Hello, I am Fred Gélard. At the age of 12, I had the chance to meet a French Professor who was passionate about theatre, and I loved to amuse my classmates, so she proposed I do theatre with a small group of students. I started to get involved with a lot of activities in addition to school work: theatre, sculpture, drawing, and sports. Later, I studied at the Conservatory of Dramatic Art and Beaux Arts School. Finally I choose to become a professional actor.
Did you study what you do
My first passion was the theatre and during the years I spent studying at the National Conservatory of Dramatic Arts of Rennes, I met a filmmaker, Philippe Alard, who was asked to do a short film and then a feature shot on a small budget -Villégiature. It was a piece of work done (in naturalistic cinematic style) as did Éric Rohmer, and based heavily on improvisation. I watched him set up his scenes in a very simple way, the resolved into great dramatic work.
#VOD #FreeParty is now available on #AmazonInstantVideo https://t.co/eZXFb16qeQ #US #UK #Japan #Austria #Germany pic.twitter.com/4BprHLDbHV
— fred gelard (@FredGelard) June 1, 2016
I often say that I was born on a movie set, and I have the sensation of being “at home” when I work as an actor, or today when I work as a director. Back then, there was no pressure, no finance or no time. We were students; we were shooting with these Super-8 mm films, just as we can now with digital cameras. So, it was not expensive. And especially, we were not afraid to make mistakes, which is very important when you start out in my opinion. We all became friends, and had a friendly perspective of one another. It was real confidence at work, without any kind of judgment.
It is like that, without external pressure, and I learnt to be natural in front of the camera. The desire to direct movies came later, while I had already worked on four features in a lead role. It was on the shooting of Dante Desarthe’s film, – “Fast”, when I started to appreciate the technical side of cinema and the desire to understand it. So, in 1996, I decided to make a short film with my money, I drew on the methodology I had known back when I was a student, with friends, actors and technicians. I wrote a fairly simple story and I had written quickly into a screenplay. This is how “Where You Go?”, a 30-minutes film was born. It was hard, but I loved it. I think it was from that moment that, I realized I wanted to be a writer or director or an actor.
What is your filmmaking process
Once the script is validated, I work with the D.O.P on how to film it. We decide, how I am going to shoot such and such scene, and why. Because, I also attended the Beaux Arts School, I draw (sketch) a lot, so i do a storyboard and it is from this material that we establish esthetics for the movie. Next, I have meetings with the actors that we cast. For example, I select my actors who I also film while I ask them questions. I can make jokes or try to de-stabilize them to shake them out of their comfort zone. It can be a very long discussion it depends on the actor’s response, and if I feel an affinity with them to play that role. I like to feel that the actor is available for the life’s incident in the script, incidents which can occur in a rehearsal. It can be magical to see such a performance being born out of an emotion which was not planned.
Talk to us about the work you have produced
At the beginning of my career as an actor, I did not ask myself a lot of questions about the characters I played. I knew that the director loved my energy, my spontaneity, my humor, my creativity and my physicality as “Jacques Tati”. I believe that in cinema, performances that don’t work, áre the voluntary, forced nuances of a character. It is necessary to be simple, and obvious. And if that does not work, it is because you are not the character for the movie, but for another. I think you need to know how to deal with yourself, your emotions, your personal life. It’s true that when you start out, you’re not necessarily conscious of all these. You must accept that it escapes you. This is sometimes what a director wants. It is a question of confidence.
Fred Gélard bande démo comédien from Fred Gélard on Vimeo.
Do you take courses to improve your craft
I participated in workshops for artists, actors, and directors. It’s a good way to test new things, to surprise yourself, to overtake certain limits or to explore areas of unknown emotions, without taking too many risks, while being well surrounded by the coaches. This is a luxury that you cannot allow yourself on a professional production. You must, as often as possible, work your art, practise, search, and have fun too.
How do you combine acting, producing and writing
Today, I have more time to write as I do less comedy. But, it never was a problem for me to combine several things at a time. Probably because as a teenager I practiced several activities. I am active, or hyperactive. I still need and desire new projects.
How did you get into film
In 1991, Philippe Alard’s film “Villa beausoleil”, shot in Super-8mm and in which I had the lead role was released at theatres and at festivals. This movie began everything. A film director spotted me, then another, etc… It is necessary “to create” because you do not know what destiny has in store for you. Of course, it is necessary to meet people, to network and to push your work.
How do you turn an idea into a screenplay
A good idea is not enough to make a good script. You must first have good characters, a good story and a real desire to talk about this thing that pushes you to write the screenplay. An artist is a person with a high sensitivity and it is this sensitivity, this personal look, you have to try to put on paper.
Explain you writing process
My scripts are born the same way. It starts as a desire; I work with people to discover a Universe, we talk about the topic as it touches me or a character. I take notes on a pad, a piece of paper, or on my computer and then I leave it. Sometimes for a long time. When I come back to it, I write it into a story, say like a short novel (I trying not to censor myself) After that, I write a very short version, a summary of 5 lines to identify my project. Then I write the lives of the main characters in details; his past, his view of life, his bad and good sides, hopes, etc. Finally, I work on the treatment (synopsis) with all this new information respecting the three-act structure (or 5 for some). For three feature films and four short films that I have written , I have not always worked like that. It is a method that has come with time and experience.
What writing tips can you give young writers
The advice I give young writers or anyone who wants to write, is to begin without putting up any barriers. A story or script is never good enough as a first draft. It needs to be re-written again and again. Read scripts, watch movies and ask for help from experienced writers. But there is one important thing, (Also important when you make a movie), you must put the audience in mind. Ask yourself, why would anyone be interested in your story? What will he discover or learn? What do you want to say through your film?
Tell us about your directing work
I have directed five short films. The first, “Ou tu vas?” (“Where you go?”), I was 30 and no experience either in writing or in directing. I did everything instinctively. I wrote the script in 15 days, I invested the money I had earned on a Michel Deville movie and I shoot it in 10 days, and a weekend. I established a crew of buddies including some who had never done cinema and I asked actors I knew personally, and friends, to star in the film. All accepted. I had not written dialogues and we improvised during the rehearsal, before shooting. The editing was long because I had no more enough money to finish. It is why I went to knock at the door of a director-producer, Dante Desarthe, with whom I had already worked as an actor and he managed to raise money to finish the movie and sell it to a TV (Arte.tv). I learned from my mistakes, but I think it moved me forward.
Then, I directed a short film written by two young scriptwriters, “Ma vie active” (My active live). It was almost like an exercise based on angle, reverse angles and on acting. I love directing actors. I feel the music and rhythm of words and the subtext that must play.
later, I worked with another production company. I wanted to make a film with real funds. The process of writing was longer. I re-wrote several versions until we could all agree. In France our system allows subsidies between $40,000 and $100,000 for shortfilms. But it is a long process. So I waited until 2003 to make another film. This time the film focuses on the story of two children aged 6 and 7 years old. It was exciting to direct children, but there were other constraints, they have a short span of concentration. So I mainly cut the film into a sequence shot, shooting no more than 5 or 6 takes. The film had success at film festivals and was bought by France Télévision. After 2004, I stopped writing short films. I wanted to make my first feature with the same company that produced my last short film. So I wrote several projects until we agreed on a script to go to production.
It is a movie which takes place in Cameroon (the country of origin of my wife) with kids in the Hip-hop game. But, I had to put it away on a shelf because of finance. I was very disappointed and angry because of the experience. I used that anger to return to short films. And in 2010, I wrote in a short film in a few weeks, and I went back to my first producer. He loved the project and convinced me to try a new adventure. This film is called ” Free Party “, it follows a young bourgeois who will integrate a marginal environment; travellers who live in converted truck and organizes techno free parties. I worked with real people and only 3 actors (leading roles) . The film was shot a period of two weeks. It was very intense, and during the summer season of 2013.
I had the great feeling about the project, because we made great progress, especially in the technical department. I learned how to produce a movie with great sacrifices. It was a huge pleasure for me to be back on a movie set. This movie is very close to my heart. It is my most accomplished movie. And to date, it has done over 15 film festivals worldwide, from South Korea, to the US, to Italy, Hungary, etc … and it garnished three awards. I ‘m very proud of it.
Recently (end of 2015), I self-produced a 4 min-film, a tribute to the artist Jackson Pollock. It was a production with two actors and a small crew and we shot it in black and white. The film is based on looks and gesture: it well choreographed. It will be submitted at several international film festivals. But now I really want to make my first feature film. I feel really ready.
What do you want to change about the film business
I don’t have the claim, or the position in this business to change things. But I would like that the value of creators, authors, filmmakers rise to be the highest paid professionals in the industry. As a general rule, in the art industry, it is the people who make business with culture who live better than those who create it. I’d like the public to realise that without writers, directors, there would not be all this cultural diversity. We must therefore help independent artists. That’s why I am pleased about “crowdfunding”. It is an intelligent form of finding financing from private funds.
End of editing for the new version of my tribute to Jackson Pollock “Number Zero” #shortfilm #cinema #dripping #art pic.twitter.com/JE8ykivT13
— fred gelard (@FredGelard) April 13, 2016
What do you want to be remembered for
I do not know how people see me, but in any case, I passionately love what I do.
How do you prefer to work with a producer during production
The big part of the work with a producer happens in pre-production. I like him or her to bring in positive energy and in post-production a demanding look and also great ideas. In fact, for a director, it is important he chooses his team.
What can a director do to get into the film industry
Work on a good script (a short film or a feature) and do not hesitate to work in all department on a film, even if it is to serve coffee. 😉
Who is your favourite director
There are many directors but I prefer John Cassavetes. I love all his films because they have his madness, his humanity, his love of life. In all his films the actors he works with are remarkable.
What advice would you give to actors
Trying to play the comedy once in his life to better understand what it is.
