Across the Atlantic Ocean in the Netherlands, you’ll find some very talented filmmakers. Amongst the talent shines Jelmar Hufen, the producer and director of Kairos Films. His first short film, Voor Een Paar Knikkers Meer (For A Few Marbles More), has been selected by over 200 film festivals around the world and has won over 36 prizes/awards. This crisp-looking short film is about four 10-year-olds who have been kicked out of their favourite playground by two aggressive drunkards. When they realize their parents are not going to help them, there’s only one solution. They have to find a way to get the toughest boy in the neighborhood to help them.
I recently had the chance to ask Jelmar some questions about For A Few Marbles More and about his career in the Dutch film industry. Read on and enjoy!
You saved €10,000 of your own money to produce For a Few Marbles More. What was your inspiration to write and produce this short film?
I can’t remember exactly. Ideas grow and I always tend to forget what was the first seed where everything grew from. One thing I do remember influencing me is something that happened when I was a child.
One day I saw an old television on the side of the road around 5 km from where I lived. It was waiting to be picked up by the garbage truck. I really hoped it would still work, so later that afternoon I returned with my best friend and loaded it on a small cart. When we arrived home after 1,5 hours of balancing the TV, two big boys came and trashed it right in front of us. The huge devastation I felt at that moment I tried to put in the film.
Furthermore the main question I asked myself during writing and filming was, what would I’ve like myself to be when I was 9 years old. The answer to that - in short - was the mild-anarchy of a film like ‘Home Alone’ and independent kids who can take care of their own problems.
What steps in life did you take to become a filmmaker? Did you always have a love for movies or did your passion grow over time? Did you study films at a post-secondary institution (university or college)?
When I was in high school, the only thing I wanted was to start directing films as quickly as possible. So after I finished my gymnasium, I immediately looked for a job in the Dutch film Industry and started at the bottom as a crowd controller / set guard. Slowly I worked my way up. First as a production assistant, then as a clapper / loader, video-assist and director’s assistant. I think I did every function on set, except make-up. Maybe I should still try that one day.
.
In the meantime, I saved as much money as possible for my own film. I don’t know how, because I didn’t earn anything, but after 3 or 4 years I had saved € 10.000 (around $12.500). Not much for a film of course, but enough to start the filming of ‘For a few marbles more’. Luckily all my enthusiasm helped to get a lot of stuff for free or with big discounts. If I would have had to pay for everything, it would have cost me around € 150.000, so I’m still really thankful to companies like Kodak and sound studio FC Walvisch for their trust and generosity.
After the trailer of the film was finished - the film was still in post-production - it was seen by commercial directing veteran Thed Lenssen, who offered me a job as a commercial director, which I still do and love very much.
Before For a Few Marbles More, you worked in the Dutch film industry for a few years. Which films did you work on? How would you describe the industry?
The Dutch film industry is small but quite professional, especially the crews and (post-) production facilities are of high quality. Generally speaking, you can say that Dutch films have a high production value (especially for the money spend), but are a bit traditional in subject matter and the way stories are told.
This is also reflected in the international recognition we receive. We do relatively well on the Academy Awards but haven’t been selected with a feature at the Cannes film festival for 30 years or so. Artistically we can learn a lot from our smaller brothers Belgium and Denmark.
As a crew member I worked on films like Madame Jeanette of Oscar Nominee Paula van der Oest, The Dominee (The Preacher), Vet Hard (Too Fat Too Furious) and many other projects.
Since your short film’s success, you have been working on your own as a successful commercial director. Which major companies have you produced commercials for?
I shot commercials and corporate films for brands like Randstad, Audi, KPN and Etos but I’m not sure if they are all really well known in the US.
Are there any projects that you’re currently working on that you can tell the readers about?
I’m currently working on several short projects as well as feature length. My next film however will probably be a short children’s film again, about a boy who gets trapped in his own nightmares.
Would you ever consider making a feature-length film?
Yes, very much so. At the moment, however, I would like to do two more shorts or so. I really like the short form and it’s a great way to improve my craftsmanship. And to be honest I’m quite meticulous and ‘meticulous’ costs time and money. So for now shorts and commercials suit me best.
Is For a Few Marbles More still on the festival circuit? Are there any North American dates that you could let us know about?
Yes it is still playing, but after two years and over 200 festivals it is slowly coming to end now. At the moment I don’t know of any North American fests, but there will be a few, I’m sure of that. To stay updated people can check www.myspace.com/forafewmarblesmore or www.vooreenpaarknikkersmeer.nl if they speak Dutch.
.
If somebody is interested in viewing For a Few Marbles More, where could they find of a copy of it?
They can send an e-mail to info@kairosfilms.nl and we’ll make them a DVD offer they can’t refuse. Or they can wait for the compilation DVD that we (Kairos Films) are producing with the most successful short films from Europe of the last couple of years. This will probably be released in January and available through www.kairosfilms.nl.
One Comment, Comment or Ping
Peter
Sounds like a great Short. I might have to get myself a copy of that.
Feb 6th, 2009
Reply to “Interview With Dutch Director And Producer Jelmar Hufen”