José Pedro Lopes - O risco
2:06, 2011This short film is a mix of comedy and "splatter", and includes a magic chalk, the internet and cycling.
Confused? Soon, you won’t be.
This bize-size short film became a surprise cycle-gore entry at the world tour of the Bicycle Film Festival.
DirectorJosé Pedro LopesProducerAna AlmeidaWriterJosé Pedro LopesCameraPedro FonsecaEditorAna AlmeidaCrewSoundtrack: Emanuel Grácio
CountryPortugalSubtitlesEnglishEdition2011 ScreeningsComicpalooza Film Festival (Texas, USA)
Alcine FIlm Festival (Madrid, Spain)
International Cycling Film Festival (Herne, Germany)
Killer Film Festival (MA, USA)
Farcume Film Festival (Portugal)
Awards2nd Best Film - International Cycling Film Festival (Herne, Germany)
Honorable Mention - Farcume Film Festival (Portugal)
4 Nominations for the Killer Awards - Killer Film Festival (USA)
< overview
What is O risco about?
’O Risco’ is about a crazy idea coming to life. The kind of ideas that burst out on a night out.
What if two idiots bought a special chalk on the internet that said that, if you draw a line with it and somebody crossed it, their heads would blow up?
What if it was true?
Could you explain how you work, what themes or concepts you use and what is important to you?
I think film should be fun and thoughful.
’O Risco’ is a comedy and actually a very effecient one. People find this to a be a very funny film.
But also I wanted them to think back on how absurd and impossible it all his: in life and in filmmaking, there’s no limits, nor right or wrong.
How long do you usually work on one project?
’O Risco’ took two years to go into filmming. It was at one point a 10 minute short project and was not a comedy at all. Only with time was that we saw how this could really work: as a compact, driven and fast film.
Where do you get your ideas or inspiration from?
"O Risco" was an idea that came from a fun conversation between me and my producer Ana Almeida. It just made sense at the time... It never made sense again! Ahaahha
How important is sound in film, and if you use sounds, do you create your own or use existing?
"O Risco" is very soundriven for we didn’t have much visual effects nor the plot was easy to be believable without weird, overdriven sound effects.
How does content relate to the form of your work?
I always look to make a film that I would like to see. Something original, something fun. I believe ’O Risco’ offers both. I hope all my films do.
What possibilities of the web are yet to be explored?
"O Risco" has been promoted totally online - even though I never released to be seen freely online.
It has bee featured in over 25 film festivals in the second half of 2011, and the social networks have been a place where people comment a lot this fun film bite.
How influential is the reaction to your film by the audience?
Total. "O Risco" has worked very well with an audience.
I saw it a the Lisbon Bicycle Film Festival where it was actually the only non-documentary film. It was a blast: no one was expecting a gore comedy.
What is your next project about?
I’ve been pitched a lot of ideas for a follow-up to "O Risco". I’m not much into doing sequels. Specially in short films, it doesn’t make sense.
Besides this, I’ve some projects for 2012.
< overview
< Artists interviews
CountryPortugalSubtitlesEnglishEdition2011 ScreeningsComicpalooza Film Festival (Texas, USA)
Alcine FIlm Festival (Madrid, Spain)
International Cycling Film Festival (Herne, Germany)
Killer Film Festival (MA, USA)
Farcume Film Festival (Portugal)
Awards2nd Best Film - International Cycling Film Festival (Herne, Germany)
Honorable Mention - Farcume Film Festival (Portugal)
4 Nominations for the Killer Awards - Killer Film Festival (USA)
< overview
Interview
’O Risco’ is about a crazy idea coming to life. The kind of ideas that burst out on a night out.
What if two idiots bought a special chalk on the internet that said that, if you draw a line with it and somebody crossed it, their heads would blow up?
What if it was true?
Could you explain how you work, what themes or concepts you use and what is important to you?
I think film should be fun and thoughful.
’O Risco’ is a comedy and actually a very effecient one. People find this to a be a very funny film.
But also I wanted them to think back on how absurd and impossible it all his: in life and in filmmaking, there’s no limits, nor right or wrong.
How long do you usually work on one project?
’O Risco’ took two years to go into filmming. It was at one point a 10 minute short project and was not a comedy at all. Only with time was that we saw how this could really work: as a compact, driven and fast film.
Where do you get your ideas or inspiration from?
"O Risco" was an idea that came from a fun conversation between me and my producer Ana Almeida. It just made sense at the time... It never made sense again! Ahaahha
How important is sound in film, and if you use sounds, do you create your own or use existing?
"O Risco" is very soundriven for we didn’t have much visual effects nor the plot was easy to be believable without weird, overdriven sound effects.
How does content relate to the form of your work?
I always look to make a film that I would like to see. Something original, something fun. I believe ’O Risco’ offers both. I hope all my films do.
What possibilities of the web are yet to be explored?
"O Risco" has been promoted totally online - even though I never released to be seen freely online.
It has bee featured in over 25 film festivals in the second half of 2011, and the social networks have been a place where people comment a lot this fun film bite.
How influential is the reaction to your film by the audience?
Total. "O Risco" has worked very well with an audience.
I saw it a the Lisbon Bicycle Film Festival where it was actually the only non-documentary film. It was a blast: no one was expecting a gore comedy.
What is your next project about?
I’ve been pitched a lot of ideas for a follow-up to "O Risco". I’m not much into doing sequels. Specially in short films, it doesn’t make sense.
Besides this, I’ve some projects for 2012.
< overview
