BIKE STORIES VORARLBERG

Watch the first episode of Bike Stories Vorarlberg for free on the platform
EU YOUTH CINEMA - GREEN DEAL

 

 

BREAKING NEWS

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JAN 2024

Festive prize awarding to the projects of Ideenwettbewerb in the old city of Altstatten in Switzerland. We are happy to be one of the recipients, this prize is great recognition for our work, and a stimulus for upcoming cross-media activities, such as Insta clips, podcasts, and photo veloportraits.

velotal-rheintal.com

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DEC 2023

Bike Stories Vbg & Maryna Liapina presenting SJONNIE in TEGEN DE WIND
ft Cloé Prud'Homme.

SJONNIE, in his mid-30s, is a fine, lovable and jovial fellow. Bright, always in a good mood, capable and talented. Someone who puts in a lot of effort but has so far been unsuccessful for some inexplicable reason. Let's call it unlucky. His father is Dutch, and his mother is from Vorarlberg. Sjonnie grew up in the Netherlands and identifies as such. He has lived in Austria for a few years, and as he says, it's just like in The Netherlands, but with the mountains!

Cloé Prud'Homme, French-born, living in Germany in the coastal town Meersburg, on the lake Constance. "Outdoor athlete", passionate and addicted to nature and sport! Trained as a coach and runner in ALTRA Team Red. More about Cloé at @hophophop.trailrun

DORNBIRN is the largest city in Vorarlberg and the tenth-largest city in Austria, and derives its name from 'torrin puirron', thus has nothing to do with "pears" (German "Birnen").

CREDITS & THANKS
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Lukas Szepan as Sjonnie
& Cloé Proud'Homme

filmed, directed & edited
MARYNA LIAPINA
sound recording & sound design
ARTEM YEVTUSHENKO
original soundtrack, vocals & lyrics
BOBBY HEBB, DM & FS
produced by
DENIS MUJOVIC

Heel erg bedankt: Stadt Dornbirn
Land Vorarlberg, Darko Todorovic
Ralph & Stefan - Pedal Piraten
Hop Hop Hop Training
Weidmann Zweirad, cafe Engel
house owner Bödele & Joep van Baren

Hartstikke bedankt:
Marina Deronja, Hedde Meima

This is the 1st episode, in next episode we are taking you to Feldkirch.

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NOV 2023

We are very pleased and honored that our social media content ideas have won one of the Velotal-Rheintal awards, a project to promote cross-border everyday and recreational cycling in the Rhine Valley.

Velotal-Rheintal is an initiative of the state, the canton and the municipalities of the Vorarlberg and St. Gallen Rhine Valley. The aim is to awaken and promote the joy of cycling east and west of the Rhine and, above all, across borders. The valley floor in the Rhine Valley offers the best conditions for using the bike - both for leisure activities and for everyday mobility.
www.velotal-rheintal.com

We look forward to crossing the border and expanding the content of Bike Stories in Switzerland.

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NOV 2023

As we are preparing to film 2 new episodes (spring 2024) of Bike Stories and have initial support from Land Vorarlberg and the cities of Dornbirn and Feldkirch - we are happy that our presenting partner EUYC Green Deal has extended our collaboration and will feature us further on their streaming platform & also in cinemas across Europe, and the films will still be available worldwide.

It is an honor and privilege to be part of a film collection that is empowering the need for green and sustainable future of our planet.

www.euyc.green

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The premiere will takes place on
April 21, 2022 in the beautiful Vorarlberg State Library in Bregenz. Further screenings (Tour de Ländle) throughout Vorarlberg are planned for June and July 2022.

The evening will be accompanied by music, small appetizers, drinks, discussions and moderation by our leading actress CLICK FOR EVENT ON FB


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The Pilot episode from Bike Stories Vorarlberg is finished and right now we are busy with the last post-production before we will premiere it with the live audience in Vorarlberg in mid-December 2021. You can follow the latest developments on Instagram and Facebook. Visit our YouTube channel for clips, teasers and soon the official trailer for the Bike Stories Vorarlberg Pilot Episode.

 

BEHIND THE SCENES GALLERY

(click on the picture for the full gallery on the facebook)
© Miro Kuzmanovic

 

SHORT SYNOPSIS

Synopsis of the pilot episode "Fabricia Rides a Bicycle" Frustrated by her dependence on public transport, the quirky Fabricia explores the historical development of the bicycle in an idiosyncratic way. During her research, Fabricia learns more about the technical workings of the bicycle, rebuilds an early model herself, and meets new friends who have dedicated their lives entirely to the "wire bike." 

Season outlook On her journey of discovery through the cycling cultural landscape of Vorarlberg, Fabricia gets to know all kinds of cycling enthusiasts and realizes that the bicycle can mean not only a means of transportation but also an attitude towards life and an expression of freedom.



PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Our idea is to shoot a 5x15 minute film series that will be broadcasted as a web series, ideally as a TV series. The broader idea is to launch a cross-media project where, for example, impressive locations, exciting bike routes, shopping routes that deviate from the mainstream are created and then presented via social media channels such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, our own website and on partner social media channels. Finally, the routes should be available in an app. Furthermore informative events on the topic of cycling could be organized, where the film series can be shown outdoors, for example, where adventurous activities are to be offered for young people, where a broad and open supporting program may appeal to all age groups.


 

DOCU-FICTION SERIES BIKE-STORIES

Dramaturgy - mixed form of  documentary and fiction. The mixed form of documentary and fictional-narrative elements offers a dramaturgical playground and great flexibility. The cheeky clown character of Fabricia offers the possibility to go beyond a classic "talking head" interview situation with real experts and to raise the interviewees to a human level with humor and inclusion, which emphasizes the conveyed expertise more strongly.

DOCU-FICTION SERIES BIKE-STORIES

The inspiration for this project comes from the Bicycle Anecdotes from Amsterdam. The idea, on the other hand, is based on the television series BOIJMANS TV of the museum 'Bojmans van Beuningen' in Rotterdam, where the authors were able to combine fiction, interview and documentary. With the Bike Stories we want to try something similar, namely to shoot semi-fictional episodes about cyclists in Vorarlberg, where informative, technical, adventure, humor, drama and educational aspects are treated, where actors and amateurs are allowed to share the stage, where we are allowed to look behind the scenes (bicycle workshop, everyday life of the letter carrier). With this project we want to address all age groups and get everyone excited about cycling, especially children between the ages of 4 and 16, for whom we aim to make cycling culture a way of life. So not only will awareness of cycling be raised, new ideas can be developed and implemented as a result, so not only the people of Ländle, but also the state of Vorarlberg will be able to benefit from it in terms of tourism, because cycling is very much in vogue and is enjoying increasing popularity.

 

Greenfilmmaking / Sustainable Production

"Green filmmaking simply means leaving as little environmental impact on the planet as possible during the production of your film. It's a myth that sustainability comes with a price tag, often the opposite is true."

Pathways to Sustainable Film Production:

Production Goes Green
Environmental Steward
Sustainable Filmmaking
Financial Incentives for Films
Fun Incentives for Green
Reusable Bottles
Catering Services
Go Paperless
Trash Recycling
Carpool
Conserve Energy
Digital Communications
Sustainable Resources

Creating this series also means that we will embrace the concept of green filmmaking. This means making this production sustainable and using industry expertise to achieve this goal. We have already teamed up with professionals across Europe and will be working on the details in the pre-production phase. We will also liaise with organizations in Vorarlberg to achieve this goal.

PLANNING PRODUCTION PILOT

Depending on possibilities regarding COVID restrictions. The project was supported by Land Vorarlberg for script development, LOI by Marktgemeinde Lustenau for production and award for best idea by Radkultur Land Vorarlberg. We have secured almost 1/3 of the total budget and are in the process of securing the rest. We hope that we can still shoot and finish the pilot episode by 2021.

AND WE DID!!!!!!! PREMIERE SCREENING WILL BE TAKE PLACE ON APRIL 21st! PEDAL ON FOR MORE INFO!

 


 

bikes & vorarlberg

TEAM BSV


Hanna Mathis
« director & co-producer»

Felix R. Kalaivanan
«creative producer, screenwriter &editing»

simone hart
«cinematogrpaher»


lisa suitner
«lead actress»

katarina mioc
«production»


DENIS MUJOVIC
«producer»

Conny Baumgartner
«sound design»


Fatima spar & PHILIpp MOOSbrugger
«tunes»

Claudia Nussbaumer
«Motion Design»

Daniel steiner
«light design / gaffer»

daniel kainz
«assistant camera»

Katharina koutnik
«AD & unit production»

Nicole wehinger
«wardroobe & props»

victoria grohs
«set sound recordist & soundmixer»

strahinja spasic
«co producer»

TEAM StatementS

HANNA MATHIS
director & Co-producer

Bike Stories is a project that is very close to my heart. The subject matter, the original format and the close involvement of Vorarlberg locations and people made me want to take a leading role in the project from the very beginning. In addition, the core team is formed by producer Denis Mujoviċ and screenwriter Felix R. Kalaivanan, both of whom I appreciate for their work, creativity and human skills. As a director from Vorarlberg, who has already been able to realize and present several film projects in Vorarlberg, it is a great concern for me to continue to maintain contact with Vorarlberg. With the beautiful landscape, the friendly authenticity of the people and the cultural commitment, Vorarlberg has a lot of potential. The Bike Stories tie in exactly here - we want to highlight what makes us Vorarlbergers. The serial mixed format is to be composed of fictional and documentary elements. This is a narrative form that interests me greatly in terms of its artistic freedom and possibility. In this way, the series can have an entertaining, informative, and also authentic character. In the "Moods" we go into more detail about how such an episode can feel and look. Cycling as a core theme, told with the help of the colorful protagonists and lively places, is a very current topic, not only in Vorarlberg, but also climate-related exactly at the "wheel of time". Through my semester abroad in Amsterdam, I myself have learned to love cycling and in Vorarlberg it is still my preferred means of transport. Admittedly, I own three bicycles, in Vorarlberg and Vienna, which all have their own "character traits" and names. The characters of the stories are composed of the fictional protagonists, as well as real people in Vorarlberg. It is important to us to find approachable, authentic, albeit funny, easy-going, extroverted people of different ages for them. For the protagonist "Fabrica", we were able to inspire Lisa Suitner for the project. With her bright nature and her many talents in acrobatics and acting, she will give the role a lot of energy. Lucas Mathis, with whom Felix and I have already worked together, is also planned to play a supporting role. Namely, he will portray a cheeky teenager who is part of a bicycle gang. The series shall stay in dialect to keep the authenticity of the characters and stories. The series shall present entertaining stories and personalities from Vorarlberg in a playful way. Thus, the bicycle theme should become a topic for everyone.


 

Felix Kalaivanan
screenwriter, Editor &Creative Producer

There's something meditative about cycling for me. When the surround sound of the airstream first sounds in my ears and the landscape then passes me by like in a movie, I tend to forget myself. Even when cycling through familiar territory, I experience my surroundings in a very unique way and get to know them anew when viewed from a different angle. The bicycle offers the possibility of a change of perspective, in an ecological and also in a very personal sense. This is also the case for the main character Fabricia in "Bike Stories Vorarlberg". At first, she doesn't seem to fit in anywhere, until she finds her place in the bicycle and the associated community of hobbyists, athletes, environmentalists and freedom-seeking hippies and, by exploring Vorarlberg's bike culture, is able to realize herself and, in the process, get to know herself anew, while she and her circle of friends made up of bike freaks expand and learn a lot about urban mobility concepts. The dramaturgical trick of interweaving fictional and documentary parts has accompanied me in my artistic work since the beginning of my film studies at the Vienna Film Academy. In NEUJOHR (2016), this mixing of formats in combination with the Vorarlberg dialect led to increased authenticity. In the present project, both ingredients come together again. The work on the script for the pilot episode consisted of a lot of research and childlike play with the places and people found: How would bicycle dealer Ralph react if I knocked over his neatly lined up bikes with a little push and the domino effect with little effort but a lot of noise? The idea of casting a clown woman as the main character, Fabricia, sparked my imagination even more. The actress' spontaneity could be an incredible help, especially in the documentary part. A cheekily written fictional character can also liven up drier interviews and explanations by asking unexpected, childlike questions and directly influencing the documented action, creating tension and pace. In the structure and set-up of the pilot episode and the rest of the season, I draw heavily on the dramaturgy and storytelling of German-language children's and youth television. I myself grew up with Tom Turbo, Löwenzahn and Die Sendung mit der Maus and still love these programs today, even as an adult, for their informative and at the same time entertaining way of satisfying my curiosity and making the world more understandable to me, at least on a small scale. For me, the realization of the material about the bicycle culture in Vorarlberg as a series is a new way of working that brings many advantages with it: one can react more quickly to current events and can also respond to the requirements of the respective individual episode with cast and crew, since each episode, apart from the main actors, can be realized by a completely new and specifically assembled team. The dual role of screenwriter and editor gives me the opportunity to subject my own writing to a feasibility analysis after and away from the creative processes on set. As a creative producer with my own directing experience and my knowledge of the Vorarlberg film landscape, I hope to be able to help producer Denis Mujovic with the concrete team composition. Vorarlberg offers so much up-and-coming talent in the film industry and I hope, through "Bike Stories Vorarlberg" to work with as many of them as possible.

 

DENIS MUJOVIC
Producer

EHe grew up in Sarajevo, is a Dutch citizen and lives in Vorarlberg. He studied business administration in Utrecht and completed a short course in video and film production in Amsterdam. In Utrecht, he founded the Eastern Neighbors Film Festival. In 2016 he founded the Dutch Film Days Vienna. In the periode of 2012 -2018 he was the production manager of Let's Cee Film Festival in Vienna and since 2018 co-host of Shortcutz Amsterdam (International Audience Awards Vienna & Dornbirn). Denis participated in award winning productions including 'Joy' which was awarded Best Dutch Production in 2010 or 'Meet me in Venice", a Woodstock FF award winning road movie, as well as Boijmans TV, a TV series that received the Museumprijs. In 2005 he founded the film production company New Ground Productions. His projects include event productions, short and feature films and music videos. With this pilot project we want to develop an idea for a series of 5 episodes and try to attract a local broadcaster, but also reach a wider international audience with options to expand our stories to Lake Constance including Germany and Switzerland. Making this project a cross-media platform would mean integrating other platforms like social media channels, apps for smartphones, exhibitions and live events like Rad.Kino etc. I believe that this project has a great potential to make a nice movie statement that Vorarlberg is a top filming location, and encourage more people to get on the bike and better respect the benefits of this vehicle in the recreational or transportation sector.

 

Production Notes SERIES
(5 episodes)

Bike Stories VBG - Film Series
Docu-Fiction, Crossmedia
Project by Kulturverein NEW:GROUND
Produced by New Ground Productions

finaNcing / pre-production 2021/ 2022
Principal shoot Pilot Episode 2021 / Series 2022
aspect ratio 16:9
Producer DENIS MUJOVIC
Filming Locations VORARLBERG / BODENSEE
Camera DIGITAL

 

 

Contact

THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST! For more information about the BICYCLE STORIES VBG, contact:

Denis Mujovic
Founder, Producer, Project Manager

mail to Kulturverein NEW:GROUND
www.newground.at

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