked and served as a base for the final video.
but these 2 edits that were made before the final one, helped me choose the right sequences, and sped up my process of deciding when to bounce from one room to another.
Here is the first room and main performance:
Here is the 2nd room:
These é videos were never meant to see the light of day, unlike the "I will be there" 3 videos, that showed 3 different perspectives.
I learned so much during the process of this one, and hope this experience will help me on future bigger projects. If you have any questions about my process, I will be glad to answer them. I will catch you guys in my next project!
