Ian Purnell – week 4 – The Big Rehearsal

May 30, 2016

After a number of research trips we got to shoot footage of the main rehearsal for the opening ceremony of the Gotthard Base tunnel.
Two Performances – one in south and one in the north entrance taking place at the exact same time.
For the shooting DoP Marie Zahir and Simon Waskow who is doing the sound arrived – as well as Janna, one of our protagonists.
In the film Janna leads us through various tunnel scenarios in her own interest.
During the rehearsals Janna explored the logistics of coordinating over 200 extras, performers and rope artists as well as trains, horses, cars within a multimedia stage setting precisely timed to a soundtrack of exact the length it takes for a train to cross the new Gotthard tunnel. At the opening next Wednesday the arrival of the first trains with passengers will be the final of the spectacle.

As a film team we cinematically explored the existiting crossings of the Gotthard and got to simulate a tunnel situation right here at Sasso Residency.

The time here in Vairano was very important to bring our project to a next step and we will be very sad to leave this beautiful surrounding.