“Yes I am a dreamer. For a dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world.”

–Oscar Wilde

This was the first sentence and quote I read, when sent the film brief and script for the next Naudic campaign, Love Story Part 2. It’s obvious to call this blog post “Behind the Scenes” of our Naudic Campaign film, but I like to give more, as I enjoy writing to share the experiences that happen in the moment, connecting the travel, the business, the people and filming. To bridge the gap between these moments, so you can also enjoy. To call it behind the scenes, would not do it justice, because it was more than that.

So there will be a little bit of everything to show what can happen, when you wait for the right moments, mix Australian, Indian and Parisian creatives together for 5 days in Paris. I like connecting the dots, looking back, taking perspective after the experience. Rewind, quite a few years, the top photo is me at 24, in Paris for the first time. Free spirited, educated, wilful, trusting people and the future, no set plans, had experienced my first start up business in Biotech, in no rush, always ready for fun and I made my own clothes, as you can tell in the photo. I didn’t need alot but I had a knowing there was always more for me.

Fast forward to now and this is the dream, mixing the lifestyle I like to live, how I spend my time, with whom and my passions rolled into a business to grow and give back something meaningful.

The next Naudic film, “Love Story Part 2”, will be ready in a few weeks, you’ll be taken on a surreal journey through the streets of Paris from sunrise to sunset, and much more. I can’t spoil the surprise, as the end result will also be a surprise for me. However, I can guarantee it is worth waiting for and it will make you feel like you’re watching a trailer for something bigger. While we are waiting, I will write about what happened, during the magical days in Paris and countryside France, to fill the time gap.

You know when something good happens, something you’ve kind of been waiting for nearly your whole life, or for as long as you can remember, then it’s over and you reflect and go “wow did that really happen”? That’s how this felt. Time doesn’t stand still but what we do with our time, makes a difference to what it feels like to be in the flow, fulfilled and shining your brightest self, then one spark ignites another.

The People behind the film

Keyur, the Director, the catalyst and person who brings Naudic to life through film, flies into Paris 6 days before Day 1, to meet the Parisian production crew on the ground, to finalise castings of the two actors, a girl, Valentine and a boy, Antione, scout out and confirm locations in Paris and surrounds. India and European visa technicalities made the arrival one of the hardest days in his life when customs delivered the news that he might not get in. But when Keyur is on a mission he never gives up, even after 16 hour days the cast and crew were still listening, responding and not complaining, a hint at how good he is.

Savio, the Producer, the rock, arrived 24 hours before me, to handle any project and language misinterpretations or hiccups, smooth things over, also to keep a mindful and caring watch over our first overseas filming project, Savio has a fun and diplomatic way of making sure we get exactly what we want, while on the ground. He also knows when to turn the volume up on the music beat box, crave up the dance floor like no-one else, and navigate the complicated Paris Metro.

Emma, (me) the Designer, the connector, with Naudic sample suitcase, excitedly flew to Paris, outfits grouped into scenes, Subway Scene, Party Scene, Bathroom Scene and so on. I landed early Friday morning, accommodation had been a little bit mixed up, but luckily for connections, I was welcomed with open arms and amazing hospitality into a unit I was told has a “lucky” energy. The minute I landed, I wanted to be in amongst it all, couldn’t wait to meet the actors, do fittings, hair and makeup, the camera crew, art crew. For the 5 days, I had the full spectrum of emotions, and loved every single second. It was like living years into 10 days. I didn’t sleep much, didn’t need to, because the living battery was always 80% charged.

Amongst our group there were 3 languages spoken Hindi, English and French, repeating things more than once, twice, more than three times was not uncommon, to be sure we were all on the same page, no-one (ok maybe just one) lost their cool during the whole time. Our common thread was filming and to dance, I just love it when the guard comes down and the dancing begins. We danced in forests, on the streets, in the castle during one of the scenes, in a pop-up club. Music, shared playlists and food bonded and connected us with fond memories, during the week.

If you can dream it, you can achieve it. We dreamt of doing a Naudic film in Paris. I can go back a few months, maybe one year. I’m not exactly sure of the moment when Keyur shared his idea, saying something along the lines of this is how we need to do the next Naudic film, it had a storyline, it had a destination, it had moments, and it had Naudic and lifestyle. All made sense, lets do it.

Day 1/5 – The streets of Paris.

Watching Naudic and the creative teams come to life in Paris. Heaven to the eyes and a pleasure to write about, I didn’t want to blink just in case I missed something, and I took way too many behind the scenes photos, but why not, we will never have these moments again.

LOCATION 1 // STREET - GIRL ALONE Pont de Bir-Hakeim 75015 PARIS (near Métro Bir Hakeim)

LOCATION 2 // STAIRS – GIRL ALONE Allée des Cygnes 75015

LOCATION 3 // AFTER THE PARTY & BOY ALONE 16, Avenue du Président Kennedy 75016

LOCATION 4 // AFTER THE PARTY Carousel Avenue des Nations Unies 75116

LOCATION 5 // AFTER THE PARTY Avenue de Camoens 75116

On the side in Paris

French friends invited us to a popup dance party in the outskirts of Paris as an icebreaker into the Parisian nightlife, warm fire pits outside and rainbow coloured smoke machines inside. On the first morning arrival I was welcomed by a French display of croissants and breakfast cakes, to a dinner party later in the week, with real cheese souffle and French champagne eaten in the golden hour of a European summer, with warm yellow light filtering through the apartment windows.

In Brittany we were welcomed by the most charming French waiter at 11pm one evening, he kept the restaurant open for us, so our hungry and tired film crew could eat, the party started with the funky-ist playlist rocking in the background that nearly had us dancing on tables if we weren’t so hungry, some of us were still eating at the same time.

Day 1 finished around 11pm, we went home to sleep for a few hours before the sunrise of Day 2 broke in the early hours of the European morning. Day 2 next week.

Take away learnings from the first day.

We are in this together, how we show up, even in the uncertainty, helps us grow and move forward. Lets make hero’s and shine together.

And yes this was written by a dreamer, who wants the best for everyone.

love Emma x

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