Q&A with PBO’s Telly Award-Winning Video Director
Film Director Tal Skloot
More than a year after PBO co-produced the fully-staged version of Rameau’s Le Temple de la Gloire with CMBV and Cal Performances, the production is still making the news. In May, PBO’s video partner for the Rameau video project, Tritone Media, won a prestigious 2018 Telly Award in the category of non-broadcast music/concert video.
PBO was excited to produce a behind the scenes video about the “Making of Modern Day Premiere” to tell the rich story behind this groundbreaking production and how it all came together. We spoke with our video partner and Tritone Media Founder Tal Skloot to get his thoughts on working with PBO on our Telly award-winning video.
Q: Tal, what was it like to shoot for this historically-informed production?
A: It was wonderful and fascinating. Our crew learned so much about the details and intricacies that go into making a historically-informed production. For example, who could have guessed that the costume designer spent months in New York and Europe researching the types of fabric and clothing design that would be appropriate for that period? It’s very much like the incredible detail that goes into producing a TV series such as ‘Games of Thrones.’
I was also fortunate to attend the roundtable discussion before the performance where Nic discussed some of the details of the 1745 score and libretto. That information greatly informed our interview questions and how we visually approached the project.
Q: Were there any challenges with so many moving parts?
A: Yes, it was a very complicated shoot. We had multiple cameras for the performance and quite a lot of interviews to accomplish in a very limited time period. Also, in order to capture some of the behind-the-scenes footage, we had to separate into two camera crews.
Thankfully the PBO staff were so very professional, organized and helpful, which allowed us to focus on our work.
Q: You had a strong vision for the final video. How close did you come to making your concept a reality?
A: The Temple of Glory video surpassed everything I had hoped for. It’s really a case where all the moving parts came together and we were able to not just produce a video, but really tell a story about the opera and the artists who staged such a tremendous performance. Much of the magic came from the other artists –the lighting designers, singers, dancers, impeccably recorded audio, the orchestra–all greatly contributed to what you see on screen.
Q: Were there any surprises along the way?
A: The vast amount of time spent editing. We knew it would be complicated to interweave the rehearsals, performances, and interviews but what normally would take a few weeks to edit took a number of months. This was largely due to our desire to both tell the story of the opera, as well as the stories of the many artists, who spent years researching and designing the myriad of details that are required for a historically-informed production.
5) Were there any takeaways from this project (and Telly win) that you will be able to apply to future projects?
A: As with any art form, producing a fine video requires a great amount of thought and planning. We are grateful that PBO understood this and also strives for excellence and attention to detail in their work. I think the key is to have a vision and then surround yourself with good people to help move the ship forward.
PBO congratulates Tal Skloot and his crew at Tritone Media!
WATCH THE AWARD WINNING VIDEO HERE:
