RSS 2.0 - All Content feed for Kandahar Break

Director speaks on Taliban attack on film crew

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 20:23:16 PDT

In this exclusive video interview with movieset.com, David Whitney retells the astonishing behind-the-scenes story of "Kandahar Break".

Behind the scenes photo for Kandahar Break at MovieSet.com

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 19:12:47 PDT

Film director breaks silence on Taliban film

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:00:00 PDT

By Quinn Bender
movieset.com

With four wounded and production terminated just six days before wrap, filmmaker David Whitney and his team had to escape from Pakistan when Taliban soldiers opened fire on four crew members near the set of Kandahar Break.

In this exclusive video interview with MovieSet.com, Whitney retells the astonishing behind-the-scenes story and explains why he deemed it necessary to film the movie in Pakistan. Watch the interview here.

David Whitney on The Making of Kandahar Break videoclip

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 17:59:41 PDT

Director of "Kandahar Break" David Whitney talks to MovieSet about shooting the film in Pakistan, the cast of the film and his love of adventure.

Post Production in final stages

Fri, 5 Jun 2009 11:31:45 PDT

Kandahar Break now in final stages of Post Production

After a gruelling shoot in Pakistan and Tunisia, the filmmakers returned to the UK to edit Kandahar Break, and the final cut was delivered in March. The film is now in the colour grade, with visual effects being added to enhance certain shots. "Our film is not laden with VFX", commented Director David Whitney in Manchester. "But there are certain shots that we want to improve or enhance by adding VFX subtly in the background. For example, I want to add a couple of buildings in the back of a wide shot, to make the city of Kandahar look bigger. The place we used for Kandahar was much smaller than the real place, but we want to create the look of a city of 300,000 people."

The audio is also being mixed, to incorporate composer Mark Adair's new score, and remove the temp score used to cut the film. "We used all kinds of great music to create the right feel during the cutting process, from John Williams Munich to pieces from The Usual Suspects and Jarhead", said Whitney. "Mark has used this inspiration, blended it with his own creativity and ideas, and produced a stunning new score that I'm delighted with. It hasn't been tough to get rid of the old temp stuff, as Mark's new score has fit perfectly".

The final posting process should be completed by July.

Lunch

Fri, 5 Jun 2009 10:49:39 PDT

Lunch on set in Pakistan

Tunisia

Fri, 5 Jun 2009 10:45:49 PDT

Cast and crew check playback, in Tunisia

Actor & Director

Fri, 5 Jun 2009 10:45:10 PDT

Actor Dean Andrews (left) with Director David Whitney in the desert

Actor & Director

Fri, 5 Jun 2009 10:44:44 PDT

Actor Shaun Dooley (left) with Director David Whitney

Shooting

Fri, 5 Jun 2009 10:44:02 PDT

DP Russell Nabb prepares a shot in Quetta, Pakistan

Action scene

Fri, 5 Jun 2009 10:43:26 PDT

The Camera Operator prepares for a hand-held action shot

On the set

Fri, 5 Jun 2009 10:42:50 PDT

Dean Andrews (right) waits for another set-up

The cast and director

Fri, 5 Jun 2009 10:38:59 PDT

The cast, with the Director, taking a break during filming in Kanak

Make-up

Fri, 5 Jun 2009 10:28:41 PDT

Actor Rasheed Naz in make-up on the set of Kandahar Break

In the mountains

Fri, 5 Jun 2009 10:26:36 PDT

Director David Whitney looking for shots in the mountains of Balochistan

The Filmmakers in Pakistan

Fri, 5 Jun 2009 10:20:04 PDT

The British film crew (with Hameed Sheikh, bottom row far right) in the mountains of southern Pakistan

Behind the scenes on Kandahar Break

Fri, 5 Jun 2009 10:13:21 PDT

Director David Whitney on set

Taliban Terror

Fri, 5 Jun 2009 10:03:37 PDT

Pakistani actor Shister Khan in action as the Taliban enforcer Ziaullah in British film "Kandahar Break"

Film crew attacked in Pakistan

Fri, 5 Jun 2009 00:00:00 PDT

Kandahar Break film crew flee Pakistan after attack

The British film crew working on Kandahar Break were evacuated from Pakistan after four Pakistani members of the team were shot in Kanak, in the southern state of Balochistan. All four survived the shooting, and were immediately taken to hospital. The incident occurred during a night shoot on the 22nd day of a 30 day shoot, when a minibus taking the four men was fired upon as it left the crew compound to visit the nearby film set. The attackers then fled the scene. The State government of Balochistan immediately sent a heavily armed police unit to escort the crew back to the city of Quetta, 2 hours away. The Brits then flew back to Islamabad, before returning to The UK the following day. The injured Pakistani crew members recovered and are now safe and well, whilst the attackers have never been publically identified, but the authorities in Pakistan suspected a Taliban link to the shootings.

Upon returning to the UK, the filmmakers cut three quarters of the movie from the material they already had, and presented a rough cut to the investors, who then released more funds to finish the shooting in Tunisia. The British crew and cast, plus 6 Pakistani actors, then re-united in Tozeur, Tunisia, to finish the film.

Go to the link below to see a BBC news story about the incident.