aWhispers In The Wind
Previous News from 2010
Wednesday, December 22nd, 2010
We at Raving Butterflies, Zyuli Heideman and Eric Wobma, wishes you all a lovely and splendid Christmas !! For all you Dutchies out there: we have updated the Max Hoven page with 6 new, or rather vintage, photos ! Sorry, international friends, this page is entirely in the Dutch language.
Tuesday, December 14th, 2010
Yes, Rotterdam again ! This time to see the MUNCH exhibition in the Kunsthal. Edvard Munch has been a huge hero of ours for so long (His Black Madonna was spotlighted as a poster in our very first short film Mixed Bag, or What's in a Dream...). What can we say; it is a breathtaking experience, and the exhibition even showed the drawings of his secret masterpiece ALPHA AND OMEGA. It's truly a great experience to see so much of these works for real in front of your own eyes.
Again, please don't miss it. The exhibition goes on until the 20th of February 2011.
Monday, December 6th, 2010
"First of all we would like 
to thank you for making "Oi'Clowns - Een Hommage Aan Federico Fellini" available for selection in the 61st Berlin International Film Festival.
Your film has finally been screened to our selection committee and thoroughly discussed in all sections concerned. Unfortunately, I"
Yes indeed, we are quite sad to have to tell you that OI'CLOWNS - AN HOMAGE TO FEDERICO FELLINI did not get selected for the 61st Berlinale... This standard letter was received, not mentioning any flaws. We wish they had! We know that there are two 'thin' spots in the film, where time pressure and circumstances got the better of us for a moment while shooting. Is that the reason? Maybe Berlin is not so happy with our truly classical way of filming? Meaning building on skill and craftmanship from a wonderful cast & crew? We don't know, we won't ever know...
Friday, November 19th, 2010
What we forgot to me
ntion: while in Rotterdam we supped at the Korean Bistro (calling itself a Take Away, which is clearly too bashful a name) GAMASOT, which is located in the Panecake Street of Rotterdam. No pun intended, the place is really to be found on Pannekoekstraat 103A, 3011 LD Rotterdam. Please call them before you're going to show up, since their place is small. (010-2133048; closed on sundays & mondays)
And please do your self a huge favor and DO show up there ! Korean cuisine can be so fantastic, and Gamasot is one of the best !
Wednesday, November 17th, 2010
Rotterdam has many luscious suprises, but having two exhibitions featuring heroes of ours at the same time, made it hard to choose. Today we picked ALL EYES ON KEES VAN DONGEN (in Dutch it's called 'De Grote Ogen van Van Dongen'), the Dutchman who went to Paris to live and work in the same building as Picasso, and started earning money as a hired help at circuses, building the tents and all. Now he is a huge name, and rightly so. The exhibition is superb, and it is a true pleasure to stroll around these fabulous paintings. Please do not miss the posters Van Dongen created. A bunch of them are shown too, but they are a bit tucked away in the building of the Boymans van Beuningen Museum...
Hurry up, everyone ! The last day of the expo is 23rd of January !!
Tuesday, November 9th, 2010
We're inching towards the finish line ! Oi'Clowns - An Homage to Federico Fellini is nearly done.
And now Laura Windt has given us a glorious poster ! Thanks a lot Laura !
It seems it's time to set up a little viewing of the film...
photo by @ Elmer van der Marel
Saturday, October 9th, 2010
Rogier Gerritsen has incorporated the lovely title animation by the hand of Bernard Parsons (in Montreal, Quebec - Canada) into his title sequence for OI'CLOWNS - AN HOMAGE TO FEDERICO FELLINI !
Yes, the titles are done after a little more than 14 hours of work, and they look gorgeous. We're very happy !
Monday, October 4th, 2010
Friday it really happened. Feike de Wit finished the Stereo Mix of OI'CLOWNS... at Soundcircus Kees Kroot.
All the components of the film are knitted together now.
So why don't we call the film completed then?
Well, coming Wednesday we're going to do the opening and end titles with Rogier Gerritsen, and next week will be the time for a Surround Mix. Immediately after the HD Master will be produced.
Will there be anything else?
Certainly. After straightening out the cock up of sending a work in progress of the film to festivals, (we pulled the film back) we are now focusing on Berlin. The deadline will be in November, so they will receive the definite version. If that is going to turn out for good or for worse, has yet to be seen, because the Berlin festival only programs 10 to 12 short films each year.
We will give it our very best!
© photo: Elmer van der Marel
Wednesday, September 29th, 2010
Let's talk about LEX one more time: according to the press Anna Schoen as Wilma is 'the revelation of this year's Netherlands Film Festival'.
Monday, September 27th, 2010
Most wonderful compliment after the première of LEX: "What kind of film is this ! It stayed in my mind the whole weekend !" Thanks for that ! The words of Dutch Film Icon Frans Weisz were great too: "I would not call the film beautiful, but it is very good. Really very good, well done ! Provoking, but catching too."
To see the film on a big screen, with the uncatchable music of Wouter Planteijdt out of the speakers (would he ever qualify for a Nomination ? We hope so...) is bliss. The viewers laughed out loud, fell into shocked silences, were mesmerized.
We are very happy with the fact that LEX the film stayed very close to LEX the play, and nevertheless is 110% film ! Very nice too, to see Ko van de Bosch, the writer of the play, was happy with the result !
Tomorrow the 2nd and last viewing of LEX in Utrecht, at the Movies. (20:00 hours) Don't miss it !
Saturday, September 25th, 2010
Yes, Oh Yes, it's première time ! LEX is in the Official Selection of the NFF - Netherlands Film Festival, so is eligible for Golden Calf Nominations. La Vache d'Or is the Dutch Oscar, and even though LEX is highly experimental and non-conformist ... since we're in Utrecht, why not keep the fingers crossed for Nominations for the glorious acting by Frank Lammers and Anna Schoen... Any which way, it'll be party time tonight ! LEX is finished and ready to face the world after a year and a half of tough work.
Friday, September 10th, 2010
LEX has been accepted for NFF - Nederlands Film Festival in Utrecht !
Wonderful news, and rightly deserved, judging by the incredible acting of Anna Schoen & Frank Lammers.
Thursday, September 9th, 2010
We are still blushing here at Raving Butterflies, for the compliment that has been given to us by Bassam Chekhes. The way we got OI'Clowns - An Homage To Federico Fellini of the ground, convinced him that we are the right people to help him with his first feature film. That will be an episodic but tightly knit film, in which Bassam as writer-director & camera-operator will find poetry in the smallest of gestures.
We are very eager to help this film any which way we can.
It is very special indeed !
More on this project in the months to come, we are still in the very early stages.
© photo: Hyeonju Heideman...
Tuesday, August 31st, 2010
We're so close with OI'CLOWNS ! Including the official poster, which graphic designer Laura Windt is finishing at the moment. That's all nicely timed, since September ought to be the month for THE BUTTERFLY KIDS, the project with Suman Mukhopadhyay. There is some time pressure there too, but then again, where isn't...
Wednesday, August 4th, 2010
Time for a small jubilee ! We have reached the number of 75 Kneutergeleuters here on the website (sorry, still Dutch Language only) ! That's about 10% of the objective. Trying to reach 750, delete 500 of them and turn the remainder into a nice booklet. But post them all here ! How about that ! Well, we'll keep plugging away.
Saturday, July 22nd, 2010
We had an incredible fruitful day in the studio with Joyce Stevens (Lady of the Fountain), cello player Anders Davidson and trumpet player and musical director Francisco Peña, recording the music for the breathtaking fountain scene of OI'CLOWNS - AN HOMAGE TO FEDERICO FELLINI ! We are getting there, oh yes we are. Still no news from Venice.
Thursday, July 20th, 2010
Shouldn't we have heard something from Venice by now ? Well, to be honest, we don't know...
Sunday, July 16th, 2010
"... This is a Muppet News Flash. Two men are roaming the country, break in & entering wherever they see fit. The fat guy is characterized by a smudgy white t-shirt, the other carries a musical instrument around. Last seen in Haarlem, where they took over the house and... garden of family De Haan, innocent bystanders at this hideous crime. After drinking all the wine in the house, the two hoodlums left without a trace. If you have any information on these criminals, please contact your local police station. This was a Muppet News Flash."
Haha, while working in Haarlem, Anders Davidson and Eric Wobma went to the home of wizzard sound man Gaby De Haan, to record some cello solo's for Oi'Clowns... And the music is gorgeous !! Feike de Wit has incorporated it immediately into the film.
Friday, July 8th, 2010
Meanwhile many MANY hours are spent at Soundcircus Kees Kroot, where sound editor and mixer Feike de Wit is turning OI'Clowns into a masterpiece ! Exciting stuff is happening. Feike is brilliant !
Saturday, July 1st, 2010
Shouldn't we have heard something from .... No no, no, much too early to expect a reply from Italy.
But we did get some wonderful news from Portugal !
André Marques in Braga, has sent his first character designs for THE TRUFFEL !
And they are wonderful ! Both Amsterdam and Bernard Parsons in Montreal are over the moon ! These designs have proppeled this short animation film into its next phase !
See for many more new drawings of THE TRUFFEL the page Work In Progress of this same website.
Thursday, June 24th 2010
Confirmation received from Venice, Oi'Clowns... has arrived on time and will be subjected tot the Selection Committee.
Pffffff.
Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010
It was close, it was scary (for the very first time someone walked out on us at the last minute), but thanks to some incredible help we made the deadline !
Oi'Clowns - An Homage to Federico Fellini is in Venice.
Now, that doesn't mean WE are there; all we have so far is the right to be rejected. But it's a big step.
Wednesday, June 16th, 2010
After weeks of silence, where key players of Oi'Clowns... were very busy elsewhere, all of a sudden there is a lot of movement again.
La Biennale granted permission to send a work-in-progress submission dvd for that famous Venice Film Festival.
So now we have to get the film colour corrected and subtitled, before the 23rd of this month !
There will be no time to finish sound & music properly, nor will there be any front - or end titles.
We'll be working deep into the nights of the few days that we have left !
Friday, May 28th, 2010
Yesterday Anders Davidson and Eric Wobma were on the road, when a text-message beeped: "Anders, you're on the radio! Are y' listening ?"
Recently Anders played the solo part of Shostacovich 1st Cello Concerto in Aachen.
The Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR was headed by conductor Andrey Boreyko, and proved yet again how exciting live music can be ! Dutch radio captured the concert, and aired it less than 24 hours ago.
Sadly we were out of reach and could not hear the transmission. Very unfortunate circumstance, indeed.
BUT ... Anders has stipulated that the recording shoud be made available to Raving Butterflies !
This Shostacovich Cello Concerto will be the film music for the animated short THE TRUFFEL, and it will prove to be gorgeous. Please click the portrait of Anders Davidson (with pipe, in front of Concertgebouw Amsterdam and OI'Clowns - d.o.p. Mick Durlacher) to hear and see both the opening of the concert as of the film.
Character Designer and Kandinsky aficionado André Marques in Braga - Portugal, 3D wizzard Bernard Parsons in Montréal - Canada, and Eric Wobma in Amsterdam, will have to rise to the occasion to match the standard of this music !
Aah, and we are dreaming away a bit, but wouldn't it be nice to have a Raving Butterflies CD001 ? This 1st Shostacovich Cello Concerto + Prokofiev's Music For Children, transcribed for cello, with Anders Davidson in the spotlight ? Wouldn't that be beautiful ...
Hmmm, let's not rush into things; would it be at all possible to do that ? There are rights issues and all. We'll see, we're not going to forget this idea, but will not pursue it immediately.
Thursday, May 20th, 2010
The DigiBeta Tape of A PENNY FOR... has arrived at Long Beach, New Jersey, and so are the posters. All in due time for the screening on saturday night the 5th of June.
Yes, Lighthouse International Film Festival will yet again be screening a Raving Butterflies short, after having done so too last year with MIXED BAG, or What's in a Dream...
What can we say ! Well, let's quote the LIFF catalogue:
A well-crafted homage to Charlie Chaplin's most famous character - the tramp - this short delivers, in its own right, a simple story of a man finding meaning in the smallest of human gestures. Stunning cinematography.
Thank you very much for the flattering words, New Jersey, and yes, promised, if invited again next year (with OI'Clowns...), we will join you on your beautiful island !
Sunday, May 16th, 2010
Whenever there is a bit of free time and equilibrium, we put a lot of effort in writing a script called THE BUTTERFLY KIDS.
It is based on an outline by Suman Mukhopadhyay, the award-wining director from Calcutta, India.
Suman has a huge reputation both in theater as with film in India & UK. His latest feature film, Mahanagar@Kolkata (see three stills right here) will have its premiere on the 4th of
June !
Suman and Eric met in Sarajevo last year and there was a click instantly.
Now, hopefully we can finish this script together during the summer. It is a wonderful idea 
and has all the promise for a stunning film. Eric ought to go to Calcutta in September, finances and time permitted, to make the final draft together with Suman. There after the project will remain a joint effort.
Looking forward to that ! Even though there is a lot of time pressure, since shooting should start (end of) this year, due to the subject matter. 2011 is ten years after 9/11, and yes, that is the major influence of our story.
To be continued, for sure !
Friday, May 7th, 2010
We went for the 4th time allready to The Hermitage at the Amstel, the dependance here in Amsterdam of the famous Hermitage of St. Petersburg, to see the exhibition MATISSE TO MALEVICH, which remains at the museum (address: Amstel 51, Amsterdam - tel.+31.205307488) till the 17th of September.
Five Kandinsky's are on display, and twelve wide ranging Picasso's, among many others ! One painting more beautiful and more famous than the next. Wow !
Plenty of time during summer to go and see all the stunning paintings yet again !
It is so wonderful to truly see the famous works of Matisse of which we have heard so much about, all these works of art that changed the world, but vanished so quickly to 
Russia after completion. Which is fine of course, thanks to the few mecenas' over there, these artists could actually find a living !
The De Vlaeminck's and the paintings of Kees van Dongen are breathtaking, and there is even one painting of mystery man Maurice Utrillo ! So much treasure !
And yes, THE RED ROOM of Matisse is there too, which subconsciously must have been a big influence on MIXED BAG, or What's in a Dream...
Strongly recommended.
Wednesday, May 5th, 2010
Sorry for the long interlude !
But we're here again, and lots have happened !
Friday, March 12th, 2010
And talking about the Clowns; Nick Goso has conquered Amsterdam and returned to Toronto leaving us with a beautiful rough cut. At the end of the month he'll return, to picture lock our Roadmovie Through Amsterdam.
Wednesday, March 10th, 2010
SENE surprised us last year by honouring INFLATABLE YOU as Best Music Video of their festival ! This year they have selected A PENNY FOR... Of course we will send them OI'CLOWNS... next year !
Sunday, February 21st 2010
The eagle has landed ! Nick Goso, accompanied by producer Marcus Trulli - of SPY Films, Toronto - has arrived in Amsterdam. They are here to visit a symposium, and after that Nick will be the editor for OI'CLOWNS...
Exciting times awaits us ! Oh yes, being both of Italian descent, we'll have to whip out a bottle of Barolo sooner or later. It's like blaspheming inside a church, but there will be some Barolo sipping at the offices of Raving Butterfies. All for the better good of it all, of course...
Later more, much more !
Monday, February 8th, 2010
Wow, did we find a lovely place to just sit and enjoy a real Italian cup of coffee in a perfect entourage ! Smack in the heart of Amsterdam !
Very Italian Pia has opened her SWINGLE on Singel 441 sous (1012 WP Amsterdam) and serves glorious patisserie and sweet pies, and for those who prefer hearty goodies,there are also warm and fresh focaccio rolls filled to the brim with everything that makes Italian food so wonderful.
Nice and cozy souterain, just across the Flower Singel of Amsterdam.
Well worth a visit !
Sunday, February 7th, 2010
Yes ! They like A PENNY FOR... Down Under too !
It's very nice to see that our dear buddy Damien Montaron won 'Best Short Under 30 Minutes' at the same Festival with his superb ALMARITSU. Try and see this film whenever it comes on your path, it is very well worth it. You can buy it too for a mere 8 euros via Paypal, from Damien's website.
Friday, January 1st 2010
We at Raving Butterflies, Hyeonju & Eric, wish each and everyone a 2010 filled to the rim with fun & health & inspiration and, yes indeed, happiness !