In the last few years when we mentioned the possibility of shooting abroad, we all immediately characterized this option as “runaway production.” Last year, more than 20 percent of American production companies shoot days took place outside the U.S., and it is true that the most frequent reason to go and shoot somewhere else has been costs. Political and economic circumstances have given strong advantages to countries around the globe that can offer very low production costs and, at the same time, decent–and often excellent–structures, crew and equipment.
However, I believe that we should consider the international approach of a production from the creative angle, and not only from the “saving money” perspective. In the last several years, I shot in more than 30 countries on all the continents, and I am sure that in most of cases, the creative impact of the international choice was stronger than the budgetary one.
A location is like a good wine: it has a specific color, a unique taste, a peculiar smell. If these elements can make the idea grow, this is not “runaway,” it is the search for the best, the fight for excellence. Our business is based on these concepts.
Some time ago, we were working on a project. The agency was looking for a European atmosphere, a classical and elegant look, and a nostalgic mood. The example proposed was Paris. Nevertheless, we suggested a different place: Lisbon, Portugal. I don’t think that any other European city can offer the same feeling: the terraces of Alfama, the climbing streets of Barrio Alto, the stones, the tiles, the flowers, the walls. Everything evokes old times, elegance and romanticism. It is not the glamorous, sexy look of Paris, the imperial elegance of Vienna, the flamboyant and charming sensuality of Rome, the mysterious solidity of Prague or the contagious happiness of Seville. It is the dreamy grace of Lisbon, defined by the “Fado” music, the smell of the carnations, the blue color of its tiles, the flavor of an old wine from Porto.
In this same way, the pinkish stones of the palaces of the Knights in la Valletta (Malta), the foggy humidity of Dover (England) or the black crater of the Irazu Volcano (Costa Rica) can make the difference when the camera starts rolling. Or the golden light of the Wat Mahathat in Sukhothai (Thailand), the blue Lake Wakatipu (New Zealand), the yellow dunes of Merzouga (Morocco) and many other places around the globe.
The need for the perfect location goes much further than the quest for a specific type of geographic environment or an appropriate climate. It is a much more delicate, subliminal and creative approach. We shouldn’t look, for instance, for an “ancient European city” because thousands of places fit that description: Pompeii, Bath, Tour, Koblenz, Sigüenza, Budapest, Istanbul, Olympia, etc. We should, on the contrary, concentrate our quest on finding that unique atmosphere, texture, tone of color, type of light or shape that can make the commercial different, memorable, relevant.
Instead of exploring new territories, very often we are moved to go back repeatedly to the same places: if we go to Italy, we shoot in Tuscany, and in France, the spot is La Côte d’Azur. Why not Piedmont, Liguria or Trentino? Why not the Loire region, Provence or Alsace? Why not Spain, Belgium or Luxembourg instead? Why not Costa Rica, which I believe is the best-kept secret in Latin America as a production destination?
Putting the location exclusively on the creative side of the equation will indeed give a more consistent meaning to the international approach of a production. The quest for excellence is in this sense the antithesis of the runaway production concept.
By the way, this hunt for the best works both ways: European clients very often come to shoot in the U.S. After all, where else in the world can you get a place like the Bisti Badland (New Mexico), Ecola Park (Oregon) or Calle Ocho (Florida)?
Conan O’Brien To Receive The Mark Twain Prize For Life Achievement In Comedy
Comedian and host Conan O'Brien was named the newest recipient of the Mark Twain Prize for lifetime achievement in comedy on Thursday.
O'Brien, 61, has carved out an improbable decadeslong career arc, moving from goofy television interloper to comedic elder statesman. Along the way, he survived one of the most public failures in the history of television on "The Tonight Show" — only to launch a successful, and sustained, next act.
His travel series "Conan O'Brien Must Go" sparked popular and critical acclaim, with a second season coming. In March, O'Brien will host the Academy Awards three weeks before his own Mark Twain ceremony in Washington.
Deborah Rutter, president of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, in a statement called O'Brien "a master of invention and reinvention, consistently pushing the envelope in search of new comedic heights."
O'Brien offered his own tongue-in-cheek assessment, saying in the Kennedy Center statement that he would be "the first winner of the Mark Twain Prize recognized not for humor, but for my work as a riverboat pilot." He will be honored on March 23 in a special ceremony in which he will receive a bronze bust of Twain, the iconic American writer and satirist whose real name was Samuel Clemens.
Mark Twain recipients are honored with a night of testimonials and video tributes, often featuring previous award winners. The ceremony will stream on Netflix at a later date yet to be announced.
O'Brien leaped into the spotlight from near-total obscurity in 1993, when he was chosen to replace the legendary David Letterman as host of "Late Night" despite no significant on-camera experience. The former Harvard Lampoon editor had spent the previous years as a writer for "Saturday... Read More