Arild Ammereit

AN INTERVIEW WITH Arild Remmereit, DIRECTOR

What are the films or people that had impacts on you and deeply inspired you to become a filmmaker?

The maybe surprising answer is: None. I was never a true fan of anyone or anything, whatever Art form. I tend to find motivation from just about everything I observe. Very often in an exclusionary way: Like that I will not do it...

You have made your specific film "Commonheart ..." which got official selection in the

"American Golden Picture International Film Festival".

As a filmmaker, why you decided to make it?

This is a question that I find hard to give a clear answer on without having go on about it for a while.

It is a very personal film. Becoming a father is an important aspect of it. Having enjoyed my childhood in and around wild nature it became important for me that our son should be allowed to get a nature bound upbringing too. Then I observed, having returned- much for this purpose- to where I grew up on the Western Norwegian countryside after 36 years away,

that children were not using our incredible nature as a playground anymore. It was only my son and I out there.

People have moved away from the natural bound to nature.

And here we are at the very essence of my film. There used to be a connection which is so fundamental on a

deeper philosophical basis in understanding, or at least feeling our place as a part of nature, and we seem to be

moving away from it... There was a connection which isn't there anymore.

The child's voice at the very beginning of the film says:"There was a time when Mother Earth hummed children to sleep.

" and " There came a time when the people didn't hear the song anymore"... We have moved away

from listening to our planet and what is fundamentally natural.

The wild nature just outside our door is a perfect set for filmmaking.

What were some of the challenges you faced in making this specific film?

There has been tons and tons of challenges. Since I generally do- and also did here-

everything except acting on my own, there is such an enormous amount of technical challenges that must be overcome.

There is a saying that if you spend 10.000 hours on something, you get good at it...Well, I have spent way more than that:)

The learning curve has constantly been steep. YouTube Tutorials are worth gold in many cases.

It is unbelievable how much one can learn there when finding the right channels.

Since this is basically a 0$ budget film, I have not had much opportunity seeking direct professional assistance either.

Through the whole period of production, I lived on savings from my conducting career...

As a filmmaker, please introduce yourself.

COMMONHEART. From a childish mind,

is my first feature film. It has taken me six years to create it and I have done everything by myself; camera, edit, color, effects, sound, music...A lot of work, yes, but I live completely in the Arts, and don't consider what I do to be work however. Its life!

Before this I made several Documentary films. My career has been in music, as an Orchestral Conductor

(please visit my website, arildremmereit.com for information) travelling the world of music. I always had a special interest

however in film as an Art form.

Why you became a filmmaker as director and producer?

Being passionate about several Art forms, I always had a special love for film but only over the last decade

have I committed myself, finding time to engage more profoundly.

Give some more information about yourself and the films you have made so far, about your experience?

My life has, from I was very little, been about the Arts; studying piano from age six; having a singing career as a boy soprano; performing in children Theatre; being allowed to buy myself an electric guitar at around 12 years old; playing keyboards in rock and jazz bands; studying music, singing, piano, composition...basically everything; performing in musicals and operas; assisting Leonard Bernstein in Vienna at the very end of his life, where everything he did became a film. I assisted both Lennie and the film Director, Humpfrey Burton on several concert films; participated, acted as an extra, observed in the making of Adrian Flicker's film, "Halbe Welt" in Vienna, where I lived for 24 years.

From then on I was fully occupied following a career as a music conductor of orchestras and Opera companies around the world.

Twelve years ago I became father for the first and only time. This changed my life entirely, to the better, of course:) Travelling, which had happened together with my wife, was now on my own. I lost the spirit of pursuing the conductor jet setting life stile, and engaged in my sincere love for film. Over the last decade I made several Documentary films. Over the last six years I have completed my first feature film, COMMONHEART. From a childish mind.

Let us more about your experience in this film?

I have learned a lot!!! For example how important it is to do a good job when recording so you don't have to spend time and energy

trying to save the project in post:)

The cinematography and acting supports the story in a very effective way.

What was it like to work with your team Cast and Crew?

As mentioned, I did everything but acting on my own. The actors were all young and easy to motivate and to collaborate with.

For you what was the biggest lesson you had to learn after making this film and bring it to the big screen?

I see that the bureaucracy around film making here in Norway doesn't know what to think of my film. Actually, as you probably know, Norway is funding the Arts, so there are places you can call on for support. When I connected, the film was already close to finished. They were surprised. The normal approach is to connect with them with an application for support for an upcoming project. They didn't even find time to see the film.

What keeps you inspired to continue filmmaking?

My life is totally in the Arts, and when I work, I am happy. My next project is already planned, and I hope to start filming within half a years time.

The most important part is distributing the film.

What did you do for distributing your feature film "Commonheart ..."?

I tried to show it to a Norwegian distributor...He has not yet seen the film, I believe...

The film has no distributor as of today...Any thoughts?

What are your filmmaking goals?

My artistic goal is always the same; to create an experience that can bring the audience a meaningful experience, ideally to improve the world..:)

What is your next project?

A dark comedy...

Thank you and Good Luck Arild,

Website:

http://arildremmereit.com/

IMdb: