“Byoul Part 2: Da” was the winner of BEST SOUND & MUSIC at the October 2021 EXPERIMENTAL Film Festival.
1. What motivated you to make this film?
Internationally celebrated South Korean Dancer and Choreographer DaEun Jung approached me about illustrating part 2 “Da” of her long-form 3 part dance known as the “Byoul” series:
about “Byoul”:
Inspired by Korean dance forms as well as Merce Cunningham’s “chance operation,” exquisite dancer/ choreographer DaEun Jung and singer/ composer Melody Shim frame this nuanced performance in a structure that borrows Cunningham’s “throw of the dice” technique and utilizes the basic structure of the Korean alphabet “Hangul.” -REDCAT, https://www.redcat.org
Da reinterprets DaEun Jung and Melody Shim’s long-time collaboration Byoul through the intimate lens of filmmaker Taso Papadakis. Da blurs the boundaries between the classical form and pedestrian moves as well as discipline and spontaneity, branched out from the original project, Byoul, a dance made by chance procedure using the Korean alphabet combining system as a compositional method to randomly arrange classical Korean dance movements.
2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?
The film took approximately three weeks of study, conversation, rehearsal and pre- production, one full day of intense filming and two weeks of consideration to complete the final cut.
3. How would you describe your short film in two words!?
powerhouse style
4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
Manual labor involved in set-up and tear down in the space on the shoot day
5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
Very pleased and happy to hear attentive minds generously sharing their observations, thank you very much for your time to watch & discuss, for offering this part of the presentation to us
Watch the Audience FEEDBACK Video:
6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films?
In our early teens, my brother Petros and I used to make complex “radio” shows, edited on cassettes and graduated to making comedic sketch home movies. My brother was the star, I was the camera person and editor. Then, I went into athletics to pay for my education in Religious Studies.
When I was twenty, I started snapping documentary street portraiture on Polaroid film. The Polaroids were very inspirational to me.
I had a rare “Aha” moment and went right into professional commercial still photography.
Since then, I’ve been a professional commercial art and live performance photographer for the last 20 years.
I gravitated to filming and directing motion pictures in 2011. My brother hosts a successful syndicated sports talk radio program for over 20 years!
7. What film have you seen the most in your life?
Fellini’s Roma
8. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway, what are you feelings of the submission platform from a filmmaker’s perspective?
Intuitive, well designed and lighting fast
9. What is your favorite meal?
By the sea in the southern Greek countryside (wooden chair, under an olive tree, by an ancient chapel)
10. What is next for you? A new film?
Currently doing film work with with best post-modern Dancers in the United States, true story DaEun, Melody Shim and I are so honored to be selected as “BEST SOUND AND MUSIC ” in your festival. thanks to the viewers and judges.
Matthew Toffolo's Summary 