Simone does the PR at 1001 Production House After a week of being pretty sick I am, slowly, coming back to work at 1001 Production House. Nafiss had this incredible week in France so our office was pretty empty this week. Seeing her post from this morning made me realize we are very close to fulfilling her dream. We're in the last stages of the post-production and within two weeks this project will be a done deal. Together, Nafiss and I, talked about what to do with this film and especially what to do if this project isn't the success we've hoped for. But she said that even if this movie isn't big success it is an extraordinary experience and she learned a lot. If it isn't a box office hit we will still be able to look back with a smile. Nafiss gave so much of herself to Dance Iranian Style. It's her baby and seeing it 'grow up' gives all of us some parental pride.
What was Nafiss' dream, became my dream as well. So after this week of absence I'm back with a mission. I want to make this project YOUR dream. I will do this with a newsletter which all of you can receive if you want. Dot you want to know all the ins and outs about the project and the last stages we're in? Do you want to be the first to know all the juicy details of this projects future, just post your email as a reaction to this blog and we'll add you to the list of recipients. Because as Nafiss said in her post: the edit is locked and the final result is within view. You really don't want to miss it!
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Simone does the PR at 1001 Production House So last Wednesday I saw the latest version of Dance Iranian Style. I don’t know how many of you know the feeling of seeing something you worked extremely hard for come to life, but I was pretty blown away. Seeing a concept come to life is always very satisfactory especially when everybody is working so hard and hoping for success. I decided to look at the film as if it is not my own and be the neutral spectator. So if I was reading about this in the paper, and buying a ticket at the register and taking my seat in the cinema; what would I think of this film? Without all the fuzz of working for 1001 Production House and knowing everybody who gave there all for this project, would it still be as pretty and daring as I thought it would be?
I would say, as the obvious neutral spectator, yes. Some scenes are pretty, some scenes are prettier and some scenes are more daring than pretty. There is an edge to this project. Of course the work of DOP (director of photography) Stefano and the second cameraman Zeb is beautiful and the images are breathtaking at times, there is this imaginary border being crossed in this film that keeps the spectator quiet busy. I cannot say what it is, it would ruin your personal experience, but I can say that even for an experienced researcher in the field of Film Studies like me, this is a special project. The border between genres are questioned in a way the spectator is almost questioning himself instead of the film. So do you want to be questioned? Do you want to be challenged in the way you think you look at cinema and the comforting manner in which we accept genres? Please, take the time to look at this film when you have the chance. Because it is not only a wonderful homage to Amsterdam, it’s a devastating story about a refugee and it’s a daring and experimental film that stretches the documentary genre to something you haven’t seen before. Keep an eye on our Facebook page (1001 Production House) the next couple of weeks. We will be posting lots of new pictures and information about Dance Iranian Style! Simone does the PR at 1001 Production House Working on this film is like working from deadline to deadline. First there was the creating of the press kit (you know all about that one). Then there was the sending this kit to the distributors (told you about this as well). Together with the kit I had to tell them something about the film. And the same with the beginning of each blog I write for DIS I was searching for an opening. ‘Hi there’ is a little too informal, but ‘L.S.’ is way too formal. So after a lot of thought I ended up with: ‘Dear Sir/Madame’ in the cases where I couldn’t find a person to write to. Trying to make them enthusiastic for the project is not that difficult but searching for the right words can be. You know the feeling that you know what you want to say but just can’t find the words to say it? Or can’t find the right tone of voice? I didn’t want to sound too desperate, not too friendly, but not too distant either. So writing 500 words in 4 hours is totally normal in that state of mind.
After rewriting the letter five different times I couldn’t see straight anymore and called it a day. The next morning I was pretty impressed with what I wrote and without thinking emailed it to like 15 different distributors. The big waiting game began. Within 10 minutes I got three replies. A little scared to open them I clicked on one without opening my eyes. First a little formal ‘Dear Simone, thanks for your email’. But my eyes scrolled trough the text and found the words: ‘we want to see more’. This happened in all three replies. So good news; they didn’t hate it right away. The actually want to see the rough cut. They want to see what I was so passionately talking about. With the distributors enthusiastic and the press kit being done and all, the next deadline is coming up. We have to start a PR and media campaign. But after that one there will be hundreds of other deadlines before we achieved all of our Dance Iranian Style aspirations. World domination! Simone does the PR at 1001 Production House Just last week I had a conversation with Nafiss about the concept of working together. I realized that working together can mean a lot of different things. And that together is not always together, but sometimes means ‘for me’. So in some cases you’ll be working for someone else instead of the intended together. And just that small difference in attitude can make all the difference. Dance Iranian Style was, for me, a perfect example of the working together principle. Of course Nafiss and Farshad were ultimately in charge, but there was so much working together going on during shooting. Even after shooting this feeling of working within a family continues. And that made me think about this concept so much. What if every company works together family-style, wouldn’t that make all the difference? That doesn’t mean there can’t be a head of the family who is in charge, like Nafiss, but it seems to give mutual respect. Sometimes all you need is to have somebody ask about your weekend or have those 30 minute lunch breaks together at a table, sitting down like we did when we were kids. This also means you can, but don’t have to, talk about personal stuff. Things that are bothering you and holding you back, but are not work related. Just like talking to your sister of brother, you don’t have to tell them anything if you don’t want to, but the possibility is always there.
This work ethos doesn’t mean you don’t have to work and can talk and gossip all the time. It’s the absolute contrary with me. Within a calm and friendly work environment I work even harder. I want to do better, I want to show my work-family that we’re doing this project together and I’m doing my part. So after talking to Nafiss about working together and understanding what it meant for her and what it means for me, I would like to encourage everybody to work together instead of working for each other. Create a ‘work family’, with a Don as the ultimate head of the family. I know I will with all of my future projects. Next week I will be getting back to business and sending out those press kit bastards to all the distribution channels. Those pretty bastards who are finally finished thanks to my official family Joost Waardenburg. Today I would like to give you some insight in the different lists I was talking about last week. After nearly finishing the press kit I am looking through my huge lists of possible distribution companies and film festivals. Making a choice seems impossible within this spider’s web of company names. Of course I made a short list, but my ‘short’ list still consists of over 50 different institutions and festivals. I can’t help but wonder what the difference is between all the bullet points on my endless list and how on earth I can make a choice out of these. So the first thing I decide to do is look at all these different companies and see how I can picture Dance Iranian Style on their website. Can I imagine them rooting for us? What other films do they distribute and do we even have a change if I send them my precious kit? So basically I am making decisions that can change the whole outcome of this project, make it or break it. Although I don’t think anything can break this project anymore. It united so many people en touched so many others, it will never be a waste. That fact makes me even more eager to find a right ‘distributionhome’ for it.
With all that in mind I have to seek the different gems within this film and let them speak for themselves. Different aspects I can put forward when needed. Sometimes DIS can be a human interest story, sometimes I can promote it as an experimental genre film or as a movie about the importance of cultural dance. This gives me a huge advantage and make the endless list a lot more not-endless. So all the distribution companies on the list, get your act together, you will soon find out how great this project is and you WILL fight for it. Next stop: sending the press kits. Super exciting! Creating a press kit for Dance Iranian Style is something that kept me busy for the last couple of weeks, me and the graphic designer Joost of course. The strange thing is that none of you guys will see this press kit, at least not for now. This kit is meant for the different distribution companies, film representatives, film festivals and our sponsors. We want to show our progress, we want to show off our hard work and we want to show them the beauty of this project, so we can distribute this film and everybody is going to be able to enjoy it. The next thing on my list is sending these kits out to all these different people and companies and hoping for the best. We, at 1001 Production House, like to aim high and knowing the response a lot of people have to this project I cannot help but think of the great success it’s going to be. The creative part is almost over for me and I have to switch over to a more marketing side of myself. That means getting this project the attention it needs and deserves. That involves dozens of phone calls, e-mails, talks with Nafiss and Farshad about the different view and goals we have, and making hundreds of to-do lists. So I am starting with one of these to-do lists of mine: Give you guys a sneak peak of the press kit you’ll one day see when this film is running in theaters or on a very very important film festival! Simone On a windy day in April I ended up on one of the last days of shooting the film Dance Iranian Style.
I didn’t know much about the project except for the fact that I was going to be in charge of the PR. From what I saw that day I could tell that it was going to be a special project. It is a daring film. Experimental versus conventional within the existing genres of film. After talking a lot to Nafiss and Farshad I figured out that this film is going to be fantastic. The way in which this project stretches the boundaries of a conventional fiction or documentary film, the way in which it uses different cameras and of course the way in which the crew participated in this experimental film is promising. Since that windy day in April I am working hard on finding a way to explain to the rest of the world how totally amazing this project is. Together with Joost Waardenburg, a graphic designer, I am looking for the visual identity and ethos this project deserves. Within the next few weeks and months I’ll be focusing on finding distributors and film festivals to further distribute this masterpiece. From a reliable source I can tell you this film is going to be a gem. Simone It feels strange, almost surreal. Last Sunday exactly at 13.40 we finished shooting Dance Iranian Style. It was a fantastic production time with a great team and now five days later all the hard work seems gone and forgotten. We couldn't find a better day to finish the shooting; Sunday April 20th appeared to be the most beautiful day of April 2014 and we celebrated the end of shooting at Maria Heineken Square; happy, satisfied and proud like our DOP said. I really hope that we be able to make Roya and other rejected refugees visible through this film, also we hope to present you a good film that has a strong content and beautiful image. it comes a time, hopefully in a couple of months, that I'll announce proudly that the film is ready, ready to be seen! So keep an eye on us ;) Right now we are heading towards post-production time. Me trying to find funds to cover the post production expenses and our director trying to find a good production company and editor to start with editing. A company who is willing to invest in this movie, made by love and determination. The first thing that crosses my mind is, to ask you guys whether you know any small foundations which I can approach? I know all the big ones, but I know that there are still small ones that I know nothing of. So if you can help me, please contact me at [email protected] I'll be always grateful. Love, Nafiss I forgot to tell you that we had a visitor from biosagenda.nl on monday. After a very nice chat with Aldo, he went to film the crew and he was very lucky to be present for the shooting of a very exciting scene. I will keep you posted the minute we appear on their site.
This morning the birds were still sleeping when the crew of Dance Iranian Style drove to the heart of the night looking for Roya who was disappeared in a park. After a while they found her somewhere in the park, sleeping on a stone and cold bench. What would you do when you have no place to go, no bed to sleep on, no money to pay for a cup of thee and nobody to talk to? How would you survive? This is the story of thousands of rejected refugees, this is the story of Roya. Don't pity her, understand her. Don't feel sorry for her, acknowledge her. Listen to her, give her a face, fight for her. Spread her story. Spread the story of those who flee their horrible situation and look for a shelter in this country. Don't say: It is not my problem, send them back to where they are come from. Don't say they are fortune seekers. And if so, what is wrong with seeking the fortune? (in their case happiness seekers) . Everybody does that, why can't they? 'Dance, Iranian Style' will not promote illegality, will not accuse anybody, but does want to give a face to these invisible inhabitants of the Netherlands. After a sunny start and the rainy days that we really needed for our scenes, we now wish for a little warmth. You may not notice it in your daily activities, but it is so cold when you wait and our crew waits a lot.
The good news is that we are on schedule and doing fine. We are following the planning thanks to our diligent Assistant Director Saskia and the hardworking Production Team (Noemi, Annemarie and Asher). I'm not mentioning our director Farshad and our camera & sound team, because it is obvious that we don't have a film without them! We have the most finest team ever! It's not easy to work on an experimental documentary on the street and in a cold weather. Specially when you don't exactly know what is going to happen next. But that is how we make this film and that is why we are grateful to our cast and crew for their patience, understanding and above all hard work. In the mean time we MUST not forget our Roya, the person who the film is about. The person who tries to survive everyday in cold, rainy and lonely days. She is a symbol of every rejected refugee in the Netherlands, even Europe. With allowing us to film her story and follow her struggle to stay alive, she makes this film possible. But that is not all. By telling her story she stands for every refugee who is forgotten, every refugee who has no place in our nice and cozy homes. We wont forget them, do the same! There are a lot of friends who help us during this journey and that makes everything even more beautiful. We stayed at my dearest friend, Fanny 's house when we were shooting at the Maria Heineken Square. She treated us with such a hospitality, our crew is still flurried by it. And when we were desperately looking for a red coat and bag, Lovely Jacqueline immediately send us pictures of everything she has in red. Now we use her coat and bag in our film. Absolutely dear friends and supporters like Cindy, Basema, Jan Jaap, Clement and Romke who play the police agents in our film and Roy, Marcel, Nathalie, Darifa, Karin and more to come, who participate in any way they can and help us enormously. Dear friends, colleagues and relatives, I can't thank you enough! |
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