The production of ‘Don’t Look Back’ began through the conception of the controlling idea that there are moments that we experience within our lives where blame is not attributable to one individual, but rather to the surrounding circumstances of that moment. Often, these moments bare a tragic element that alters the path of those involved. It is through finding the strength to deal with these moments that life thrusts upon you that you gain the ability to overcome your fears and insecurities.
The script was constantly developing from this initial idea and the Writer/ Director, Kostas Ouzas, continually developed the story and until it had evolved into the story we see now. The ability to work closely with the Writer/ Director Kostas Ouzas, my elder brother, allowed the concept for the film to take shape naturally through constant discussion. It was determined that the ‘effect’ of such an event that would be portrayed was as important as its ‘cause’, thus the story would be told in such a manner with the use of Flashbacks as a means of joining the stories.
The structure of the film is particularly appealing as it breaks the typical convention of short films, that is, a linear story with a climax and resolution. Here, the climax and resolution are reached in a non-linear manner causing the viewer to believe the stories will eventually clash in real time. It is this unique structure that differentiates the film from most typical short films and I believe the experimentation with structure will prove to set the film apart from its peers.
The relationship between the Director and myself is certainly the backbone to the success of the production of the film as it allows myself, the Producer, to put my complete trust and support behind the Director and his vision. I regard this a very important aspect of filmmaking. My passion for film stems from the auteur and the notion that a film, like a piece of art, should represent the artist’s distinct voice and style. It is, therefore, the Producer’s role to make this vision possible to its fullest capabilities and it is only through complete trust and respect for that vision that such a task can be complete.
As Producer of this film my ambition has been to complete a piece of work that is at the extent of our current capabilities. Furthermore, it has been an important aspect of the project to break the conventions of filmmaking at every possible opportunity to ensure that we are creating an ethos by which we as filmmakers can call our own. This is important to achieve now so that when a feature film is produced the methods of production are already well defined. I believe that the production of this film has achieved that without forsaking any quality of the film itself.
As a first time Producer the production has certainly been a learning curve, however, such method of learning has been an invaluable experience. I believe that the lack of formal education forces me to continually research and read about filmmaking in order to understand the role of Producer. Although the responsibilities of a Producer are well defined I have been able to form my own view of the functions of a Producer that exists outside the conventional teachings.
The production of the film has to this point achieved all that was set out to achieve at its conception. With a firm post-production pathway in place the film has the ability to now go beyond our expectations. This is the result of the collaboration of all those that have been involved in the process. By engaging those people capable in their craft you allow for them to bring something new to the project and take the film to a place that was previously not expected.
It has, so far, been a very rewarding experience to see this film develop from its earliest stages as an idea, through to a screenplay, to seeing the characters and story come to life in production, and finally bringing together all those involved and working successfully through the production.
By Alexi Ouzas
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