J-FEST Moscow 2011. Festival of Contemporary Japanese Culture

J-FEST was a festival of Contemporary  Japanese culture held in Moscow at the Central House of Artists. It was designed to showcase or present Japanese culture with an emphasis on youth and young people with the accent on phenomena like manga and anime, cosplay etc. The event was held in the House of Artists in the centre of Moscow. I wanted to the …

Japan-Philosophical Landscapes "Gingaku ji-Landscapes and Sandscapes"

This section of the film focuses on the Silver Pavilion of Ginkaku ji. It suits my purposes over the more popular Golden Pavilion in Kyoto as it describes more directly the phenomenon of Philosophical landscapes. Most people are concerned with the Golden pavilion because of its obvious beauty, a striking golden temple set in the middle of a pond, its still golden reflection a mirrored …

Japan – Philosophical Landscapes – First part released

The last few days have been a process of clearing away old obstacles and barriers in order to proceed with a several new projects. A few years ago we spent a fair amount of time in Japan shooting material for a couple of films which I have been working on and editing. The work on this project …

New web documentary – “Japan- Philosophical Landscapes” almost ready for release

Some exciting work getting done at the moment. Working on the setting up of two web sites. One for  a web documentary about Japanese art and culture called simply "Japan - Philosophical Landscapes". The site is still in the process of construction so it is not fully operational as yet with some modules and elements hidden.  It is …

New Copernicus Films storefront for purchase of DVDs in UK

Have been updating the web site to include a store front which specifically gives the opportunity for those in the UK who are interested in buying Copernicus Films DVDs the opportunity to do so. Previously it was necessary to buy the disc on Amazon.com in the USA and pay for shipping to the UK. People have been approaching me on social websites and …

Process" in Film making in relation to "The Fairground Booth

Making my way around Moscow to meetings and checking out various possibilities, cameras etc, for the films. The last few days have been a question of working out a tone and style for the film adaptation of The Fairground Booth. The accompanying documentaries in the project "Vakhtangov and the Russian Theatre" and "Carnival in Russian Theatre" are relatively straight forward with the …

Update: Autumn Grandeur in Moscow

Posted on September 12, 2011 by copernicusfilms| Leave a comment A brief update. Will follow up on location for Fairground Booth film maybe Tomorrow. Other work continuing on scripts for “Carnival in Russian Theatre” and Vahktangov documentary. Worked most of the weekend updating blogs and internet sites social media etc Plus some experiments in filming with green screens and lighting. Reading Gogol as …

Kandinsky and the Russian House

Watch "Kandinsky and the Russian House" by Michael Craig and Copernicus FilmsKandinsky and the Russian House is the 6th in a series of documentary films about the Russian Avant-garde. This film is about Kandinsky and his pioneering work in abstract art at the beginning of the century in Russia and in Germany. Using archive footage …

Day and Night in Chekhov Country

The early evening and night in the Russian countryside is a unique phenomenon. Mute in its stillness but full of sound and movement as if the earth itself has come alive. Humming and buzzing with  life. A myriad of creatures, birds and insects live out their fate and the forest stirs with unseen movement. It …

Report on the start of a new film project series from Chekov Country

These are the first steps of a new project. We have come out to the Russian Country side to start preparations in what could be called Chekhov Country or Russian Dacha country. Its a fitting location to start these projects which are about Russian Theatre in the late 19th and early twentieth century. The films …