We just finished mixing Koudelka Shooting Holy Land, a documentary by Gilad Baram on which I was responsible for dialog editing, sound design and mix.
Josef Koudelka is an acclaimed photographer best known for his photographs during the Russian invasion of Prague 1968. It's probably fair to say that his pictures formed the collective visual memory of the events back then.
40 years later, Koudelka visited Israel and Palestine to take pictures of the wall that was built by Israel in the West Bank. During these visits that repeated over the course of five years, Gilad worked as his assistant, filmed him while working and documented the process. The gathered material was edited by Elisa Purfürst and Gilad in Berlin and The Post Republic that took care of post-production hired me to do the sound work.
It was a very rewarding experience to do my part as the sound designer and re-recording mixer on a film that leaves an unusual amount of room and freedom for sound. Freedom that stretches in multiple dimensions, not only in space and time but also in dynamic range and musicality. The result is a piece that not only shows Koudelkas work and methods but also lets us sensually experience the process of creativity in a land of bizarre contrasts.
Gilad and Editor Elisa where wonderful to work with and the team on the mixing stage was incredibly dedicated and helpful (from left to right: intern Grace Averbuch, assistant sound editor Simeon Pabst, director Gilad Baram, production manager Esther Niemeier, editor and co-writer Elisa Purfürst and myself).