Film: Andy Serkis interview: How a colleague’s family history led to his directorial debut

The Independent, UK
Oct 26 2017

The actor who is known for his motion caption performances in 'King Kong' and 'Planet of the Apes' has turned his attention to directing a period drama about a man paralysed by polio in 'Breathe' 

  • Kaleem Aftab

Director Andy Serkis (left) on set of his film 'Breathe' about a man paralysed by polio (right, Andrew Garfield)

Andy Serkis is famed as the guy to go to when you need an actor to play a creature using performance capture technology. He wowed audiences around the world when he played Gollum in the Lord of the Rings trilogy and again when mimicking simians in King Kong, as well as in the role of Supreme Leader Snoke in Star Wars: The Force Awakens and most recently Caesar in War for the Planet of the Apes.

So it’s a bit of a turn up that the 53-year-old’s directorial debut, Breathe, starring Andrew Garfield and Claire Foy, is a character driven film about a man paralysed by polio. 

“Yes, I think people have been surprised that this is my directorial debut, and there has been a lot made of that,” says Serkis of the film that opened the London Film Festival. But he says that this is more a result of a quirk in the film production process than by design, “Jungle Book, we shot before hand, but that will come out next year.” 

The reason is because his adaptation of the Rudyard Kipling’s novel, which stars Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett and Benedict Cumberbatch mixes live action sequences with performance capture technology, and consequently, the post production process is extraordinarily long, and so when Disney managed to release their live-action version first, it was decided to delay Serkis’s version until 2018.  

Serkis has now directed 'Breathe' and 'Jungle Book', which is out in 2018 (Laurie Sparham)

Nonetheless, despite it being a period drama, it’s also true to say that Breathe may never have been made if it wasn’t for Serkis’ enthusiasm for performance capture technology. Breathe is inspired by the true story of the parents of the Bridget Jones producer Jonathan Cavendish, who formed a company, Imaginarium, with Serkis in 2011. 

Cavendish’s father Robin, was paralysed from the neck down after contracting polio in Kenya, in the late 1950s when his wife Diana was pregnant. The film shows how Robin and his family coped with paralysis and how he helped change the way that polio sufferers could live, by asking his band of eccentric friends to come up with inventions to enable him to leave hospital and live life at home. 

Serkis met Cavendish in 2009, just after he had completed filming King Kong, by which time he had realised that there was a gap in the market for a UK based performance capture studio. In 2007, after the success of Lord of the Rings, Serkis was approached by Cambridge based video games designers Ninja Theory to direct performance capture sequences for their flagship game Heavenly Sword. “When it came to shooting the sequences that we rehearsed, there was nowhere to shoot it, so rather ridiculously, I had to take the whole team to New Zealand,” says Serkis. “I came out of this experience thinking this is crazy, especially as the technology, software and cameras were all made in Oxford and Cambridge.” 

Garfield as Robin Cavendish with Claire Foy as his wife Diana in romantic bliss before he is paralysed in 'Breathe'

A friend suggested that Serkis meet with Cavendish. “I had been looking at the market and it seemed to me that TV, film, games, virtual reality and artificial intelligence were moving closer together and visual storytelling was going to change,” says Cavendish. “And then of course Andy was world leader in performance capture.” 

At first most of the jobs came about because people wanted Serkis to be the performance capture actor in their films or wanted to ask his advice on how it should be done. Serkis gave advice to Mark Ruffalo when he was preparing to play Incredible Hulk in Avengers 2 by telling him to wear weights to get a sense of the bulk of Hulk and changing his voice and having him play with his digital avatar so he knew what his digital avatar looked like, as he was prancing around in a digital costume.  He also consulted on Godzilla and Star Wars

The big advantage of shooting creatures using humans is that it helps the other actors on set, says Serkis: “Peter Jackson fully understood the notion of how can you expect an actor to act and give a real performance. It’s impossible. In a way they then have to act two characters, themselves and what they are acting against.” 

Serkis (centre) in 'War for the Planet of the Apes' 

I ask Serkis if it is odd that he has become famous for playing characters masked by digital effects. He argues that he doesn’t see a difference between performance capture and traditional acting. “You work in the same way as you do on a traditional set, all that is different is that you’re dressed in a digital costume and the make up happens after,” says the actor. “You are on set for six months and you are the guardian of the character. Performance capture is not fixing something in post, you have to get the performance on the day.” 

Born and raised in Middlesex, his mother was English and his father an Iraqi gynaecologist of Armenian descent, Serkis says in hindsight that perhaps he was destined for a career, where performance capture would be a big component, even if it was an unconscious decision. “It can all sort of make sense now,” he says. “Because I went to Lancaster University to study visual arts and I ended up constructing a degree which is called Theatre Design and Movement. I did a production of Raymond Brigg’s The Tin-Pot Foreign General and the Old Iron Woman which was done with puppetry and movement, and performance capture seemed like an extension of what I was doing.” 

Serkis in motion caption as Supreme Leader Snoke in 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' 

Cavendish had wanted to tell the story of his parents for a long time. He commissioned William Nicholson to write the screenplay of Breathe and then showed it to Serkis,having now worked together for a number of years and built not just a studio for performance capture, but also a separate production company. “I would have let many people direct it,” says Cavendish. But I knew that Andy would direct it brilliantly, and he has an experience of disability with his sister suffering from multiple sclerosis and his mother taught disabled children. And then when we were in post-production on Jungle Book, both Garfield and Foy became available and we had a small window of opportunity.” 

That created a mad rush to raise the £8.7 million budget for the film. Despite being the world leader in performance capture, Serkis’ name meant very little as the director of a period drama, especially as Jungle Book kept on being delayed.

Tim Haslam of Embankment Films who provides financing solutions for films explained their conundrum, “Serkis is well known actor, but he was still notionally a debut director.” This was in April 2016, by the time the Cannes film festival had finished in May, the film had been funded and would shoot in the summer. Serkis had something to occupy his creative mind through the  Jungle Book delays. 

These are the type of problems and issues that Serkis will have to start getting used to, as he sees his immediate future as being behind the camera, rather than in front of the camera. He wants to direct a performance capture version of George Orwell’s Animal Farm and also turn The Beggar’s Opera into the first performance capture musical. But he insists that Breathe will not be an anomaly and that he will also make films that do not rely on the technology he has become famous for. “In the near future the concentration will be more on the directing. The wheels are oiled now.“

'Breathe' is out on 27 October 

Մեկնարկեցին Սուրբ Ղազար կղզում Մխիթարյան միաբանության հաստատման 300-ամյակին նվիրված միջոցառումները

Please find the attached press release of the Ministry of Diaspora.

Sincerely,
Media and PR Department
(+374 10) 585601, internal 805


Մխիթարյաններ-300-20-10-2017.docx

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Chess: Armenia chess team coach: European Championship won’t be easy for us

MediaMax, Armenia
Oct 19 2017
Armenia chess team coach: European Championship won’t be easy for us

Head coach of the team Arshak Petrosyan told Mediamax Sport that the players are in a good mood ahead of the tournament.

“We have both physical and chess training. We start with the exercises in the morning and continue with chess playing and analysis in the second half of the day. We haven’t been to a team championship for around two years, but we’re all in a good mood. Naturally, it won’t be easy, the strongest teams will be competing there,” said Petrosyan.

Four team members are veterans: Levon Aronian, Gabriel Sargsyan, Sergey Movsisyan, and Hrant Melkumyan. They’ve been playing for the national team for many years now. The newbie is this year’s Armenian champion Hovhannes Gabuzyan, who’s been called to the team for the first time. “Hovhannes is a great guy. He makes fast, smart moves. We’ll see how he performs,” said Petrosyan.

The Armenia team will travel to Crete on October 26. The European Team Championship will kick off on October 27 and finish on November 7.

Unseen Armenia: Artsakh Wine Festival, Togh village

BY HOVSEP DAGHDIGIAN

It would have been hard to imagine a more suitable site for the September 16 Artsakh Wine Festival than Togh village in Artsakh’s Hadruit marz (district). It is easily accessible; there is one main road through the village. In the village center is an expansive preserve containing extensive remains of the medieval residence and administrative structures of the Dizak meliks; Melik Yegan and his successors. Togh and much of the Hadrut region was part of a medieval region called “Dizak.”

Much of Karabakh was ruled by five medieval princes called “meliks.” It is believed that many of the meliks were descendants of earlier Armenian nobles. Though there were perhaps 100-200 meliks according to some sources; five meliks, called the “khmsa melikoutyounner” (“khmsa” is “five” in Arabic), were the central governing body with Melik Yegan (Yeganyan) and his successors being the chief among them. The Togh site is being preserved and renovated with a descendent of Melik Yegan overseeing the restoration. Numerous signs, both in English and Armenian, are posted with historical notes, photographs, and diagrams explaining the history and architecture of the site.

The meliks were established from the 15-18th century when Persia was in conflict with the Turks for control of the area. Local Armenian rulers, allied with the Persians against Turkish rule, were given autonomy by the Persians and allowed to maintain armies, all of course subservient to Persian authority. Persian Nadir Shah (ruled 1732-1747) approved the confederation of the Khmsa Meliks in the medieval principalities of Gulistan, Jraberd, Khachen, Varanda, and Dizak; all in Artsakh, headed by Dizak’s Melik Yegan.

The main 2-story building at the Togh site was the palace was built in 1737 by Melik Yegan, the son of a priest. Other structures include reception halls, and the 17th century Saint Hovhaness church above the palace complex. There is the possibility that an earlier church existed on the site. Near the church are gravestones of the Dizak meliks. The site abounds in other structures as well.

At the wine festival there was, of course, wine tasting with opportunities to purchase local wines. Food was in abundance with kebab, khorovats, corn, with the specialty being Togh’s unique harissa (“korkot” in the local dialect) made with pork as opposed to the traditional use of chicken or lamb. Numerous local handicrafts, pastries, preserves, etc. were also available. But most impressive was the singing of patriotic songs both by individuals and groups as well as dancing by local youth groups. A young man sang songs from Sassun which, like Artsakh, is mountainous with its people fiercely defensive of their liberty. I could not imagine a more apt location for such a festival. Simply to hear the music, soak up some history, and jostle in line to get some harissa, was a unique and rewarding experience.

More information on the Meliks of Artsakh is available from a number of websites. In English there is Raffi’s “The Five Melikdoms of Karabagh (1600-1827), Armenian Literature in Translation”, translated by Stepan Melkonian, 2010, Taderon Press.

Բռնություն, որոշումներ կայացնելու ազատություն, ամուսնություն. Ինչպե՞ս են ապրում հայ կանայք

  • 29.08.2017
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  • Հայաստան
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Ներկայումս Հայաստանում կանայք միջինում ունենում են 1.7 երեխա: 2000 թ-ից ի վեր ծնելիության մակարդակը մնացել է կայուն: 

ՀՀ Ազգային վիճակագրական ծառայության կողմից հրապարակած «Ժողովրդագրության և առողջության հարցերի հետազոտություն 2015-16. հիմնական արդյունքներ» զեկույցում նշվում է, որ ծնելիությունն էապես տարբերվում է ըստ մարզերի՝ Արագածոտնի և Գեղարքունիքի 1.1 ծնունդ մեկ կնոջ հաշվով գործակիցներից մինչև Տավուշի 2.4 ծնունդ մեկ կնոջ հաշվով գործակիցը:

Ծնելիությունը նվազում է կնոջ կրթական մակարդակի աճին զուգընթաց: Այսպես, միայն հիմնական կրթություն ունեցող կանանց շրջանում այս գործակիցը կազմում է 2.8 ծնունդ մեկ կնոջ հաշվով, մինչդեռ բարձրագույն կրթություն ունեցողների շրջանում՝ 1.6 ծնունդ մեկ կնոջ հաշվով: 

Հայաստանում կանայք և տղամարդիկ գրեթե նույն տարիքում են սկսում սեռական կյանքը: 25-49 տարեկան կանանց և տղամարդկանց համար մեդիան տարիքն առաջին սեռական հարաբերության ժամանակ 21.2 է: Սա նշանակում է, որ կանանց և տղամարդկանց կեսը սկսում է սեռական կյանքը մինչև 21.2 տարեկանը, իսկ մյուս կեսը՝ 21.2 տարեկանից հետո: Հիմնական կրթություն ունեցող կանանց շրջանում մեդիան տարիքն առաջին սեռական հարաբերության ժամանակ 18.6 է, մինչդեռ բարձրագույն կրթություն ունեցողների շրջանում՝ 23.9: Որևէ հստակ կապ առաջին սեռական հարաբերության ժամանակ տղամարդկանց տարիքի և նրանց կրթական մակարդակի միջև չկա:

Կանանց մեդիան տարիքն առաջին ամուսնության ժամանակ 21.4 է, այսինքն՝ սեռական կյանքը սկսելուց հետո՝ կարճ ժամանակ անց: Տղամարդիկ ավելի մեծ տարիքում են ամուսնանում. 30-49 տարեկան տղամարդկանց շրջանում ամուսնության մեդիան տարիքը 25.9 է: Կանանց մեդիան տարիքն առաջին ամուսնության ժամանակ կտրուկ աճում է կրթական մակարդակի աճին զուգընթաց՝ կազմելով 18.8 տարի հիմնական կրթություն ունեցող կանանց շրջանում և 24.1՝ բարձրագույն կրթություն ունեցողների շրջանում: 

Կանայք առաջին անգամ ծննդաբերում են ամուսնությունից հետո մոտ 1.5 տարի անց. մեդիան տարիքն առաջին ծննդաբերության ժամանակ 22.8 է: Մեդիան տարիքն էապես փոփոխվում է ըստ մարզերի: Այդպես, Գեղարքունիքում բնակվող կանանց համեմատությամբ՝ Երևանում բնակվող կանանց մեդիան տարիքն առաջին ծննդաբերության ժամանակ մոտ 3 տարով ավելի է:

Հեղինակները նշում են, որ դրամական վարձատրություն ստացող ամուսնացած տասը կանանցից 9-ը որոշում են, թե ինչպես են օգտագործելու իրենց վաստակածը. նրանց 28 տոկոսը որոշում է ինքնուրույն, իսկ 67 տոկոսը՝ ամուսնու հետ համատեղ: Կանանց երկու երրորդը վաստակում է ամուսնուց ավելի քիչ:

Բերվում են տվյալներ նաև բռնության ենթարկված կանանց մասին: Այդպես, երբևէ ամուսնացած յոթ կանանցից մեկն ամուսնու կողմից ենթարկվել է բռնության որևէ տեսակի՝ զգացմունքային, ֆիզիկական կամ սեռական: Կանանց 8 տոկոսը ենթարկվել է ամուսնական բռնության վերջին 12 ամիսների ընթացքում:

Արարատում երբևէ ամուսնացած տասը կանանցից երեքը ենթարկվել են ամուսնական բռնության՝ համեմատած Սյունիքում կանանց մոտ 1 տոկոսի հետ: Ամուսնու կողմից բռնության ենթարկված կանանց մասնաբաժինը նվազում է կնոջ կրթական մակարդակի աճին զուգընթաց՝ կազմելով 24 տոկոս հիմնական կրթություն ունեցող կանանց և 9 տոկոս բարձրագույն կրթություն ունեցող կանանց շրջանում:

Ինչ վերաբերում է սեռական բռնության դեպքերին, ապա զեկույցում արձանագրվում է, որ 15 -49 տարեկան կանանց 1 տոկոսը երբևէ ենթարկվել է սեռական բռնության, իսկ 1 տոկոսից պակասը ենթարկվել է բռնության վերջին 12 ամիսների ընթացքում: Կանայք Արագածոտնում ամենաշատն են ենթարկվել սեռական բռնության (4 տոկոս): 

15-49 տարեկան կանանց 6 տոկոսը 15 տարեկանից սկսած երբևէ ենթարկվել է ֆիզիկական բռնության, իսկ 3 տոկոսը ենթարկվել է բռնության վերջին 12 ամիսների ընթացքում: Կանայք Արագածոտնում ամենաշատն են ենթարկվել ֆիզիկական բռնության վերջին 12 ամիսների ընթացքում (14 տոկոս):

Նշվում է, որ երբևէ ֆիզիկական կամ սեռական բռնության ենթարկված կանանց 29 տոկոսը բռնությունը դադարեցնելու նպատակով դիմել է օգնության, մինչդեռ կանանց նույնքան մասնաբաժինը երբեք չի դիմել օգնության, սակայն որևէ մեկին պատմել է բռնության մասին: Ֆիզիկական կամ սեռական բռնության ենթարկված 10-ը կանանցից 4-ը երբեք չեն դիմել օգնության և ոչ մեկին չեն պատմել բռնության մասին:

Sports: José Mourinho praises Mkhitaryan: ‘We now understand each other’

The Guardian, UK

Aug 25 2017
United manager admits he could have helped Armenian more last season
Zlatan Ibrahimovic ‘won’t be ready’ to play in Champions League group
by Jamie Jackson

José Mourinho has praised Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s start to the season and admitted the forward’s progress could have been quicker last season if he and the Armenian had understood each other better.

Mkhitaryan has began United’s 4-0 wins over West Ham United and Swansea City in the No10 berth, impressing in each outing. Last term Mkhitaryan did not make his full United debut until Manchester City’s visit on 10 September and disappointed the manager enough for him to be replaced at half-time.

Asked about the 28-year-old’s form now Mourinho said: “He understands me and I understand him. Beginning of [last] season, if he had understood me better he would start better. If I had understood him better, probably I would have helped him in a faster way than I did.

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“But we spent a lot of time together, working together, learning each other. I know him well. He knows me well. The second part was good for him. With his talent, this season [will be] even better.”

Mourinho offered a similar analysis of Anthony Martial, who has scored in both league games after coming on as a substitute. “Again better,” said Mourinho. “When you are blessed with talent, you have to fulfil and explore it. You cannot be happy with just glimpses. That I am not going to change. I want more and more and more. He has all the qualities for that. He understands me better too.

“Our personal relationship is good. I don’t think player-manager relationship is fundamental but it is an added good thing to have a good relation. I hope he will be better this season than last.”

On Saturday Leicester City travel to Old Trafford for the late kick-off. The 2016 champions have started the season well, losing narrowly to Arsenal at the Emirates and beating Brighton at home. Mourinho said: “It is the same team as they were two seasons ago [when they were champions]. After what they did, [we could probably] could feel that they would not be champions a second consecutive season. Are they going to be champions again? Honestly, I don’t think so. All the other teams are not all going to fail.”

Mourinho welcomed the news that Zlatan Ibrahimovic has signed a one-year deal to return to the club. “He won’t be ready for the group phase of the Champions League,” he said. “No chance of that. Hopefully he can play in the knockout stage but for that we have to finish in the top two of the group.

“I don’t want to think about when he is back. I don’t even ask. I don’t speak with him or medical team. I just think he will be extra man for us in the second part of the season. The second part is normally January when the transfer window reopens.

“But I have no idea at all. I think the right way is not even to think about it. Let him do his work, step by step and come back when he is ready.”

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/aug/25/manchester-united-jose-mourinho

Zartonk Daily 24.08.2017

Սիրելի Ընթերցող,

 

Կցուած կրնաս գտնել «Զարթօնք»ի այսօրուայ թիւին կապը:

 

Շնորհակալ ենք, որ ընտրած ես «Զարթօնք» ընթերցել:

 

Սիրով՝

 

«Զարթօնք»ի Խմբագրութիւն




24.08.2017.pdf

Music: Evening of Ukrainian music was held in Yerevan House-Museum of Sergey Parajanov

ARMINFO News Agency, Armenia
 Monday


Evening of Ukrainian music was held in Yerevan House-Museum of Sergey Parajanov

 Yerevan August 21

Alina Hovhannisyan. On August 19, an evening of Ukrainian music was
held in the Yerevan House Museum of Sergei Parajanov. In a close
circle of friends of the Ukrainian Diaspora in Armenia, the vocal
ensemble "Dnipro", which turned 20 this year, performed a number of
folk songs under the artistic direction of Nune Aroyan. During the
music program, Ukrainian writer Mikhail Kotsyubinsky - "A Writing
Board", sounded a famous song from the cult film by Sergei Parajanov
"Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors" on the motives of the same story.

"I am very happy that we managed to organize such a wonderful evening
today," Zaven Sargsyan, director of the museum house, said in his
welcoming speech, noting that he was a longtime admirer of Ukrainian
music. He noted that Sergei Paradzhanov was the person who could unite
around him people of different nationalities, in particular Armenians,
Georgians, Ukrainians, Russians, etc. "This is exactly the feature
that is extremely necessary in our days and which can exclude enmity
", Z. Sargsyan stressed.

For her part, the head of the NGO "Federation of Ukrainian Armenians"
Anna Harutyunyan noted that Paradzhanov was a close person for her.
Having Armenian-Ukrainian roots, Mrs. Harutyunyan's childhood passed
in Tbilisi, in the same area where Sergey Josifovich lived. She noted
that S. Parajanov united people with his love, creativity, and,
despite all the difficulties that he had to go through, he remained a
cheerful person. "I like the phrase that Sergey Yosifovich said about
himself most of all:" I am an Armenian who was born in Tbilisi, who
was imprisoned in the Ukrainian prison for Ukrainian nationalism, "A.
Harutyunyan cited.

At the evening there were also official guests, including employees of
the Embassy of Ukraine in Armenia. "I've been in Armenia for more than
a month and I want to say that I'm just delighted with the Armenian
people," said Taras Yakovenko, advisor to the Ambassador of Ukraine to
the RA for cultural issues. Expressing gratitude to Mr. Sargsyan for
the initiative in organizing the evening of Ukrainian music, the staff
of the Embassy of Ukraine noted that the Museum really has a special
spirit. "Sergei Parajanov was and remains the cultural bridge that
unites Ukraine and Armenia," he stressed.

It is noteworthy that both the members of the Ukrainian community and
the Armenians attended the event in the House-Museum of Sergei
Parajanov, who attended the event with the aim of getting closer to
Ukrainian culture.

To remind, by the decision of the Armenian government in 1988 the
museum of S. Parajanov was founded in Yerevan. The earthquake in 1988
delayed construction, and the museum was opened only in 1991. The
basis of the meeting is more than 600 works of Parajanov. Now, the
museum's collection consists of about 1,400 exhibits.

Zartonk Daily 22.08.2017

Սիրելի Ընթերցող,

 

Կցուած կրնաս գտնել «Զարթօնք»ի այսօրուայ թիւին կապը:

 

Շնորհակալ ենք, որ ընտրած ես «Զարթօնք» ընթերցել:

 

Սիրով՝

 

«Զարթօնք»ի Խմբագրութիւն




«Զարթօնք»ի այսօրուայ` 22.08.2017 թիւին կապը.pdf

Armenian President instructed to keep in the center of attention issue of development sport tourism in the Republic

ARMINFO News Agency, Armenia
August 17, 2017 Thursday


Armenian President instructed to keep in the center of attention issue
of development sport tourism in the Republic

Yerevan August 17

Marianna Mkrtchyan. Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs Hrachya
Rostomyan reported to the head of the state about the achievements of
athletes involved in the programs for state action in the European and
world championships, the further steps taken to strengthen these
achievements during the working meeting with the President of Armenia
Serzh Sargsyan.

According to press service of Armenian Head, Rostomyan also reported
about the works implemented in such directions as mass sport, youth
sports and youth policy, about the problems existing in the above
areas, as well as the implementation of systemic changes to eliminate
them, the introduction of new programs.

The Minister noted that, in addition to the current programs, the
ministry headed by him developed and implemented 7 new regional mass
projects involving representatives of different social strata from all
age groups, as well as persons with disabilities, and children in need
of care. Rostomyan was instructed to work to increase the involvement
of participants in the "Best Sports Family" competition, annually held
under the patronage of RA President and other mass events.

The minister assured that thanks to the implementation of new
programs, the number of participants in mass events throughout the
country would reach 85 thousand people by the end of the year. He also
said that the Ministry had developed the concept of "Development of
sport for disabled people", "Development of domestic sport", "National
program for the dissemination of mass sports and physical culture".

President of Armenia instructed to keep the issue of development of
sports tourism in the republic, accelerate the development of the
concept of Development of sports tourism and discuss the issue of
creating appropriate conditions for promoting the development of ski,
water and other relevant sports, and opportunities to improve existing
conditions. Another presidential instruction concerned work to
increase the involvement of professional athletes with disabilities
from Armenia in international competitions.