CLAUDIA TOMAZ
film maker | editor | artist | tutor based in London, UK
Originally from Lisbon, Claudia lives in London. She experiments with fiction and documentary, blending genres, always pursuing and inventing low-budget film making methods. Currently she is develloping her new multiplatform documentary Homes and Housing about the housing crisis in London. Last year she was directing, producing and distributing her web series of short documentaries London ground. In 2006 Claudia founded Holon film LAB where she devellops micro films that she distributes online; the Lab focus on research, collaborations as well as giving workshops and organizing film screenings.
Since 1995 Claudia directed and edited many films, including 2 full-length feature films [Nights, her first feature film, won ‘The critic’s week award’ in 2000 at the Venice International Film Festival, and Us was awarded in Locarno in 2003]. Her feature films were produced by Madragoa Filmes / Paulo Branco and the films were screened in several international film festivals, TV and Cinemas.
Claudia is also a freelancer editor, camera and tutor. She is versatile and dedicated, with excellent Final Cut skills. Since 2004 Claudia is a film tutor; she teaches film to artists, youth and children. Currently she is running a course on 'Creative editing' at Space Studios and she is a tutor at the V&A Museum. Claudia is specially interested in documentary and independent cinema, from socially engaged films to music videos, web series or anything that is challenging.
Claudia's films as Director, Camera, Editor, Scriptwriter
2009-2011 (web series + feature film)
LONDON GROUND web series / experimental documentaries
(ongoing. 12 films are online)
Feature lengh films
NÓS | US 100 min, 35mm, 2003. produced by Paulo Branco | Madragoa Filmes
NOITES | NIGHTS 73 min, 35mm, 2000. produced by Paulo Branco | Madragoa Filmes
Music videos
2010 – ALLERGIC, music video. Studio Rockers (record label), music: Jazzsteppa (London, UK)
2009 – FEEL ME, music video. Botchit&Scarper (record label), music: Flore & Shunda K (London, UK)
Middle/ Short lengh films and Experimental Documentary – since 1995
TIMELESS LAND 35 min, 2009. independent production
ONE LOVE 37 min, 2009. independent production
THE LIGHT SURGEONS 50 min, 2008. independent production
TRAVELOGUE 12 min, 2008. independent production
BALLAD OF TECHNOLOGICAL DEPENDENCY 33min, 2007. independent production
SUBLIMINAL – meditative video pieces 45min, 2006. independent production
SINGING SONGS 50 min 2006. independent production
SEARCHING FOR CHARACTER 25 min, 2001. Supported by Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation
DETOUR 50 min, 1997. Funded by Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation / Suma Filmes
ZÉNITH 6 min 1996. independent production
CLEAR EYES 25 min 1995 Funded by Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation / Suma Filmes
MEMORY 20 min 1995 final film school
2010 – ‘Feel me’ wins ‘war of films’ online contest March edition
2003 – ‘Us’ wins BOCCALINO AWARD, Locarno Film Festival, 2003
2000 – ‘Nights’ wins CRITIC'S WEEK BEST FILM, Venice International Film Festival
2000 – ‘Nights’ is NOMINATED FOR BEST FILM, Gijon Film Festival
1999 – ‘Detour’ wins BIG AWARD OF THE JURY, VideoLisboa Film Festival
1998 – ‘Detour’ wins YOUNG CREATORS AWARD, Clube de Artes e Ideias
2008 - Interdisciplinary and Technological Performance Arts Course at Gulbenkian Creativity and Artistic Creation Programme (10 week intensive course in Lisbon with tutors from Brooklyn College, NY)
2006 - Media Arts studies as an informal student during the period of artist-in-residence at Temple University, Philadelphia, USA.
Studied: 'Interactive narratives' | 'Physical Computing' | 'Neighborhood narratives'
2005 - “Script&Pitch Workshops - European advanced script-writing course“, supported by MEDIA Plus Program. A 8 month course for 16 selected European scriptwritters/director with 3 intensive workshops in Italy, Finland and France.
2005 - Software course on “Dreamweaver” , Pavilhão do Conhecimento de Lisboa
2004 - Masterclass of Cinematography with: Ed Lachman, Il Sung Jung, Walter Carvalho and Caroline Champetier, International Film Festival of Jeonju, South Korea
2000 - Image Workshop with Rui Poças and Sound Workshop with Vasco Pimentel, on the experimental project "Give this manifest a body", Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian.
1998 - AVID editing internership with Pedro Ribeiro, during the editing of the film “Quando Troveja” by M. Mozos.
1996 - 3D Animation Workshop for dance and movement: “Digitalizando o corpo electrónico“. Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, Encounters Acarte. direction: Yacov Sharir.
1993-94 - Parallel studies with Erasmus Grant, Michel Montaigne University, Bordeaux, France
1992-93 - Professional technical course for camera operators, sound and film editing, supported by EU. Textimédia Produções
1991-95 - Graduated in Sciences of Communication and Film, at Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal
2005-2006 – Artist-in-residence at Temple University, Philadelphia, USA. Grant from Calouste Gulbenkian / Flad for a experimental Lab filmmaker project, scriptwriting / research for a new feature film and Media Art Studies.
2005 - “Script&Pitch Workshops - European advanced script-writing course“. Grant from Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation and Ica - Instituto de Cinema e audiovisual
1993-94 - Parallel studies in Film and Audio-visual at Michel Montaigne University, Bordeaux, France. Erasmus Fellowship.
2007-2011
OLD HOME, SUPERHOME – on-going project – short videos for Sustainable Energy Academy website. Videos are about green architecture and ways to reduce housing carbon footprint in at least 60%. Director, camera and editor (London, UK)
2010
DANCE FORMS, Shooting as part of a 3 cameras team. We shot dance tutorial for dance software Dance Forms and a dance piece by choreographer Janet Randell, Walles. (Camera, Sony Z-1)
2010
Filmed Jeremy Paxman at BBC for a fund raising treasure haunt event for charity ‘Crisis’ (camera, Sony Z-1), London
2009
FRAU, interdisciplinary performance integrating movement, live cameras and 3 video screens on stage. by Caroline Mueller / boXd production. Camera and Video Consultant: filming, feedback on the coordination between stage movement and multi-screens + pre-filmed / pre-edited video material and live cameras and video mentoring for dancers. Dance Residence at Dance4, Nottingham, UK
2009
A SENSE OF PLACE, by Teresa Paiva. Workshop assistant & Editor (London)
2008
EDGE, video dance, Pedro Pires. Camera and Editor. (London)
2007
CHANGING THE WORLD ON VACATION, by Daniela Kon. feature / documentary.
Editor (London, UK)
2007
PROMO VIDEO for FairTunes, a charity project providing music studios for people in impoverished communities - Colombia. Editor (London, UK)
2006
DAVID CRONEMBERG PRESENTS WIRELESS INTERNET, by John Gross. Feature. Advisor in the editing (Philadelphia, USA)
1999 / 2001
DAR O CORPO AO MANIFESTO, Curation and coordination. Project of workshops and film / video productions, supported by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. Inviting 6 young film directors was part of the project which proposes to defend, question and look for a place for independent film in a culture of mass media. (Portugal)
1999
PEIXE-LUA by José Álvaro Morais. Feature/fiction. 1st director assistant during the preparation of the film. 6 months. (Portugal)
1998-99
O QUARTO DA VANDA by Pedro Costa. Feature documentary. Director‘s assistant & Camera /sound. 8 months. (Portugal)
1997
RIO DO OURO by Paulo Rocha. Feature/fiction. Scriptwriter, Editor and Director’s Creative assistant. (Portugal)
1996
Camões, Tanta Guerra, Tanto Engano by Paulo Rocha. Cinematographer, camera operator and editor. (Portugal)
1996
Rua do Poço dos negros by Paulo Rocha. Scriptwriter (Portugal)
UK
2011 - 'Creative editing' at Space Studios, London, Hackney - September/October
2011 –‘Museum as film, make your own film trailer’. 2-day Workshop on Filmmaking and Editing - with Simon Woolham at V&A Museum (CreateLive, Sackler Centre) for adults, South Kensington, 1-2 September
2011 - Creative editing at Space Studios, London, Hackney - June/July
2011 –‘Museum as film, make your own film trailer’. 1-day Workshop with Simon Woolham at V&A Museum (CreateLive, Sackler Centre) for 13-19 years-old, South Kensington, 2nd February
2010 – ‘Introduction to video and production of a music video’ Module of the course ‘Introduction to music industry’ a hands-on music, business and video course for young people (13-19 years-old). Students produced their music tracks and made their music video, including filming, acting and editing. Employer: Ignite TV. At Leyton Youth Centre, London
2009 – ‘Micro-cinema’ – a one-day creative workshop on low-budget film making methods; I shared examples of my work, they responded with filming/sound&projections exercises.
At Caminhos do Cinema Português Film Festival, Coimbra, Portugal
2007-08 – ‘Film for children’, a hands-on 10 week workshop where children (7-12 years-old) made complete 4 min films (from idea, script, storyboard, locations, acting, shooting and editing). Employer: Cineclub, young filmmakers network. 2 classes at Jack Hunt Language School, Peterborough, UK
U.S.A and Portugal
2006 – “Shoot and Edit on camera – 16mm” - film exercise with Temple University students, USA
2005 - Workshop “The inseparable triangle: director - actor - character“ - C.E.M, Lisbon
2005 - “Directing actors”, part of the annual Course on Film Directing, Restart, Lisbon
2005 - Masterclass “Long-Shots” presenting the film “Russian Ark” by Sokurov, Videoteca de Lisboa
2005 - Workshop “Documentary”, C.E.M, Lisbon
2004 - Workshop “Digital Cinema, transversal cinema - the cinema of the body ”, C.E.M, Lisbon
1997 - Workshop ‘Documentary and Politics’, for young people from Timor, Jornadas de Timor, Psicology University, Lisbon
MOBILE NARRATIVES - text, photography and design - self-publishing on demand at www.lulu.com/content/493290 based on the Blog http://mobilenarratives.blogspot.com
2007 – Changes – instalation - Casa dos Dias da Agua, Lisboa, (April 2007)
2007 – Trajectos | Passages – on the street + on the web – commission for Festival Pedras D’Agua, Lisbon
2006 – web design – www.claudiatomaz.com
2006 – creative blogs: http://mobilenarratives.blogspot.com and http://holonfilmlab.blogspot.com
2007 - HERE AND NOW feature film
2007 – REINO DO OCIDENTE documentary with Pedro Urano
2005 - 07 - MOBILE feature film
2004 - ENTRAR NA INTIMIDADE short
2004 - O PESO DA TERRA feature film
2001 - NÓS feature film with João Pereira
2001 - PROCURA-SE PERSONAGEM experimental
2000 - AS RUÍNAS DO PARAÍSO documentary
1999 / 2000 - O BANAL EM FEED-BACK experimental
1998-2000 – NOITES feature
1999 - NORTE documentary
1998-99 - NOTAS PARA UM FILME NO NORDESTE documentary devellopment
1997 - RIO DO OURO a feature film by Paulo Rocha
1997 – DESVIO medium lenght
1996 - RUA DOS POÇOS DOS NEGROS experimental with Paulo Rocha
1996 - CIDADE-MUTANTIS short animation with Margarida Carvalho
1995-96 - GESTOS feature
1995 - MAR VERMELHO feature
1995 - OLHOS CLAROS medium lenght
2008-09 – Writes for INDICE Magazine
‘Hybrid Performances’
‘Do it yourself or Do It With Others but DO IT’
2004-07 – CINEMA ATELIER - Cláudia writes a monthly article for PREMIERE Magazine Portuguese edition as a filmmaker / teacher
‘Inter-disciplinarity: the future of cinema’ March 2007
‘Nano Era’ February 2007
‘Inter-act 4 – designing interactivity’ January 2007
‘Inter-act on the net’ December 2006
'Inter-Act II - soft cinema' November 2006
'Inter-Act' October 2006
'Finished' 'Acabaste' September 2006
'The declaration of independent filmmaking' August 2006
'Vision', 'Visão', July 2006
'Neighborhood narratives' June 2006
'The digital artist - the daily art', 'Artista Digital - A Arte do quotidiano', April 2006
'Mobile-work-in-progress' March 2006
'To Re-write a script', 'Reescrever um argumento' February 2006
'The spirit of Philadelphia', O espírito de Filadélfia', January 2006
'The solitude of video or changing things as they are', A solidão do vídeo ou mudar o estado das coisas, December 2005
'Caracters' - 'Personagens', November 2005
“The film producer” - “O produtor de cinema”, October 2005
“The technical crew“ - “A equipa técnica”, September 2005
“Script&Pitch”, August 2005
“Documentary“ - “Documentário”, July 2005
“Editing“ - “Montagem”, June 2005
“Writing for film“ - “Escrever para cinema”, May 2005
“Special effects, digital effects“ - “Efeitos Especiais, Efeitos digitais”, April 2005
“Finding a place or building a set“ - “Descobrir um lugar ou construir um décor”, March 2005
“The long-shot“ - “O plano-sequência”, February 2005
“From image grammar to the cinema of Time“ - “Da gramática da imagem ao cinema do tempo” January 2005
“The unlimited universe of sounds“ - “O Universo ilimitado dos Sons”, December 2004
“Catching the light“ - “Apanhar a luz”, November 2004
“The way of Actors in Cinema“ - “O caminho dos actores no Cinema” October 2004
“The man of the filming camera“ - “O Homem da câmara de filmar” September 2004
“The birth of Images“ - “O Nascimento das Imagens” August 2004
Articles about Film Festivals:
'Philadelphia Film Festival', May 2006
“Midnight Sun Film Festival“, Sodankyla, Finland, August 2005
“A bridge to Brazil“ - “Uma ponte para o Brasil”, 8º Festival de Cinema Luso-Brasileiro de Santa Maria da Feira, Jan. 2005
“DocLisboa, o que pode o documentário”, Doc Lisboa, Dec. 2004
“Uma festa de Cinema - a sede do público pelos filmes independentes”, IndieLisboa, Nov. 2004
“Indie 2005 - um projecto de sucesso”, IndieLisboa, June 2005
“Viagem ao Oriente”, Internacional Film Festival of Jeonju, South Korea, June 2004
Others: “25th of April - the revolution” invited by Jornal de Letras (collaboration with João Pereira)
2007 – Invited as an artist for commission at Festival Pedras d’Agua, C.E.M – project: Trajectos | Passages (site specific on the streets and online)
2007 – Vídeo of the experimental theater play ‘Teatro Nacional – Armazém do Ferro’ by Lúcia Sigalho
2007 – Moderateur of 5 pannels of the seminar on film, INDIE Lisboa
2007 – Guest on round table at INDIE Lisboa about ‘New digital platforms’
2007 – Invited to present the installation CHANGES at Casa dos Dias da Agua
2007 – Invited as filmmaker for the venue “Filmes no Lençol’ – presents a mix of films from ‘Ballad of technological dependency’ and ‘Subliminal’. Casa dos Dias da Água.
2004 - Jury Member of Features and Short films in Festival Luso-Brasileiro de Santa Maria da Feira
2004 - Invited as a photographer by Initiative FUTE. LOMO. Exhibition in Oporto “Artes em Partes”. Her work was selected for the article on “Pública” magazine
2003 - Debate “Multiples Perceptions”, about “Image”. Invited by José Bartolo - Casa dos Dias da Água
1999 - Shotting the rehearsals of “Lírio“, Cornucópia Theater by Christine Laurent
1996 - "Conferences about Portuguese cinema", Ministério da Cultura, in Centro cultural de Belém. Invited by João Mário Grilo. Claudia’s conference “The ghosts of Liberty” represents a new generation of young filmmakers, searching for independent ways of making movies.
1995-98 - Collaboration with Paulo Rocha in the Calouste Gulbenkian Project - “Paulo Rocha Lab“
ALLERGIC, performer, music video by Claudia Tomaz, 2010
MARIA, main character, short film by John Gross, 2005
NOITES, main character, feature film by Cláudia Tomaz, 2000
DESVIO, as her-self, film by Cláudia Tomaz, 1997
English, Portuguese, French, Spanish
Experience with professional cameras, sound and editing since 1995.
Final cut pro 7
Color
Avid
iDVD
Photoshop
Final draft
Dreamweaver
film director/ interview intro
“Claudia Tomaz is a London-based filmmaker whose work surpasses genre limits and shows the viewer that stories can be told in many alternative ways. Often times, she will improvise during shoots, work with poetry and images, and collaborate with non-actors for her projects. The result is a journey full of surprises, both for the filmmaker herself and for the viewer.”
Interview by Eren Gulfidan, at Film Annex
filmmaker and editor
“I have closely observed Claudia Tomaz develop her skills as a filmmaker and editor. Claudia is a highly skilled innovative professional who is fully capable of editing other filmmakers work or making her own powerful and talented films. She is equally at home making feature films, working on music videos or projects aimed at the net and cross platform exhibition. Highly recommended!”
Sandy Lieberson, Chairman Film London
editor/ feature documentary
“Claudia is a highly skilled and extremely creative editor. She has a unique understanding of using sound and is a great visual storyteller. She is intuitive, knows how to create emotion through editing and is a very gifted visual/experimental artist. I would recommend working with her without any hesitation.”
Daniela Kon - Director/Producer | DEEDA PRODUCTIONS
camera, editor/ short info videos for internet
“Claudia has been an exceptional help to making and editing 11 video fly-throughs for the internet of exemplar houses that have been retrofitted to save carbon. The skills involved are: filming, editing, getting the most out of poor (natural) light and nervous and unschooled people who are appearing on film for the first time. Editing is a real skill in this area, which she has done excellently. She is also very easy to get on with! I commend Claudia to you.”
John Doggart - Chairman SEA - Sustainable Energy Academy
filmmaker, editor/ music videos
“I have known Claudia for a couple of years and she recently made 2 music videos for our record labels Botchit&Scarper and Studio Rockers.
Her work is experimental, she makes the most of low-tech equipment, keeping it original and low-budget. Claudia proved to be very professional and had a positive attitude throughout, no idea or problem was too much for her and I am happy to recommend her to you.
Claudia is very conscientious, reliable and honest and was a pleasure to work with, I will definitely work with her again.”
Martin Love – Botchit&Scarper/ Studio Rockers /Emotif /Movement/Times Two
collaborator with other artists
“Claudia Tomaz, filmmaker-artist-writer-performer-activist who also spins under the name Cloud 9, has made a film about Kaidie. (…) The ‘Do It With Others’ (DIWO) ethos of this work also underlies Claudia’s LONDON GROUND series, of which the film on Kaidie is a part of. London Ground is a collection of films ‘made in collaboration with selected artists of different practices (music, film, art, activism) in London underGROUND 2010. Claudia’s methodology of (self-) distribution and exhibition also fully exploits the Web 2.0 infrastructure. This is an exciting and new platform of ‘microfilmmaking’, in which filmmakers share their work online, in a sustainable system that bypasses middle bodies, and allows the artists to communicate directly with her audience.”
Kai Syng Tan/ Kaidie, multi-media artist
tutor
“Claudia has an easy way to teach technical aspects of filming through practical exercises. She stresses the importance of all these aspects, yet in a very approachable way impelling the student to experiment. This helped me to have a new and more conscious approach to my work and have a more assertive point of view as a spectator. Also, Claudia's very gentle but strong personality, helped us to approach quite a tough subject with a lot of confidence.”
Céline Carlisle, student (artist)
PRESS QUOTES
Rui Pedro Tendinha, in the News Magazine Nov 23rd 2003
“US” is one of the best Portuguese films of the last years.»
Jose Vieira Mendes, in Première, Dec. 2003
“Cláudia Tomaz possess, over all, sculptor eye: the bodies of the loving ones are sculptured, sharp and the faces only leave to see indistinctly the drawing of lean contour. (…)”
Philippe Azoury, in Libération, France, Aug 16th 2003
“Full of upright, Cláudia Tomaz works in US, its second feature after NIGHTS, the distance figure. (…) distance between the claustrophobic quotidian of our laborious lives and the Dionysian world of our pulses. But the most fascinating of these distances are those that the director negotiates skillfully since the moment where we obtain to anticipate the sequence that will come of this ballad of the sexual dependency.”
Bertrand Loutte, in Les Inrockuptibles, Aug 27th 2003
“US” it is a good film. Why? In first place, is a story well told cinematographically (...) with credible, loaded characters of a lack of uneasiness in relation to life and themselves harnessed by the quality of the main actors. (...) Stays the certainty that one saw a good moment of cinema. Although the squeeze in the stomach by the crudity of the images.»
Leonardo Ralha, in the Independent one, 28 Nov. 2003
«With opening last Friday, after wining the Week’s Critic Award of Venice of this year, Nights comes to confirm (and to project) the cinematic personality of Cláudia Tomaz, defining her, for now, as the only Portuguese director of its generation for whom cinema appears less as a question of “stories” but more as a problem of perceptions. (...) An admirable first-film (...)»
João Mário Grilo, in Vision, Set 28th 2000
“Her cinema is made in this manner to see acute and, however, soft, that it captures the life, in a nobody's land, between real and fiction”
Maria Leonor Nunes, in JL, Set 20th 2000
“A fearless film. Profoundly disturbing. It doesn't look like with anything ever made in portuguese cinema. A singular film, an experience of intimate exposition, marked by love. Cinema, yes, definitely.”
Vasco Câmara, in Público
“Who films with the intensity of Nights just deserves much sun.”
Jorge Leitão Ramos, in Expresso, Set 23rd 2000
