Once the words “That’s a wrap” had been said, the work did not stop. Far from it! Post prod time had arrived. The CG jobs were given to  the Duboi/Quinta company, a leader and pioneer in post production services. For the 3D tower shot, they used, for reference, pictures taken on the top of Hong Kong skyscrapers by Benoit Bechet who was guided by yours truly, the Hong Kong Fixer . 

Below is a draft video used for that shot. It was created by Jerome “Lardux” Billet, a wizard on all geeky things. The music piece is “Delirium Tremens” by Julius Bates. 

For more on Duboi and Quinta services ( they just worked on” Coco avant Chanel” by Anne Fontaine) 

http://www.quintaindustries.com/index.php/en/

Julius Bates’ Music and works  can be checked here: 

http://www.julesb.fr/

Largo Winch a film by Jérome Salle with Tomer Sisley

At the end of 2007, I was lucky to actively participate in the production of the feature film Largo Winch by Jérôme Salle , with Tomer Sisley and Christine Scott Thomas.  I was part of the production design team, hired as a Fixer, interpreter and coordinator. As such, I helped on the construction of many sets. My role was to help Michel Barthelemy’s ( the production deisgner) become a reality . Michel is also the production designer of the film Un Prophète, for which he had a complete replica of a Penitentiary built on the outskirts of Paris. This film is currently receiving a lot of Plame D’or buzz at the festival de Cannes. He also has created the sets for the Jan Kounen’ s films (Blueberry, 99 F). To know more about Michel’s work , below is his IMDB page, but please come back quickly here as many other stories are in the pipeline.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0058616/

Helping the french and hong Hong kong teams work together has been a real challenge that has helped me make leaps and bounds in Cantonese as well as improve my Cinema vocab . The job was all about : Optimize time and resources, facilitate communication, manage intercultural conflicts. understand and help others to understand. I will later post on the chinese cinema vocabulary. Who knows, maybe this research could one day become a full glossary. Do not hesitate to ask what words might interest you in the comments! Finally, and that is the most important of all, working on Largo Winch has helped me focus on my mission: bring cultures closer together with cinema and art.

An initiative I took that was appreciated by both teams was the organization of a traditional ”Works opening” Taoist ceremony . French people and locals shared a spiritual moment around a “Yu Ju”  (grilled baby pig) and thus learnt a little more about each other, by exchanging incense joss sticks. This ceremony is so important in Hong Kong culture that I will dedicate a post to it in the future. Check it out….and stay tuned to the Hong Kong Fixer’s tips on HK ‘s culture and film projects  by subscribing to the RSS link located at the top right corner of this page.

Anyway, what and adventure it has been. ! And what luck to be able to work with such a team of pros. The film was very well received at the french box office( over 1.5 M fans went to see it) and has been sold all over the world by the distributor Wild Bunch. Largo will therefore  will return to the big screen and should normally pass by HK again , the HQ of the W company being now located in Wan Chai  ( Malaysia will be another location). In the meantime, I remember:

- The construction of the sets for the final fight scene between Marcus and Largo : better not be subject to fear of heights as our team of carpenters, headed by Martinus Van Lunen, built from scratch a terrace deck as well as the façade of the presidential suite of 5 star Hotel, on top o f the 47th floor of that hotel! Wood gratings, metal structures, deco sheets, wood panels, steel fences(made to order in a China factory, production managed by yours truly), glass sheets, and also , furniture, plants, set props…all of this had to be brought up in the service lifts of the hotel. Many were the funny encounters between Dream makers of two worlds: after all, luxury hospitality is not so far from movie making. Using blue prints drawn by First Assistant Benoît Bechet ,  carpenters, welders grips and helpers, have produced a set so spectacular that the director Jérome Salle could not help not film it from above.. and used a helicopter for that. One of the most memorable moments has been the installation of the glass sheets onto the metal fences ( the idea was to have Largo floating over the cityscape). That day, a very strong wind  was blowing and made our work very very hard.. we were at least ten to stabilise, insert and secure these this heavy industrial grade glass sheets. No worries on the safety side though , as the  boss, Michel, had safety nets installed all around.  The view from the top, at night , was the most impressive.. even better than any IMAX!

David the Hong Kong Fixer, Benoît Bechet, Mr Zhong ( aka Little Big Man ) and Martinus Van Lunen and HK

I also remember: 

- The preparations for the modeling of the Winch Co 3D virtual tower. For this , Alain Carsoux, Jérome Billet ( aka Lardux) of Duboi effects and Benoît Bechet) first Assistant Prod design on Sophia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette and on Rush Hour 2) had invited me at the  lift off  of helicopter ( rigged with a spacecam from LA) used for the arial shots. Impressive! The Spacecam , on its special cradle is absolutely stable. The camera operator (here , Alain)  frames the shots from inside the Helicopter’s cabin, using a remote control…What was difficult about this shot, was that the flight path had to reproduce exactly the one pre-calculated by computer beforehand… little room for error… Below is a pic of the  flight path over the district of Wan Chai… One can see the reclamation works of the Central Wanchai by pass. Do not miss the video of the pre-visualisation in the next post , cut to a music composed by Julius Bates. 

Camera Path for Helicopter flight

Helicopter's position for Spacecam shot

There was also : 

-the transformation of the Coloane Village in Macao into a Brazilian village for scene revealing Largo as an adult. This location was chosen by the production company ( La Pan Européenne) for its proximity with Hong Kong. Adding a location such a Brazil  after having shot in HK, Malta and Sicilywould have caused the budget to be overstretched. 

Michel wanted to “DeChinese” the streets of the village. For this, I did an extensive iconographic research, allowing to direct the ream of painters and decorators ( under the helm of Master Xavier Buffin). The dried fish shops (sooo Chinese) were transformed, the streets and the village square adorned with boards and signs in Portuguese… Perfect illusion. We were not shooting in Macao any longer, instead, we were in the middle of the Pantanal. Largo had the background for his adventurer profile, getting a tattoo and getting chased on a bike by the bad guys deep down in the jungles of South America. 

This visual research was also used by Philippe Tanasic ( props designer) for the look of the cops cars. Coloane was also the location where we set up, under the direction of Eric Bourges ( also chief builder of the sets of Asterix),  the pre-build hut of the tattoo artist (played by Eddy Ko)

Visual research for Brazil scenes

Tattoo Hut being built in Sai Kung 's studio

One more anecdote.. I remember…

- Climbing the highest towers of Hk with Benoit Bechet, specialist of the Set Backgound picture, for the image used in the boardroom meeting shot in Paris studios. Vertigo of the Cityscape…..

To know more about this very special art that is the Set Backgound picture, the next link will take to Benoît’s interview ( in french ) shot by Vincent Cassiro ( director of the making of ) , as the three of us were on top of city’s roof.

http://www.largowinch-lefilm.com/dotclear/index.php/?q=benoit

Lastly, below are a few comments by Michel Barthelemy, mentor extraordinary, on the work I did for and with him : 

“We hired David as a translator, as we were preparing the Hong Kong part of « Largo Winch »,  A French international « Action & Comedy » film, shot in Malta Sicily, Hong Kong, Macau, and Paris.

As we had at the same time to settle all the Art Dpt processes (install, deals, manpower chase, ability tests,etc…), David appeared to be really helpfull. Approaching with a good spirit the Art Direction matters and concerns, using willingly his personal general knowledge and good thinking, he found very quickly the way to assist us (the head of dpt) in many points, like dealing technical points with architects, engineers and subcontractors we had to fight with, communicating with chinese production, researching Hong Kong potentials and suppliers.
Beside, David is a very good fellow, able to guide you in and around HK, and will be the perfect go-between for various film production mission.”

Michel Barthelemy

The Dragon is the symbol of Hong kong . One of his spectacular manifestations occurs during the mid autumn festival in the district of Tai Hang, near Causeway Bay. There, every year, thousands of curious onlookers gather to see and feel, the dance of the Fire Dragon, being paraded by the locals in remembrance of the disappearance of the plague, during the 19 th century . This is defintely not to be missed, as a great way to share a with Hong Kong people a festival that is unique Asia. 

What shape does this dragon take? It is a thick rope of coco fiber 67 m in length upon which thousands of incense sticks are inserted. I wanted, with Anne SoFi, to get up close and personal with this mighty beast and also, to share our smoke tears with you, here what we came up with, please enjoy :

Now on line: 

Speaking Cantonese for more understanding

A little while ago, Will C and Herbert of “Made in Hong Kong” invited me, the Hong kong Fixer, to have a chat with them at their cool studio for their show “Mad in Hk” , broadcasted on the hip  and young radio U- On Live. All of this is in Cantonese, and I get in on the second part of the show, peppering it with a few French words. So, this might a bit tough on the Non Chinese speaker’s ears, but the soundscape and atmosphere are nice and the conversation rich . This is just one more little step towards mutual understanding, and having fun with it! …” Vote for change” 

You can listen to that piece of transnational friendship by clicking on the show of 04/11/2008

http://hk.uonlive.com/pro/MIH

Alternatively, please download/listen the whole show (including two cantopop tracks) by clikibg on the bwo link: 

http://hk.uonlive.com/download.php?f=dXBsb2Fkcy9yZXZpZXcvMjAwODExLzEyMjU3MTAyMjczNC5tcDM=

To understand this paradox, one must go back to History, and focus on Context and culture. I have a lot of respect for Chinese Culture and my interest for to is vast and relentless. I see It as giant jigsaw puzzle ( containing over 5000 pcs) and I strive to understand it better everyday. It is a true challenge and investigating it will probably take until the end my brief passage on earth . However one must admit that a History that has been fed with isolationism for centuries, has created a certain ethnocentricity. Add to this  a few humiliating defeats , a century of colonialism (bringing its clash of civilization) and we have here a situation that even today does not invite dialogue and true mutual understanding. 

Then one has to understand the transitory nature of Hong Kong. Gwailos  pass by Hong Kong and only a minority ( yours truly is one of them) choose to make the fragrant harbor their true home. Missions are often short term and few are the Expats that stay here longer than ten years. Expats consider themselves too busy with their High profile missions. Time is usually short in Hk and PDA’s are essential tools of life management. When people have a few hours of free time, they’d rather spend it wot their family or with people of their own culture. High profile ghettos do exist, hermetic islands of NON-Hong Kong where it is quite possible to simply forget the seven millions of Chinese citizens are just “over there”. 

Then , there is no escaping the fact that Cantonese is a tonal, colloquial, truly hard to learn mess of language, that is full of slang. Sounds in this Chinese Dialect are so far from our linguistic habits, that we often have the sensation of a constant, loud hubbub , that very often is irritating to the uninitiated. Chinese people cultivate this difficulty for the simple reason that it is hard to learn for them too! However, they start from childhood, we don’t. 

Last but not least, one must admit to a rather inglorious fact: reception, in HK, this compact and ultra liberal town where everyone is engaged in the “Rat Race” is a little lacking. Welcoming guests, having good manners and  flashing smiles was the subject of an ad campaign featuring starts such as Andy Lau Tat Wah). This is also due to the fact that Hong Kong people can be shy and are very afraid of losing face because they often lack confidence in their English. Anyway, we French people do suffer  from a very bad, often deserved bad reputation too ( The “ignoring you rude cafe waiter” is a favorite, hey!) and let us remind all our English native speaking friends that, language dominance does not mean that you should not make an effort to speak the local language. 

So , what is to be done? Yes, the situation is rather unjust, and yes, to unveil the secrets of the fragrant harbor is a challenge. But, we are just passers by in a foreign land and it is normal that we should learn the local cultural habits and dialect, if we are to enrich our daily experience, that is.  Then, by making the first step , by engaging “The Other” by rubbing our ears to a language that, because of its tonality is very musical, we will be able to open the doors of a fascinating world and become people that can bring together extremes. Can we change? Yes, we can!

  The Hong Kong Fixer invites you to visit the backstage of a nomadic Chinese Theater troop, met in the town of Phitsalunok in Thailand. This videopoetry was born from the meeting with Erwan Braem (a journalist and producer of TV5) and shot with a simple 2 mpixels Nikon digital camera ( my first one). A few chinese words fly by the screen, you are invited to sit down , share a cup of Gong Fu Cha ( this very bitter tea that is consumed all day long in the area of Chaozhou, north of Guangdong province) and listen to these strangely strange sounds. Our hosts who are typical Hua Qiao ( Chinese overseas, the Chinese Diaspora)  have criss crossed Asia for generations performing their lively form of Cantonese opera. This film’s sound was professionally mixed by Christophe Rault and is available for download on the site of Arte Radio.

  My joy was therefore extreme when I received the request to help as a Fixer on this radio production. It felt a bit as if the pretty actress’s aura was inviting at each street corner. 

  A Gwailo guiding a French Journalist reliving the romantic story of Taiwanese emigrant in Hong Kong? Why not? For me, it was essential to provide Anne with an immediate and total access to the Chinese face of this city. It is true that here, in Hong Kong, “Asia’s World City” has its secrets,that are not revealed to the one ready to lend an ear…. Listen…

To know more about Shu Qi:

 http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0795517/

  Carrying out a mission in Hong Kong or China can seem a dauting task at first and it sure helps to have a local contact who knows the ropes and has at a disposal a range of cultural and practical tools that can prove invaluable.  The Fixer is solid pillar of trust in a moving and complex place, an anchor. Imagine a human GPS combined with an extensive rolodex, a light at the end of a dark cultural tunnel.

  In this fast paced  Hong Kong ( and in China too with over 12% growth for the past 10 years), time is of the essence. Here more than anywhere, the phrase “Work Hard, play Hard” rings true. Finding yourself in a new universe may be harder than expected. The Hong Kong Fixer offers a way to optimise your time, to make the very best out of your short stay in Asia and an opportunity be a simple phone call away from understanding and a solution to your situation. The Hong Kong Fixer does everything in his power to connect you directly with the city.

Discovery-Cinéma/TV/Video Recce-Interpretation-Organization-Optimization

  In Hong Kong and in China, places that are today both fascinating and unmissable, the implementation of a project can become an arduous task. The Cultural shock, the crypted language can be in the way of your actions and plans. Some say, surprised, “This is all 中文 Chinese to me!”

  David Attali, the Hong Kong fixer receives you and assists you for all your projects. With him, you optimize your time in Asia so that you may focus on your mission. You benefit from his experience, his intimate local knowledge and contacts, helping you to erase temporary frustrations and make your visit in Hong Kong and China a total success. 

You are: 

-An audiovisual production team: trust the Hong Kong Fixer for your recce, location missions and the local coordination of your production.

-A traveler or a Hong Kong resident: transform your experience and get really connected with the local culture and people by going on an “Enlightened walk”, a personalized experiential tour. 

-A journalist: the Hong kong Fixer acts as your first point of contact for your coverage. He is your independant interpreter opening the doors of Hong Kong and China, unequivocally.

-Curious about the Chinese language and culture: The Hong Kong fixer offers an initiation to the so called “unlearnable” Cantonese language.

-A Business person: the Hong Kong Fixer helps you in your business dealings with intercultural negotiation techniques acquired in over ten years of local experience.

With the Hong Kong fixer,  ”All this, is no longer Chinese to you!”