As we have described before on the blog, and on our social media channels, this summer we worked closely with Blue Youth Films on the feature film co-production Nimic mai mult și nimic diferit, directed by Lucas Neagu. To understand the creative process better, both on set, with director of photography Horațiu Curuțiu, and in the edit suite, with editor Eugen Kelemen, we asked them to tell us more about the way of working and the work ethic on an independent film production.
Lucas Neagu made his debut in 2024 with the feature film "Timing", which enjoyed great success on its release in Romanian cinemas. Now, after producing his second film, Nimic mai mult și nimic diferit, we were curious to find out more about his experience in Cluj and his plans for the future.
How did the film change from the first ideas through to its completion? What influenced those changes, if there were any?
"The film went through many changes, there were a lot of feedback sessions, especially during the rehearsal period with the actors. That is my way of working: once I feel the screenplay is ready, I start working on it with the actors, listening to their opinions and their needs and developing it further from there. Eugen Kelemen and Horațiu Curuțiu also contributed feedback, before production. Even so, the main idea of the film, its foundation let us say, stayed the same. An elderly couple facing the imminent reality of the end of a life."
How was the production process in Timișoara different compared with Cluj?
"In Timișoara, on Timing, my first feature, it was very much a passion project, shot in what the trade would call guerilla style. It was still ground I knew very well and, although it was hard work, I managed to operate successfully as a producer. On this new film I had the luxury of not having to worry too much about the locations myself, and it was a good thing it happened that way, because I was not very familiar with the city. Horațiu took care of that well and presented me with options. I chose. I learned a lot from both experiences."
How would you describe your collaboration as a director with the established actors Marian Râlea, Ana Ciontea, Áron Dimény and Johanna Adam? How is it different from working with Daria Pintilie and Vlad Lință, if it is?
"I think I always try to keep the same approach every time I work as a director, namely to give my actors as much creative freedom as possible. I am honoured to have had the chance to work with Marian, Ana, Johanna and Aron, all of them actors I never even dreamed of working with, and it makes me enormously happy that they decided to take part in this film without knowing me beforehand, simply by reading my screenplay and being deeply moved by the story. With Marian Râlea and Ana Ciontea we rehearsed a great deal and I will praise them whenever I get the chance, they are phenomenal actors. I appreciated with all my heart that they treated me as their equal, even though their experience is far greater. With the young Daria Pentelie and Vlad Lință, who are dear friends of mine, we worked with a great deal of trust and good humour. I rehearsed the most with them and they were the first to know about the project. We came, we rehearsed, we trusted our work and we delivered."
What impression do you want to leave with the audience who watch this film?
"Nimic mai mult și nimic diferit invites the audience to a celebration of life. I would like to think it will be perceived as a happy film and that the audience will leave with a thirst to live their lives beautifully, in quiet, peace and joy alongside the people they love. I hope they leave the cinema with a pleasant, warm feeling."
What advice would you give to young people starting out on a film career, and what are your plans for the future?
"I have said it before and I will say it again. As a young person wanting to set out on a path, whatever it is you want to do, you should be guided by a balance between two words: passion and sustainability. As for my plans for the future, I am trying to keep writing. I am working on two screenplays in parallel. If either of them materializes one day and I have the privilege of being able to continue this career, then that is wonderful. If not, we will see. I try to stay flexible. At the end of the day, all I want is to be healthy, happy and among the people I love."
Horaț
iu Curuțiu, the founder of the production company Numa Film, director of photography and producer on dozens of local films, contributed on both fronts this time to the production of the feature "Nimic mai mult și nimic diferit".
How do you contribute to the screenplay through the images you create?
"I like to think that when I work on a film, through the images I create, I help the director tell their story. It helps that I have reached a certain maturity, so that I do not feel I have anything to prove, technically speaking. I am not one of those cinematographers who justify their shots through the equipment; I am more interested in understanding the directorial intention as well as possible, the narrative, the characters, so that I can use the camera to contribute to the way we are going to tell the story. On the film by Lucas it was the same, we had a great many discussions in pre-production about the story, the characters, the locations, essentially all the elements that can influence the way we were going to shoot, precisely in order to align ourselves creatively as well as possible. I think we managed to tell a coherent story, in a manner that is perhaps slightly different from what we are used to from a Romanian film, especially a low-budget independent one."
How do you manage a small technical crew within the limits of an independent film budget?
"I believe the crew is what underpins the production of any film. From the producer point of view, I think my job is to make sure I surround myself with the right people. More or less experienced, that matters less. The desire is there, we all dream of making films, so I choose to trust people and the whole team. I think it is a shared effort we have to make, we need the discipline to carry through what we establish in pre-production. From the perspective of an independent film budget, in Cluj our films have been financed mostly by ourselves, out of the profits generated by commercial projects. We have always considered it an investment in ourselves, in the local industry, and we have always done it with great pleasure."
What do you think this production means for the future of the film industry in Cluj?
"I like to think that what we do has relevance, although it is an independent feature film, and I hope this project will at least fuel the desire in some people to make a film of their own. In essence, this film ought to be a bridge between Cluj and Timișoara; just as in Cluj, there are a few people there who want to produce films locally. Perhaps we will see more Cluj and Timișoara collaborations from that point of view."
Eugen Kelemen, editor of over thirty films, worked closely with director Lucas Neagu on the post-production of the film.
In the process of editing the film, how did this story take on new perspectives and forms? How faithful should the editor be to the original structure of the screenplay?
"The editor is the best friend of the screenwriter. Even so, taking into account the interpretative vision of the director, it can happen, and quite frequently, that the narrative structure changes in the edit suite. Not so substantially, of course, that the story itself is altered. There is one more element that can bring changes: the actor. Their performance can lead to a different perception, no matter how clearly it is explained in the screenplay. The emotions and the feelings imprinted on the image can reshape the working out of the original intention. This is proof that the edit contributes a great deal to the way the viewer perceives the film."
httpss://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H93KDO4uQlg&feature=emb_title
Scroll down for Romanian
Motor! Mark! and Action! were the words that were heard over two days, during filming the spot for Magic Association.
December 2020
"In January we will shoot the MagicHelp spot", Horațiu told everyone on the team. After receiving the additional information, the enthusiasm could be read on everyone's face and over time, from one day to the next, this feeling grew more and more.
Earlier this month, friends at Heraldist & Wondermarks sent us an email proposing to work on this project together. The agency founded in 2014, in California, has gained notoriety in Europe, two of the locations being in Cluj and Bucharest. With wide experience in Perception Engineering, the agency helps companies such as Uber, Brandcast, Appnomic, Revolut, Elrond, Airbnb, Moonfare, Bitdefender, and many more to build successful campaigns. Thus, their campaigns reached USA Today, The Guardian, NBC, Stern, Business Insider, they had a substantial impact, being viewed by people around the world.
For each of us, this production was going to be something new, because we were going to take part in an experience from which to learn to grow more. While days are passing by, we are setting up the production. We had meetings over meetings where we discussed the locations to choose, how important it is to have an expressive casting, and the importance of a soundtrack that goes hand in hand with the emotions of the characters. We set out to create a spot that would convey strong emotions, and that's what we did.
After reading the script of the spot, we wanted the directing to be done by Bogdan Ilieșiu. We met Bogdan while filming his short film, The Tower of Pisa, where we were co-producers, but we have also worked together on other advertising projects.
The spot captures interspersed sequences from the ordinary lives of three characters. Three super parents who do everything for their sick children, and their emotions and feelings dominate every frame from beginning to end. It manages to stir you up and awaken a strong feeling in you no matter how many times you watch it.
MagicHELP is the first mobile application that helps families with seriously and chronically ill children to benefit from free services and products. With the help of the application, the needs of parents with sick children, from the region of Transylvania, will be able to be met by an entire community that will want to provide help through goods and services. The MagicHELP application is a bridge between you and me, between you and us, where the good is shaped up by every good deed done for children suffering from a serious illness.
"Something is not right. There are two more days until filming, and I still can't believe everything is ready", Horatiu tells me and Andrei on the way home. From the beginning, we grouped into departments, each with well-defined roles. And thus this project had a good organization.
23rd January 2021
At seven o'clock in the morning, we left the office towards the first location where we were supposed to shoot. When we got there, on either side of the street, our cars were parked everywhere. The whole frame seemed to be detached from a movie scene where we were all actors in our actions, in which we had the responsibility to fulfill our roles until someone had to say wrap. We started taking the equipment out of the cars and getting ready for filming. On one side of the house, the make-up team was preparing the actors for the scenes, on the other side, the film crew was assembling the camera and the rest of the equipment.
"We're in position. Everybody be quiet!", it was heard all over. At eight o'clock in the morning, we shot the first scene and, until eight o'clock in the evening, we had gone through scene after scene until we finished the first day of filming.
After twelve hours of filming, a part of the team sat on the corner of the living room to discuss how we would proceed the next day. What I knew for sure, because we had discussed this before, was that at six o'clock in the morning, some of us should be at Kaufland for filming the first scene of the day. After we had clarified what we had to do, we gathered the necessary props in Andreea's car and we left with Raluca to prepare the location for Sunday's filming.
"We need a colleague on the fruit-vegetable aisle, please!", it was heard through the Kaufland communication station, while we were filming the scene with one of the actors shopping. While the first customers arrived in the supermarket, we began to descend the escalators to move towards cars. From there, we headed to Republicii Street, for the next location.
We had a total of sixteen production hours throughout the day. However, many of us felt that tomorrow would be another day of filming. Thus, you realize that time is relative and it passes differently depending on where we are, but especially, depending on the people who are close to us. At the end of the day, we looked at each other and there was a feeling of satisfaction on our faces.
Over the years, through the commercials we have made, what we wanted was to convey a story to the public, so that their emotions and feelings persist even after they finished watching it. And, at the same time, to understand that behind the screen they are looking at, depending on each spot, there are people who tell their story through other people.
The Magic Association deals with the creation of services and facilities, as well as the development of programs to improve the quality of life of children suffering from cancer or other serious diseases. The projects of the association provide children and their parents with social and emotional support, as well as financial or material support, during the time the child is ill. Thus, projects such as MagicCAMP, Magic BOX, MagicHOME, Soul Driver, MagicCARE, MagicHELP were developed.
Every child has the right to superheroes, and for most of them, parents are the ones who wear their superhero costumes every day. They tell them how extraordinary they are and not to lose the courage to believe in more. And from them, they also learn the most important lesson of life, namely, that every day completed is a victory!
Thanks to the team
Marius Pop - copywriter
Ainhoa Morales - art director
Andy Daniliuc - creative director
Bogdan Ilieșiu - director
Horațiu Curuțiu - director of photography, producer
Alexandra Sofroni - assistant director
Raluca Pascu - set decorator
Andreea Curuțiu - production manager
Sergiu Băcioiu - photography
Andrei Sirian - 1st Camera Assistant & Focus Puller
Radu Tătar - DIT & Video Assist
Octavian Șaramet - sound recordist
Adrian Coșarcă - storyboard artist
Laurențiu Curuțiu - gaffer
Timea Baboș - production runner
ROMANIAN VERSION
Motor! Mark! Action! au fost cuvintele care s-au auzit pe parcursul a două zile, în timpul filmărilor pentru spotul Asociației Magic.
Decembrie, 2020
„În luna ianuarie vom avea filmări pentru producția spotului MagicHelp”, ne-a spus Horațiu tuturor celor din echipă. După ce am primit și alte informații adiționale, entuziasmul se citea pe chipul tuturor, iar cu timpul, de la o zi la alta, acest sentiment creștea din ce în ce mai mult.
La începutul lunii, prietenii de la Heraldist & Wondermarks ne-au trimis un e-mail în care ne-au propus să lucrăm împreună la acest proiect. Agenția înființată în anul 2014, în California, și-a câștigat notorietate și în Europa, două dintre locații fiind în Cluj și în București. Cu o experiență vastă în Perception Engineering, agenția ajută companii precum Uber, Brandcast, Appnomic, Revolut, Elrond, Airbnb, Moonfare, Bitdefender și multe altele, să construiască campanii de succes. Astfel, campaniile lor au ajuns și în USA Today, The Guardian, NBC, Stern, Business Insider, acestea au avut un impact substanțial, fiind vizualizate de oamenii din întreaga lume.
Pentru fiecare dintre noi, această producție avea să fie ceva nou, mai ales că urma să luăm parte la o experiență din care să învățăm pentru a crește mai frumos. Cu fiecare zi mai aproape, noi puneam producția la cale. Am avut ședințe peste ședințe unde am discutat despre locațiile pe care trebuia să le alegem, despre cât de important este să avem un casting expresiv și despre importanța unei coloane sonore, care să meargă mână în mână cu trăirile personajelor. Ne-am propus să creăm un spot care să transmită o emoție puternică, și asta am și făcut.
După ce am citit scriptul spotului, ne-am dorit tare mult ca regia să fie făcută de Bogdan Ilieșiu. Cu Bogdan ne știm de la filmările scurtmetrajului său, Turnul din Pisa, unde noi am fost co-producători, dar am lucrat împreună și pentru alte proiecte de advertising.
Spotul surprinde secvențe intercalate din viețile obișnuite a trei personaje. Trei super părinți care fac totul pentru copiii lor bolnavi, iar emoțiile și trăirile lor domină fiecare cadru de la început și până la sfârșit. Ori de câte ori l-ai relua, reușește să te răscolească de fiecare dată și să trezească în tine un sentiment puternic.
MagicHELP este prima aplicație mobilă care ajută familiile cu copii bolnavi grav, cronic să beneficieze de servicii și produse gratuite. Cu ajutorul aplicației, nevoile părinților cu copii bolnavi, din regiunea Transilvaniei, vor putea fi îndeplinite de o întreagă comunitate care va vrea să ofere ajutor prin bunuri și servicii. Aplicația MagicHELP este o punte între mine și tine, între noi și voi, unde binele se conturează cu fiecare faptă bună făcută pentru copiii ce suferă de o boală gravă.
„Ceva nu este în regulă. Mai sunt două zile până la filmare, și tot nu-mi vine să cred că totul este pregătit”, ne spune Horațiu, mie și lui Andrei, în drum ce ne îndreptăm spre casă. De la început ne-am împărțit pe echipe pentru a ști ce trebuie să facem. Și, astfel, acest proiect a avut o organizare ca la carte.
23 ianuarie 2021
La ora șapte dimineața am plecat de la birou spre prima locație unde aveau loc filmările. Când am ajuns acolo, pe de-o parte și de alta a străzii, mașinile noastre erau parcate peste tot. Întreg cadrul parcă era desprins dintr-o scenă de film unde toți eram actorii propriilor noastre acțiuni, în care aveam responsabilitatea de a ne îndeplini rolurile până când cineva ar fi trebuit să spună wrap. Am început să scoatem echipamentele din mașini și să ne pregătim pentru filmări. Într-o parte a locuinței, echipa de machiaj pregătea actorii pentru scene, în cealaltă parte, echipa de filmare monta camera și restul echipamentului.
„Suntem pe poziții. Toată lumea să facă liniște!”, s-a auzit în toată încăperea. La ora opt dimineața am tras prima scenă, iar până la ora opt seara am tras scenă după scenă, până ce am terminat cu prima zi de filmare.
După douăsprezece ore de filmare, o parte din echipă ne-am așezat pe colțarul din living ca să discutăm cum vom proceda în ziua următoare. Ceea ce știam sigur, fiindcă am discutat și înainte despre acest aspect, era faptul că la ora șase dimineața, o parte dintre noi, urma să fie la Kaufland pentru filmări. După ce am clarificat ce aveam de făcut, am pregătit recuzita necesară în mașina Andreei și am pornit la drum împreună cu Raluca, pentru a pregăti locația aferentă filmărilor de duminică.
„Avem nevoie de un coleg la raionul legume-fructe, vă rog!”, s-a auzit prin stația de comunicare de la Kaufland, în timp ce noi filmam scena cu unul dintre actori, la cumpărături. În timp ce soseau primii clienți în supermarket, noi am început să coborâm pe scările rulante pentru a ne îndrepta spre mașini. De acolo, ne-am îndreptat spre Strada Republicii, unde se afla următoarea locație.
Pe toată durata zilei am avut în total șaisprezece ore de producție. Însă, cu toate astea, mulți dintre noi simțeam că mâine va fi o altă zi de filmare. Astfel, ajungi să realizezi că timpul este relativ și trece diferit în funcție de locul în care ne aflăm, dar mai ales, în funcție de oamenii care ne sunt aproape. La sfârșitul zilei ne uitam unii la alții și pe chipul nostru se observa un sentiment de satisfacție și de mulțumire.
De-a lungul anilor, prin spoturile pe care le-am făcut, ceea ce am vrut a fost să transmitem publicului o poveste, astfel încât emoțiile și trăirile lor să persiste, chiar și după ce l-au terminat de vizualizat. Și, totodată, să înțeleagă că în spatele ecranului la care se uită, în funcție de fiecare spot, există oameni care își spun povestea prin alți oameni.
Asociația Magic se ocupă cu crearea de servicii și facilități, cât și cu dezvoltarea de programe pentru a îmbunătății calitatea vieții copiilor ce suferă de cancer sau alte boli grave. Proiectele asociației oferă copiilor și părinților acestora suport social și emoțional, cât și sprijin financiar sau material, în perioada în care copilul este bolnav. Astfel, au luat naștere proiecte precum MagicCAMP, MagicBOX, MagicHOME, Șofer de Suflet, MagicCARE, MagicHELP.
Orice copil are dreptul la supereroi, iar pentru cei mai mulți dintre ei, părinții sunt cei care își îmbracă costumul de supererou în fiecare zi. Le spun cât de extraordinari sunt și să nu-și piardă curajul de a crede în mai mult. Și, de asemenea, de la ei învaţă cea mai importantă lecţie de viaţă, și anume, că fiecare zi dusă la bun sfârşit este o victorie!
Mulțumiri echipei
Marius Pop - copywriter
Ainhoa Morales - art director
Andy Daniliuc - creative director
Bogdan Ilieșiu - director
Horațiu Curuțiu - director of photography, producer
Raluca Pascu - set decorator
Alexandra Sofroni - assistant director
Andreea Curuțiu - production manager
Sergiu Băcioiu - photography
Andrei Sirian - 1st Camera Assistant & Focus Puller
Radu Tătar - DIT & Video Assist
Octavian Șaramet - sound recordist
Adrian Coșarcă - storyboard artist
Laurențiu Curuțiu - gaffer
Timea Baboș - production runner
This is one of those projects that you are proud of... (more…)
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httpss://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUsJfzbNmAQ
We took a little break from writing for the last month. Truth is, we are involved in a lot of time demanding projects that take us all the spare time we have. We've shot this in March and we couldn't release it then and we decided to do it now. (more…)
Hi, guys! first of all...thanks for following and appreciating our work. We are getting encouraging messages from all over the world and we are glad to know that you find something useful on our blog and our work.
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Changing locations because of the weather, or because something changed since you went scouting is a pain in the ass, but this is what is happening in the real life. I know, nobody tells you to get prepared somehow, but pay attention to this: Prepare to fail! (more…)
Something like this happened... We had everything planned for 3 days, but because of the availability of the locations and actors personal schedule, we did it in 6.
In this article, I will tell you what happened during day 4 and 5. (more…)
Watch out! Reading this blog would imply a decent 10 minutes, a cup of coffee and maybe a good laugh. And these are uncensored and honest stories that happend all the time everywhere.
Day 3 arrived. We already thought ahead whatever issues might appear, so in our third morning we were in the mood of shooting some awesome footage.
Then this happened:
Day #2 was our hardest day. We had planned everything, and we needed to shoot in 3 locations. Two of them were rented apartments, and one was the famous Joben Bistro. (why famous? well, it is on top 20 with best interior design in the world. Daily mail also wrote about them : LINK )
We were supposed to start shooting at 10. The schedule for day #2 was like this.
