SimplyAbuDhabi V

140 S IMPLY ABU DHABI The intricate technique of time lapse filming is a carefully mastered skill for which Slovenian born Beno Saradzic has become globally renowned amongst the time-lapse, photography and filmmaking communities. The Time-lapse technique is fairly simple – a number of photos are taken of one scene at regular intervals, over a period of time then taken to an editing suite to be sped up – giving the viewer the impression that time is flying by. Despite the apparent simplicity of the actual technique, the process of putting it together is a lengthy and painstaking one, hence why the photographer needs a real enthusiasm for their subject matter. As an exceptionally talented filmmaker and photographer living and working in Abu Dhabi, Beno has an infectious passion for his time-lapse film production and his work has received great critical acclaim. Capturing a Changing City Using the complex time-lapse filming technique, Beno Saradzic produced Abu Dhabi 2011, taking thousands of pictures at fixed locations to show the movements in a city that has altered beyond recognition over the past 50 years. Beno’s short time-lapse film set in Abu Dhabi is rapidly becoming a local internet phenomenon with dramatic scenes that capture the city of Abu Dhabi at its most dynamic. In just minutes of footage, it shows planes landing at the airport, the sun setting over the Corniche and the shifting colours of Emirates Palace’s dome. The film cleverly and magically transforms the ordinary aspects of everyday life into something exciting and extraordinary. Thus the usually perceived hindrance of busy traffic in a small city becomes something mesmerising, as do the lights flickering on and off in the residential apartments. Opening with a striking montage of black-and-white photos and video footage of Abu Dhabi from the sixties, in fewer than four minutes, this enchanting piece of production shows sequences from different vantage points in the city that rapidly evolve into present-day images. Despite its brief nature it required 21,000 images and countless hours of hard work. Watching the short film clip seems to fill the viewer with awe as they marvel at the wonder of life in this beautiful city, capturing the vibrant energy of the dizzy heights of the architecture and the bright lights. Totally transfixing, the film has promoted a sense of national pride as Abu Dhabi’s population realised what a truly special and fascinating city they lived in. A remarkable masterpiece, we simply had to find out more. We were honoured to have the chance to find out what inspired Beno Saradzic and discover the intricacies involved in his stunning time-lapse production. Let’s Meet the Man behind the Magic Is time-lapse photography something that you’ve always been interested in? Since arriving in Abu Dhabi, I have worked as an architectural illustrator, a pre-visualisation artist and a 3D CGI animator. Since 2007, I’ve been a filmmaker, art director and photographer at TimeSand Studios but I had no experience in this method of cinematography. In just eight weeks I went from being a complete newcomer to becoming a time-lapse photography expert. It is a medium which has a profounding hypnotic effect on the audience. It’s exciting, spectacular and surprising. Through a process of trial and error, I literally learnt on location and my skills improved on a daily basis. What motivated you to use Abu Dhabi as the subject for this film? Having spent half my life in Abu Dhabi, I consider it to be as much of a home to me as my native country of Slovenia. Under the leadership of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al Nahyan, the founding father of UAE, this country underwent a dramatic transformation after the discovery of oil and from the desolate and forbidding desert sprang an innovative, ultra-modern country with futuristic cities. Since 1991, I have seen this incredible city completely transformed from humble origins into a vibrant and bustling metropolis, home to some of the world’s tallest towers. That is quite a story – a miraculous one that I felt compelled to tell. What was it about Abu Dhabi that you hoped to convey? Having lived in the capital for over two decades, I have come to view it as a living, breathing organism. I work in the city myself and have seen its residents constantly darting around. The people and the traffic are the lifeblood pumping through the streets and alleys of this busy city. I wanted to encapsulate the rapid movement of city life and challenge people’s perceptions of the place where they live and work. This stunning time-lapse film certainly represents Abu Dhabi in a different light. It was my intention to change people’s perceptions, to amaze them. We are hard-wired to view the world in a certain light so the film set out to alter perceptions. Changing the way people look at things, the reflections of cars speeding by on the windows of flats suddenly take on the image of sparkling diamonds. The film shows Abu Dhabi from some awesome angles. How hard was that to capture? It took quite a lot of determination to gain access to some of the buildings where filming took place. I had to contact the developers’ marketing departments, project management offices, construction sites and safety departments before I was allowed on top of the structures. I was fortunate in that I managed to secure permission to film many of the sequences from some of the city’s tallest buildings, including the as-yet-unfinished Trust Tower, in Abu Dhabi’s Central Market. Aldar Properties were very supportive which enabled me to show Abu Dhabi from new heights to take the viewer on a moving journey. BENO SARADZIC SHOWCASES ABU DHABI IN A SENSATIONAL NEW LIGHT