Regie- & Produzententeam Marca Hagenstad und Aaron Dunsay sprechen mit UNERHÖRT! exklusiv über ihren Dokumentarfilm "Coals to Newcastle"

1) Why did you chose this topic for your film?

Because we thought it was historically significant that this up and coming British funk band was going to visit New Orleans for the first time. What attracted us to them initially was their musical ability, and we conceived the film primarily as a concert film. However once we got started, we found a deeper story told through the eyes of 5 charismatic characters. The New Mastersounds gave us the opportunity to explore how music has the power to bring people together. They may live an ocean apart, but The New Mastersounds clicked with New Orleans musicians beautifully, simply because of a shared appreciation for the art form.

2) What was the biggest hurdle you had to overcome?

In the overall sense: money & time. We also had many technical issues during production and post-production. We lost all the footage from one camera at the house of blues performance. The surviving footage from that show had many corrupted frames. We had to cut the sequence from a single camera angle. Thankfully, the band played a four-hour show so me had just enough footage to fake the shots and make it work.

3) What surprised you the mose?

We were thrilled with all of the musicians that spontaneously joined in with the band. It was amazing to see master musicians like Stanton Moore and Ivan Neville jump on stage while we we rolling. We were also surprised at how cooperative all the musicians were who supported The New Mastersounds and our film by giving us interviews.

4) What is your favourite music documentary?

Marca: "Dig!" and Aaron: "Air Guitar Nation"

5) What is your advice for others who want to make documentaries?

Be passionate! Documentary filmmaking is not immediately rewarding. If you don't care enough about your subject/project no one else will, and you'll never see it through to the end.

Klicke hier für Infos, den Trailer und wann der Film läuft.

Regisseur Willem Alkema spricht mit UNERHÖRT! exklusiv über seinen Sly Stone-Dokumentarfilm "Coming back for More"

1) Why did you chose this topic for your film?

I was intrigued by the story of the disappeared popstar. I had bought his records and found out there was no new material. Sly Stone was mentioned as one of the most influential musicians of all time, so what happened to him? The main thing to start this topic was finding out if he was still making music.

2) What was the biggest hurdle you had to overcome?

All the times we had to wait, all the years we (me and the twins) tried to get in touch with him, that was sometimes really tough.

3) What surprised you the most?

How other people tried to steal from him, incredible.

4) What is your favourite music documentary?

I don't have a favourite one, I like some of them, as long as it is no "story of" it's nice. If I need one to mention it would be: This is Spinal Tap (but not a real documentary) [Note: One of the highlights at the UNERHÖRT! Musikfilmfestival 2009]

5) What is your advice for others who want to make documentaries?

Make sure you have enough money upfront and have a deal with a TV station

6) Can you say something about the specific dramaturgical tricks you used?

We used a bit a detective styled thing with hidden camera's etc. by making choices in the editing you make your decisions what gave it this feel. In reality we didn't stand for days waiting in front of his house.

7) What is the reason for you as producer to bring out this film?

Because Sly Stone needs to be re-invented, re-known, re-met etc I think it's important to keep our music history alive

Klicke hier für Infos, den Trailer und wann der Film läuft.

Regisseur Danny O’Connor spricht mit UNERHÖRT! über seinen Film "Upside Down: The Creation Records Story"

How did you first get involved in a project of this nature? Did you know Alan or folks from the bands prior to the film? Your history at Radio 1 obviously must have opened you up to these artists, bands and the label as it exploded, I'm curious if your perception of them changed after starting your resource into the record label?

I knew Alan from my time at Radio 1 in the mid-late nineties and we seemed to bump into each other a lot because my office was in Primrose Hill close to where he lived. My office incidentally was in the old Creation building! Anyway I suggested to him that maybe enough time had passed to give everyone a bit of perspective so here we are four years later! Everyone , especially Alan, was very supportive and frank, honest and entertaining. I got to know Alan really well and he's a real generous supportive guy...

How hard was it to coordinate the interviews? The candid nature of the interviews (at least seen in the trailer) it appears that like Stereophonics these bands and artists really opened up to you. What is it about your journalist style that allows you this incredible access and openness from these guys?

No idea! It's not exactly rocket science though!

What was the most difficult interview? What were the biggest surprises during the filming process? Do you have a favourite moment from the film?

Biggest surprise was just how candid everyone was. The Creation gang don't seem to hide which is pretty impressive. Certainly made my life easier...

Obviously the hectic nature of the record label is an intriguing element, I'm curious how changed the folks are today compared to the images they cultivated back in their "wild" days?

Same guys - less fuel!

You're about to be in Scotland and then Ireland for Festivals showing the film. What are your expectations going to these festivals?

Just got back - best week of the last few years. Obviously Scotland is the spiritual home of the story and Irelnd is where the heart is so it was great to see two sell outs and people enjoying it....

What are your own favourite music documentaries?

I fell in love with the medium after seeing Scorsese's 'The Last Waltz'. That romance turned into a lifelong passion when I stumbled across Pennebaker's 'Don't Look Back'. Since then I've become a great admirer of Julien Temple's work - I thought 'The Future's Unwritten', the Joe Strummer film was great as was the Dr Feelgood doc - 'Oil City Confidential '

As a rock journalist I'm curious if you had the chance to cover any particular movement in music, what (or better yet WHEN) would you like to have covered? And if you could have followed any band, who would you have followed?

I started making docs in the mid-90's so pretty much everything from Britpop to the garage rock resurgence with the Strokes et al.

What do you want audiences to gain from this documentary? Do you have anything else you'd like to say about your film or your career? Obviously you are in the thick of this film, but are you working on any other projects. In other words what can we expect from you in the future?

I want to make a film about the poet, W.B. Yeats. I think it's hard to find a rock n roll story to rival Creation so something completely different. My advice to film makers and audiences alike is to look for the heart of the story rather than the detail. I like to make docs that are universal. Hopefully you don't need to like Creation's music to enjoy 'Upside Down'. In short it's a film about male relationships when they're thrown into extraordinary circumstances over a long period of time. It could be about soldiers, footy players. Everyone can identify with how brilliant and crap men can be....

CKlick hier für Details zum Film, den Trailer und wo der Film läuft.

Filme mit und über: Oasis, Sly Stone, Youssou N'Dour, The New Mastersounds, Emilíana Torrini und vielen anderen

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Zum 1. August d.J verlässt der Redakteur, Autor und Regisseur Horst Königstein den NDR nach 40 Jahren.

Der NDR schreibt in seiner Pressemitteilung: "Horst Königstein, NDR Redakteur für Sonderprojekte im Programmbereich Fiktion & Unterhaltung, geht zum 1. August mit Vollendung seines 65. Lebensjahres in den Ruhestand. ...

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