Short film, experimental, 17', 2015
Graduation project, KADK
Romanian title: Delir în Doidoidoi
Producer: KADK / Denmark
Description: MA Graduation project, Production Design, KADK Copenhagen, Superviser: Barbara Adler
Concept:
- "Delirium for Twotwotwo" is an experimental video adaptation of the "Delirium for two" play by Eugene Ionesco, consisting in assigning two hundred and twenty-two different actors to the roles of one single woman and one single man.
- it is a proposal that tries to visually match the principles of absurd theatre, inside a computer generated universe.
Streaming:
Making of:
Shooting started on the 1st of October 2014. I had set up an makeshift studio in one of the school’s lobbies, pinned a green screen to the wall, and got ready to rumble.
The work days started on a precise ritual of setting up the studio, the tripods, the lights, the camera (all which were dismantled at the end of each day and locked in a nearby storage space). After coffee, followed a quick review of the day’s planed shot-list, and just like an ancient old merchant, I would begin to engage directly with by-passers, trying to sell or rather give for free what screen inflation shrunk to be one’s “15 seconds of fame”.
After the first wave of enthusiasts and well-wishers started to diminish, the battle for the undecided-would-be-actors began. And, just like a politician, I began to use everything in my power to get people inside the studio. Promises, smiles, hugs, a Facebook page, pictures over various backgrounds, and a one-beer-per-dialogue-line offer were my weapons.
At a final rate of around 4 people per day, “collecting” volunteer actors proved to be the hardest point in the development of this project. It dramatically delayed the entire schedule, which was estimated to finish shooting on the 1st of November. The actual end date was December 5th. Days alternated randomly between being exceptional - managing to film 10 people (once), to a disaster - barely managing to film one person (several times). By the last two weeks, the psychological drag I was experiencing became heavy and I was daily questioning the possibility that I might not be able to finish in time. Help came from my good colleague Bertan Cómert.
The next phase of the process consisted in cleaning the images by masking out the green screen around the actors (After Effects) and starting to gradually create a rough cut of the entire production. It was a slow process, as a new visual language was at the same time, paradoxically, both invented and being discovered. The rules of engagement as to how the actors interacted within a scene and from scene to scene were defined. Other key decisions erupted: i.e. the colour parameter changed (the film’s characters remained black and white and only the space’s saturation started to raise) etc.
Contact
Email: bogdan.stamatin@gmail.com
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