Bounty Hunter
The
Directors’ Note -
When developing the emotional beats of our lead characters we were inspired by Hollywood classics such as LA Confidential, China Town and Notorious. The awkward love relationship between Crowe and Basinger in LA Confidential or that between Nicholson and Dunaway in China Town or indeed that between Grant and Bergman in Notorious is the kind of relationship we envisage for Kamal and Nazia in our film: at times fragile, tentative, faltering; at other times sharp, abrasive but also passionate.
In fact the richness of all our main characters, each with their own deep, dark secrets, offer great potential for good actors to excel. We are fascinated by how childhood events and secrets affect behaviour and attitudes and we will explore these themes with the actors.
The Camera style
We’ve been telling stories in a documentary form for many years. We will bring this
considerable experience to bear. We will mostly adopt an active, hand held, camera
style. It will have an impulsive, spontaneous feel, together with an uneasiness which
reflects the tone of the narrative and the inner, emotional turmoil of our characters.
We will add layers to the camera work by shooting scenes with two cameras where possible
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In scenes with intimate emotional beats the camera work will be more settled. This style will also prevail when Kamal and Nazia escape to the country. The idyllic setting allows them to connect and relate. He is recovering from his wounds, she tends to him. Their romance blossoms and they have time. Life is calm. There is a feeling of optimism, even hope. In thrillers such as State of Play very different camera treatments are used to portray the two worlds of the film: the political and the journalistic. And in The Constant Gardener the ordered world of the quiet, diplomat husband and that of the determined, precocious, activist wife are both conveyed in different styles.
The Lighting
The exteriors will have natural, realistic lighting. For the interiors and night
scenes our intention is to carefully develop a lighting style that defines our film
– moody, noir-
The Mujra Club
The mujra, a traditional erotic dance form made popular during the Mogul period in India has evolved into modern times. Though common in Bollywood films old and new, the Mujra club is something that has never been seen in a western film. We will create an original design: a dance space with a mogul palace backdrop, surrounded by floor cushions, bead curtains, low tables with hookahs. Beyond that are alcoves with dark corners for men who choose to remain discreet. Women in costume serve drinks from a bar.
Mujra dances are lavishly filmed in Bollywood movies. We too will take a lot of care over the details of design – the colours, the costumes, the layout etc. The choreography of the mujra dance in our film will be specially commissioned from India. The music to accompany it will also be specially commissioned and recorded in India.
The Costumes
On the whole the costumes will reflect everyday life in the Asian community; a combination of western and traditional. Kamal prefers to stick to one jacket most of the time. Amir on the other hand likes to be flashy – expensive suits. The elders, Hasib et al, occasionally wear the traditional salwaar.
Nazia wears what most young women wear when she’s not working, but come Mujra time she bursts into colour and jewels with all the trimmings.