The joys of live broadcasting played out on BEHIND THE LENS this week as we had to shift gears and deviate from our planned show celebrating South African filmmaking with live guests out of TIFF and “go global” with some exclusive prerecorded interviews with production designer GRANT ARMSTRONG talking MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING 3 and filmmaking brothers THOMAS & CHARLES GUARD talking DEAD SHOT.
There are two main reasons (in addition to the brilliant comedy of Andrea Martin and Maria Vacratsis) to hit the theatres and see MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING 3 – the work of production designer GRANT ARMSTRONG and cinematographer Barry Peterson. Their collaborative work is stunning and immersive, steeping us in the history, beauty, and intimacy of Greece. Written and directed by and starring Nia Vardalos, MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING 3 takes the beloved Portokalos family to their homeland for a family reunion and the talented artisans working on MBFGW3 are who make the trip memorable.
Shot on location, Grant Armstrong did extensive location scouting on the island of Corfu and not only found multiple locations that service the story beautifully but had to build one key set piece and “marry it” with the actual locations. In this exclusive interview with Grant, he talks about his search for the perfect locations including the top of a mountain, the color palette, finding specific locations that include the village and town square where a good portion of the film takes place, the town fountain, and a 2000-year-old olive tree, not to mention a magical hillside wedding set. As you’ll hear, one of Grant’s major considerations with the village square was the need to accommodate Barry Peterson shooting 360 degrees. Another concern with the production design was working with the history of Corfu and not destroying or damaging the past while creating sets and set dress for the film shoot. A key element of the entire film is a climactic wedding sequence in which Grant showcased his talents in melding Greek and Syrian cultures within the design for the wedding, a parade, decor, etc. A truly interesting interview. And don’t worry! I also spoke with cinematographer Barry Peterson and that interview will be popping up shortly!
MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING 3 is now in theatres.
Then we head to the UK to speak with filmmakers THOMAS GUARD and CHARLES GUARD about their latest film DEAD SHOT. Best known for their freshman feature “The Uninvited”, DEAD SHOT is as far away from that as one can get as the brothers adapt Ronan Bennett’s book “Road to Balcombe Street”, taking us into 1975 UK during the heat of The Troubles. Interestingly, with this adaptation, the film shies away from The Troubles itself and instead focuses on how individuals are affected and the cycle of violence that permeates and propels the situation.
A revenge thriller, DEAD SHOT focuses on the stories of Sergeant Tempest and Michael O’Hara. O’Hara, a former paramilitary, witnesses Tempest kill O’Hara’s pregnant wife. This shooting puts into motion the unfolding story of a man who no longer knows he is once relieved of military duty and another man who just wants to leave the pain of life and loss behind him and start anew. With these two men “lost” and emotionally floundering, they become targets for political manipulation as each is then recruited by opposing forces, setting the stage for a collision course of revenge. Steeped in period authenticity thanks to the production design of Tom Sayer and costume designer Ellie Wilson, the immersion into time and place is deepened thanks to the work of cinematographer Mattias Rudh. Listen as Thomas and Charles discuss at length about choosing the Sony Venice Rialto camera, going handheld and shoulder rigging, tonal cinematic influences, casting, score, and more.
DEAD SHOT is now available in theatres, on Digital and On Demand.
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