EFA Master Class 2012
THE SOUND OF THE IMAGE with Bruno Tarrière and Selim Azzazi
26
EFA Master Class 2012 with Bruno Tarrière and Selim Azzazi
CONTENTS: Foreword Creating Sound ............................................... The Tutors Bruno Tarrière & Selim Azzazi .................................... The Experts Dick Bernstein ............................................................ Richard King ............................................................... Martin Steyer .............................................................. Yeşim Ustaoğlu ........................................................... Svetolik Mica Zajc ....................................................... The Participants .......................................................... Organisation & Crew ....................................................
EUROPEAN FILM ACADEMY e.V. Kurfürstendamm 225 10719 Berlin GERMANY tel. +49 - 30 - 887 167 - 0 fax +49 - 30 - 887 167 - 77 www.europeanfilmacademy.org www.europeanfilmawards.eu
1 3 5 6 7 8 9 11 17
IMPRINT European Film Academy e.V., Pascal Edelmann (editor) Graphic design: Andrés Castoldi Pictures: unless otherwise indicated, all pictures appear courtesy of EFA: © 2012 European Film Academy / Franca Wohlt
EFA Master Class 2012
Foreword
Creating Sound How does sound design work? What are the implications, the challenges and perspectives of new technologies for the creation of a soundtrack? And how does sound influence the audience’s perception of a film? These were some of the questions we set out with when we began planning this EFA Master Class. From the beginnings of the European Film Academy (EFA) more than twenty years ago, it has been one of EFA’s express aims to create platforms that allow filmmakers to learn from one another and to exchange ideas. One way of pursuing this aim is by organising EFA Master Classes which allow a group of filmmakers to get together for one week and work intensively on a given subject, in this case the creative use of sound design and its implications in the various arts and crafts involved in filmmaking. We were surprised at the amount of interest and the number of high-profile applications from all areas of filmmaking and had to go through a difficult selection procedure to keep the size of the project manageable and effective and still assemble a diverse crowd that embraced composers, sound editors, engineers and designers, a director and a producer. With sound re-recording mixer Bruno Tarrière and sound editor Selim Azzazi we were extremely lucky to win two established experts in sound design to tutor this Master Class. They have worked together on various projects and are both enthusiastic about sharing their expertise and experience. During the EFA Master Class they did so in lectures, hands-on training sessions, and by inviting friends and colleagues: music editor Dick Bernstein, sound designer Richard King, director Yeşim Ustaoğlu and film editor/sound designer Svetolik Mica Zajc all joined the group to talk about their experiences in sound design. Together they spread an enthusiasm for the possibilities and the importance of sound design that soon created a unique atmosphere of complicity, curiosity and the will to experiment. On behalf of the European Film Academy I would like to use this opportunity to thank our tutors Bruno Tarrière and Selim Azzazi, Martin Steyer from the Film and Television University “Konrad Wolf” (HFF), Sascha Khelifa and Peter Schädel of Meyer Sound, and all the other people who have invested time and energy to make this EFA Master Class possible as well as the MEDIA Programme of the EU and the Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg for funding it. I hope that this DVD documentation carries with it a glimpse of the special atmosphere of this year’s EFA Master Class. Marion Döring Director European Film Academy e.V. 1
2
EFA Master Class 2012
The Tutors
Bruno Tarrière & Selim Azzazi Sound re-recording mixer Bruno Tarrière and sound editor Selim Azzazi were the tutors for this workshop at the Film and Television University “Konrad Wolf” (HFF) in Potsdam/Germany. During his career, Bruno Tarrière has filled various positions in the field of sound. He started at the age of twelve, recording the sound of nature and birds. At the same time, he studied percussion with Gaston Sylvain, and played the drums in a jazz-rock band before studying electro-acoustic music at the Conservatoire National de Paris with professors Pierre Schaeffer (who created the GRM, groupe de recherche musicale), and Guy Reibel. From 1980 to 1983 he studied sound engineering at the film school INSAS (Institut National Supérieur des Arts et Spectacles) in Brussels. After school Bruno worked as a boom operator for his first film. His second professional experience brought him to Africa for three months to film gorillas and baboons with the team of director Gerard Vienna. Back in Paris, he built a small sound studio to prolong his experiments on sound which he had started with the GRM.
3
EFA Master Class 2012
The Tutors
Bruno Tarrière has explored all fields of audio when working on feature films, ranging from sound-recording on the set, sometimes sound design, recording foley and mainly as sound re-recording mixer. He works with renowned feature film directors from across the world, such as Walter Salles, Emir Kusturica, Luc Besson, Sergei Bodrov and Yeşim Ustaoğlu. His work has been awarded on several occasions, e.g. with the César for Best Sound for THE CONCERT by Radu Mihaileanu, an award he already received ten years ago for JEANNE D’ARC. He also received the Golden Reel award for JEANNE D’ARC and LEON THE PROFESSIONAL by Luc Besson. Selim Azzazi has been working as a sound editor for fiction films for over ten years. His experience ranges from big budget movies (MICMACS by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, THE ADVENTURES OF ADELE BLANC-SEC by Luc Besson, BABYLON AD by Mathieu Kassovitz, ALEXANDER by Oliver Stone, BLACK THIRST by Jean-Jacques Annaud) to more experimental films (Douglas Gordon and Philippe Parreno’s ZIDANE, A 21ST CENTURY PORTRAIT). During that time, Selim has always managed to keep teaching whenever he could (to college students and upcoming professionals). Since its opening in 2006, Selim has been teaching sound editing at the ESAV film school of Marrakech. Bruno and Selim have previously collaborated on various projects, among these DIVINE INTERVENTION by Elia Suleiman, BAOBER IN LOVE by Li Shaohong, EARTH AND ASHES by Atiq Rahimi, ALEXANDER by Oliver Stone and THE CONCERT by Radu Mihaileanu.
4
EFA Master Class 2012
The Experts
Dick Bernstein Dick Bernstein has been the music editor on more than 70 feature films as well as television series and television movies. He has worked with composers such as Alexandre Desplat, Danny Elfman, James Horner, Mark Isham, Graeme Revell and Alan Silvestri, and with directors like Jean-Jacques Annaud, James Cameron, Martin Campbell, Gary Fleder, Mel Gibson, Terrence Malick, Michael Mann, Wolfgang Petersen, Wim Wenders and John Woo. Dick is known for his influential temp dubs, exacting standards in editing, and for creative solutions to problems that arise during final mixes. Arriving in Hollywood in 1976, Dick held a few interesting film jobs before settling into picture editorial the following year. In 1981, Dick met music editor Bob Badami while working on Michael Mann’s first feature, THIEF, and their mutual interest in early personal computers led to a side-career as garage inventors, joined by Dick’s brother Bill. Post-production at that time was still being done on blackand-white film, and their Streamline System was able to move the arcane science of clicks, punches and streamers to video. Dick has won the Emmy and two Golden Reel awards for music editing. Streamline won technical achievement awards from both the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. 5
EFA Master Class 2012
Richard King Sound designer Richard King was born in Tampa, Florida and attended the University of South Florida, graduating with a BFA in painting and film. Since 1985 he has worked in film sound design. He has been fortunate to have worked with such directors as Nicolas Roeg, M. Night Shyamalan, Robert Altman, Paul Thomas Anderson, William Friedkin, Peter Weir, Steven Spielberg, and Christopher Nolan. Richard is the recipient of three US Academy Awards, two Baftas, and four MPSE awards for best sound editing. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and son.
6
The Experts
Martin Steyer Martin Steyer graduated from the Academy of Music “Hanns Eisler“ Berlin in 1975 with a sound engineer diploma and a state exam in piano. Since then, he has been working as re-recording mixer and accounts for the sound design of many German and international film productions, such as THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND, REQUIEM, GOODBYE LENIN!, RESIDENT EVIL, YELLA, JERICHOW, ANONYMA, EFFI BRIEST, and THE LAST STATION, as well as for sound recordings of classical music CDs. From 1985 to 2005, he was university lecturer at the Deutsche Film- und Fernsehakademie Berlin (dffb). Since 2005, he has been professor for sound design and sound re-recording mixing at the Film and Television University “Konrad Wolf” (HFF). From July 2006 on, Martin Steyer has been vice president of the HFF for artistic projects and international relations. He is a five-time nominee for the German Film Award “Lola“ which he won in 2006 and 2008. His special field is sound editing/re-recording mixing. In addition to this, he also places emphasis on music recordings, live music mixing, sound installations and live electronic for theatre and exhibitions, as well as development and construction of sound studios. 7
EFA Master Class 2012
Yeşim Ustaoğlu After several award-winning shorts, Yeşim Ustaoğlu directed her debut feature film THE TRACE (İZ) in 1994. The film was presented at numerous international festivals, including Moscow and Gothenburg. Yeşim received international recognition for her 1999 film JOURNEY TO THE SUN (GÜNEŞE YOLCULUK). In competition at the Berlin IFF, JOURNEY TO THE SUN received the Blue Angel Award (Best European Film) and the Peace Prize and it swept the İstanbul FF by winning Best Film, Best Director, the FIPRESCI Prize, and the Audience Award. Her third film, WAITING FOR THE CLOUDS (BULUTLARI BEKLERKEN), was selected by many festivals and was awarded with the Sundance/NHK International Filmmakers Award. Yeşim Ustaoğlu’s fourth film, PANDORA’S BOX (PANDORA’NIN KUTUSU), participated in many international festivals and won Best Film and Best Actress awards at the San Sebastian IFF. It has also been theatrically released in many countries. Her latest film ARAF - Somewhere in Between premiered at the Venice IFF’s Orizzonti section in 2012.
8
The Experts
Svetolik Mica Zajc Svetolik Mica Zajc was born in Belgrade (then Yugoslavia) in 1959. He is a film editor and sound designer and lives in Belgrade, Serbia. In 1983, he graduated at FAMU, Film and Television Faculty, Academy of Performing Arts in Prague (then Czechoslovakia). Mica’s professional work began in Sarajevo in 1984 as an editor at the International Radio Television Centre covering the Winter Olympics. Since then, he has been working on more than 100 feature films, mainly as sound editor and sound designer. He also worked as picture editor for commercials, documentaries, and short films. Mica was the sound editor of the first Yugoslav Dolby Stereo film. In 1988, the collaboration with director Emir Kusturica began, when Mica gathered most of the music for the film TIME OF THE GYPSIES. Later, Kusturica also persuaded him to start picture editing for feature films. From 1998 to 2010, he was teaching sound editing and sound design at the faculty for film and television at the University of Arts in Belgrade and also at the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad (Serbia).
9
During the workshop in Potsdam ‌
10
… and at the Pan Am Suite in Berlin.
EFA Master Class 2012
The Participants
The Participants Panu Aaltio ǀ composer, Finland Michele Caruso ǀ sound engineer/sound recordist, Italy Libero Colimberti ǀ sound engineer, Italy Mattias Eklund ǀ sound supervisor, Sweden Christina Georgiou ǀ composer/sound designer, Cyprus Octavia Gloggengießer ǀ composer, Germany Katarzyna Klimkiewicz ǀ director, Poland Piotr Kobus ǀ producer, Poland Jonas Maksvytis ǀ audio engineer, Lithuania Sebastian Morsch ǀ sound designer, Germany Joanna Napieralska ǀ sound designer, Poland Titas Petrikis ǀ composer, Lithuania Panu Riikonen ǀ sound designer, Finland Jan Schermer ǀ sound designer, the Netherlands Sten Šeripov ǀ composer, Estonia Krzysztof Stasiak ǀ sound designer/sound mixer, Poland Marco Vermaas ǀ sound designer/re-recording mixer, the Netherlands Roman Volkholz ǀ sound editor, Germany 11
EFA Master Class 2012
Katarzyna Klimkiewicz (left) with Joanna Napieralska
As a director I always felt I have a good understanding of the visual language, I’m very aware of visual tools and their use to create a strong narrative. But I always felt quite shy when it came to sound. My knowledge was very fragmented and mostly instinctual. I wasn’t really using sound the way I could use images. So the EFA Master Class was an amazing opportunity for me to explore this territory: it was an earopening experience to hear how Selim approaches editing dialogue, atmos and foleys, how he directs the sound to enhance the narrative drive. It was fascinating to listen to Bruno talking about how, when mixing, he applies different rules according to the genre. I feel like I have joined a secret club. And therefore I am now obliged to give the due respect to sound and the sound crew’s contribution to the narrative of a film. I can’t wait to start the next film and explore sound the way it deserves! Katarzyna Klimkiewicz ǀ director, Poland
12
The Participants
It was a mindboggling experience: putting 18 film sound professionals together with two tutors and a handful of guests with a totally packed schedule from nine in the morning until midnight at a well-equipped film school. Bruno Tarrière and Selim Azzazi immediately started revealing all their secrets, showing us in detail how they go about working on film sound. Talking about sound is not simple, and there is not much organised interaction in this field. Marco Vermaas ǀ sound designer/re-recording mixer, the Netherlands At my return I had pages and pages of technical notes to go through, and eventually a new way of looking at my own work - it definitely raised the bar of my aspirations. Michele Caruso ǀ sound engineer/sound recordist, Italy
13
EFA Master Class 2012
Greater than the sum of its parts, that’s my personal bottom line, which is remarkable, because the parts themselves where big enough: production sound recording, sound editing and mixing were all covered. And throughout the whole programme the primary goal of supporting a story with sound and music never got lost. Even for an experienced professional it was almost impossible not to benefit from this range of information since it was also an opportunity to learn about aspects that may not be part of your everyday work life. I tremendously enjoyed that one week of being fully absorbed and focused on the matter of film sound. It led to the development of a great number of thoughts and ideas that I could discuss with the group and the tutors right away. I left this master class with a huge amount of inspiration regarding my own work and many people I’d very much like to stay in touch with. Sebastian Morsch ǀ sound designer, Germany 14
The Participants
The EFA Master Class on film sound is probably the leader of its kind in Europe. Most conferences and seminars hardly go into such detail of film sound and music craft, while the filmmakers in post-production rarely have an opportunity to meet and share their experiences. This forged a true European sound community − I believe we all feel proud of belonging to it since we now know that we have a friend and colleague in various European cities, and we are ready to work together when needed. Titas Petrikis ǀ composer, Lithuania
15
16
Organisation & Crew EUROPEAN FILM ACADEMY Director ......................................... Producer ........................................ Head of Finances ........................... Head of Press & PR ........................ Project Manager ............................ Executive Producer ........................ Accounting .................................... Production Assistants ....................
Marion Döring Jürgen Biesinger Rainer Pyls Pascal Edelmann Bettina Schwarz Volker Ullrich Klaudia Matschoß Leonie Röll Tina Walinda Driver ........................................... Axel Hübner Film and Television University “Konrad Wolf” (HFF) President ....................................... Prof. Dr. sc. Dieter Wiedemann Vice President ............................... Prof. Martin Steyer Head of Administration .................. Dipl.-Jur. Brigitte Klotz Dean of Faculty II ........................... Prof. Ingo Kock Dean of Faculty III .......................... Prof. Martin Hagemann Inhouse Producer ........................... Markus Krohn Technical Assistants ...................... Gregor Bonse Valentin Finke Jonathan Feurich Meyer Sound Lab. Germany GmbH Director ......................................... Sascha Khelifa Marketing Manager ....................... Peter Schädel Technical Services ......................... Paul Jarvis Making Of Camera ........................................ Interviews ..................................... Editing ........................................... Stills ..............................................
Patrick Protz Thomas Abeltshauser Martin Jabs Franca Wohlt
Equipment and Post-Production Rotor Film GmbH SMM München Supported by MEDIA Programme of the EU Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg GmbH Film and Television University “Konrad Wolf” (HFF) Meyer Sound Lab. Germany GmbH
17
Founded in 1988, the European Film Academy now unites more than 2,700 European film professionals with the common aim of promoting Europe’s film culture. Throughout the year, the EFA initiates and participates in a series of activities dealing with film politics as well as economic, artistic, and training aspects. The programme includes conferences, seminars and workshops, and a common goal is to build a bridge between creativity and the industry. These activities culminate in the annual presentation of the European Film Awards. EFA Master Classes are courses on continuous training. They are held by highly acclaimed and internationally successful filmmakers who dedicate one week of intensive training to young talents coming from all over Europe, passing on their individual knowledge and personal experience. Rather than bare lecturing, the courses concentrate on the practical side of learning with at least half of the time spent with hands-on training. Š 2012 European Film Academy e.V.