Production Paradise

Welcome to the first edition of Showcase Brussels, brought to you by Production Paradise. We present a selection of the very best companies and individuals working out of the Belgian capital's visual media industry, with more information available in our Brussels Directory.

Be sure to check out our featured events if you're in Belgium this month:

Festival du Film Européen de Brussels, June 28th - July 6th. The 6th edition of the Brussels European Film Festival offers a variety of different genres, from absurd comedies to activist film making. New this year is a section dedicated to Belgian cinema.

Brussels: 1958-2008. Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the World Fair held at the Heizel, exhibitions, events and parties are scheduled throughout the year to welcome back a nostalgic era.

Our cover photo was shot by Bernard Bertrand represented by Unit Creative Managment.

bru film/film production: SAB MUCHO

Since 2001, Isabelle Henrichs, Bernard de Dessus and Johan Knudsen have been producing commercials in Belgium and throughout Europe for clients including Renault, Belgacom, EuroMillion, Eastpak, Samsonite, Ikea, Yamaha, and Toyota Formula 1. The company has also produced videos for Benabar, Benjamin Biolay and Rose, along with TV programmes for ARTE.

Operating in French, English and Spanish, Mucho can offer production services to foreign companies.

Clients include:

• France - Partizan-Producers-Irene-Radical Media.
• UK - Bare Films.
• Germany - Silbersee Films.
• Holland - Kroon-Wissenraet & Associates.

bru photography/photo production: BE VIEW

Brussels-based Be View, a division of Platforme, provides a full range of photo production services across Belgium.

Services include production management, casting, booking, location scouting, styling, hair and make-up, hotel booking, catering, cars and drivers, runners, equipment, permits and insurance.

Belgium is the ideal place to shoot. A compact country means only short distances between a wide variety of locations, providing an easily accessible destination with great services throughout its towns and cities.

Be View has worked with photographers Christophe Gilbert, Marc Paeps, Pierre Pironet, Serkan Emiroglu, and Lionel Samain, amongst many others.

bru production/photo production: GDZ PRODUCTION

Gdz Production is a full service global production company that organises photo shoots and coordination for ad campaigns, catalogues and editorials. The company offers overall production management both on and off location.

Services include:

• Location scouting and permits.
• Casting.
• Technical team.
• Accommodation and transportation.
• Equipment rental, including full digital services.
• Postproduction.
  

bru photography/photographers: LIFE ON WHITE

With over 5000 images of hundreds of different animal species, Eric Isselée's objective is to create the largest collection of animals photographed from the front and against a white background ever amassed by a single photographer.

His team travels throughout the world looking for animals, with each specimen photographed in its own environment so as to avoid any undue stress.

The photographer donates part of his earnings to charities and organisations that deal with the protection of animals.

Both royalty-free and exclusive license images are available on Eric's website.

bru photography/photographers: PIERRE PIRONET

Pierre Pironet graduated in 1998, and after shooting a selection of editorials he began his professional career in photography as an assistant in 2000. His education lead him into the advertising market in which he distinguishes himself through print and poster campaigns, both nationally and internationally.

Since 2003 he has specialised in cars and staged location photography.

Pierre is currently developing CGI techniques and is working on a range of projects in what is a highly advanced field of photography.

bru photography/photographers: FABRICE GALLEZ

Fashion photographer Fabrice Gallez is based in Belgium but works around the world. He is widely known for his dynamic pictures. Fabrice likes creative experiences and has a strong sense for staging his shots.

bru photography/photographers: STUDIO HABOUSHA

Studio Habousha Photographers is a fully integrated and equipped team comprising four photographers, four retouchers and two producers. The company makes up one of the largest photography studios in Brussels and specialises in conceptual advertising and 3D artwork.

The studio is proud of the virtual solutions it offers to its international network: A system is in place whereby art diretors and clients can view the shoot in real-time as it is taking place, without having to travel to Brussels.

For clients who do wish to be physically on set, the studio offers a fully equipped loft space for them to spend the night.

bru photography/photographers: MARC PAEPS

Marc Paeps is a young advertising photographer based in Brussels. Impassioned by his job, he pays particular attention to the preparation and aesthetic order of his pictures, and sees this as a means to emphasize the creative ideas behind the campaigns he shoots.

In partnership with the ad, Marc analyses each individual detail within a picture to ensure that it can be justified as part of the wider message he looks to convey.

Marc primarily works for big international companies, including Playstation, VW, Porsche, Eurostar, and Heinz.

bru talent/model agencies: DOMINIQUE MODELS

Dominique Models is the leading modelling agency throughout the Benelux countries and northern France. The combination of top international talents like Elise Crombez, Hanne Termote, An Oost and Kim Peers with high-level commercial models makes Dominique the perfect choice.

'Touch' represents world-renowned Belgian make-up artists and stylists. 'Dvibe', Dominique's newest department, provides video productions for the Internet using models as ambassadors for everything that the industry stands for: health, beauty, fashion and style.

bru talent/model agencies: WANTEDD STREET CASTING AGENCY

Wantedd Street Casting selects its wide variety of characters directly from the street, providing natural, fresh, untypical faces ideal for any assignment.

The company's databases are updated monthly with fresh new faces, extras and actors available for a range of projects. Working mainly with advertising clients in stills and commercial productions, Wantedd can also take care of video casting and editing if required.

Featured in this Showcase is a range of images from recent projects with top photographers, directors and production companies, including the BETV campaign shot by Studio Habousha with Roger Z.

bru locations/location service and scouts: LOCATIONSHOOTING

LocationShooting is the first specialist agency in Belgium that deals with both public and private property for filming, photography shoots and special events.

The company can handle all types of requests, even the most unusual! Providing a personalised service during all stages of a production, LocationShooting offers a range of customisable options according to individual client needs.

bru locations/rental studios photo: STUDIOS 202

Located in a fully renovated industrial building, Studios 202 have been specifically designed as both photography and motion picture studios.

An area of 1500m2 is broken-down into five fully modular separate stages that can meet various needs and budgets. Wireless connection is available on all the sets, and a local server can be used to store and download digital images.

With an integrated production and postproduction department, the studios also carry a large choice of camera and lighting equipment.

bru locations/rental studios photo: H 2

H2 is a new rental space situated in Brussels, the heart of Europe. H2 is five minutes away from Gare du Midi, the main railway station for incoming trains from all over Europe, including the Eurostar from London.

H2 can be used for photography shoots, film shoots, meetings, seminars, events, parties or any other affair. There is also a fully-equipped loft next to the studio which is available for those in need of sleeping facilities.

bru media/magazines: TOGETHER MAGAZINE

Together Magazine is a top-of-the-range free publication aimed at Brussels' expat community.

The magazine is published six times a year and is distributed near the major European institutions, including The European Commission, European Parliament and European Council. Together is also available in the city's quality hotels and sports facilities, and is distributed during key events. The magazine can be bought from key newsagents across the EU quarter, as well as in Uccle and Waterloo for 2,- euros.

Together is aimed at 25-40 year-old urban high-flyers, with international high-class reportage from three perspectives: News (Belgium's role on the world stage, famous faces in Brussels, regional policy, town planning and development), Business (portraits of leading Belgian players), and Lifestyle (exquisite products, fine dining, a full agenda and other choice leisure articles).