Impossible Voyage

The Impossible Voyage Production

I composed a new electronic music score for the film of George Méliès ” Impossible Voyage” (1904). George Méliès was a French filmmaker famous for leading many technical and narrative developments in the earliest cinema. He was an innovative master in the use of special effects.

The project was initialized by Mr Daniel Kapelian, head of audiovisual and new media at French Embassy of South Korea and “Institut Français de Corée du Sud”. The film was shown to the audience in Seoul and Busan in October 2011 and I played live my music to accompany the movie during the performance.
I really enjoyed the Geoge Melies Impossible Voyage project. I’m honored to compose a music for this more than 100 years old fantastic masterpiece.

At the ages of silent film, the story of the movie was only expressed by the gestures and moves of the actors. I composed the music in a similar way as for a modern ballet. In each scene of “Impossible Voyage” one can see the characters moving and gesticulating, expressing their feelings with their bodies. I created rhythms synchronizing their gestures and making them move like dancers.

The music consists of five parts: The Preparation, The Escape, Into The Sun, Under The Sea, The Return.
Each part is written in an electronic music mood with beats, sonic atmospheres, sequences, gimmicks, special effects. I also used some ethnic samples of my recordings sessions of musicians from all over the World.
This new colorized version of the film, restored by Lobster Films – Paris is a 20 minutes story.
I played live for the opening ceremony inside Seoul Station of the exhibition “Souvenirs From Earth”.I also played on the 5th of October 2011 and for overture of the French Night the 8th of October at Busan International Film Festival.

For the performances I  used Ableton Live running on a Mac Book pro with an Akai apc40 as midi controller.

These events were sponsored by Louis Quatorze. It is an amazing lifestyle brand marrying traditional craftsmanship with a modern twist.

Impossible Voyage / Korean Tour

It was a busy time full of performances, press conferences, interviews and meeting about Impossible Voyage Project with many interesting people.
My stay in Seoul started on 27 of September with a press 
conference organised by the French and German embassies in South-Korea.
The following days I spent by visiting many art exhibitions and receptions in Seoul. It’s an amazing city of full of interesting and innovative pieces.
My first performance took place at Seoul Old Railway Station on 5th of October during the opening ceremony of the “Souvenirs from Earth” exhibition.
 During the ceremony, I performed live a music I composed for “Impossible Voyage” a masterpiece of Georges Méliès (1904).