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(E) Would you ever consider making a film in Croatia about Croatians |
By Nenad N. Bach |
Published
12/2/2001
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Culture And Arts
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Unrated
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(E) Would you ever consider making a film in Croatia about Croatians
In light of discussions on "Storming over Krajina", Croatian films, culture etc, this excellent piece by Drucilla Badurina may be of interest. Published in Oluja No.31 Conversation with a Croatian American film student by Drucilla Badurina, President of Badurina & Associates Motion pictures. This mighty medium entertains us and sometimes enlightens us. In the United States, since the early part of the 20th century, films have become a regular part of the lives of millions of people. Today, while they continue to patronize movie theaters, the American public also pops films into VCR's, disks into DVD players, watches films on cable and satellite TV and on computer display terminals. Filmmaking is an interesting hybrid of art, craft and business. Since it generates billions of dollars, it's called the film industry or movie business for a good reason. Immigrants and children of immigrants have been an integral part of the film business since the very beginning. From the early 1900's when "Westerns" were made in Ft. Lee, New Jersey and shown on the silent screen, to the blockbusters of today; from small producers with hand cranked cameras to those who created a powerful motion picture studio system, these immigrants and children of immigrants laid the foundation for current film entertainment. Though filmmaking and films have been constantly evolving in the hands of succeeding generations of filmmakers, many the offspring of immigrants, it still remains basically the same---a blend of art, craft and business. One of the new generation of aspiring filmmakers is Jason Gabriel Varga, a young Croatian American in his early twenties. Jason is a graduate student in film pursuing a Master of Fine Arts degree at the Graduate Film Conservatory at Florida State University's School of Motion Picture, Television and Recording Arts. He is the great-grandson of Croatians who immigrated to the United States in the early part of the last century. They and their descendants successfully maintained their Croatian identity, language and culture in what was then known (prior to the nation's current stance of pride in its ethnic and racial diversity) as the U.S. melting pot. On a bright, winter afternoon at the beginning of this new year, Drucilla Badurina, president of Badurina & Associates, sat down and talked with Jason Varga. B&A: When did you discover that you wanted to be a filmmaker? VARGA: When I saw E.T. at the age of five. No, it wasn't quite that early (laughing) but I was fascinated by movies even then. I can't say exactly when because it was more of a process. As a youngster, I was constantly writing little stories or scenarios and drafting my brothers, sister, cousins or neighborhood kids--they weren't exactly thrilled--to play the various parts. My first real stage performance happened when I was 8 or 9 years old and played one of the children's roles in a local high school production of The Music Man. I continued to act and work in stage productions all through my high school years. It was a class project when I was around 13 years old that really started it all. The assignment was to select a character from ancient history and do a presentation. I didn't want to do something boring like reading a paper, so I decided to make a video about Hannibal, the general who crossed the Alps. I rented a camera and made a video. Everyone who saw it was blown away. They loved it. It might have been cheesy and goofy but I had so much fun doing it and it opened up my eyes about what you could do with a movie camera as opposed to working on the stage. It was then that I looked at movies and television in a different light. I always knew I wanted to do something visual and this made me even more focused on that. B&A: What influence did your Croatian heritage have on your love of filmmaking? VARGA: I remember the Croatian picnics, weddings and even funerals where I would sit with the adults rather than play games with the other kids and listen to the stories they would tell about their lives and experiences. It was fascinating. That was also true of family gatherings or one-on-one times with my baka, mother or teta or other relatives and Croatian friends who would share stories about their Croatian heritage and its many facets. I'm sure all of this had both a conscious and subliminal influence on my love of the narrative translated into the visual. B&A: You have an undergraduate degree in film. Has your undergraduate experience helped in graduate film school? VARGA: Only in the sense that my undergraduate experience solidified my determination to do narrative films. The university film school I attended at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County was part of the fine arts department and the prevailing philosophy was that film was only art, not art, craft and business. It was geared to the avant garde--fifteen minutes of filming a wall, things like that--rather than telling a story visually. But I did have access to a lot of nice equipment. As a creative, artistic person, I can appreciate the avant garde. In cinematography, I love exploring elegance and composition, but that must serve and enhance and support the main focus--visual narrative. B&A: What kind of films have you made? VARGA: I've made a number of films as an undergraduate student. Most were short films. I haven't done any feature length. I discovered that I was more successful making a film from stories written by others or adaptations of stories by other writers rather than something I had written. And other people made films from my stories or screenplays. As an undergraduate filmmaker, I also came to appreciate that you learn a lot from your mistakes. Sometimes you learn even more from your mistakes than your successes. It's better to learn that early on so you're prepared to try and eliminate or minimize mistakes when you're in the film industry working with other people's money. A film is made three times: 1) when it's written; 2) when it's filmed; 3) when it's edited. The story is written a certain way and when it's being filmed things usually change. Editing also brings changes. A good film allows that process to unfold. B&A: Why did you decide to enroll in the Florida State University graduate film program? VARGA: Even though I had an undergraduate degree in film, I felt that I didn't have enough experience working on a movie set and I wasn't sure I wanted to spend all my time trying to find a job that might or might not give me that experience. I knew a lot about theory and technique but little about the practical aspect of working on a movie set. I knew that FSU was one of the very few schools that worked as a graduate conservatory, essentially a mini movie studio making films. Its graduate film program offers each student the opportunity to work in all the positions associated with making a film. You get a chance to do everything. FSU gives you two years of intensive movie industry experience. It's literally OJT---on the job training. B&A: Tell us more about the program. VARGA: Entry is competitive since only 24 students are accepted each year. That's why the professors know every student and the students know each other in a both a classroom and working environment. Faculty members are professionals and veterans of the movie industry and filmmaking. They aren't just teachers but also advisors, coaches and facilitators. The school acts as studio production heads and decides the parameters. Unlike many other film schools, films at FSU must be made within a defined, limited budget--a student can't add personal funds to enhance the film he or she is making--and you sign a "contract" agreeing to adhere to that rule. It creates a level playing field among the students and is actually great experience in staying within budget, a reality of the film production business. In the two year program, graduate students will have rotated working in all positions on the set during filming and in pre-production and post production. Even though during the two years you eventually decide what jobs you like the best or do the best this system gives every student the chance to learn, understand and appreciate what everyone is doing or should be doing--the cinematographer knows what sound design is doing, and so on--which is great preparation for working in the industry A process that might take many years in the industry is compressed into two in this program. Since there are about 20 films made each semester this system provides opportunities for everyone to get practical experience in various jobs. B&A: What's it like as a first year graduate film student? VARGA: Well there is no typical day. I had regularly scheduled classes this past semester--directing, producing, editing, screenwriting, cinematography, sound design, etc.--which will repeat in the summer and next fall. In addition to the regular classes, there are required extra seminar classes that somehow end up being held during what you expected to be a "free" day on the weekend! (Laughing.) You might have a night shooting schedule as well as day shoots depending on what films you're working on and your job on each film so your schedule is packed and days or nights are long. We work year 'round with breaks between semesters. For instance, I was home for Christmas but won't get back home again until sometime in August. The fall semester classes immediately translate into practical application on the set. During last semester, the eight classes I took in the first four weeks----directing, editing, writing and the rest--were focused around pre-production--story development, budgets and the like. When classes are over, production begins on the sets for the various films, followed by post-production. Film shoots last one or two days so you're involved in many jobs on many films. Every film is different although all are narrative; there are no documentaries. We're graded not just on classroom work but the work we do on the sets. Last semester I had classes plus production work; this semester I have no classes and all production work. The first semester you're in the trenches helping others make their films. If you're good at particular jobs, you might be in demand as others request you for their films. The highest position a first year grad student can reach is unit production manager. I'll do my producing project this semester and my second directing project this coming summer. I'll begin work on my thesis film the following spring. It's an intensive program about film as art, craft and business; as independent and collaborative effort; theory put into practice. It's the ultimate in "on the job training" and it's great! B&A: During your undergraduate years and now in graduate school, did you study or encounter any Croatian filmmakers? VARGA: Not really. From my own knowledge about Croatians in the industry right now, the person who comes to mind is Branko Lustig. He's high profile and essentially doing the job on a much grander scale that I'll be doing next semester. I suppose he might be considered a role model because he's doing now what I want to be doing in the near future. Lustig has worked on a number of films that I've liked, for instance, Gladiator. I bought it on DVD, by the way. (Laughter.) B&A: What about Croatian films? VARGA: No, Croatian films never appeared in any part of my four year undergraduate film studies curriculum or program. You know, if a Croatian film is made for an independent art house release, then whoever is promoting them should consider putting them on the university circuit, showing them at colleges and universities, especially those with film schools, throughout the U.S. B&A: What advice would you give high school or undergraduate college students interested in a filmmaking career----go to graduate school or directly into the industry? VARGA: I'd have to give the same answer that used to annoy me because it seemed trite, but it's true: there's no defined or best way to get into the movie business. It's whatever works for you. B&A: What film job is your ultimate goal and what do you want to do after graduate school? VARGA: As far as what I want to do in films, it's producing, directing or cinematography, probably producing/directing. After I complete this program, I hope I'll be doing this and getting paid for it and working on feature length films. B&A: Would you ever consider making a film in Croatia about Croatians? VARGA: You bet I would, given a good story. I suppose then my Croatian heritage will have come full circle. ===== Brian Gallagher distributed by CROWN (Croatian World Net) - CroworldNet@aol.com
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