So close to the horizon - it's all about filming

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 14:00

They met each other at the dawn of their growing up, when feelings and passion are able to conquer fear and overcome any difficulties. Young and in love - this is true love at first sight. But it will not last forever, and there are good reasons for this … This story will be told by the new drama So Close to the Horizon (2020); Find out interesting facts about the film and the actors, as well as details of the interview with Jessica Koch, the author of the original novel.

Time of action

Nineties

Jessica Koch's book is set in the late 90s. It was very important for filmmakers that the action of the film takes place in the same era. At least because of the topic of AIDS - at other times it would not make sense at all. According to Christine Loebbert, the visual concept of the film was fraught with many difficulties: “Of course, we had to show the 90s very accurately in detail, but at the same time we did not want the film to become historical. We also had to show a modern perspective. According to our idea, viewers in cinemas should catch themselves thinking:

"We then wore exactly the same clothes …", but at the same time the film had to be modern."

Tim Trachte adds: “We did not seek to emphasize the historical aesthetics of the period, but we had to reproduce the atmosphere of that time. I would not say that the film "So Close to the Horizon" is tied to any particular era. " Be that as it may, the retro visuals were supposed to create an atmosphere of nostalgia, warmth and security.

"So Close To The Horizon" was filmed in warm colors and widescreen. Director Tim Trachte and cameraman Fabian Rösler decided in advance to use anamorphic lenses.

“The widescreen format is ideal for close-ups of characters so that both fit into the frame,” explains Trachte. “At the same time, we wanted to maintain some distance and leave enough space for our actors so that they were not cramped, and so that they did not have to resort to long-standing clichés.”

Trachte and Rösler opted for a very airy color scheme with low contrast and Touch Technicolor quality. “We didn't use too deep blacks, and ultimately our film looks like a social drama or even a modern fairy tale in terms of color,” says the cameraman. In addition to the anamorphic lenses, Rösler used a variety of filters, including the effect of old cracked glass.

“The image came out a little hazy and the contrast became even softer,” explains Trachte. However, Trachte and Rösler decided not to dwell on the same concept while filming

“We aimed to be as close to the actors as possible using conventional wide-angle focal lenses,” says the director. - Our lenses allowed us to reduce the focal length to half a meter and create the feeling of maximum closeness without disturbing the actors. This was especially valuable in the scenes when Jessica and Danny huddle or kiss. We understood that it was not easy for actors to play in such scenes, so our aspirations were justified."

Christina Loebbert pays tribute to the set designer Kristiana Krumvide and her department for their attention to detail and detail. It was the forces of this department that created the fair, which played an important role at the beginning and at the end of the film: it is there that Jessica and Danny meet. The heroes meet with their eyes in the shooting gallery, and then find themselves together on the attraction "Caterpillar".

“We had to tinker with the fair,” smiles Loebbert. - We thought for a long time how we will shoot these scenes. We could not rent a modern fair - there were too many elements that were not even in sight in the 90s, and we had no right to remove them without permission”. In the end, it was decided to build their own fair using the range of one of the companies that rent old attractions. “We selected some of the rides, delivered them to the site, set up and built tents around them,” continues the producer. "In fact, we have our own fair for several night shifts."

On the soundtrack for the film, Tim Trachte worked with composer Michael Kamm, who attracted attention with his work on the soundtrack for the films by Baran bo Odar. The selection of compositions appropriate to the atmosphere was very important for Trachte. “There are some sets where it is impossible to overdo it,” the director is convinced. For example, in the scene when Jessica and Danny again find themselves on the Caterpillar ride, a composition performed by the foreigner rock group sounds. “She was perfect for this scene,” says Trachte. - It matches the atmosphere in the shot and has the charm of a bygone era, just like the attraction itself. We used other 90s compositions as well, but we didn’t dwell on them. There are also contemporary compositions in the picture, including those that were written specifically for the film. And yet, music should not take precedence over the image. The verses of the song should not reveal the outline of the plot or repeat what the audience has already seen."

It is also worth mentioning how the filming of "So Close to the Horizon" began. “At the beginning of 2018, we started looking for funding sources,” Trakhte recalls. - Usually, this process is not quick. However, we managed to shoot a film in the fall of the same year. It seemed that everyone, including our sponsors from North Rhine-Westphalia and Bavaria, as well as our partners from SevenPictures, wanted the film to reach wide theater distributions faster. Typically, 99% of the films that are approved at this rate are either comedies or family adventure films."

"So Close To The Horizon" was filmed from mid-September to mid-November 2018.

“Most of the scenes were filmed in and around Cologne,” says Trachte. - The group spent several days in Munich and, finally, we worked for several days near Lisbon. We filmed the scenes in the US in Portugal. " Christine Loebbert claims that they considered the idea of filming American scenes in the United States. “We had to abandon this idea - we would have had to spend a lot of money on negotiations, registration of work visas and all other papers. Besides, we would not have met the schedule, - explains the producer. "So we had to look for an alternative."

Finally, "America" was found on the Portuguese coast. “In this country, you can easily find various landscapes, including ones that are very similar to the American ones,” says Loebbert. "There were evergreen forests, and charming Rocky Mountains, and huge beaches and cliffs … and it was all close by!" According to the producer, the final filming in Portugal reflected the entire work on the film in the best way: “We all became friends, the weather was fantastic. Watching the scenes on the monitors, I could not hide my tears and had to hide behind the dunes so that my colleagues would not see them. It was very touching."

The bitter sweetness of emotion

The main character of the film "So Close to the Horizon" is true love. The leitmotif of the picture is that love should never be abandoned, that it ennobles, and there will always be a place for love in your heart, even if it does not last long. This is clear to everyone.

“I would like to see the audience wipe away their tears at the end of the film, because they were touched by our picture,” admits Trachte. - But at the same time, I want to believe that the audience will understand: Jessica made the right decision and she has a better life ahead of her. She risked falling in love, knowing that love would not last forever, and this lesson was good for her. Now she can live happily, feeling her own strength. I hope the audience will feel it and come out of the cinema cheered up."

Arian Schroeder believes that the audience will be mostly female: “There are no age restrictions. This love story is universal and can touch the hearts of many people. Although the main characters are still very young, their fates will not be indifferent to older viewers. The film "So Close to the Horizon" will undoubtedly appeal to everyone who loves touching melodramas."

Luna Vedler argues that if it depended on her, there would be more such melodramas:

“After all, this is life itself! The events of this film could well have happened to anyone in reality. This is a wonderful love story that teaches you to be strong. These are the stories that are needed - those that talk about the power of love, which give strength. " Yannick Schumann adds: “I want the audience to cry so that they can become infected with this love. The picture shows that we need to be grateful for the time we can spend with our loved ones. Because no one can take this time from us."

Interview with Jessica Koch

“So Close to the Horizon” is your debut as a writer and a very impressive start to your career. Why did you work on this story for so long?

- I wrote this story about 15 years ago, out of curiosity I sent it to publishers and received very positive feedback. But then I changed my mind about publishing and burned the manuscript. In general, I decided to leave all this in the past, although, of course, I never forgot. Many years later, my husband and I started talking about the past. I confessed to him that I once described all the events of one period of my life in a novel. Then I told him about the plot, which was so personal that even my husband did not know about it. The topic was not closed by one conversation, we returned to it throughout the week. As a result, the husband said: "You know, Jessica … You need to write this book again!" It was hard for me to fit it into my head. I lost my drive and wasn't sure if I could finish even if I started. Especially considering that I had a newborn son in my arms.

Overcoming my doubts, I took a notebook and pencil and began to write somewhere in the middle of the story. I did not follow any chronology, I just took some scene from my head and began to describe it, indicating the date. I continued to work, unable to stop. I did not let go of my notebook with a pencil, day or night. I ended up finishing a few scenes and typing everything into a computer. I finished the book in eight weeks.

Did you have a desire to find a publisher right away?

- Not at all. First of all, I gave the book to my husband to read. He was impressed with what he read and convinced me to start looking for a publisher. I was skeptical about the idea, because I studied the publishing market on the Internet and was very disappointed with what I read: judging by the reviews, debut novels had an extremely small chance of being published, and if the events were based on personal experience, there were practically no chances. Also, I had no literary education or early publications. I have practically come to terms with the fact that my book will not be accepted, and that I need to forget about it. But my husband did not give up and advised me to at least try to contact some literary agency. I agreed to this compromise, but decided to limit myself to only five agencies, no more. Now I understand how naive I was, because later I found out - usually authors send their works to more than 100 agencies, and repeat this periodically in the hope that sooner or later someone will like their creation. I simply did not know this. I picked five agencies at random and got an answer pretty quickly. In short, four of the five agencies to which I sent the manuscript wanted to sign a contract with me immediately.

Why did you choose Tim Rohrer's literary agency?

- I read the following on the website: "If you are not 100% sure that we will accept your book, then you should not send it." It's cocky, but I liked it. I was 100% sure of my story and decided that if Tim Rohrer didn't like it, then no one would like it. His agency was the first I contacted. I thought it was a good sign. When we got to know each other better, it became clear that we would work together.

After the publication of the book "So Close to the Horizon" by Feuerwerke Verlag, everything changed …

- I have nothing to compare with. When the book started to climb the list of popular publications, I was pleasantly surprised. It was unexpected, it is impossible to predict this in advance. I told my agent at the very beginning of our cooperation that I would be happy if 2000 people read the book … As a result, there were more readers.

When the book was at the peak of its success, an offer came to make a film. What was your first reaction?

- My agent prepared me mentally. He said that there might be people willing to film my story. He saw the potential in the book So Close to the Horizon and offered it himself to various film studios. Like many other writers, I didn’t believe that this could actually happen. Even when the first serious requests for film rights came out, I still didn’t believe it, because a contract offer doesn’t mean the film will be shot. Anything can happen. But when we signed a contract with Studiocanal, I was speechless because it did happen.

What were the first negotiations with the producers? What do you think of Isabelle Hund and Christine Loebbert?

- At the preliminary negotiations with Isabelle and Christina, we somehow immediately found a common language. My agent Tim Rohrer and I had the feeling that the producers were loving and genuinely interested in the project. In addition, we understood that the film would be filmed according to our preferences.

Was it difficult to give your book into the hands of other people?

- The book hasn't gone anywhere. The film is only based on the original material. I believe that the book and the film are as different as two independent creations. It was extremely important for me, because I am inextricably linked with the plot, I went through all this, in fact, this is my story. Therefore, I had to try to distance myself from the film adaptation and look at it with an open mind - as an independent film, and not a film adaptation of a book. I also told the producers that there was no need to choose actors to my liking and to exactly match my memories. It is not right. Of course, it was important for me that the characters in the story retain their characters. But, as I mentioned earlier, I was confident enough in my book to pass it on to other people and not feel anxious.

Did you have any requirements for the adaptation?

- Of course there were. It was important for me to preserve the atmosphere of the story and the key themes inherent in the plot. The story tells that things and events are sometimes not at all what they seem at first glance. Society is used to thinking superficially and often judges a book by its cover, only some people try to grasp the true essence of the issue. "So close to the horizon" shows that it is always worth taking a closer look, that stereotypes should be abandoned.

How did your work with screenwriter Arian Schroeder go?

- Arian sent me every version of the script. I read five versions in total. During lengthy conversations face to face, we discussed all the details, Ariane emphasized that my opinion about her work is very important to her. Of course, the script was radically different from the book. To be honest, I had a hard time correlating my own memories with the pictures described in the script. I had to read the script as a completely independent work. I was lucky to get to know all the actors in advance, during the script readings. In addition, I saw videotapes of auditions in which Luna and Yannick played in the same scene. When I read the script afterwards, I imagined specific actors, so the pictures in my imagination became clearer and clearer.

What impression did director Tim Trachte make on you?

- I confess, I was a little nervous, looking forward to our first meeting with Tim. For some reason, I imagined a serious businessman who always achieves his goals and does not listen to other people's opinions. Instead, I met a kind-hearted person who was honestly and sincerely interested in Danny's story, studied it, and was very attentive to the little things. Tim wanted to know everything, he asked me questions about Danny's character, about what kind of music he listened to at the time. There will be some moments in the film that we have added specifically for the readers of the book.

What do you think about the casting of Luna Vedler, who plays your role, Yannick Schumann and Louise Befort?

- The first photos of Yannick and the Moon aroused my keen interest, but to be honest, I was still skeptical about this idea. Everything changed when I saw the video proofs. Having met with the actors in person, I was convinced that we could not find the best candidates. And the fact that Louise would be perfect for her role, I realized almost immediately, from the photographs. I met her a few days later, and our meeting only strengthened my confidence. I was glad that Yannick didn't look too much like the real Danny, which, however, would have been impossible. If the similarities were striking, I'm afraid at some point my memories might be blurred. Ultimately, I was glad that it was Yannick who got the role. Although, to be honest, I never would have thought before that I would say: "Yes, he fits!"

Did you help Luna Vedler and other actors with advice?

- The trio of actors who played the main roles in the film devoted themselves to their work completely. For example, Yannick asked if he could look at pictures of his prototype. I remember him standing in front of a restaurant in Munich and comparing the color of his eyes to the color of Danny's. It was weird. Yannick has grown long hair, just like his hero had. Luna and I exchanged thoughts and thoughts during the breaks between takes. It was very important for her to know how believable she is playing, whether something needs to be changed. But she just didn't need to change anything. She played her part perfectly! Louise bombarded me with endless questions: What shoes did Tina wear? What clothes did you wear? Are her scars believable? She completely immersed herself in the image of her heroine. One moment really struck me: Louise insisted that the decorators remove the red carpet from the nursery, because Tina associates red with unpleasant memories.

What are your common memories of filming the film?

- Only the best! I had an incredible feeling when I saw the scenery, how the scenes came to life before my eyes, turning into a film. Everyone took great care of me, despite the fact that I showed up on the set with my child and turned the work into chaos. I was given the opportunity to sit in front of the camera during the boxing scenes, although I had to constantly leave for the baby, who by that time was only two months old.

How did you feel when you finally saw the movie on the big screen?

- Of course, I was very nervous and convinced myself that I needed to watch the film "in an abstract and impartial manner." I was afraid that by the end there might be a feeling of depression or disappointment from the kitsch, that the dialogues would seem faked. However, there was not a hint of bad taste in the film! The picture turned out to be very unusual, the actors did an excellent job with their roles. Honestly, I could watch this movie over and over and over again! I didn't want to leave the cinema, it was like a trip to another world.

Did you expect any special scenes?

- In fact, I waited, and not one. It was interesting for me to see the scene in which Danny tells Jessica that he has HIV. Of course, I read the script and knew how things would end up being resolved. But the scene was different from the one that was written in the script, and it seemed to me that everything worked out even better in the film. She was completely different - more emotional, more realistic! I am sincerely grateful to Tim Trachta for such an anxious approach to the material.

What are your expectations from the film?

- I hope that the film will touch the hearts of the audience without plunging the audience into depression. I would like to believe that everyone will understand the important messages that we have laid in the plot. Nothing is true at first glance, and each of us deserves to take a closer look at it. Viewers must understand what kind of drama haunts Danny and Tina throughout their lives, how they pay for something that is not their fault. We need to see that they are actually wonderful people inside!