Original subtitles

What were your primary intentions as a cameraman on this film?

My primary intention was to make

a full-length feature documentary about Jan Saudek,

using film technology, so as to be as unobtrusive as possible

with technical processes

and not bother Jan Saudek in his atelier.

We used high resolution HDV format

in combination with film lenses

because we knew we were working on a film

that would be eventually screened on a filmstrip in cinemas.

The filming wasn't much easier

than if shot by classic film technology.

For example, as a condition to preserve the true atmosphere of the atelier,

we used the actual lighting combined with our production lighting,

to provide the correct exposure we needed.

Although it could have been filmed documentarily,

as a usual documentary, we have done it most professionally.

We used two cameras, color and black-and-white,

which we had to synchronize together.

It might appear the filming was simple,

but it was highly professional -

as regards the cameras, lighting, and sound.

How did you get along with Adolf Zika, who is also a photographer,

during the shooting of the film?

I had already worked with Adolf Zika on commercials and music videos

before we began filming the feature-length documentary.

We were already used to each other.

Sometimes it can be difficult to empathize with a photographer,

in this case two photographers, but I knew what to expect.

With the previous experience of working with Adolf,

our cooperation on this feature-length documentary went smooth as well.

Adolf and Jan Saudek each had their own concrete visions

about how they wanted the scenes and the film to be

and my job was to bring it to reality.

Mainly the director's visions of course,

but even Jan would look closely at shots every so often

to see how he looked on them.

He was always satisfied.