Background Action is an essential contribution to the quality of feature films. Directing extras completes the mise-en-scène of a movie, but requires specific skills. Such skills will be the subject of the upcoming seminar, since the art of moving extras in the background requires hands-on experience.
After some theoretical considerations, the seminar will focus on practical exercises. The participants, devided into groups of four, will have the opportunity to direct a crowd of some 50 to 100 extras in, respectively, a panic situation, a background action that requires specific timing and a scene involving over 20 cars.
This event represents a unique opportunity for directors and assistant-directors to discover the potential of effective crowd choreography for the screen.
Ali Cherkaoui
First Assistant Director, Paris. He has worked on several big film productions - among others, BLACK HAWK DOWN (R. Scott), SPY GAME (T.Scott), ALEXANDER (O. Stone) and MUNICH (S. Spielberg) - as key Second Assistant Director, in charge of crowd movements.
Recently, he has been working as 1st AD on JULIE AND JULIA by Nora Ephron with Meryl Streep. He also developed his own software to handle large numbers of extras.
For further information on his work, consult : > www.alitronics.com
