Production Paradise

Production Paradise proudly presents the first issue of Showcase Paris to coincide with the launch of our new Paris directory.

The French capital is a superb city for filming and shooting: world-famous locations, great style and an extensive choice of high-quality visual media companies, the best of which are in our new Paris directory at www.productionparadise.com.

For your diary:

• The Trash exhibition - at La Maison Européenne de la Photographie until 03 June - Bruno Mouron and Pascal Rostain went scouting for celebrity garbage...
• Vogue en Beauté - from 12 June to 02 September at BNFParis, features fashion photography from 1920-2007
• The Puces du Design flea market, at Quai de la Loire, 1-3 June - antiques, fashion, vintage and accessories from the 40s, 60s and 80s

Our cover was shot by Javier Vallhonrat [Michele Filomeno] for Vogue UK.

par photography/photo agents: MICHELE FILOMENO

Michele Filomeno is based in New York, Paris and Milan, and represents 14 internationally renowned photographers: Alexia Silvagni, Christophe Kutner, Claus Wickrath, David Ferrua, James Macari, Javier Vallhonrat, Jean-François Campos, Juan Gatti, Peter Lindbergh, Philipp Von Hessen, Serge Barbeau, Sophie Delaporte, Stefano Galuzzi, and Tiziano Magni.

Recent editorials include: Elle, Vogue, Arena, New York Times, Flair, Harper's Bazaar and GK.

Latest campaigns: Lancôme Hypnôse, Saloni, Pirelli, Donna Karan, Trussardi, H&M, Rolex, Boss and Givenchy.

par photography/photographers: TONY KIM

Tony Kim's photographs are a reflection of his cultural diversity, and he tells us, 'I seek to apply a Zen-like balance to the essential elements - light, form, scale, and composition - while at the same time bringing an understanding of Western culture and styling to my work'.

The result is uncluttered images that are crafted in every detail while still maintaining the modern look and feel of today.

Tony has contributed to publications such as Allure, W magazine, GQ, Surface, Upstreet, Gloss, Jane, Vogue Australia. And his advertising clients include Bergdorf Goodman, Theory, Neiman Marcus, Paper Denim, Shiseido, Redkin and Lee Jeans.

He has photographed numerous celebrities including Janet Jackson for Jaguar, Heidi Klum for W, Cyndi Lauper for In Style, Nelly for Complex magazine and Chloe Sevigny for Deutsch.

par photography/photographers: YVES LAVALLETTE

Yves Lavallette - born in Nevers, France in 1960 - had his first pictures published at the age of 16, after which he worked with fashion magazines in France and abroad including Harper's Bazaar, L'Officiel, Max, Pictured, Jalouse and Elle.

Yves works as an artistic director 'from concept to final product' for clients that include Thierry Mugler, Cop-Copine, Orange, Luisa Maria Lugli, Max Chaoul, Nora Attalai, Odile Lançon, Poles, Bruno Saint Hilaire and Rizal.

His news is that he just completed work on Thierry Mugler's latest worldwide campaign. He also has a new agent in Germany - Célina Stromeyer Fotografenservice in Munich.

par photography/photographers: CHRISTIAN GAUL

Christian Gaul's recent work has been very eclectic. It has included:

• Shooting the Vogue cover with Brazilian actress Camila Pitanga
• photographing a shopping mall campaign with the elderly
• Oestudio's latest campaign just published in Japan
• An editorial shot on the coastline of Rio de Janeiro for Spanish Yo Dona
• An ad campaign for Renner
• Swimwear catalogue for Vix, for whom he also just photographed another campaign in Los Angeles - according to Christian, the layout is still being prepared and it should be out soon. 

Christian is currently in Paris. Watch this space for more information...

par photography/photo agents: LAURENCE BONDUEL

Laurence Bonduel is an agent based in Paris since 1994. She mainly represents London based photographers working in the advertising industry, including Andy Barter, Chris Frazer Smith, Kevin Griffin, George Logan, Nigel Millard, Peter Rad and Allan Stone.

• One of Peter Rad's recent commissions includes this large scale multi-image campaign for Orange, shot in Buenos Aires.
• Andy Barter's new portfolio is a combination of very abstract, modern and elegant personal work, and design led projects for clients such as Cassina and Wallpaper. This, along with his clean lighting and composition, has created what many think as his best work yet.
• Chris Frazer Smith has just returned from a two week shoot for Lilly on a Diabetes Awareness campaign shooting over 50 portraits on location in the New York tri-state area.
• George Logan has shot a new series of images for his 'Translocation' animal project and has recently worked on campaigns including O2, Ribena, Eurostar, Corona and Qantas.
• Finally, Blaise Arnold, a new French photographer in the team, doing beauty shots.

par photography/photo agents: IMAGINATIV' PRODUCTIONS

Imaginativ' Productions is a Paris-based photographers' agent and production company, with a goal 'to create, in films and photography, strong images with a high emotional and quality value'. Its creative team covers everything from artistic direction to production and art photo exhibition projects.

The company represents photographers in cars (including CGI technology), landscapes and people as well as film directors in all kinds of art forms.

The company's team of photographers and film directors is comprised of 19 artists working worldwide (Stuart Hall, Garry Owens, Tim Kent, Simon Stock, Rodney Smith, Bo Hylen, Christopher Thomas, Darran Rees...).

Notable projects include Mercedes, Nissan, Canard Duchene, Lacoste and McDonald.

par photography/photo agents: FLORA MAFFI

Flora Maffi comes from the world of advertising, where she was an art director with a love and passion for photography that have have helped her greatly as a photographers' agent.

Her work on car accounts across Europe also explains why she has many car photographers on her roster.

She tells us that she loves to discover new talents as much now as when she was an AD, saying 'I talk to the heart of the art directors of the world, and offer my expertise and foresight as a complement'.

Her most recent work was for Nissan Europe (E-Graphics) and Renault France (Publicis).

par creativity/art direction: CHRISTOPHE DURAND

'A love of fashion, a passion for images and a taste for the spectacular!' - these, says Christophe Durand, are the keys to describing him and his work.

He has mastered the art of juggling a multitude of roles. As a true chameleon, he can combine the role of hair stylist and make-up artist with that of fashion editor and can move seamlessly to art director for a cosmetic brand, or event organizer.

As art director and marketing adviser, his international client list includes Sony, Ebel, Bourjoirs, Barclay as well as publications like GQ, Elle, Cosmopolitan, Profil Femme and Les Temps.

Catwalk show organisation includes Thierry Mugler, Paul Smith, Christian Dior, Paco Rabanne, Ford Super Model, Sotheby's and H&M.

People: Jane Hitchcock, Kathleen Chaplin, Maggie Cheung, Natasha Vojnovic, Jacob Hlasek, Ronaldo, Adriana Karembeu, Linda Hardy, Eva Herzigova, Maria Shaparova and Gong LI.

par talent/artists & stylists: CORINNE LUCQUIAUD

French stylist, Corinne Lucquiaud says that she has always loved fashion and art.

She started out in the fashion world in New York and continued her work as a stylist when she returned to Paris. She was a milliner for Chanel, Lagerfeld, Alaïa, Mugler, Valentino, Ungaro, Jean-Paul Goude... and then moved to South Africa for a while before returning to be a stylist for personalities, designers and fashion companies.

Now working globally, Corinne is based between Paris and Lisbon, and has recently been in a close collaboration with Giambattista Valli as well as styling for magazines such as Which, Spoon, DS and Soon.

par production/photo production: JPPS PHOTO PRODUCTION SERVICES WORLDIDE

JPPS is a Paris-based production company that specialises in personalised, high quality services for photo productions.

Whether shooting in France or worldwide, the company's multilingual skilled team provides 'precise knowledge of geography, logistics and international location possibilities'.

Client references include Harrods, Diesel, Max Mara, H&M, Rolex, Renault, BMW, Citroën, Peugeot, Perrier, IBM and Orange.

mar production/photo production: EASY PRODUCTION

Photographic production company, Easy Production, covers the south of France where it is sunny 300 days per year.

It has over 45,000 pictures of locations and 400 private homes and spaces available, and offers a personalised service with the added luxury of French cuisine.

Client references include Air France, Toyota and Façonnable (shot by Serge Barbeau) campaigns as well as many catalogues like Boden, La Redoute, and editorials such as D Magazine (Italy) shot by photographer Mary Rozzi.

par production/commercial production: ORANGE FILMS

Orange Films is a film production and service company headquartered in Paris, and with an office in New York.

Since it was set up more than 10 years ago, Orange Films has been offering the whole range of production facilities in commercial, TV and feature film production, corporate and print.

par production/movie production: PIERRE GIRSE

" La Liste de Carla" is the newest film being distribuited in France by Pierre Grise Distribution/ Productions.
The movie is about the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, one woman fights for justice and the extradition of the last remaining war criminals on the run. Their names are Ratko Mladic, Radovan Karadzic and Ante Gotovina, wartime leaders of Bosnian Serbs. Her name is Carla Del Ponte, the Swiss-born, chain-smoking chief prosecutor.

Directed by Marcel Schüpbach
Written by Marcel Schüpbach
Cinematography Denis Jutzeler
Editing David Monti
Sound Christophe Giovannoni
Music Michel Wintsch
Original Version French/English/Bosnian (French subtitles), colour, 35mm, 100 min.
Production CAB Productions SA Télévision Suisse Romande Radiotelevisione Svizzera di Lingua Italiana
Producer Gérard Ruey , Jean-Louis Porchet
World Rights CAB Productions SA
World Sales Wide Management Entreprise SARL
distribution in France : Pierre Grise Distribuitions

par photography/rental studios: ZAZOU´STUDIO

Zazou Studio has three studios each with different dimensions, as well as an indoor swimming pool, for use for photo shoots and commercials.

It is the first studio with a swimming pool with all the necessary equipment for shooting over or in the water.

The studio was created based on the "Home Studio" concept, and production teams tell us this makes it 'very comfortable - like working from home'.

par locations/hotels: KUBE

Situated in the heart of the XVIII arrondissement, close to Montmartre, KUBE is tucked away in a quiet street, sheltered from the city's crowds.

Its historic façade hides what is described as 'an innovative and high tech universe': 41 rooms and suites, THE ICE KUBE (the city's first ice bar). There is a lounge bar, two state-of-the-art screening rooms and a gym.

Harmonious loft-like spaces spread around an open-air courtyard, reflecting its contemporary surroundings and fashionable atmosphere.

par food/restaurants: KONG

Kong restaurant, at Kenzo's headquarters facing Pont Neuf, is described as 'the fight between the Moderns and the Classics' - the classic of a geisha against the modern kawaï from Omotesando.

Here is a list of features as eclectic as the restaurant itself: The most beautiful view of Paris; A new Starck story; Gold sofas; A field of orchids; A Louis XV DJ; A very 'Zen' pebble rug; One-arm chairs; A dishevelled geisha; Punk walls; Beatrice Ardisson; An elegant Parisian; A sumo lavatory attendant; A racoon.

This unexpected atomic cocktail is the essence of Kong, a new place full of surprises.