WomenCinemakers vol V WomenCinemakers vol V | Page 40

Celluloid: memories of the future
There is obviously a romantic side of making such choice
too… I studied analog photography, I had my grandfather’s
Bolex available to use and I come from the traditional side of
big production film making, so for me, wanting to become a
film director, I will always carry with me the joyful memory that
I shot my first film using actual film rolls, rolling inside of a
camera, making the most beautiful noise.
What is your preparation with actors in terms of rehearsal?
I am quite old school in my filmmaking process… which
includes as much rehearsal time and meeting with actors as
possible. It is not so common nowadays, maybe even less for
short films, but how limited would the experience of filmmaking
be if you don’t have the time to rehearse, investigate, chat and
play with the actors? I might feel quite comfortable doing that
because it involves a lot of improvisation but it is also a
process for which I have huge respect. After shooting
Skinhearts, I have been studying a lot more about working with
actors because it is incredibly interesting and fun, but also they
are the people who most deeply affect you while making a film.
For Skinhearts, I offered the role of Zoe directly to Zoëvan
cinemakers // 18
Weert (and was lucky enough that she accepted), met Max
Croes for the role of Sky a couple of times and we did a couple
of improvisations as auditions (We kept on meeting and
working on the character while I forgot to tell him that he was
selected for the role already!) and we did an open audi tion for
the extras and the Skin hearts roles to which Selma Copijn
arrived late and did a jaw dropping audition on the corridor
(and got the role right there). Then we did rehear sals in
couples with ZoëMax and Selma-Max, more around improvisa
tions experien cing the characters rather than specific scenes
of the script. I am so grateful that they gave me the opportunity
of having that time with them because I learned so much and
I was so inspired by the different ways in which each of them
work.
The first time we watched your film we thought of Yorgos
Lanthimos's cinema. Can you tell us your biggest
influences in cinema and how they have affected your
work?
I am actually very influenced by photography so it isn’t strange
that my biggest reference while making Skinhearts was Chris
Marker’s short film “La Jeté” (1962). Also the photography of
Anton Corbijn and his first film Control are among my main
Yasmine Mahet (France)