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Creative Differences by Celik Kayalar
Oil paintings of filmmaker, actor and improv activist Rob Nilsson (rt) and actor, filmmaker and acting school director Celik Kayalar. illo: Valentin Popov
INT - ROB'S EDITING ROOM - DAY
Walls are adorned with posters from the movies of Ingmar Bergman and John Cassavetes.
ROB
So, how do you like my first edit?
CELIK
Well, I think the final scene could be stronger—little vague for my taste.
ROB
It's intentional. I want to leave the audience wondering.
CELIK
I though you didn't care about what audiences think.
ROB
I do, I do. Just not as much as you, in your films.
CELIK
For me there is no art without the audience.
ROB
Who said that?
CELIK
Unfortunately Donald Trump—I think. Remember his "Art of the Deal"?
ROB
Never read it. Any good?
CELIK
No, but I hear he's writing a sequel: "Art of the Feel". Hopefully he'll soon have a lot of free time on his hands.
ROB
Look forward to it. May be we can make a film together based on it. You're a great actor, do you want to play the lead?
CELIK
I thought you're not interested in comedies.
ROB
I was thinking tragedy.
CELIK
Deal!
The jazz club opening from Rob Nilsson's 'Fourth Movement', Celik Kayalar far left. photo: courtesy R. Nilsson
Although this scene never happened, let alone was shot, the "Fourth Movement" directed by my dear friend Rob Nilsson and starring yours truly was made. In fact, it will play at the Mill Valley Film Festival on October 7th and 14th.
The film features four related story lines, all converging on the opening of a jazz club, on the night of November 8th, when most assumed Hillary Clinton would be elected. I play the club’s co-owner and the scene also features the sounds of the talented Fred Randolph and his Sextet.
With four cameras capturing the diverse action, including the audience, it is one of the best scenes in memory from Rob, developer of the Direct Action improv technique, winner of awards from Cannes and Sundance, and director of over 30 features.
Indeed, I’ve joined him as an actor on a few of his other films: "9@Night", "Presque Isle", "The Will" and "A Leap to Take" (which I also executive produced).
I've also had the honor of directing Rob— a terrific actor, who takes direction well—in my short "99%", also starring the well-known actor Carl Lumbly and famous activist Noam Chomsky, playing himself.
Kayalar (rt) in 'Fourth Movement' scene with co-actor Audrey Levan. photo: courtesy R. Nilsson
As it happens, Rob and I are a study in how sizable ego-ed individuals can collaborate. Although our "creative visions" could have easily clashed, we dodged that bullet. Even when I disagreed with Rob's choices in the final scene of "Fourth Movement", I quietly went along—he was the director and I was the actor, after all.
Conversely, Rob readily agreed when I suggested we make the club's co-owner a Turkish-expatriate named Ali, who was not only a jazz lover and promoter but an enthusiastic fan of Rumi, the great 13th Century Sufi poet, scholar and teacher.
Rumi preached and practiced universal love and human acceptance, including "others." His funeral was attended by people of all faiths and ethnicity including not only Christians, Jews and Hindus but pantheists and the “atheists" of his time.
I felt very strongly that a film about election night, when the threat of Donald Trump becoming the next president turned absolutely true, introducing ideas from Rumi would be timely. Indeed, I'm extremely grateful to Rob for allowing me to express my vision of what art we should make in this unfortunate, but hopefully temporary, time of Trump.
Band leader Fred Randolph blows down with his Sextet in 'Fourth Movement'. photo: courtesy R. Nilsson
Although I wish Rob kept a tad more of it in the final cut, I'm very proud of my achievement in the "Fourth Movement" and of the large ensemble cast, who turned in excellent performances. I am especially honored since a few of them studied at Film Acting Bay Area, the Emeryville school where I happen to be the director/founder.
"Fourth Movement" turned into a stellar achievement, at least in the eyes of this humble but with-creative-differences actor. Indeed, I recommend you see for yourself at its world premiere at the Mill Valley Film Festival: Saturday, October 7th, 10:00 pm (Sequoia Theater, Mill Valley) and Saturday, October 14th, 8:45 pm (Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center, San Rafael).
Celik Kayalar is a former world-class scientist and now filmmaker, painter and acting school director, who can be reached . Posted on Sep 11, 2017 - 05:35 PM