First of May should be a day to show respect to the working class' struggle for better conditions, by having a day off and maybe join a demonstration. But this year the red flags were exchanged for white walls and black fabric since I found myself in a white painted studio together with the most inspiring and creative people I know in Stockholm. It was time to shoot a new video for the amazing Swedish/Australian band Kate Boy!
Some months ago I shot their second video, In your Eyes, and it became a big hit. This time, the creative souls of Kate Boy, Oskar Gullstrand and me put our minds together and came up with something pretty different and visually interesting.
According to the picture, my assistant Michael Wirtberg had to attach a screw driver to the arm of a C-stand at the back of a HMI Briese light. Why? I can't tell, but the video will, and it will be out there in just a couple of weeks!
The day was absolutely great. We had time to think things through and to invent things we didn't really planned. A rare and delicate thing on a set.
In respect of May 1, I have to sum it all up, and rate the conditions of the shoot.
Working hours - 08.00-22.30. Pretty long day.
Pay - 0 :- Well..
Environment - The same song played in 200% for about 100 times.
Benefits - There was food and candies all day long!
Hm, I guess it's pretty obvious. The union would go nuts for these conditions. But the great thing is that I'm working as my own union, and I call this day one of the best!
Posted by Emil Klang on May 07, 2013
A month ago I was asked to make a film for Swedish men's fashion brand Brothers. They wanted to create a pop-up store for their new collection with clothes, designed for travel. This pop-up store should have the look as a giant trunk.
I was flattered but said "Sorry, I'm not the best carpenter in town".
Obviously their intentions was to let the creation of the trunk be made by the top notch prop maker Jean-Louis von Dardel and to let me do a film about the process!
Ahh yeah. That makes more sense.
This is the first film that I both shoot, edit and grade with my new Sony F55-camera. I have to say that I am very impressed with the look of the footage, and the information there was to play around with. I wanted to allow these hard streaks of sun be in the shots, and there were never a problem with footage being over- /underexposed.
Another great thing about this project was that I was able to pick and choose whoever I wanted to work with. The music was composed by Ola Tappert from Underton and the animations were created by Oskar Gullstrand from Naive. These to guys are the best people you can imagine to work with, they have such a great sense for details.
I also have to salute mr PJ Lindqvist from Pool. This is a very cool guy that I would love to work with again.
This film is just a part of a campaign for Brothers, to have a closer look, see here!
Director & DoP: Emil Klang
Gaffer: Jerker Berglin
Music: Ola Tappert @ Underton
Animation: Oskar Gullstrand @ Naive
Agency: Pool
AD: Philip Arvidsson, PJ Lindqvist
Project manager, Pool: Kristin Sköldebäck
Produced by PANGKLANG! in spring 2013
Posted by Emil Klang on April 18, 2013
The great Malik Bendjelloul was recently back in Stockholm for a couple of days. Of course I had to see him and his new shiny (and heavy!) friend. The stories Malik tells about his previous months are absolutely surreal; partying with Gaspar Noé in the Parisien nightlife, being invited to David Lynch's house for afternoon tea, getting Hollywood proposals as an everyday routine. This collage of success that Searching for Sugarman and its OSCAR! for Best Documentary is just amazing and inside of this whirlwind Malik is standing straight and proud, ready for new project and adventures. The least thing Malik wants to do is to take some time off, he is a man that needs a creative project in order to feel calm.
Posted by Emil Klang on April 12, 2013
Studio Barnhus is a well known collective of house music composers and DJ's in Stockholm. My friends at Opacity STHLM invited me to shoot a part of a campaign for Sourz. Three DJ's/composers from different parts of Europe will exclusively contribute with their music to the campaign, and then it's up to anyone to remix these songs to something even cooler, and by that get the possibilitiy to win some money.
We found Axel Boman in the basement of an old house at Barnhusgatan. He explained his visions about his music and I managed to arrange some pretty nice shots of him.
We had a nice time in the studio but in the afternoon we also needed a short take of Axel on the train.
We went out with the metro in the rush hour (not recommended) without permission (not recommended) and suddenly the carriage was filled with an uncountable number of kids aged 10 (not recommended) on their way back from a school excursion. Far out in the suburbs of Stockholm we finally got ready for the take. But when I trigged the record button on the Epic it crashed.
Reboot. Crash. Reboot. Crash...
The Epic simply died in my arms, and even though I don't believe in reincarnation, I have to say that this was not the first time. The Epic is simply not always too reliable, and this is something most of us DoP's know and have in mind when we select a camera for a shoot. If you're having a location shoot with hard conditions, this camera might not be the best choice.
But as usual, there's always some kind of solution! In this case we had a bit of luck. We had a still photographer with us and she shot on 5D. Not perfect, but we will at least get something! So there is one clip in the film shot with 5D not Epic, and I think that we all can see that difference between the cameras.
The next day I got a call from the rental firm that told me that a pretty big piece of wood had got stuck inside the ventilation opening and the camera was suffering of heating issues. Not from our shoot though!
Join the great competition here!
The film is MAINLY shot on Red Epic with Canon EF glasses.
Posted by Emil Klang on April 01, 2013
It's definitely an honour to work with GANT and the people around the label! This is a piece of film that I'm very proud to put my name on. I locked myself into a studio together with director Carl-Johan Listherby from Naive and one of my all time favorite gaffers Jerker Berglin.
When I got to know that Stefan Storm (The Sound of Arrows) was contracted for composing the music, I became even more excited. Stefan is such a pure genius in abstract ambient as well as catchy pop hits. He's been a close friend to me for years, but since he moved to London I don't see him too much anymore. This collaboration makes me dream of him, newborn turtles and coconut drinks!
GANT by Michael Bastian SS/13 - Exploration Galapagos
Director: Carl-Johan Listherby
DoP: Emil Klang
Gaffer: Jerker Berglin
Music: Stefan Storm
Post production: Oskar Gullstrand
Agency: Dry Creative Projects
Production company: Naive
Posted by Emil Klang on March 18, 2013
Some weeks ago I was asked to collaborate in a music video for Kate Boy. Since I totally adored their previous hit Northern Lights it was a pretty easy decision to make. And here is the final result, just now being exclusively promoted by Pitchfork!
The shoot was a real adventure. By different reasons (music video in the 21th century) I didn't have a gaffer nor a focus puller, the setup was more or less in the hands of me and my beloved assistant Michael Wirtberg. I found myself on a fisher dolly, pulling focus and panning the camera at the same time - but I made it! But in the end, none of this would have been possible without the outstanding members of the band.
The film was shot on Red Epic and with an Ultra Prime 24mm lens.
Produced and Directed by: Kate Boy
DoP: Emil Klang
Camera Assistant: Michael Wirtberg
VFX: Oskar Gullstrand @ Naive
Posted by Emil Klang on March 06, 2013
The first cup of coffee in the morning. A pink tinted sunset. The first time you kiss a girl.
And there are also the moment when you get the brand new Sony F55 out of the box and gently touch its solid metal surface with your fingertips, and you hear yourself moaning softly of satisfaction.
This camera is fucking amazing! Yesterday I was out making some test with it and the footage blows my mind away, the S-log2 gamma curve is from heaven sent. Besides its ability to shoot in 4K and up to 60 fps in RAW (and later 240 fps in 2K RAW), its global shutter and its enhanced color gamut, the camera seems so well built and stable. The OLED viewfinder is high res and very sharp.
Such a beautiful camera needs a good looking partner to dance with. I took the chance of buying a really cool lens, the Canon 30-105 mm T2.8 Cinema zoom with PL-mount. This lens is totally fucking amazing! I do prefer primes to zooms, but I needed the option to be flexible and fast for some upcoming shoots I have in front of me.
With this gear I'm able to step up and shoot more and better! And I'm just about to start, me and the gear are busy now for two weeks with a location shoot outside Stockholm!
Posted by Emil Klang on March 03, 2013
Malik won an Oscar. Malik won an Oscar!!? MALIK WON AN OSCAR!!!!
It's totally unreal, and I'm just so happy for him! And not to forget, for the very cool DoP Camilla Skagerström who entirely shot Searching for Sugar Man (except from a small part, that I shot!)
I texted shortly with Malik this morning, he seems pretty satisfied!!
WHOHOO!!!
Posted by Emil Klang on February 25, 2013
A couple of weeks before X-mas I was asked to make a teaser for the Swedish band W&I's debut EP. Of course I didn't have the time to direct and produce a film at the busiest time of the year, but still I couldn't turn it down either. The song just stuck in my head. I also had this foggy vision for a film that I wanted to try. Something about an ancient goddess, escaping from her dark cave in order to return to the world with a strobed dance.
I got in touch with the great stylist Natalie Olenheim, I told her about the idea and she succeeded to find the most amazing pieces. I also got the chance to finally work with hair- and make up-artist Sandra Öjeland. Together with these lovely girls we found our way to create this vision of the young elder-lead waking up after a long sleep, and I'm very satisfied about the result. There's something hard to define about her that I like.
The shoot was pretty intense and the set lightning was quite advanced, since the eight LED-lamps that surrounded the singer had to flash in a perfect balance with the BPM. Without the support of talented Kim Silfving Hellström, I wouldn't have made it.
I actually edited and graded this film by myself as well.It took some time, but sometimes your babies are simply to beloved too be put in a kindergarten!
Sandra, the singer, wears pieces from Stylein, Minna Palmqvist and Ashley Austin/Muuse. The sunglasses are from Altewai.Saome.
The film was shot on Red EPIC and with Canon EF Lenses.
Posted by Emil Klang on February 18, 2013
The documentary about the Norwegian author Karl Ove Knausgård has finally been released and broadcasted. The film is directed by Lena Jordebo and was mainly shot by the great DoP Sven-Åke Visén, but I also gave the film a PANGKLANG!-touch in the shoots we had in Spain and Norway. It was a pleasant thing to meet Karl Ove Knausgård, since I've read three of his books and knew pretty much about him. Me, Lena and Karl Ove had a good time together, filming in the cold but picturesque Arendal and drinking beer at Spanish tavernas in Barcelona and Segovia.
The film is carefully edited by Johan Bjerkner, and the music is produced by Lisa Holmqvist. I'm thankful to these two professionals for an absolute feeling for the footage and the content. I don't think I've ever felt so satisfied by watching the final result, when it comes to documentaries. Lisa's music is the ingredient that turns this film into something not just interesting and beautiful, but floating and hard to determine.
These things were also noticeable for Jens Liljestrand, culture journalist at Swedish newspaper Expressen. He writes:
Men bilderna! Kameran formligen smeker fram den skäggige norrmannen ur naturen. Knausgård som joggar på motorvägen, ensam genom ett snödimmigt Österlen. Knausgård som står i blåsten och blickar ut över det stormande havet. Som traskar runt i den norska vintern i öronlappsmössa. Som påtar i jorden, spelar gitarr, tänder en brasa, pratar kärleksfullt om sina kråkor och igelkottar.
Read the entire review here!
The talented Lena Jordebo impresses me with this documentary. Me and her have a special way of working together, it always takes place in a foreign country! We have been in New York, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Bergen etc but we've never shot anything in Sweden together. I think we simply both love to travel quite much.
This film is available at SVT Play for another 27 days, see it here!
I also have to mention that my friend Malik Bendjelloul's film Searching for Sugarman, continues to conquer the world. Yesterday was time for the Brittish Bafta Awards, and Searching for Sugarman won the prize for "The best documentary"!
Congratulations, my beloved comrade!
Posted by Emil Klang on February 08, 2013