ivans xtc opens in UK

July 19th 2002, saw the UK opening of ivans xtc, a critically acclaimed film distinguished both by its makers’ enthusiasm for digital cinematography and a caustic, insiders’ view of the Hollywood system.

In fact, it’s doubtful whether the latter would be possible without the former, as its ultra-low production allowed it to exist outside the studio system it mercilessly critiques.

For director Bernard Rose, digital revolution offers cinema a leap comparable to impact of the Impressionists on Nineteenth Century art. “Most people are not constantly back-lit in real life,” he says. “At night the ‘moonlight’ does not come from a high crane with powerful arc lights… Industrial Cinema is a legitimate form - but it is stuck in rigid conventions, hamstrung by money, and like traditional oil painting, has entered a decadent phase. In digital cinema your girlfriend is the star. Your back yard is the set. Your life is the script.”

Rose knows of where he speaks; the leading lady for ivans xtc really is his girlfriend and while his life isn’t the script, that of a friend is certainly inspiration.

HD revelations
Rose made his name with Paperhouse, an acclaimed 1988 horror fantasy, followed by films such as Candyman (1992) and Immortal Beloved (1994). Fuel for ivans xtc’s cynicism was provided by a bitter studio dictated recut of Anna Karenina (1997), however Rose had no doubt his next project would be another mainstream film - Thief Of Always for Universal.

While Thief suffered with endless rewrites, Rose returned to Tolstoy, using The Death of Ivan Ilyich as inspiration for what would become ivans xtc. Rather than shoot another period piece, he decided on updating the story. Ivan Ilyich became Ivan Beckman, ‘the hottest agent in Hollywood.’

Rose wrote what he knew, drawing inspiration from his own agents - CAA - who allowed him to stay at the office for research. One agent, Adam Krentzman, appeared in the film, while another, Jay Moloney, is acknowledged by Rose as inspiration for the lead character. At one point the brilliant and charismatic Moloney had seemed like he might become CAA’s president, but in 1996 he had been fired for cocaine addiction.

Danny Huston, who would play Ivan Beckman, was initially involved as one of Rose’s closest friends. He and Rose frequently complained about the difficulty of getting studio backing for such a challenging project. Eventually Rose’s girlfriend Lisa Enos asked; “Guys, instead of moaning, why don’t you just shoot a film?”

Enos had recently completed The Angel of Bergen-Belsen, a Holocaust documentary that had been produced with a budget of just $200,000. The quality of the digital footage intrigued Rose sufficiently to pay a visit to the Sony High Definition Centre in March 1999. Test footage initially failed to impress, however side-by-side comparison shots with 35mm film unexpectedly caught out some of the attending DPs. And if DPs couldn’t spot the difference, Rose began to think there might really be something to HDCAM.

An appointment was scheduled at a rental house where hands-on experience made Rose into a true digital convert. “It is a revelation,” Rose enthuses. “It seems to capture pristine crystal clear images in near darkness. It is as simple to use as a consumer video recorder. Lisa and I immediately see our opportunity. We can make a feature film for the same price as a documentary using this new camera.”

Quick moves
The script for ivans xtc was finished by May 1999. The budget was so tiny that Rhino Films signed up without viewing the script. The rest of the budget was raised by Enos from a consortium of equity investors.

Shooting began in July and Rose isn’t disappointed by the camera’s performance; “the speed and ease of the HDCAM is astounding. The sound department is always running to catch up with Ron Forsythe and myself, who are the sole members of the camera team… We never need to supplement natural light levels. Shooting is so fast that the light always matches.”

In fact, however complicated the scene, cast and crew never exceed nine people, allowing the production to be sped around town in two SUVs.

According to Enos, “Instead of 12-hour shoot days where actors are forced to wait endlessly in uncomfortable trailers until the lighting has been set-up, our shoot days were never longer than seven hours.

“Since we moved so quickly, actors were able to keep their performances spontaneous and fresh.”

One key scene was shot at a restaurant and, since no special lighting was required, most diners forgot a film shoot was in progress. An observing journalist, Jeffrey Wells, even ended up appearing in the scene. “He is amazed by the quality of the images that are literally lit by candlelight,” Rose reports. “We shoot a ten page scene with eleven speaking parts in four hours.”