Tendon, 13min,. USA Directed by Jannik Ehret Recovering addict Rene sees a creature poison the city’s water supply and has to convince his skeptical sister and her no-nonsense boyfriend to stay away from the tap water.
Rasmus Heise is the cinematographer of the Netflix Original series “The Rain” and the drama/fantasy feature film “I Kill Giants”. The Danish DOP started out working on a string of short films including Oscar-winning family drama “Helium”.
Matthew Toffolo: Where were you born and raised? Was photography something you always wanted to do as your career?
Rasmus Heise: I was born in Copenhagen and raised in different cities around Denmark. I picked up a VHS camera at summer camp, age 13, and did a short film starring my sister. I overheard some adults prasing my work. That never left me. It wasn’t untill I was around 21, that I fund out that cinematography was what I wanted to do. I was taking the 8 months course at the European Film School in Ebeltoft, Denmark. This is where I met the people that I would go on making short films with for many years ahead. Later I studied cinematography for 4 years at the National Filmschool of Denmark in Copenhagen.
What has been your most proudest work of your career? Or, what has been your favorite project to date?
The first real big challenge was the two final episodes of the TV show called “The Protectors” (Livvagterne, Denmark, director Mikkel Serup). We had to shoot locations in Denmark and Marocco and studio in Denmark. It was a big challenge making it all flow seamlessly, and I think we did a great job. In more recent times I’m very proud of I Kill Giants. A huge challenge for everybody involved. Shooting a challenging script in only 35 days in two countries and with many cgi and in-camera effects. I’m also proud of the work on the Netflix show The Rain. I shot 4 episodes for director Natasha Arthy. We had a huge amount of stuff to do, and very little time. But somehow we and the hardworking crew made it work.
Tell us about the film I KILL GIANTS. How did you get involved in the project? What makes this film unique?
I have worked with director Anders Walter for many years. I have shot about 20 music videos and 4 short films for him. After our short film Helium won an Oscar for best live action short, things started to happen. He was offered to direct IKG, and I jumped on the project with him. The american producers didn’t know me, but luckily I had shot the first season of Amazon Studios’ show Hand of God for director Marc Forster. So they called him up, and he must have said something nice about me I guess 🙂
The film is based on a really beautiful graphic novel from 2008 by the same name. It’s a very beautiful story, and I feel very lucky to have been a part of making it in to a movie. I want to thank producer Kim Magnussen for also helping me get onboard.
Is there a type of film/TV show that you love to work on that you haven’t worked on yet?
I would love to make something gritty. A twisted thriller.
What are you generally looking for in a director in order for you to do your job as best as possible?
It’s all about being on the same page I think. I always try and spend time getting to know each other. The better I know someone, the better a job I tend to do for him or her. I love directors who has a vision, but are not afraid to let go and let the project take you somewhere you hadn’t planned.
What do you think a producer/director is looking for when they bring on you to DP the film?
I know my craft, and I work fast! Haha. I know that many producers like it. I think directors likes me, because I can work in many genres and maybe also because I’m easy to talk to. I see my job as becomming the directors best friend, and I try to be the best collaborator in every way. I want to help the director, but also challenge him or her to push the project to become even better.
What is your passion in life besides photography and film?
These days it’s my beautiful family. They are amazing every day.
What movie have you watched the most times in your life (besides the ones you worked on?
I have MANY favorite movies. My all time favorite is Heat by Michael Mann. Have seen that so many times. My biggest dream would be DP-ing a movie directed by Michael Mann. Or PT Anderson. Or David Fincher. Or Marc Forster. Or.. well the list is very long.
What advice do you have for young cinematographers who would eventually like to DP movies for a living one day?
What you need is collaborators. Find like-minded people. Learn and grow together. Film school is not essential. But it’s a great place to learn from your mistakes without anybody out in the film industry noticing you screwed up. So if you don’t get into film school, or don’t have the money for it, find another way to get experince and learn. Make non-budget shorts or do music videos or art projects. Go to a film work shop or find collaborators some other way.
Please follow me on instagram: rasmus_heise
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Interviewer Matthew Toffolo is currently the CEO of the WILDsound FEEDBACK Film & Writing Festival. The festival that showcases 20-50 screenplay and story readings performed by professional actors every single month. And the FEEDBACK DAILY Festival held online and in downtown Toronto, and Los Angeles at least 3 times a month. Go to http://www.wildsoundfestival.com for more information and to submit your work to the festival.
Watch the festival NOW for the next 48 hours by signing up for the FREE 3-DAY trial using the link, or go to http://www.wildsound.ca
Telephones, 4min,. USA Directed by Copper Giloth “Telephones” explores a personal journey through time, identity, and technological evolution, using a collection of telephones as a lens. Each phone, from a red Western Electric to a modern iPhone, symbolizes both moments in time – childhood, independence, life choices — as well as technical and design innovations. Tied to memories of forbidden red clothes, maternal sewing, and illegal long-distance calls, the phones embody personal and cultural shifts over many decades.
UMBRELLA, 5min,. USA Directed by Copper Giloth After arguing with my sister over a quirky pizza-themed umbrella in Naples, I was left alone in Rome, grappling with frustration and sadness. To process my emotions, I created a personal walking tour, visiting ancient obelisks. Each step became a way to reflect — on our strained relationship, my late brother-in-law’s whimsical obelisk drawings, and my own path to peace. My journey extended beyond Rome to Amherst, New York, Paris, Aix-en-Provence and Brittany. With my playful umbrella in hand, I found solace in walking, letting memories, grief, and laughter guide me toward healing.
Joss, 5min, China Directed by Anxin Joss, in Chinese “香火 (xiāng huǒ)“, has a double meaning: it refers to both incense offerings in temples and the continuity of family lineage. In most cases, this family lineage is traditionally believed to be passed down only through male descendants, linking “香火” to patriarchal heritage.
Shame, 5min., USA Directed by Kelly Lynn Warren When a woman is sexually assaulted by a mutual friend the night before, her confrontation with her best friend leads to tragic consequences.
Voight-Kampff, 2min., Réunion Directed by Nicolas Gueniot The Voight-Kampff test is a psychophysiological test that measures the subject’s involuntary emotional responses to morally or emotionally troubling questions. Lea is nervous as the test has just begun.
Until the last minute, 3min., Ukraine Directed by Ilya Noyabrev A Ukrainian woman sees her husband off to war. She prays for her husband’s return and makes a folk amulet (a motanka doll) with her own hands. In her prayer, the woman promises her husband to be with him until the last minute. (The video uses real photos from the beginning of the war in 2022).
LIGHT, 5min,. Panama Directed by Alberto Serra The song, music video and story reflects the light within us and how external challenges can dim it. Darkness, simply the absence of light, becomes a metaphor for the protagonist’s descent into villainy.
Summary: Researching transfusion therapy on different blood groups, something goes completely wrong when the test subjects start mutating and transforming into Zombie like creatures.
Get to know the writer:
What is your screenplay about?
A day in the life of a biotech firm takes center stage in Blood Red as we travel from floor to floor, department to department, meeting the teams that comprise Edgewater Laboratories and their sometimes adversarial motivations.
Edgewater’s Chief Science Officer, Dr. Ruby Beck, is the inventor of a synthetic blood she’s named Ichor for the mythical golden fluid that ran in the veins of the gods. Ruby explains to an audience of investors gathered at the company’s headquarters that every two seconds, someone needs blood due to injury or disease.
Imagine a limitless supply of healthy blood in every hospital, school, military unit, and remote location. No more relying on donations. No more chance of contamination. No more delays in supply or delivery.
Three floors below, eight patients are halfway through the final trials of Ichor in the aftermath of a violent protest against the ethics of artificial blood that has put the entire company on edge. But today, something is different. Sabotage of the Ichor infusion is affecting each patient differently with horrifying results.
The day begins with routine patient observation and nerves around hosting the company’s first investor conference before spiraling out of control as we root for Ruby, fighting for her life from floor to floor while trying to unwind the conspiracy threatening her creation.
Ruby must reconcile if her creation is the pinnacle of healthcare or a threat to humanity.
What genres does your screenplay fall under?
Horror / Thriller
Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?
Horror remains one of the few genres that’s arguably still best experienced in the theater with a crowd to share in the frights, jump scares, and wild reactions to what’s on the screen. Safety in numbers!
Accept only stories that fit into the experimental genre. An experimental story is a narrative that challenges traditional storytelling conventions and explores new concepts and representations of the world. Experimental stories often use innovative language, non-traditional narrative structures, and metafiction to create unconventional and complex stories.
Submit your short story to the festival, and we will automatically have it performed by a professional actor and turned into a promotional video for yourself.
This festival has a guaranteed 4-tier set up for each accepted script. (No matter what, all screenplays submitted receive FULL FEEDBACK on their work.) 1) Full Feedback on your script 2) Actors performance video reading of your script 3) Blog interview promotion. 4) Podcast interview on the Film Festival ITunes show.
A paranormal story is a work of fiction that explores phenomena and beings that are beyond the scope of scientific understanding. They include elements like ghosts, vampires, werewolves, witches, and other entities that cannot be explained by the laws of nature. They can be set in the real world, but generally includes elements that defy scientific explanation.
3 ways to submit: 1st chapter. full novel. performance reading.
Telephones, 4min,. USA Directed by Copper Giloth “Telephones” explores a personal journey through time, identity, and technological evolution, using a collection of telephones as a lens. Each phone, from a red Western Electric to a modern iPhone, symbolizes both moments in time – childhood, independence, life choices — as well as technical and design innovations. Tied to memories of forbidden red clothes, maternal sewing, and illegal long-distance calls, the phones embody personal and cultural shifts over many decades.
UMBRELLA, 5min,. USA Directed by Copper Giloth After arguing with my sister over a quirky pizza-themed umbrella in Naples, I was left alone in Rome, grappling with frustration and sadness. To process my emotions, I created a personal walking tour, visiting ancient obelisks. Each step became a way to reflect — on our strained relationship, my late brother-in-law’s whimsical obelisk drawings, and my own path to peace. My journey extended beyond Rome to Amherst, New York, Paris, Aix-en-Provence and Brittany. With my playful umbrella in hand, I found solace in walking, letting memories, grief, and laughter guide me toward healing.
Joss, 5min, China Directed by Anxin Joss, in Chinese “香火 (xiāng huǒ)“, has a double meaning: it refers to both incense offerings in temples and the continuity of family lineage. In most cases, this family lineage is traditionally believed to be passed down only through male descendants, linking “香火” to patriarchal heritage.
Shame, 5min., USA Directed by Kelly Lynn Warren When a woman is sexually assaulted by a mutual friend the night before, her confrontation with her best friend leads to tragic consequences.
Voight-Kampff, 2min., Réunion Directed by Nicolas Gueniot The Voight-Kampff test is a psychophysiological test that measures the subject’s involuntary emotional responses to morally or emotionally troubling questions. Lea is nervous as the test has just begun.
Until the last minute, 3min., Ukraine Directed by Ilya Noyabrev A Ukrainian woman sees her husband off to war. She prays for her husband’s return and makes a folk amulet (a motanka doll) with her own hands. In her prayer, the woman promises her husband to be with him until the last minute. (The video uses real photos from the beginning of the war in 2022).
LIGHT, 5min,. Panama Directed by Alberto Serra The song, music video and story reflects the light within us and how external challenges can dim it. Darkness, simply the absence of light, becomes a metaphor for the protagonist’s descent into villainy.
Shame, 5min., USA Directed by Kelly Lynn Warren When a woman is sexually assaulted by a mutual friend the night before, her confrontation with her best friend leads to tragic consequences.
Until the last minute, 3min., Ukraine Directed by Ilya Noyabrev A Ukrainian woman sees her husband off to war. She prays for her husband’s return and makes a folk amulet (a motanka doll) with her own hands. In her prayer, the woman promises her husband to be with him until the last minute. (The video uses real photos from the beginning of the war in 2022).
Gilde has been in the business for over 20 years and has over 80 credits to his name. It was an honor to interview the extremely talented musician and composer:
Matthew Toffolo: Where were you born and raised? Was music something you always wanted to do as your career?
Gilde Flores: I was born and raised in Hereford, Texas. Music was something I’ve always loved and occasionally dabbled in some with a few instruments, but saw no future in. That was up until the age of 14 when my father decided to recruit me into his band. I tried desperately to play awful, in hopes of being booted, but found myself advancing to other instruments. In time, I grew into having this love for music, which eventually led to me play/touring the US with various bands in various genres.
What has been your most proudest work of your career? Or, what has been your favorite project?
My proudest work would definitely be the time a music cue of mine was used in scene for Marvels, The Wolverine. Being a geek, this was instantly a highlight for my career, and I personally consider so…..for now.
You’ve been credited as being a “Composer: Additional Music” on many films. Explain exactly what that means?
A composer for additional music basically accounts for work from someone who’s not the hired/lead composer of the project, similar to taking the role of an assistant Composer. In the TV realm, it identifies as any of my music that is used aside from the main themes or recurring music. I’ve had the honor of working on many projects in this manner, especially when first starting out, which helped earn the credits I’ve received, in turn, opening many door and countless opportunities.
What are you generally looking for in a director in terms of guidance and tone for your music?
What I look for in a director is their ability to give me as much info as they possibly can about their vision. From the emotions of the characters, the emotions that can’t easily be seen by the viewers. I really love to get the full in depth of what the director is trying to portray from the inside out and help being that to life, especially the intangible elements.
What do you think a producer/director is looking for when they bring on their composer to score the film?
I really feel the producer/director is looking for the composer help them tell their story, or to fill in the gaps of what can’t easily be seen. They want the audience to capture/feel the full experience of what’s being put out in front of them, and music can move them in a way that perfectly pairs with what they are witnessing, or guides their imaginations to possibilities and uncertainty.
What is your passion in life besides music?
My passion in life besides music would simply be life and all its experiences. I try to stay passionate with every little thing that makes sense to in life. it’s how I tend to stay on the creative side and always looking for new colors to add to my palette. I know that’s a bit vague, so I would say family and helping others. Family, because they are the ones who cheer my on and help pick me up through this long journey, and helping others, that’s something I’ve always gravitated to, mostly due to my academic studies a few years back at Texas Tech University in Lubbock Texas where I studied to become a counselor; however music pulled me in a completely opposite amazing adventure.
What movie have you watched the most times in your life?
The movie I watched the most times in my life would be extremely hard to try and identify. Being a huge fan of comics, video games, and exploring into different genres, I’ve watched so many titles over and over again; especially in my traveling days. To maybe narrow it down, one of my favorites I tend to watch anytime it’s on, aside from the original Star Wars trilogy, would be the first Matrix; mainly because at the time it was released it completely blew my mind. I remember seeing it in the theater and was so impressed with the visuals, the pacing, the cinematography, storytelling, just everything, that it imprinted on me till this day.
What advice do you have for young musicians who would eventually like to compose movies for a living?
The advice I would give to any young musicians who want to eventually compose movies is to be PATIENT, always work on your skill set/stay teachable, have an amazing work ethic, have consistency, have respect, and learn how to take a “no/pass on your work.
This career, in my experience, is something that takes much time and lots of patience to pursue, and being that passion is usually poured in at some point, if one doesn’t know how to filter a “pass up” on their work, it can really devastate and discourage one moving forward. There are plenty more “no’s” than “yes’s” we all get on projects, and learning to understand that the pass up on one’s work usually comes from the music being submitted does not fit the project, not necessarily meaning it’s bad/horrible. Just feed the passion, knock down the self made barriers, and stay focused and it will eventually happen.