Middle of November already? Really? Gee. As always, my
excuse for not having blogged in a short while is my crazy schedule. It really
has been crammed – and no sense of it letting up. IN SEARCH OF CHOPIN is coming
to a conclusion – and looking good. We did a guide read through of narrative
and Chopin’s letter’s with Juliet Stevenson and David Dawson. This
is always a very exciting moment in the production process when finally I can
strip my voice out and lay in a top professional’s. All of a sudden both
elements come to life….The final read is on the 27th November so all hands are
on deck to ensure that Mr Chopin’s life has been accurately summarised into 1
hour and 50 minutes….with no factual errors! Luckily I have four superb
historical advisors who will spot any mistake…. It’s been a harder journey than
I had expected – finances of course but also in terms of creativity: I feel I’m
having to leave so much out – whole periods seem to have to be contained in a
short example of music, a letter or two, an interview or two and a bit of
narrative. But imagine if I had to make a film about your life and try to keep
it in a film of under 100 or 110 minutes. So much would invariably be left
out…. That’s the trick. What to keep in and how to present it in a film that
folk will enjoy. I don’t want to tempt fate but I think we’ve done a good job
with Fryderyk: and the performances of Leif Ove Andsnes, Lars Vogt, Ronald
Brautigam, Daniel Barenboim and others are wonderful. Should be releasing to
cinemas in Australia and New Zealand in May – watch this space.
Talking of Leif Ove Andsnes, tomorrow I am off
to Brussels to film the next stage of my film about the 5 Beethoven piano
concertos – all of which will be played in the film by this master of the
piano. We’re set up to do a 5-camera shoot (on stage) including a full dress
rehearsal (so I’ll have ten camera angles in the end). I’m nervous but also
confident it’s going to be great. Leif Ove and the Mahler Chamber Orchestra are
a formidable combination. To remind you, this is for a May 2015 release….
Meanwhile, our brand EXHIBITION ON
SCREEN also keeps us busy. The film from the Vermeer exhibition at the
National Gallery was very well received with screenings ongoing. Art…and art
lovers, sign up to the ExhibitionOnScreen
newsletter, Twitter or Facebook site to
keep in touch.
This Event Cinema is such a great new genre though – the RSC
Richard II was in cinemas last week and by all accounts sold out. I saw it live
at Stratford two weeks ago and it is a great show. David Tennant is super. I’d
have loved to see the cinema relay but was busy on Wednesday at a Brighton
Film Festival event – where Benedict Cumberbatch very kindly gave me an
autograph for my daughter (an aspiring actress) and hoped ‘we work together one
day’. Benedict, you’ve a fan for life now (me!). Another actor I think is
wonderful is Henry Goodman – I went to see his Arturo
Ui
show at the Duchess Theatre in London last weekend. He is a ‘tour de force’
in it. I have mixed feeling sometimes about the heightened realism or
exaggeration of Brecht but I thoroughly enjoyed this show – and especially
Henry. If you love acting, go see this – quick.
To end, one sad note: Antony Caro died on the 23rd October. I
really liked Antony and tried hard to make a film about him – even financing
some filming of an installation he was doing in France – but simply couldn’t
get a broadcaster on board. And now he’s gone. A great artist. One small
postscript, just for fun: if you’re looking for a musical recommendation today,
how about Mozart’s K207 – violin no1 in B flat major. And, if you fancy looking
at one painting today, try the Double Portrait of Constantin Huygens and
Suzanna van Baerle by Jacob van Campen. At the Mauritshuis, the Hague,
Netherlands. You’ll think Suzanna is sitting right next to you……
