Editor LAURENT PINEAU is a native of Bordeaux. He studied economics and graduated with an accounting license from the University of Tours, France. Before working as chief editor on "MANA-beyond belief" he was editor of the Agnès Varda film "Les glaneurs et le glaneuse" ("The Gleaners", 2000), as well as a series of documentaries for French television, including "Lords of the Spin" (directed by Paul Mitchell, 2004), "Traces de futur" (Marie Hélia, 2003), "La dernière quille" (Yves Maillard and Stéphanne Krausz, 2002), "Bon pied, bon oeil" (Nicolas Cambois and Olivier Desagnat, 2001), and "Histoires de camping" (Stéphanne Krausz, 2001). He now lives in Paris, and can be reached at LRTPN[at]yahoo[dot]fr .

 

JACQUES BESSE is one of three primary DoP's whose camerawork appears in "Mana-beyond belief." In addition to the scenes he filmed for "Mana" in Japan, Benin, and France, he has filmed extensively in remote locations in Mongolia, Chechnya, Afganistan, and elsewhere in Africa. His fiction films include "Noce d'été" (directed by Moktar Ladjimi, 2003), "Na cidade vazia" (Maria João Ganga, 2003), "Heremakono" (Abderrahmane Sissako, 2001), "Pièces d'identités" (Mweze Ngangura, 1997), "La vie sur Terre" (Abderrahmane Sissako, 1997), "La petite vendeuse de Soleil" Djibril Diop Mambety, 1996), "Conte de Mongolie" (Marie de Poncheville, 1993), "Les Arpenteurs de Montmartre" (Boris Eustache, 1992), "La Plage des Enfants Perdus" (Jillali Ferhati, 1991), "Joséphine en Tournée" (Jacques Rozier, 1990). His documentaries include "Arlit - Destins croisés" (Idrissou Mora Kpai, 2004), "L'affaire Valérie" (François Caillat, 2003), "Tchala, l'argent des rêves" (Michèle Lemoine, 2002), "L'Afghanistan, un état impossible?" (Atiq Rahimi, 2002), "Yönden" (Marie de Poncheville, 2001), "Trois soldats" (François Caillat, 2000), "Le profit et rien d'autre" (Raoul Peck, 2000), "Il était une fois la Tchétchénie" (Nino Kirtadzé, 2000), "La Projection" (Marie de Poncheville, 1999), "L'esprit de Mopti" (Moussa Ouane, 1999), "Dire sa Foi" (Serge Steyer, 1998), "Rostov-Luanda" (Abdherramane Sissako, 1997), "A la recherche de Blanche-Neige" (Eric Delacour, 1997), "La Quatrième Génération" (François Caillat, 1996), "Amsterdam, Ville Numérique" (Serge Steyer, 1995), "Mémoire de Fer" (Jean-Baptiste Mathieu, 1994), "Jacques Ellul - L'Homme entier" (Serge Steyer, 1993), "Djamel Lifa" (Bourlem Guerdjou, 1992), and "L'Aventure du Grand Bleu" (Patrick Alessandrin, 1987). Jacques Besse is based in Paris and can be reached at jacquesbesse[at]wanadoo[dot]fr .

 

VAN THEODORE CARLSON received a degree in philosophy at the University of Colorado, and has been a DoP in Hollywood for both film and television since 1978. He has received 3 Emmy Awards (and 10 nominations) for his camerawork. In addition to the scenes he shot in Arizona, Maryland, New York, Utah, Washington DC and Wisconsin for "Mana-beyond belief," he has filmed on location in remote locations throughout the world, including Amazonia, Australia, Bosnia, Brazil, Egypt, Greece, Herzegovina, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Israel, Jordan, Macedonia, Mexico, Nepal, the Phillipines, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Tahiti, Thailand, and the Virgin Islands. His features include "One11 and 103" (directed by John Cage, 1992), "Once Upon a Time" (Bob Heath, 1992), and "Death by Design" (Peter Friedman, 1995). Carlson's television specials include HBO/Dreamworks First Look programs on "Shrek" (Dreamworks, 2001), "Saving Private Ryan" (Steven Spielberg, 1998), "Amistad" (Steven Spielberg, 1997), "AAAFNRAA" (Frank Zappa, 1992), "The Life and Times of Life and Times" (Peter Friedman, 1998), "Peefeeyatko" (Frank Zappa, 1990), and docs on Charles Schulz & Charlie Brown, Bill Viola, and Brian Eno ("Black Box of Culture", 1991). Most recently he has completed shooting a 2-hour documentary on the American Civil War, "April 1865" (2003/04). Van Carlson can be reached at vcdp[at]pacbell[dot]net .

 

ÉRIC GUICHARD was DoP for the "Mana-beyond belief" production in Burma (Myanmar), India, Malaysia and New Zealand, but also has extensive experience in Cuba, India, the Himilayas, and other remote locations throughout the world. He has won the César Award for Best Photography and was nominated for Best Photography in the 2000 European Awards. His features include "The Trail" (directed by Eric Valli, 2004), "Sometimes in April (Raoul Peck, 2004, "Terre et cendres" (Atik Rahimi, 2003), "Fureur" (Karim Dridi, 2002), "Les diables" (Christophe Ruggia, 2001) "17, rue bleue" (Chad Chenouga, 2000), "La fille de son père" (Jacques Deschamps, 1999), "La squale" (Fabrice Genestal, 1999), "Himalaya, l'enfance d'un chef" (Éric Valli, 1998), "Gadjo dilo" (Tony Gatlif, 1997), "Tortilla y cinema" (Martin Provost, 1997), "Méfie-toi de l'eau qui dort" (Jacques Deschamps, 1995), "Rainbow pour Rimbaud" (Jean Teulé, 1995), "Mondo" (Tony Gatlif, 1994-95), "Latcho drom "bonne route"" (Tony Gatlif, 1992-93). His documentaries include "Derrida, d'ailleurs" (Saafa Faaty, 1998-99), "L'homme qui écoute" (François Caillat, 1997), "Une voiture est née" (Gérald Caillat, 1997), "La fabrique de l'homme occidental" (Gérald Caillat, 1997), "L'orchestre souterrain" (Heddy Honighmann, 1996), "I muvrini - terra" (Tony Gatlif, 1996), "Lucimi, l'enfant de Cuba" (Tony Gatlif, 1996), and "Variations sur Glenn Gould" (Anna Kendall, 1992). Éric Guichard is based in Paris. He can be contacted and samples of his work can be seen at www.cosmicparis.com .

DANIEL SIPPEL trained in media design until 1999, followed by extensive work as assistant camera and later as DIT and digital cinematographer with experience in HD/24p gear since 2000. He works primarily on features as technical supervisor/vision control for HD-camera shoots and as a cinematographer on projects such as music videos, short films and commercials like "Geräuschegrippe," "Wireless" (German Telecom, 2003) and "Viktor Kee/Ruhrkohle AG" (2004). In addition to "Mana-beyond belief," his features include "Nimm dir dein leben" (directed by Sabine Michel, DoP Juergen Juerges, 2004) and "Hitlerkantate" (Jutta Brueckner, DoP Thomas Mauch, 2004), while his documentary work includes "1936 Olympics" (HBO/Clear Channel, 2003), "Die Durchmacher" (Leander Haussmann, 2001), "Tolkien Online," and short films and commercials including "Kino der Fische" (DoP Thomas Mauch, 2001), "Deutsche Bank," and "Schlorkbabies." Daniel Sippel lives in Berlin with professional midwife Tina Scharfe and their beautiful daughter Jonna Ida. He can be reached at dasiki[at]web[dot]de and at www.dasiki.de .

CHRISTIAN-ALEXANDER LUTZ received his diploma from the School of Audio Engineering (SAE) in Berlin in 1992 and his Sound Engineer's degree at the Hochschule für Film und Fernsehen (HFF) at Potsdam-Babelsberg in 2001. His production background includes serving as a recordist, boom operator and musician, and now he works primarily as a sound mixer and sound designer. His features include "Drum Bun" (Robert Ralston, 2004), "Vera" (Josef Vilsmaier, 2003), "Suche Mann für meine Frau" (Stefan Lukschy, 2002), "Motown" (Stefan Barth, 2002), "Eierdiebe" (Robert Schwentke, 2001), "Planet Alex" (Uli Schüppel, 1999), "Fremde Freundin" (Anne Hoegh-Kron, 1999), and "Todesfahrt der MS Sea star" (Marc v. Seydlitz, 1998). His documentaries include "Martins-Passion" (Irene Langemann, 2004), "Dunkler Lippenstift macht seriöser" (Kathrin Rothe, 2003), "Wohin und zurück" (Manuel Fenn, 2001), "Hildegard Knef" (Clarissa Ruge, 2000), and "Burning Man 2020 (Christoph Gampl, 1997). He has also composed original music and provided sound design for animations including "Dogdays" (Andreas Rohde, 2001), and "Lazy Sunday Afternoon" (Bert Gottschalk, 1999). Christian Lutz lives in Berlin with the film makeup artist Nicola Sczersputowski and their beautiful daughter Luna Emilia. He can be reached at c[dot]lutz[at]lutz-bros[dot]de or luetzie[at]t[dash]online[dot]de .

Assistant director/assistant producer GIORGIO GALIZIA graduated in Literature and Languages at the University of Turin (Torino, Italy), where he achieved the rank of professor in 2003. He has worked in Italian film/tv production since 1996, and was involved in the location and production phases of "Mana-beyond belief" from 2000-2003, organizing scouts and shoots in such remote locations as Burma, Japan, India and China. He currently works as a producer for (h) films, a Milan-based production company. His specialty is working in complicated shoots that involve shooting abroad and working with foreign troupes and/or foreign directors. Giorgio Galizia splits his time between his office in Milano and Torino, where on weekends he shares life with psychologist Giorgia Micene and follows his alternate callings as a chef and mountaineer. He can be reached at Giorgiogalizia[at]yahoo[dot]com or giorgio[at]hfilms[dot]net .

Assistant Editor YOHAN LOISEAU was born in Besançon, France, and studied French and ancient Greek literature there. He earned a diploma in editing at Montbéliard and since 2002 has worked in Paris as an editor for French television. Most recently he has been involved with the documentary "Les Prisonniers de Becket" (directed by Michka Saal, 2004). He also works in promotion and production for the French record label Lykill. He can be reached at yohanloiseau[at]free[dot]fr .

 

JEFF HALLAM and CHRIS HUDSON formed SUPERMAJOR in 2003, and together composed and performed the original score for "Mana-beyond belief." For more information about their music and current projects, please visit their website: www.supermajorsound.com .