Vanite

Vanite was the end result of my Directors Course in Cinematography at the Brighton Film School in the summer of 2001. Our 'brief' was to come up with a short story in five minutes and go shoot it. However, my brief was that it had to be in black and white, with subtitles and jazz! Clearly a French 'New Wave' spoof -- I think I was riffing on the idea of how cosmetics are a form of religion... and vice versa.
It was shot at St. Peter's Church and The Grand Hotel where they had a big old piano in the ballroom. During a break in shooting the brilliant Charlie Ashcroft (Nicoletta) started playing a wonderful disjointed classical piece in that retina warping dress. I decided right there and then that it had to be in the film. I went upstairs for the dressing table shots but by the time I got back the cast had been drinking and Charlie was paralytic! She was in no fit state to sit up straight let alone play the piano so we had to arrange to come back the next day. Unfortunately some minor pop star called Louise (?) was doing a press junket for an insipid cover of 'Stuck In The Middle With You'. The place was crawling with press so we never got the shot. Tragic really - it would have been the best bit.

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• french
• new
• wave
• brighton
• 2001
• godard
• stranik
• grand
• hotel
• murder