Hide and Seek (2012)

Directors Comments

A story like this stands on a tricky spot.It is at the same time belivable and completelyfanstastic.So to make such a story seam organic the director can go into two completelyopposite directions.One is to make the film highly stilyzed,therefore making the viewer acceptthe premise as a part of a game.The other way would be to shoot the film in an almostdocumentary manner so that an illusion of athenticity is achiaved.The trick is that by standingbetween these two chairs it is extremely easy to fall. I beliave I have had my fair share of fallswith this one,but at times also managed to ride the wave.Personally I have chosen a lessstylized approach.We did have rehearsals but only enough to outline the actions.During the actual shoot I wouldask the actors to do something that differed from what we have been doing in rehearsals.Iwanted to make them live their lives infront of the camera ,not to act out rehearsedpeaceas.The camera would be a hidden observer.Since the film is told from the perspective of a little girl,originally the plan was not to let theviewer witness some scenes but just be comfronted with the facts that these scenes bring.Likemothers coma ,for instance.The girl does not know how her mother got to the hospital(although I did have these scenes written down and know perfectly well what and howhappened to her) so we ,taking her perspective,also dont have this knowlege.We just see thefact.Everything that happens - happens to the main character,we dont have much moreinformation then she does,which is just enough to take step foprward but also enough to getlostjust as the character does.