Shooting in Béarn and the Basque Country
talents of the 64
The Pyrénées-Atlantiques department is home to many professionals in the audiovisual and film industries. In 2023, some of them have chosen to take part in the sponsorship campaign launched by Agence du Film 64 and presented at the first edition of the Nouvelles Vagues Festival in Biarritz.
The sponsorship campaign launched by Agence du Film 64 highlights the diversity of the audiovisual and film professions:
Among them are producers – production managers – casting directors – make-up artists – costume designers – editors – sound engineers – financial directors – stage managers and composers,
positions less familiar to the general public than actors, screenwriters or directors, but just as essential to the finishing touches of a film.
Passing on know-how
The “godmothers and godfathers” are technicians with many years’ experience. Several of them have worked on works that have won major awards (Césars or Oscars, among others). They are interested in passing on their knowledge to newcomers, and so have responded positively to the Film Agency’s invitation to accompany their godchildren on 2-3 advisory meetings throughout the year. This sharing of knowledge will enable us to better equip these young or new entrants to the profession.
Video portraits of the“godfathers and godmothers” of the 64 region
Manager
Ronnie Avenel
Hello, my name is Ronnie. I’m a stage manager for TV and film dramas.
A memorable moment in my career: the shooting of Luc Besson’s Malavita, with Robert De Niro. Shooting at night, “Bob” is in his bathrobe, sitting on a Fly Case, waiting for the scene to be set up. He doesn’t look like much, this younger gentleman. He chats with us, cracking jokes. The director calls the action, “Bob” gets up and enters the scene: he’s 10 years younger, and wildly charismatic! He grabs his interlocutor by the back of the neck, plunges his head into a bucket of ice and delivers a scathing retort. I’ve seen Robert De Niro play, for real!
Fitter
Fabien Bouillaud
After studying at the BTS audiovisuel in Bayonne in 1998, Fabien moved to Paris to become an editor. After working for ten years on Arte’s cultural program Tracks, he moved into the world of documentaries, where he has edited over 80 historical, cultural and societal films for France Télévision, Canal+, Arte and the cinema. Some of his films have won awards at international festivals (Mostra de Venise, Festival du cinéma de la Baule, etc.). In recent years, he has also worked as chief editor on TV films.
A memorable memory in my career: In 2014, I was editing a documentary about nuns in Israel, shooting over the course of a year. During the second shooting session, the nuns we were filming wanted to meet everyone involved in the documentary. So I went to the Holy Land. It’s always a very special moment to meet people you’ve only seen on screen, and I felt I already knew them all. The few days I spent at the monastery will stay with me forever.
Production Manager
Noélène Delluc
Hello, my name is Noélène and I’m here right from the start of production so that together we can make the same film.
A memorable moment in my career: on the film “Toi non plus tu n’as rien vu” by Béatrice Pollet, during the shooting of the trial scene at the Montauban courthouse with Maud Wyler and Géraldine Nakache. We had a lot of extras, including my parents.
It was great to see them discover a movie set and also my job!
Casting director
Nathalie Camidebach
I’m a casting director for “Huggy les bons tuyaux” in the Pyrénées Atlantiques.
A memorable moment in my career: My memory: for Robin Campillo’s feature film “Eastern Boys”, I was asked to find immigrant families for extras, including a 7-year-old girl. I cast this child, who Robin found fabulous.
After a few days of shooting (she was a recurring silhouette), her mother came to thank me, saying that the experience had been very beneficial for her daughter, and that her shrink had found her participation very positive. In view of my astonishment, the mother said to me “my daughter is autistic”. I hadn’t noticed…
Author, actress, ...
Marie Thommerel
I’m Marine Thömmerel, a French singer-songwriter and actress.
A memorable moment in my career: One of my best memories of filming is the video clip we shot with my music group @chamaille_music. It was for the track “ça m’intéresse personne”. We did everything ourselves and created our respective caricatures in the form of puppets. We then brought them to life and put them in contact with strangers in the streets of Biarritz and Paris. People’s reactions were surprising. Some were taken aback, others disillusioned, and still others very amused.
Head costume designer
Laurence Forgue
Hello, I’m Laurence, costume designer and lifestyle stylist.
A memorable memory in my career: Party Girl … being called a week before shooting started.
Reading the script once and preparing the film while being on the set managing the splices.
Jusqu’à la garde … crossing the vineyards at sunrise to get to the studio – being in tears with the whole crew behind the combo during the bathroom scene.
Director of photography,...
Jean-François Hautin
Cinematographer for a taste for beautiful, meaningful images, and editor for a desire to create a relevant narrative that awakens the senses and the imagination.
A memorable moment in my career: on the set of a rickety old truck, hurtling down a dirt track in the African savannah, the wonder of framing the beautiful face of an old Nigerian griot in the eyepiece of my camera. And the image was incredibly stable, the most beautiful shot of my life.
Make-up artist, hairdresser,...
Laure Camara
My name is Laure and I’m a hairdresser, wigmaker and make-up artist.
A memorable moment in my career: I love the closeness that can be created during a shoot between technicians, artists and all the staff, so that the energy is positive and fluid.
Producer
Jokin Etcheverria
Jokin, but seriously!
A memorable memory in my career: managing to open the border between Irún and hendaye for the filming of En Bonne compagnie, which was shown on Sunday 16:30 at the Royal in Biarritz. A shoot under high security with real cops (guardia civil, paf) and fake customs officers playing for the film.
Fitter
Anne-Sophie Bion
A former student of the BTS Audiovisuel at the Lycée René Cassin in Bayonne, news editor at Eurosport then assistant film editor with my mentor Hervé Schneid, I’m now a chief editor and have the chance to take part in the third writing of a film.
After scripting and shooting, the editors put the finishing touches to the story. It’s a big responsibility, but what an exciting and exhilarating job. Every day, I juggle with images brought to life by actors who give their all to tell the story the director has been thinking about for years. Every story is different, every encounter unique…
A memorable memory in my career: I’ve got plenty! Because I’ve been lucky enough to meet directors who are all about sharing and transmitting. Like with Michel Hazanavicius, where we walked the Red Carpet in L.A., or with Cédric Klapisch, tasting exceptional wines at 9 a.m. in the wine cellars of Meursault.
Chief Financial Officer
Nathalie Lampre
After studying law, I met an administrator who took me under her wing.
One of the most memorable moments in my career was my first shoot in Morocco.
The head administrator couldn’t get away, so she sent me to the front. I was 21, and Morocco represented sun and bathing suits, in short, vacations… but not at all.
When I got there, the machino (a very tall man: impressive) asked me for his “expenses”, which I didn’t even know what they were. He quickly realized that I was the rookie on duty. First strike, first conflict… but he took pity, offered me my first collective agreement and started my apprenticeship as an administrator.
I can say it’s thanks to him that I got where I am. He taught me everything (especially social skills).
I think this is the shoot where I’ve had it all – the crazy laughs – the nervous breakdowns – the beautiful encounters, but also the ugly ones…
That’s the life of a shoot!
YOUR CONTACT AT AGENCE DU FILM 64 - BÉARN PAYS BASQUE
Isabelle BREIL
i.breil@tourisme64.com
06 08 60 81 80
