by Dov Kornits
“We recently received a little excerpt of the 4K remastered version of the film, and it was nothing like we had ever seen Cedar Boys look like before; it was beautiful, crisp and clear,” says Serhat Caradee today, 13 years after the film premiered.
“You have to remember that we shot on RED 4K, but all the cinema screenings were projected on 35mm film prints,” he continues. “In fact, when Liz (Burton, producer) and I were coming back from the L.A screening, we had to carry the 2 large film cannisters with us in our luggage! Now, it’s all just files via internet and/or posted on small hard drives.
“We’re really excited and looking forward to seeing it on the big screen in its new 4K format.
“In regards to how the film stands up today, I think everyone involved should be proud of how it turned out given the budget we had. To do a film like that now with that cast, that many locations, the music, bars, clubs and team, would cost you 2 – 3 times the budget we had. We were very fortunate to have had the opportunity and resources to make it happen, and in the end, it turned out okay.”
With the luxury of hindsight, is there anything you would have done differently?
“Not really. In the actual making of the film, editing and music, it turned out exactly how I wanted. If anything, perhaps an extra 7 – 8 mins in the film’s length [deleted scenes] would have made it more art house and quite possibly got us into Cannes. As it was, it was between us and Samson & Delilah for the Australian film for the Un Certain Regard section at Cannes that year. Other than that, maybe the film’s marketing aspects could’ve been a bit more strategically placed. Even though everyone involved worked their butts off to get the film out there, I wasn’t too excited about the original poster, trailer and selling points (elements).”
There’s a lot of gang-related violence/shootings these days in Sydney; was Cedar Boys touching on the seeds of that?
“The shootings and gang related violence were happening in the ‘90s, into the 2000s already. When I started writing the script, the backdrop was Sept 11, Iraq war and the gang rapes. Even though Cedar Boys is not a film about those events or people, the locations we set the film in and some of the characters we depicted are present. The film is more to do with relationships, family, goals, dreams, class (social), choices and obviously the main message, crime does not pay.”
Your most recent film A Lion Returns was made independently. Is it frustrating that you would make a successful debut feature, but struggle getting a second film up in this country?
“It’s always a struggle. There’s just not enough money to go around. We need more support, we need more funding injected into the industry. Orson Welles, near the end of his career, once famously said ‘It’s about 2% movie making and 98% hustling’. He also said that he was always trying to please people… Me personally, I think sometimes you’re better off being honest, real and loyal. Not always nice, pleasant and self-centered. I’ve noticed that people whether they’re actors, writers, directors or teachers are more interested in trying to create an image than create good work. Hype doesn’t always equate to quality, and as long as I make films of quality, then it’s not about quantity.”
What’s next?
“We have a few projects on our slate that we intend to get made over the next 12 – 16 months. One we’ve been developing for a few years and are waiting on an actor to respond to a new draft (script). The other a low budget I’m about to finish writing the next draft and organise a table read and then hopefully shoot before the other one. As always it all depends on timing, availabilities, schedules and of course raising the finance! The struggle continues …”
The 4K remastered Cedar Boys is screening at 3pm on Sunday, November 13 at Event George St with cast and crew in attendance. Click here for tickets.
