BEHIND THE SCENES:

Video Udates
MICHAEL TRAN
RONALD OTERO
HELI SHOTS (Jan 11 and Oct 11)
FILM CREW AT WORK
RADU OLTEAN AT WORK: 1 video) and 2 artwork
ION GRUMEZA (Historian)

2012

Sept/Oct/Nov/Dec - Florence, Sibiu, Bucharest, Boston, Washington
- Screenings

Apr/My/Je/Jly/Ag/Sept - Boston, Massachusetts

- Editing
- First rough cuts / Script
- Editing work / 3D graphics


Apr - Bucharest, Romania

- Completion of illustrations by Radu Oltean


Feb / Mar - Boston, Massachusetts

- Five month editing phase begins


Jan 29-Feb 11 - Romania

- Filming in Bucharest and Zarmizegetusa zone (Costesti, Blidaru)



Jan 15 - DelRay, Florida

- Updating with "Dacia" author Ion Grumeza



Jan 15 - Boston, Massachusetts

- Editing starts with thumbnail scene photos for Chapter One ...



Jan 12 - N. Scituate, Rhode Island

- Filming stone carving of letter in Roman typeface



2011

Nov 20 - San Francisco, California

- Interview with Prof. James Packer expert of Trajan Forum



Oct 1-20 - Romania

- Filming: Danube Iron Gates, Sarmizegetusa, and Bucharest




Sept 25-30 - Rome. Italy

- Filming: Trajan's Colum & Arch of Consantine



Sept 12 - Boston, MA

- Identifying scenes for filming in Rome



Aug 23 - Uncasville, Connecticut

- Testing gyrostabilizer



July 15-Aug 6 - Romania

- Filming in Sarmizegetusa zone



July 1-14 - Boston, MA

- Planning film structure, shooting schedule for July/Aug period



June 22-25 - Racos, Romania

- Filming Radu Oltean at Racos Fortress archaeological dig



June 5 - Sighosoara, Romania

- Ben Mehedin, friend and mentor of Nicholas D., joins the team as advisor on people and culture



June 5 - Boston, MA

- Meeting of production team in Boston; decision to complete the documentary



May 22 - Cioclovina Cave, Romania

- Death in accidental fall by Nicholas Dimancescu while filming



Apr 27 - Boston, MA

- Equipment discussion/rental at RULE, Boston



Apr 8 - Washington, DC

- Meeting with David Hamlin (NG); Ernest Latham, Historian



Mar 18-30 - Romania

- Meeting with archaelogists Florea, Gazdac, Mateescu in Cluj-Napoca
- Visit to Dacian 'dig' at Racos
- Mtg videographer Nora Agapi in Bucharest



Mar 16 - Boston, MA

- Meeting with archaelogist Andre Gonciar re current Dacian "digs' in Transylvania



Mar 13 - Delray, Florida

- Discussion with Ion Grumeza, author of "Dacia" published in 2009 (see video clips)



Feb 28 - New York City

- Meeting with contacts at Sundance Channel



Jan 23 to Feb 8 - Bucharest, Romania

- Initial working discussions between Nicholas Dimancescu and artist Radu Oltean about themes, artwork, archive and expert sources
- Pilots Sorin Pintea-Dobrin and Adi Posedaru discussing flight route from Bran, Romania
- Initial winter helicopter filming over Carpathian Mountain sites
- Flight team; Nicholas and and cameraman Andreas Popa



Jan 12 - Washington DC

Meeting at National Geographic Society (film/tv divisions)



Dec 1 - Bucharest, Romania

- Brainstorming documentary ideas, scenario, themes
Informal meetings at NG with David Hamlin (producer "Migrations") and with Wilbur Garrett (ex-NG Magazine Editor) and Ken Garrett (NG photographer)
Click on Radu Oltean artwork to enlarge
Pilots Pintea-Dobrinn and Posedaru in Bran; helicopter team; and ND with Andi Popa, cameraman
Ion Grumeza
Andre Gonciar
Radu Oltean in Racos; N. Dimancescu with Nora Agapi in Bucharest
Prof. Cristian Gazdac, N. Dimancescu, Dr. Razvan Mateescu, Prof. Gelu Florea, Radu Oltean and D. Dimancescu
Lft: Ernest Latham; Mid/Rt: David Hamlin at National Geographic (Wash. D.C.)
At RULE, Allston (Boston), MA
Top: Production team in Boston offices of Kogainon Films to plan completion of documentary "Decoding Dacia":
Mihaela Ramulescu, Dan Dimancescu, Kyle Brandse, Ronald Otero. Michael Tran, Alex Carlsson, Nora Agapi, Cristian Lascu (Natl Geog, Ed)

Left: Article with news of accidential death of Nicholas Dimancescu at Cioclovina Cave / IN MEMORY

Ben Mehedin (Sighisoara) and when traveling with Nicholas D. in 2006 to meet UNESCO 'Living Human Treasures' in northern Romania
Lft: Valley below Racos Fortress
Rt: Radu O. 'on the road'
Left: C. Lascu and Prof. Ghinoiu (ethnographer)
Mid: Film crew & panorama towards Piatra Rosiei Fortress
Rt: Temple site at Sarmizegetusa

VIDEO of the crew
Dan M. creating 3D graphics
Kyle B. testing gyro stabilizer at Gyromounts, Connecticut
CLICK here for more
Identifying specific scenes on the Trajan Column for filming '
CLICK on photos to enlarge
Helicopter filming over Dacian fortress sites: Michael T.; Kyle B. with Gyro equipment; and at Bucharest Museum filming Trajan Column copies
Trajan's Forum in Rome; Nora A. filming; Trajan's Column; Ronald O., Kyle B., Maria del Moro (Forum Museum), Dan D., and Leonard Velcescu (Dacian statue expert)
See more exceptional carving for the documentary at Stone Carvers llc in Rhode Island
CLICK on photos
Lft: CLICK on photo to enlarge

Rt: Author Ion Grumeza
CLICK on photo to enlarge
Lft film crew: N. Agapi, D. Marino, D. Weber, R. Oltean, E. Latham, D. Dimancescu, & M. Tran in Costesti (Sureanu Mnts region) ...
Lft: interview with Prof. Ernest Latham (Bran)
Rt: meeting with Prof. Anisoara Sion (Bucharest)
Meeting Natl Geog editorial team (Bucharest)
Rt: Best Visuals are selected along thumbnails of related scenes
Lft: First weeks of editing timeline
Beginning of late nights and fast food ...
Left: filming old maps in Concord, Mass.; Below: Oltean Illustration detail; scheduling work sheets; recording script
Left: Final editing checklists

Midd: Domnica Macri (Natl Geog Mag), Tim Lefort, Kyle Brandse (front), Dan Marino, MichaelLeft: First script recording Tran, & Mike Carroll
Middle: with historian Ernest Latham in Boston

Below: Dan D. fact checking
Left: Screening at The National History Museum in Bucharest, Romania
Click on photo for more details
DECODING DACIA: Trajan's Invasion of 101-106 AD