Money

Unfortunately, roulotte renting isn't a very lucrative business, so I
had to find means to make my film. My last film 'Forecast' we produced
ourselves at our own studio Lokman Productions. Since this is a much
bigger project and I'm living in France and not very acquainted with
the French subsidiaries, we decided to look for a producer in France
and a co-producer in the Netherlands. Nicolas Schmerkin of "Autour de
Minuit", who also distributed Forecast, was immediately enthusiastic
of the project, as was Richard Valk our dutch co-producer.

To obtain subsidies, you have to fill out an application in which you
specify the project and the budgetary needs. The problem with my films
is that they're almost abstract. There is no apparant storyline in the
sense of going from a to b, no apparant characters and so on. In other
words, how do I synchronize the images I see in my head with the
images in the heads of the subsidiairies?

What we normally do is that Liesbeth interviews me and turns my
pictures into words and writes that part of the application. But
Chase was more complicated because I haven't so far made a film with a
clear storyline. Even I wasn't sure I could transform a n exciting
liveaction scene into an exciting abstract scene. So we first applied
for a subsidy to make a test.
The dutch film fund wasn't easily convinced and wanted only to give a
part of the money to make a test and they demanded a more elaborate
script. In retrospect I was very glad with their last demand because
while developing the script I had to sharpen my ideas in order to
develop logical storyline but also in a technical sense. Liesbeth, the
french scriptwriter Sebastian Ors and I managed to write the script
and together with the test I made and the budgetary explanation of the
producers, we convinced not only the Dutch Film Fund but also the
Filmfund of the Auvergne (where I live) and Arte that the film was
worth making.

How it all started, the idea of Chase

The idea of "Chase" originates in my amazement why watching a film
could be such a vibrant experience? Even though we know that what we
are looking at is just a projection on a white screen. Looking at a
pursuit in a movie, one often feels the urge to follow and anticipate
the movements on screen. Take for example the tendency to run, or to
move your right foot for breaking as if you were driving yourself. Or
being almost unable to stop the urge to warn the prey that the enemy
waits behind the door. The provoked emotions are very basic. As a
rather rational thinking person, this has always amazed and surprised
me. How far can one stretch this illusion? Can abstract shapes be
equally exciting as flesh and blood actors?

The use of simple geometric shapes combined with a strong use of light
and shadow will give Chase a graphical identity. Constant change of
color will play an important role in display of emotions not only by
the different 'characters', but in their background as well.

Slow change of colours and shape will give Chase, despite its
graphical look, an organic feel. A sudden change into stronger colors
and motion can stir the ambiance into a completely opposite, more
hostile and aggressive environment. These continuously changing colors
and shapes could be seen as a kind of respiration that will be
perceptible throughout the film.

One of the main issues will be to establish the best way to have the
spectator identify himself with an abstract world. The lack of means
to identify oneself with this abstract world will be balanced by the
emphasis on camera movement, montage and music.
To ease the identification, scenes or shots from well known 'pursuit'
movies can be translated into an abstract version of the original.

The dramatic effect of music and soundscape will be essential in
amplifying the emotional power of the film. This also includes
research into the use of soundscape in pursuit scenes. For example:
squeaking doors, squealing tires, rattling chains etc. It could be
interesting to look for abstract translations in music for these
somewhat cliché soundeffects.