RICHMOND, Va. (WTVR) - British actor Alan Rickman offered his intense, expressive and deliciously subtle talents to a film project called "Portraits in Dramatic Time," created by David Michalek this year. The short film of Rickman making hot tea explores a range of emotions, and only took about 10 to 15 seconds in live action to film using stationary, ultra-high speed, high-definition cameras. "Portraits in Dramatic Time" performers like Rickman were given only about a ten feet by ten feet workspace in which to briefly act. Michalek says, "Within these constraints, dramatic narratives were condensed down to an essence. Each scene-sequence of drama was crafted to provide a physical metaphor for an emotional condition."
Rickman's contribution to the project shows him calmly making hot tea. Upon being discovered by the viewer as he makes his tea, he displays a range of emotions from surprise to outrage, ultimately culminating in Rickman upending a table toward the viewer. Rickman then serenely returns to his seat in triumph. "Mind Heist," music selected from the movie "Inception," plays during the entire sequence.
Alan Rickman began his acting career at the Royal Shakespeare Company, and has since been in well-known film hits like Die Hard, Harry Potter, Sense and Sensibility, Sweeny Todd, and Dogma.
The series of short artistic films were first presented at the 2007 Lincoln Center Festival, and more pieces, including the latest Rickman tea time film, have been added to the "Portraits in Dramatic Time" collection. CLICK HERE to learn more about the project.
Carrie Rose
