First, Love?

News

Photos of shoot

Trailer

Synopsis

Cover of movie First, Love?

First, Love? takes us into the world of a young man, Jack, who is on a journey to find a mysterious woman, he met in a bar.

This woman gave him a difficult task to find her number: Jack has to be first or find first editions at places that have a one in their street number.

Enjoying the challenge that comes with this task, Jack is excited to escape his boring work life for a day and starts the run.

While coming across a colourful range of characters throughout the day, he soon realizes that this ride is only about reconnecting with his true self.

After visiting diverse places and shops, he walks into a little flower shop at the end of his day and finds two things he expected the last:
The number of the woman and a pretty flower seller, Laura, whom he falls in love with at first sight. This is the moment where he understands that you don´t have to be first to find what you´re really looking for.

Director´s Treatment

First, Love? is a fresh and modern piece that takes us into the colourful and international world of contemporary London.

Jack, our main character is on a journey to find the number of a mysterious woman he met in a bar. Throughout the day, he realizes that his run is rather about reconnecting with his true self and he starts to enjoy the ride. Finding true love in the end makes him understand that you don´t have to be first to find what you´re really looking for.

This film takes us away from our everyday life and into the world of Jack.
First, Love? has a fully cinematic look, the camera works from unexpected angles, the sound is rhytmic and intense, the editing dynamic.

First, Love? is fast, a ticking clock constantly shows us that Jack plays against time. This film takes us off our seats and just when we think, we can relax for a while, Jack´s run carries us away again.

Our locations all reflect London´s cosy atmosphere and introduce us into the world of bon vivants whose one and only pride is their little shop.
The atmosphere in the stamp shop is a bit neurotic like its owner, the book shop is dusty and unsorted but charming and it seems that the only person who understands its order is the book dealer.
The record shop hasn´t changed its look since the 80s and our French café is a vivid and vibrant place. People come here for years to drink delicious coffee and enjoy their steaming, fresh croissants. This charming place wins people over and takes us into the wonderful world of French cuisine.
All these places are treated like a precious diamond by their owners. They support the charme of the story and Jacks character - he´s nonchalant, charming and a bit clumsy.

We´ve been working with a lot of handheld and POV shots to capture the dynamic of Jack´s journey, predominantly following it from his perspective.
The camera works from unexpected angles which makes us curious to find out what´s behind his task. We´re on search just like Jack, closely accompanying him.
I believe in the power of faces and their expressions which is why we´re using a lot of Close Ups and Mid Shots. This is how we follow Jacks process of finding back himself to the fullest.

Capturing emotions and creating a modern, intense character piece - this is what characterizes First, Love? and these are the most important notes I gave every creative department of this film.

The camera work is dynamic when Jack´s on the run: 360° and car shots capture his action. For the interior scenes, the camera follows the story from fresh angles.
The delicious croissants that are in the window of our café are within our grasp when we follow the conversation of Jack and the saleswoman from outside.
To support the mystery and to activate our own imagination, we´ve been working with a track, moving the camera away from Jack when he talks with the bookdealer about the woman behind his task.

Flowers are a leading motive of the film and subconsciously lead Jack to the flower girl in the end. Shots of flowers or flower motives function as transitions that carry Jack from one place to another, connecting the different locations of his day. They create a rhythm like the ticking sound of the recurring clock.

A dynamic editing style catches our attention but the pace is smooth enough to allow time to reflect. Some well placed jump cuts underline comic moments, such as in the café scene where Jack is looking at the saleswoman who´s pulling faces.
Dynamic editing is essential to support the humour of the scene in which Jack jumps the queue in the supermarket and finds people behind him angrily looking at him. Jack is on the run for a whole day and this is reflected in the editing.
His movement functions as a connecting element, e.g. having a backshot of him running along the street in one scene and cutting to his feet rushing down the stairs of the bookshop in the next.
The split screen that is used when Jack reflects on his day while walking towards the flower shop consists of short flashback sequences that show his joyful ride and the different steps to finally finding back his true self.

The digital clock that fades in at certain points shows how time plays against Jack. Whenever it fades in, the picture freezes and is turned out of focus before we´re thrown back into the story: the freeze is dissolved and the image in focus again. This gives us time to breathe for a moment before we´re on the run with him again.

The use of warm, orange lighting and colour tones gives the piece the cinematic look it needs to take us into another world. First, Love? has comic and romantic elements which are supported by the use of these colour tones.
As Jack approaches the flower shop by the end of the day, it looks like the only light spot in the neighbourhood. The use of bright lighting at certain points underlines the comic, sometimes weird situations Jack finds himself in.

The production design creates a fresh, modern look but also reflects the cosiness of the locations, such as the bookshop. It picks up their atmosphere and supports their unique, sometimes strange character such as the stampshop.
Pink is a colour that ironically follows Jack throughout his day whilst a fiery red stands for the mysterious woman who gave him his task.

Sound plays a major part in the production of this film. The sound of Jack´s running feet, the ticking sound of the digital clock as well as the original soundtrack all have the same rhythm and beat which creates an intense, consistent experience.

Jack is a sensitive person who is receptive to colours, music and visual beauty. The use of these elements shows the intensity with which he experiences his day.

First, Love? involves us visually as well as soundwise - camerawork, sound, the original soundtrack as well as the editing are consistent with Jack´s dynamic journey that finds peace and passion in the end. Time is standing still the moment he realizes that he found back his true self and herein love.

Project Status

First, Love? is currently in Postproduction and will be completed in May 2008.