“Les Elephants Bizzares” are five guys willing to do anything to sing. After practicing hard for five years and working even harder to get their album ready, they’re now tasting the success of their work. Their first hit, “Hello Says the Devil”, was chosen as a theme-song for a Pepsi commercial which, I think you’ll all agree, is a great big deal at this point.

On a roll, they have just shot their second video. This one is for the song “The Boys” and it is going to be launched in February 2011. All I am going to say about it is that you’ve never seen anything like this before in Romania and it will definitely blow some minds in the industry. But let’s talk about how they did it because you’ll find out how great things can be made by a handful of very talented and devoted people.

Wake up call: 5:00 am.

Meeting time: 6:00 am.

On set: 7:30 am.

From now on all hell lets loose! As we’re in a forest a few good kilometers away from the city there’s no turning back.

This is their second day of shooting but at a new location. For me, it’s the second time I take part in a video shoot. The first time it was for a short movie so happily I already have an idea of what will happen here.

They start getting ready. Make-up and costumes first while the director and director of production (DOP) establish angles, light, positions and other things normal mortals like me do not understand. The first shooting session starts around 9:00 am and lasts for five hours. Everything is done as fast as possible, using as few words as possible and everyone knows exactly where they should be. There is some shouting: “Move out!” “Quiet on the set!” “Make-up!” “Costumes!” “Get the mouse!” “Clear the set!” “Action!” “Cut!” “Next!” “Go!” “Ready?” “Camera?” “Action!” And run, run, run. We all laugh when there’s a few seconds break but it’s an intense day and this goes on until the sun sets.

The band had a concert in Sibiu the night before so most of them haven’t slept at all. It’s unbelievable how strong the human body can be and how amazingly well a small and well driven team can work.

The director, Ismail Jamaludin, a young and incredibly talented lover of arts from Malaysia has had the opportunity to work with the band before as he directed their fist video for the song “Hello Says the Devil”. He says “Working with a small crew is not as simple as it sounds! But it leads to a more trusting group. It’s very hard, since you have to divide the work amongst each other, and treat each other with respect, and help out when you can. It’s less of a group and more of a family. You don’t want to let anyone down and you want to give it your best.”

Alex Popa, who signs this project as executive producer for the first time says pretty much the same thing: “The relationship between the members of the crew tends to be more friendly than business oriented”. He has been working in this field for about five years and this was his first video. He said he was very happy with his crew: “Indeed, they are young but we worked together exceptionally”.

I cannot talk about the concept of the video, but as I previously said, it’s going to be something completely different from the usual Romanian videos. The credits for the concept divide between Ismail Jamaludin, Alex Popa and the costume designer, Neli Chiu, a visionary and a very talented, experienced and professional costume designer. She has worked wonders with those costumes and you will definitely agree with me soon enough.

A highlight of the shooting? “Let’s say the members of Les Elephants Bizzares dancing in the middle of a field at 7 am after they spent the previous night on the road coming back from a concert in another town is an image I will surely not forget very soon.” says executive producer, Alex Popa.

Being asked what he had learnt from this shooting, director Ismail Jamaludin says “Hmmm. The first thing would be never to underestimate the power of duct tape to fix life’s problems”. Haha! But the second more serious note is working in a crew. People respond more to a smile and a question, rather than a frown and an order. You have to treat your crew with love and respect, much like how you treat your brother or sister”.

I hope we’ll hear only good things about this small family created on the set and honestly, I’m sure we will hear their names again pretty soon.  I don’t know what you guys feel, but I can’t wait to see that video and to listen to their next big hit!

Bucharest Expat Contributing Author

-PocketGirl

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A very smokeless atmosphere with a mixture of excellent music prompted us to stay and have another beer and order a meal. While the restaurant carries no specific theme, it does have some great “antique postcard” wall covering with old-feel laminate plank flooring, and really, really cool looking menus (bring your reading glasses though).

We deliberately ordered, for the benefit of our readers a wide range of food from Carne la borcan cu mamaliga si usturoi (pig cooked, stored in fat then finished off when ordered) very, very nice crispy pig!! Mamaliga, well I have always said it tastes like the foam seat  from the back seat of an old Dacia , but others here said it was excellent..I had Chinese chicken and was suitably impressed, the service was decent, but carried a Romanian twist. We ordered an appetizer of Brushetta, and wera caught a bit off guard when the plate came. We had asked the quantity (as there were four of us) and he told us it was an order of four. Perfect. When the order arrived, we received 3… where was the 4^th one was,? as they were in triangles cut from a square piece of bread!  “aahh that’s for the next portion”… I love this place!!!!

It actually was amusing, seeing the waiter gave the worst excuse in the world.

This aside, we had a very pleasant evening, and as I said, plenty of smokers, but smoke free..

Well worth trying for a bite to eat. Also of note… check out the “way cool” upstairs which is a newly opened bar, full of nice open door rooms and cuddies, ideal for a weekend evening out, we will report more once we know!

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Well, we wound up down a little back street popping off Calea Victoriei where it appeared as though we had “made a wrong turn”. But indeed we hadn’t. On the front of one of these little back alley buildings was a tiny staircase under a lit sign that led you downstairs to lounge called Limelight: Piano Bar (do not attempt any ascent or descent on these stairs while drunk without the proper use of THE RAILING).

Once downstairs we were greeted by a very non-crowded bar. We meandered our way towards the right rear where we had a great view of the 2 vocalists, one playing acoustic guitar, the other on an electronic piano (placed strategically behind a grand piano that served dual purpose as a bar… hence the name).

Although we were seated on comfortable red plush seating in a private corner reminiscent of all things Mafia and Godfather, the music was actually THAT GREAT that we grabbed our cocktails and sat ourselves up at the “Piano Bar” itself midway through a song by “The Police” where you would have sworn Sting himself was leading the song. Some AC/DC, Crowded House, Aerosmith, and Frank Sinatra songs later, we paid off our moderately priced tab and headed home.

Definitely a place you will see me again. Bravo to this location. It’s a shame the marketing and branding is kept such a secret here, as it truly left me with zero disappointment. Check it out.

Limelight Piano Bar

Calea Victorie nr 100

0213 150 938

0728 726 077

office@piano-bar.ro

www.piano-bar.ro

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1. Bellagio Club Experience

My wife and I went there last night with a friend of ours from the states. They were having a  grand re-opening party last night (Not sure why they were re-opening, maybe seasonal,  maybe due to renovations? I did not get straight answers when I inquired).

We were at Bellagio regularly last year (last December-ish) and the experience was light years  better than the experience of last night. The have moved the once impressive stage away. the  stage in now a small box centered in the middle of the bar island, as well as some strange and small upper corner stage towards the rear of the building. All areas can be seen in the club as it does have an excellent, open layout.

So with the diminished stages and degradation in the choreography, the “show” just isn’t a “show” like it used to be. Its just dancers. Male and Female dancers. I do have to give them credit last night, as one of the laminated glass sections of the stage shattered while they were dancing, but they continued on over another section of the stage without any issues or interruptions.

The show started around 1:30, however we got to the club about an hour and a half early to ensure 3 seats in a row at the central bar around the base of the stage. Getting your own table is not only pricy, but in my opinion a complete waste at this club especially, as once the club fills up your table becomes “overflowed” with non-paying patrons pushing their way through. Everyone stands up as well, so actually “sitting” on your couch at the table is great only if you intend on getting so drunk you cannot stand anyways. You won’t see any dancers. So get their early and look for me at the bar. It’s the best of both worlds. Expect to pay around 10 Ron for a beer, and double that for a cocktail. Prices here seem to have jumped a bit, which is something I can say is NOT commonplace across the club scene as a whole. All in all, Bellagio is worth the visit, you certainly will not regret the experience.

Clubul este situat in soseaua Stefan cel Mare Nr.31 [ intersectie cu Lizeanu ] Puteti cere informatii sau face rezervari la numarul de telefon: 0722 323 324
E-mail: office@bellagioclub.ro

Check out the sidebar photo album for some Bellagio Pics.

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