DOP From Outer Space

Dear readers,

Here I am. My name is Dimitris (or Dimitrios) and I am the Director of photography of S’kali.
I have not made my presence visible as I was trying to process the material of the great Malaysian experience within the limited piece of equipment that is my head.

I studied film and English at the University of The West of England. That’s where I met Arivind. That meeting took place in the lift of a student halls building, and has acquired mythical status. No one remembers full details so we decided to “print the legend”.

I am grateful for the entire Malaysian experience, increasingly as days go by.

One does not get the opportunity to do such things every day, and it has been a real pleasure. Although in the latest years it feels like I ‘ve been living off a suitcase!

The problem with people, who wish to work in film, and make films, is that they can sense that they have some sort of talent, but are not able to prove it until they have done it!

Especially in that corner of the planet where I come from teamwork is not appreciated and talented people are not able to achieve certain goals that require teamwork. This is why filmmaking over here seems to be struggling at times; also, this is why too many aspiring artists remain unaccomplished individuals struggling to fulfill dreams. When I came home from Malaysia, I felt I had a little goal in life. To learn even more about filmmaking (and even more cinematography) and apply it wherever I can.

I never intended to be a cinematographer (although you never know what the future and your needs bring) but S’Kali proved that I could go ahead and work with directors who need my vision (not in the kill bill 2 sense…) in order to make art existent. I actually desire to keep on doing it together with filmmaking and screenwriting, because it is a ball game of its own!

I studied film theory, which can cause serious damage to creative people. Theory is adifficult sport, despite its beauty. Like filmmaking it is designed for the chosen few. I meant the mentally disturbed few. No kidding ! Blessed are the minds who can theorise and create at the same time (Godard and “mentor” Wim Wenders should be mentioned here).

I can’t thank enough the other team members though. These guys are wild ! I bonded especially with people behind the camera, as their “cannibalistic” sense of humour was incredibly close to mine. Plus we litteraly had to share food, beds, air throughout the shoot. And I thought I was the only idiot on the planet.. These guys proved me wrong ; I am the only “white” idiot. By the way It was the first time I was called white !! Sounds so…pale ! The other thing about the team was that they love movies a great deal. Benji would kill to get the proper shot done. He would climb the Petronas towers just to get a shot right…if he could. He also loves filmmaking to…deportation point! (Inside joke)

Jay is the man with the plan. The man who restores our faith in the coolness of engineers.
Zaid and Azlan…. No comment baby… Beyond commentary
The producer? ha ha ha ha
Jason, Keith, Kumar ? Outlaws beyond redemption.

Not every moment was great though. Time alters memories, and we might think so, but there were moments of misery and distress, further proof that a proper film was made. Yet, by the end of the shoot (48 hrs later actually) I was ready to go ahead with the making of another feature…I really was.

I have really appreciated the way S’kali dealt with a variety of issues: social, racial etc. It deals with so many things. Racial tensions in Malaysia are similar to the ones everywhere else, yet unique. I feel lucky to have taken a chance to be a temporary part of that culture. By the time I left Taman Tun I strongly felt that I could have stayed six more months. Possibly longer !

I have friends in Malaysia now, people I can call any time and discuss idiotic stuff, and although we don’t come from exactly the same neighborhood we have this bond between us, playing air guitar at the penthouse apartment or hiking at Frim, trying to catch up with the director’s brother, a keen sportsman, and deputy chair of applied bulshitology at the University of Rednecksville, Tallahassee.

Now, on the blog someone mentioned that the director states American films only as far as his influences are concerned. I stand by his viewing obsessions. These are good choices.

I would like to name five cinematographers whose work has influenced my perception of cinematography:

1. Laszlo Kovaks and Vilmos Zsigmond : Hungary born visual virtuosos who received similar training, and fled the country in 1956. American cinema owes its looks to them.
Look them up in anything from Easy Rider (Hopper) to tragically overlooked The Last Movie (Hopper) and Heaven’s Gate (Cimino).
2. Robby Muller : He is the one responsible for the cinematography in Paris Texas (Wenders) and the majority of the Wenders masterpieces. A real connaisseur of black and white.
3. Christopher Doyle: This gentleman has transferred cinematography to a different territory. Wang Kar Wai’s wonderful cinema found the ideal visualiser.
4. Vittorio Storaro :
Mr. Storaro made Philippines look like…Vietnam popping out of Dante’s mind. That was in Apocalypse Now (Copolla) A megalomaniac and a perfectionist…
-END OF LIST-

It is time to finish this one. I need to go! I hope that S’kali will take off soon. We shall follow its marvelous course.

Love, Peace, Understanding

Dimitris