Getting Vincent Legrand
Kew Lin was on the plane from Sweden on his way to meet Etienne Pradier at Kings Cross. It was his only chance to pitch the film to him. Producer Lizzie was on it and his PA had told her that he had gigs filled up on the only day he was in London, and the only time to talk to him was 30 minutes during lunch. However Kew's plane had to make an emergency landing at Schiphol Airport, because there was a slight technical malfunction. While everyone was alighting the pilot opened his cockpit and the windscreen was so cracked up it looked like TV white noise.
So Kew didn't make it to the meeting. It was at this point Etienne received the script was fedexed to him, and he invited Lizzie and Kew to Wye to his office. They had a couple of drinks at the local pub, and he agreed to do the part. If there's one thing one needs to learn in Great Britain is that drinking makes everything all right and most life-changing events happen in pubs.
Kew Lin was on the plane from Sweden on his way to meet Etienne Pradier at Kings Cross. It was his only chance to pitch the film to him. Producer Lizzie was on it and his PA had told her that he had gigs filled up on the only day he was in London, and the only time to talk to him was 30 minutes during lunch. However Kew's plane had to make an emergency landing at Schiphol Airport, because there was a slight technical malfunction. While everyone was alighting the pilot opened his cockpit and the windscreen was so cracked up it looked like TV white noise.
So Kew didn't make it to the meeting. It was at this point Etienne received the script was fedexed to him, and he invited Lizzie and Kew to Wye to his office. They had a couple of drinks at the local pub, and he agreed to do the part. If there's one thing one needs to learn in Great Britain is that drinking makes everything all right and most life-changing events happen in pubs.
International Production
It is a very international production. The producers are from London, Cologne, Madrid, The Netherlands; editor in Mumbai, sound editor in Mallorca, visual effects in Tel Aviv, and the director is from Singapore.
It is a very international production. The producers are from London, Cologne, Madrid, The Netherlands; editor in Mumbai, sound editor in Mallorca, visual effects in Tel Aviv, and the director is from Singapore.
About the first scene
The first scene in the script was just Vincent Legrand tricking Roger with the ball and cups, filming just their hands and hearing the dialogue. That was the first scene in the studio. The crew must have done the scene 7 or 8 times because of technical imperfections. But the reactions of everyone was not genuine anymore, everybody was anticipating the reveal.
So Kew Lin pulled Etienne Pradier aside and told him, "We are going for the last take, and this time I need you to kill him." And then he did the take normally, but at the end there was the new segment and when the apple came out, the reaction from everyone was genuine. The shot even vibrated a bit because the operator was trying not to laugh. He should have laughed actually since the director wouldn't mind if the camera totally flipped.
The first scene in the script was just Vincent Legrand tricking Roger with the ball and cups, filming just their hands and hearing the dialogue. That was the first scene in the studio. The crew must have done the scene 7 or 8 times because of technical imperfections. But the reactions of everyone was not genuine anymore, everybody was anticipating the reveal.
So Kew Lin pulled Etienne Pradier aside and told him, "We are going for the last take, and this time I need you to kill him." And then he did the take normally, but at the end there was the new segment and when the apple came out, the reaction from everyone was genuine. The shot even vibrated a bit because the operator was trying not to laugh. He should have laughed actually since the director wouldn't mind if the camera totally flipped.
Fiction vs Documentary
Kew Lin wanted this to feel like a convincing documentary. But he knew from the get-go that he has to have a script and schedule for every scene, especially when there are magic tricks involved. After all, this is a fiction film, no less. But Etienne Pradier and all the cast did so much improvisation, and there was so much energy on set, Kew was left with gigs and gigs of footage. And the whole process reversed and he had to deal with it as if this was a documentary, and look through all the material and find the story in it.
Kew Lin wanted this to feel like a convincing documentary. But he knew from the get-go that he has to have a script and schedule for every scene, especially when there are magic tricks involved. After all, this is a fiction film, no less. But Etienne Pradier and all the cast did so much improvisation, and there was so much energy on set, Kew was left with gigs and gigs of footage. And the whole process reversed and he had to deal with it as if this was a documentary, and look through all the material and find the story in it.
This is the first time Etienne Pradier, a real-life magician, is starred in a narrative film. Etienne is a member of the Magic Circle with Gold Star and has numerous awards and accolades internationally. He has also performed for many celebrities and royalties. In 2011 in the Penn & Teller: Fool Us show, Etienne Pradier got to perform in Las Vegas with Penn & Teller after they failed to figure out how he achieved the Teleporting Card and Card Prediction tricks, earning him the honour to perform alongside Penn & Teller in Las Vegas.