Please tell us about the projects you worked on before making ‘Reprise’. How did you start, and how did you learn to make films?
Reprise is our first project. We share a passion for film, but neither of us studied cinema. The itch, however, remained so we decided to just go for it and make a short on our own. We basically learned film by watching films.
Tell us about ‘Reprise’. How do you describe it?
To us, it’s a story about painful nostalgia and how far one is willing to go to relive a glorious moment from the past. It’s a contrasting journey between depression and happiness and how deeply both can be intertwined.
Please tell us about your favorite filmmakers.
Amadeo Debersaques: A difficult question, we share a love for Tarantino and other great directors. I also really admire people like Jordan Peele and Denis Villeneuve for their creative and fresh take on existing genres.
Arthur Nemry: Personally I’m a big fan of Wes Anderson because of how he is always able to bring a distinct style to his work that grabs your attention and keeps it. Stanley Kubrick for his unmatched attention to detail, and Quentin Tarantino, like Amadeo mentioned, for his storytelling ability and captivating dialogue. There are of course many more (Sergio Leone, Orson Welles, Francis Ford Coppola…)
If you were given a good budget, what would be your ideal project?
We would love to make a feature film, free from obligations. Basically, free to focus fully on the story and the storytelling. We have various ideas laying around in various genres (ranging from psychological thriller to comedy). This may sound naïve, but you did ask for our ideal project!
Describe how you would ensure that production is on schedule. What steps would you take?
The main thing, we would say, is to plan as much as possible in advance to limit the amount of surprises on the day of the shoot. Be professional and surround yourself with professionals. We try to create an atmosphere where every member of the team feels like they are truly part of the project and are willing to go the extra mile. If crew members elevate each other, everyone wins. But most importantly, we would say, is to calculate in delays from the get-go so they can be anticipated and margins can be calculated in. If there are no delays after all, you’ll either end up ahead of schedule or find yourself with some extra time to experiment.
What was the hardest part of making ‘Reprise’.
It was hard to find backing (not only financial, but also from actors and locations) as a small, starting crew. Because of our limited resources and possibilities there was no room or time for errors. Being able to quickly adapt to small unforeseen things surely was a challenge (Arthur: but was my favourite aspect of it).
If possible, tell us about your next work. What plans do you have for your future work?
We are currently working on “Foutaise” another short, but something completely different from “Reprise”. It is a period piece set around 1811 and is much more story driven. Without giving too much away, it’s a story about an honour duel for the hand of a woman between a Napoleonic army officer and a young, passionate challenger. Truly a tale of passion, treason and regret. For more information, people will have to keep an eye on our social media at A&A Films Gent.
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