|
|
Post by norbu on Aug 1, 2008 13:39:36 GMT 3
One major criticism of most films that have anything to do with the Mongolian/Kazakh/steppes people is that actors are often not Mongol or Kazakh or whatever. If that actor is Hawaiian or Mexican or Japanese or anything else it just seems that people go nuts and slate the whole film. Which to me seems patently absurd. It's tantamount to expecting and a cowboy in a film to have been a real life ranch hand... or an assassin in an action film to actually have spent time killing people as a job.  So.. looking at this from a directors/screenwriters standpoint... if a director/screenwriter wanted to create a film that addressed this issue of 'He's not a Mongol/Kazakh/etc' then in all reality just how many Mongolian/Kazakh/steppe peoples actors are there out there? I mean seriously... I doubt that Hollywood or just about anywhere else is brimming with Mongol/Kazakh actors to be honest. So in terms of casting... finding someone with the relevant talents is going to be made nigh impossible if he has to pass some sort of vetting process to prove he's Mongol/Kazakh or whatever. It's a ridiculous standard to hold a film maker to. At this point the attitude comes off as some sort of misguided nationalism at best... some sort of weak racism at worst. I enjoy when directors work with non-pro actors and locals in the local they're shooting and manage to pull it off (The Weeping Camel) - and this is really much more the forte of the independant film than it is big Hollywood films. When working with non-actors there is something of a rawness there... but in many cases it's not possible rom a logistical standpoint and from a film makers perspective... it's important that someone have enough acting skill and experience to afford the audience the luxury of 'suspending disbelief' so they can actually enjoy the film without second guessing it and nit picking it to death. So with that all said... For those of you complaining that the actors aren't Mongol or Kazakh or whatever... please post up a list of working Mongol or Kazakh actors. I'm genuinely curious to see how many there are and what sort of experience they have. I mean how would one go about tracking down Mongol or Kazakh or steppes people who have a background in drama and acting?  Being in the preproduction process myself on a film set in Mongolia I'm really keen to see exactly what it is that people watching films on this subject matter really think. Thanks in advance for your responses!  Norbu |
|
|
|
Post by H. İhsan Erkoç on Aug 1, 2008 22:13:45 GMT 3
Someone looking non-Qazaq playing a Qazaq characters just doesn't look good. I can understand a Japanese or Chinese playing as a Mongol or Qazaq, but what about a Mexican? They have a lot of good-acting Turkic and Mongol actors in Inner Mongolia, as you can see from the Inner Mongolian Genghis Khan tv serials  |
|
|
|
Post by sarmat on Aug 2, 2008 20:45:06 GMT 3
For those of you complaining that the actors aren't Mongol or Kazakh or whatever... please post up a list of working Mongol or Kazakh actors. I'm genuinely curious to see how many there are and what sort of experience they have. I mean how would one go about tracking down Mongol or Kazakh or steppes people who have a background in drama and acting? Being in the preproduction process myself on a film set in Mongolia I'm really keen to see exactly what it is that people watching films on this subject matter really think. Thanks in advance for your responses! Norbu Hmmmm... I'm actually a bit surprised to read your post dear norbu. I hope you don't think that Mongolia and Kazakhstan are some kind of wild countries were people don't have cinema and tv-sets. Mongolia is an independent country with the decades of its own tradition of cinematography and national theater. There are special schools in Mongolia which prepare professional actors for theater and cinema. As for Kazakhstan it has his own cinama studio from the Soviet times called "Kazakhfilm" and they made a lot of beautiful movies with Kazakh actor which were famous through out all the Soviet Union. People like theater and good acting in Kazakhstan and there are many good professional actors there. Not only Kazakhs have actors but even world class directors. Kazakh director Timur Bekmambetov just has released his new blockbaster movie "Wanted" with Angelina Jolie. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timur_Bekmambetov |
|
|
|
Post by norbu on Aug 4, 2008 22:32:43 GMT 3
hmmm... I think you misunderstand where I'm coming from. I'm not under the impression that Mongolia or Kazakhstan are anything like that. Right. Which I am well aware via the work of directors like Byambasuren Davaa and the actors that she use which are all Mongolian... which really brings me to a point of my original post... where exactly would one begin looking for Mongol or Kazakh actors? In general terms yes... obviously in Mongolia or Kazakhstan... but in practical terms... would anyone know specifics? Interesting. Thanks for the information. Unfortunately for Timur Bekmambetov his film with Angelina Jolie is just more typical Hollywood over hyped action flick with a weak plot underdeveloped characters and a predictable outcome. Not my cup of tea. May work for some but not me. But I digress... I'd be interested to see other Kazakh directors and actors that don't have to get in the Hollywood line. I'm sure the must be some talented ones out there. If you have any suggestions I'd be more than happy to entertain them. Norbu |
|
|
|
Post by norbu on Aug 4, 2008 22:38:42 GMT 3
Someone looking non-Qazaq playing a Qazaq characters just doesn't look good. I can understand a Japanese or Chinese playing as a Mongol or Qazaq, but what about a Mexican? They have a lot of good-acting Turkic and Mongol actors in Inner Mongolia, as you can see from the Inner Mongolian Genghis Khan tv serials Hmm... I'm not sure you post really makes all that much sense because it presupposes that all Mexicans must look alike and therefore couldn't be called upon to play anything other than a Mexican. That's a particularly blinkered way of thinking. Having spent many years on and off in Mexico I can assure they have any number of people of Mexican descent that could quite easily fit into other parts of the world relatively unnoticed. In fact the only reason you know they are and where they're from is by their name in the credits. If you didn't have access to that info you'd really have no way of knowing. Disliking their acting ability is another matter all together. To your point of the good actors in the Inner Mogolian TV serials... where would one go about finding a copy of those. Outside of IInner Mongolia it's so obscure as to sound like a bad joke.  Are they on YouTube? Available on a torrent? For purchase as a DVD? Again... in theory yes... the actors exist... but have you go any practical advice on compiling a contact list of casting agents or the names of actors and their academies? Norbu |
|
|
|
Post by sarmat on Aug 5, 2008 1:05:59 GMT 3
Right. Which I am well aware via the work of directors like Byambasuren Davaa and the actors that she use which are all Mongolian... which really brings me to a point of my original post... where exactly would one begin looking for Mongol or Kazakh actors? In general terms yes... obviously in Mongolia or Kazakhstan... but in practical terms... would anyone know specifics? So, do I undestand right that you need to find Mongolian and Kazakh actors? I can take a try and at least direct you to professional acting schools there. |
|
|
|
Post by ALTAR on Aug 5, 2008 12:04:28 GMT 3
Someone looking non-Qazaq playing a Qazaq characters just doesn't look good. I can understand a Japanese or Chinese playing as a Mongol or Qazaq, but what about a Mexican? They have a lot of good-acting Turkic and Mongol actors in Inner Mongolia, as you can see from the Inner Mongolian Genghis Khan tv serials Exactly right İhsan. On the other Hollywoods Multicultural Actor Marc Dacascos acted well as Kalmuk Commander Sarysh. In my opinion Kazaks think to use that movie as an international project. However they have to choose actors and actresses carefully. They could work with Japanese ad Korean actors, actresses. And the girl who played in the NOMAD movie is very ugly(my idea). There are many beatiful Kazak Actresses and Models. They should put one of them into the cast of movie. |
|
|
|
Post by H. İhsan Erkoç on Aug 5, 2008 21:48:27 GMT 3
Yes, indeed, but our professonal member thinks we are not adequate enough to make comments on this topic |
|
|
|
Post by norbu on Aug 5, 2008 22:34:58 GMT 3
Yes, indeed, but our professonal member thinks we are not adequate enough to make comments on this topic You must have trouble understanding my post. I clearly stated that I'm entirely interested in sourcing Kazakh and Mongol actors - Im entirely interested in using relevant actors and actresses of Kazakh and Mongol origin when and where possible.... it's pretty much the central gist of this thread. In addition to that I asked you directly in my post to you above if you had any more info on where I might find further resources for using/casting Mongol and Kazakh actors and talent. If you have something to contribute to the thread and are up for an open discussion then by all means do so... if however you're interested in playing passive aggressive games and get your panties knotted because someone doesn't post the way you think they should... then I think you're in the wrong thread. Norbu |
|
|
|
Post by norbu on Aug 5, 2008 22:39:49 GMT 3
So, do I undestand right that you need to find Mongolian and Kazakh actors? I can take a try and at least direct you to professional acting schools there. Yes... that is correct. Any information on such sources would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for you time and effort. Norbu |
|
|
|
Post by H. İhsan Erkoç on Aug 5, 2008 22:39:59 GMT 3
I have no such intentions. I already said that making non-Qazaq-looking actors (like those in The Nomad - they surely looked very different from the Qazaqs) or clearly non-Mongol-looking actors for a movie about Qazaq or Mongol history is just weird. Doesn't look accurate.
|
|
|
|
Post by norbu on Aug 5, 2008 22:43:59 GMT 3
I have no such intentions. I already said that making non-Qazaq-looking actors (like those in The Nomad - they surely looked very different from the Qazaqs) or clearly non-Mongol-looking actors for a movie about Qazaq or Mongol history is just weird. Doesn't look accurate. Fair enough. I'll take your opinion into consideration. Thank you so much for all help in this thread. Norbu |
|
|
|
Post by Temüjin on Aug 7, 2008 23:10:07 GMT 3
If that actor is Hawaiian or Mexican or Japanese or anything else it just seems that people go nuts and slate the whole film. Which to me seems patently absurd. It's tantamount to expecting and a cowboy in a film to have been a real life ranch hand... or an assassin in an action film to actually have spent time killing people as a job. thats ridiculous, comparing apples and oranges. you would have never casted Sidney Portier for playing Adolf Hitler in the Downfall, even though Sidney is certainly a good actor and could play any role. but i think you know exactly what the point here is. i had personally no problems with a German and Mexican lead actor in Nomad but i can perfectly understand why people complained about it and i would have prefered native or at elast kazakh-lookign actors instead. |
|
|
|
Post by norbu on Aug 8, 2008 21:47:49 GMT 3
thats ridiculous, comparing apples and oranges. you would have never casted Sidney Portier for playing Adolf Hitler in the Downfall, even though Sidney is certainly a good actor and could play any role. but i think you know exactly what the point here is. i had personally no problems with a German and Mexican lead actor in Nomad but i can perfectly understand why people complained about it and i would have prefered native or at elast kazakh-lookign actors instead. Well obviously the features of a black Sydney Portier are not going to work very well for portraying a decidedly caucasian Adolf Hitler. Apples to oranges indeed. Norbu |
|
|
|
Post by Temüjin on Aug 8, 2008 23:28:56 GMT 3
so why can't you accept the same for Kazakhs? |
|
