We've been in Moscow filming the Huun Huur Tu-Martynov concert rehearsals - all of it has been in Russian or Tuvan - so consequently we've not been able to understand a word of what's been going on. It's been a challenge and an inspiration to capture the situations based on the energies of interactions without knowing the context. A lot of it is reflected in the music and how it slowly takes form from seemingly scattered phrases of composition to one large fluid movement of sound. That and we point the camera at whoever is talking (mostly Huun Huur Tu and the orchestra leader/Martynov's wife Tatiana Grindenko, a passionate and fierce woman). In many ways this was the perfect set up for us to come into the project with: it's forced us to think visually and work instinctively, allowed our subjects to get used to us faster (because they too realize that we have no idea what they are saying), and cast us in a light of open and innocent curiosity that's helped promote trust.
In the last two or three days we've started asking questions about what's going on, and the small tidbits we've gotten have revealed just enough information for us to start recognizing the specific personalities of each supporting character - not just the major ones - their relationships to each other and to the project as a whole. It has also allowed us to enter the life of the project beyond the music, into the drama/reality of what's happening in order to mount these concerts. It's becoming as much about HOW the concerts are being produced as it is about WHAT is being produced. It reminds me a little bit of the Harry Potter stories: at first it was all about Harry and the magic in the magical world (the close up), then it pulls out wider to reveal a more extensive range of characters that all have an unseen hand in the magical happenings (medium shot), and then even wider to include the whole magical world and its politics (wide shot), and finally opens up all the way to include how the magical world fits into reality as we know it - the big picture (panorama). Replace "magic" with "music" and I think maybe we have our movie.
The most important - as always - are the relationships. Our relationship with them being just as crucial as their relationships with each other. Mark Governor (co-exec producer of "Eternal", musical director for the Huun Huur Tu-Carmen Rizzo concert, and the man who hooked us up with this documentary gig) arrived in Moscow late last night and brilliantly brought with him a small travel guitar. Tonight we all ended up in Mark's room which he shares with Sayan and Huun Huur Tu's manager (and producer) Vladimir - beers and smokes break the ice and out comes the guitar. It gets passed around and spontaneous music folds us all into a warm embrace.
Hanging out with Huun Huur Tu
One of the best things tonight was when the Huun Huur Tu percussionist Alexei came into the room. He opened the door to find Chad, Joe, Mark, and I sitting around with Sayan and Vlad - and his surprised expression quickly shifted to timidity and hesitation even as he closed the door and sat down tentatively in the chair next to mine. Mark quickly maneuvered the guitar into his hands and I could feel the immediate softening of his guard. He plucks out a few playful and melancholy melodies and then eases into a song that we quickly recognize as one of Huun Huur Tu's songs. We begin to hum along and I can feel his delight that we know the tune by heart. He beams at us with his huge beautiful smile and I know we've just been welcomed into their musical world in a completely new way. My heart could not be more full.
Alexei Saryglar - percussionist of HHT
It is amazing how much of a person comes out in the music they play. In Mark's hands we hear playful rock and pop notes, but in Sayan's hands the jam is bluesy yet ancient, and a crisp, almost blue-grassy sound comes from Alexei. A reflection of their soul and speaks directly to who they are. The MOST amazing thing is how when these Tuvan men play on this little guitar, I am reminded of distinctly American music genres. I swear I heard the soundtrack of "O Brother Where Art Thou" coming from Alexei, B.B. King's blues coming out of Sayan - and at one point even a hint of Nirvana. We are not that different after all.
1 comment:
Celeste! Wonderful entry. Your insights on the nature and structure of the project sound really on... and then you got to jam in the room with Mark and HHT! Killer Kool!
Post a Comment