SmartShanghai | The Shanghai Portrait Project

The Shanghai Portrait Project

By Frances Arnold, Nov 10th, 2010 | In Art

Four directors from four very different backgrounds will be showcasing their respective takes on Shanghai at Lola tomorrow night, for the screening party of the first films involved with The Shanghai Portrait Project.

Organized by Shanghai-based film company Lazy Susan Productions, The Shanghai Portraits Project challenges locally-based independent directors to represent "My Shanghai" in short documentary format, keeping the film length under four minutes and the budget under 3,000rmb. These four films will be the first of a ongoing series, showcasing the indigenous film-making talent residing in this city.

In keeping with the spirit of art for art's sake, the event is free and open to all. If you can't make the screening, or want another chance to watch each film, then fear not: over the next four weeks, the newly resuscitated CreativeHunt.com will be profiling each director and linking to their films.

First up is Gian Paulo Lupori, who will be giving an insight into his rather beautiful "Roving Dreams". Check back on CreativeHunt tomorrow.

SmartShanghai talked to Shanghai Portraits Project organizer, Khoby van den Berg of Lazy Susan Productions for more info.

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SmSh: Maybe you could start by explaining the idea behind The Shanghai Portrait Project...

Khoby: I met so many directors and creative people in Shanghai that didn't have a platform to display their work and we wanted to help. We really felt that Shanghai was lacking a film scene. We sent out a mass email to everyone we know and the response was great, not just from directors but from all creative people and some great sponsors as well. Naked Retreats, Flight Center, Under CCTV, SmartShanghai, and Lola all wanted to contribute...

SmSh: I understand the idea was for each director to choose their own subject that would represent "My Shanghai". And there were a few constraints -- 3,000rmb budget and 4 minutes film length...

Khoby: Each film definitely represents it's director. We wanted to give directors a frame work to work with, without inhibiting their creativity. As each director also donated their time we wanted the project to be manageable.

Showing on Thursday is Gian Paulo Lupori (Italy ) - "Roving Dreams"; Michael Beets (South Africa) - "pei ying and zu wei"; Victor Basitidas (Ecuador) - "Shanghai Delight"; and Miguel Bustamante (Ecuador) - "Shanghai in Motion".

SmSh: Speaking generally, what's your take on the vibrancy of the Shanghai independent film community? Is there an active community?

Khoby: There are so many talented creative people in Shanghai but not a real community as I see it. I think we can definitely help in bringing everyone together, Westerners and Chinese, to create a scene similar to the art scene which is definitely more mature here.

The city has a lot of film screening events -- Jameson's film nights [now at The Apartment], Sub-Cinema nights at Dada, and also the Cinemash up night at Dada, but there is room for improvement!

SmSh: Can you give us a bit of information on the event for Thursday? What's going to be going on down at Lola?

Khoby: Doors open at 7pm for what should be a great evening. The Lola guys have really done amazingly with the venue and we want people to have a chance to relax and mingle before we screen the films. The directors, production team and numerous other industry people will be there to check out the hard work gone into the project and talk to those interested. As its our official launch, the party will not stop after the screening, but we don't want to give it all away!

SmSh: Are the films going to be screened on their 3D mapping screens or is it more of a traditional set-up?

Khoby: Being the traditionalists that we are, the films will be set up on a fantastic hi-res projector. It would be a missed opportunity to leave the amazing 3D mapping screens unused, so the Lola guys will be using some of their great VJ-ing skills to provide something special.

SmSh: What's the future for the films produced with The Shanghai Portrait Project?

Khoby: We are definitely going to enter the first round of directors into some film festivals all over the world. We would love to see the project continue and be replicated in cities all over China and the world.

SmSh: What's in store for Lazy Susan?

Khoby: Next big thing is a TV pilot, which we are shooting this month in Moganshan and Hangzhou. After that we hope to continue to encourage independent film makers in Shanghai to add to the portrait project and will continue to try to connect the creative community in Shanghai to each other and the rest of the world!

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The Shanghai Portraits Project screens at Lola Thursday night. Doors are at 7pm, with an after party taking place... wait for it... afterward. There's no entry fee.

And don't forget to check back on CreativeHunt in the coming weeks for profiles on the directors involved and embedded video clips of their work.

Tagged: Event Previews