Nicola Sersale - Removal
2:39, 2008, ExperimentalDirectorNicola SersaleProducerDillan GandhiWriterNicola SersaleCameraKelvin ClaytonEditorYasuyuki Otsuki
CountryItalySubtitlesNo SubtitlesEdition2008
< overview
Who is Nicola Sersale?
I’m a student at The Arts Institute at Bournemouth attending the third year of the BA (Hons) Film Production course. During my three years in the institute I’ve been able to direct a good amount of short films of different nature: experimental, mockumentary, fictional and commercial.
Your film is about?
"Removal" is a short film I shot for a unit called "Dream Factory" in which each director had to design a determinate dream. This film is about feeling entrapped, oppressed by people in your life. They constantly carry furniture to you for your whole life until you are stucked in the middle of this web of furniture and your immobility makes you a piece of furniture as well.
How did you start with film? And do you have an educational background in art or film?
I started with film back in Italy where I’ve attended a one-year film course called "Sentieri Selvaggi". As a result of that course I’m now attending the BA (Hons) Film Production course abroad in Bournemouth.
Could you explain how you work, what themes or concepts and what is important to you?
My way of working constantly changes together with my themes and concepts. My balance is to find a sense of truthfulness in all my productions.
Where do you get your ideas or influences from?
"Removal" was mostly influenced by the work of Luis Bunuel, Magritte and Eugene Ionesco. I always admired Bunuel’s chaos, Magritte’s paradox and Ionesco’s scenic space and I tried to use aspects of these artists to influence my work.
How does the title relate to the work, and how do you find a fitting title?
I prefer very simple and direct titles mostly associated with moods or colours, for example: "The Egg" or "White Memory". Titles are very important, sometimes I find myself going to watch a movie only because I think the title is interesting or it fits very well with the thematic of the film.
How does content relate to the form of your work?
Most of the time I start by knowing very well what my form is, (how the production design and characters are going to look like) and I then go backwards and work myself out what the ideal content for such a form could be.
How important is sound in film, and if you use sounds, do you create your own or use existing?
Sound is at least fifty percent of a film. It enriches the audience’s perspective. With sound you can show what’s there, what’s not there and everything in between.
How do you finance your projects (by yourself, sponsors or subsidy)?
At the moment I’m financed by the Arts Institute.
Nowadays everyone with the right equipment can create videoart, good, bad or ugly?
I’m happy to know that as many people as possible can create videoarts because then humanity can share a great archive of ideas. Ideas are universal and so has to be all the medias that supports them.
What possibilities of the web are yet to be explored? Which dangers do you see ahead?
Infinite. Infinite.
Video broadcasting platforms on the internet, why or why not?
I think they are a great tool, but I still believe that it’s better to watch something in a big screen than in a low resolution internet window.
In what category would you place your work; cinema or art. And is there a difference between those?
I think cinema is a form of art... Isn’t it? Sometimes I feel people hide behind the concept of art. I can’t define art, it’s such a vast canvas where people mix colours in infinite ways. I think cinema is one of these colours, but it still has thousands of tonalities people can play with. Cinema is a farely modern form of art, things still can be explored and discovered...
How important is the reaction to your film by the audience?
I think nowadays everybody is capable of directing because everybody carry a vision of the world, of how everything turns and happens; everybody has a story to tell. The craft of directing is to translate your intimate vision in something people everywhere would appreciate and that is the difficult bit.
What is your next project about?
About obsession, memories and cassettes...
< overview
CountryItalySubtitlesNo SubtitlesEdition2008
< overview
Interview
I’m a student at The Arts Institute at Bournemouth attending the third year of the BA (Hons) Film Production course. During my three years in the institute I’ve been able to direct a good amount of short films of different nature: experimental, mockumentary, fictional and commercial.
Your film is about?
"Removal" is a short film I shot for a unit called "Dream Factory" in which each director had to design a determinate dream. This film is about feeling entrapped, oppressed by people in your life. They constantly carry furniture to you for your whole life until you are stucked in the middle of this web of furniture and your immobility makes you a piece of furniture as well.
How did you start with film? And do you have an educational background in art or film?
I started with film back in Italy where I’ve attended a one-year film course called "Sentieri Selvaggi". As a result of that course I’m now attending the BA (Hons) Film Production course abroad in Bournemouth.
Could you explain how you work, what themes or concepts and what is important to you?
My way of working constantly changes together with my themes and concepts. My balance is to find a sense of truthfulness in all my productions.
Where do you get your ideas or influences from?
"Removal" was mostly influenced by the work of Luis Bunuel, Magritte and Eugene Ionesco. I always admired Bunuel’s chaos, Magritte’s paradox and Ionesco’s scenic space and I tried to use aspects of these artists to influence my work.
How does the title relate to the work, and how do you find a fitting title?
I prefer very simple and direct titles mostly associated with moods or colours, for example: "The Egg" or "White Memory". Titles are very important, sometimes I find myself going to watch a movie only because I think the title is interesting or it fits very well with the thematic of the film.
How does content relate to the form of your work?
Most of the time I start by knowing very well what my form is, (how the production design and characters are going to look like) and I then go backwards and work myself out what the ideal content for such a form could be.
How important is sound in film, and if you use sounds, do you create your own or use existing?
Sound is at least fifty percent of a film. It enriches the audience’s perspective. With sound you can show what’s there, what’s not there and everything in between.
How do you finance your projects (by yourself, sponsors or subsidy)?
At the moment I’m financed by the Arts Institute.
Nowadays everyone with the right equipment can create videoart, good, bad or ugly?
I’m happy to know that as many people as possible can create videoarts because then humanity can share a great archive of ideas. Ideas are universal and so has to be all the medias that supports them.
What possibilities of the web are yet to be explored? Which dangers do you see ahead?
Infinite. Infinite.
Video broadcasting platforms on the internet, why or why not?
I think they are a great tool, but I still believe that it’s better to watch something in a big screen than in a low resolution internet window.
In what category would you place your work; cinema or art. And is there a difference between those?
I think cinema is a form of art... Isn’t it? Sometimes I feel people hide behind the concept of art. I can’t define art, it’s such a vast canvas where people mix colours in infinite ways. I think cinema is one of these colours, but it still has thousands of tonalities people can play with. Cinema is a farely modern form of art, things still can be explored and discovered...
How important is the reaction to your film by the audience?
I think nowadays everybody is capable of directing because everybody carry a vision of the world, of how everything turns and happens; everybody has a story to tell. The craft of directing is to translate your intimate vision in something people everywhere would appreciate and that is the difficult bit.
What is your next project about?
About obsession, memories and cassettes...
< overview
