Today’s blog post isn’t a flashback to one of our highlight productions. Instead, we want to introduce you to an exciting project we recently had the chance to work on. With "Tears of the Olive," a short film by Johannes Ziegler, join us over the next few minutes on a journey to the origins of olive oil culture and the meaning of personal happiness.
Partner and DoP
Johannes Ziegler, Panda Pictures partner and cinematographer, has been working as a DoP and director for nearly 10 years and has won numerous international awards for his films. His latest film, "KRUMP," won awards in both Spain and New Zealand and was screened at film festivals worldwide. Last October, he filmed a short in an olive grove at Podere Usignolo in Tuscany. The residents there live in harmony with nature and place great value on sustainability. They work hand in hand to produce a truly special olive oil.
Tears of the Olive
The short film explores the history and origins of the olive, from the heritage of the olive trees to the production of today’s unique olive oil. In a world where we are constantly bombarded with stimuli, under pressure, and stressed, it is becoming increasingly difficult to switch off. As a result, we lose time for ourselves and our connection to nature. For Johannes Ziegler , it is therefore important to provide viewers with a gateway to nature through this short film.
Johannes succeeds in creating a unique atmosphere in "Tears of the Olive." For example, you can see olives being picked by hand in the soft glow of the autumn sun. The short film impressively showcases a beautiful corner of the world and highlights a deep appreciation for nature and olive oil.
From short film to trailer
After his stay in Tuscany, Johannes returned to Germany and began working on the first cut of his film. After several weeks of work, the short film was finally edited and ready for finalization. That is when the Post-production by Panda Pictures.
The primary tasks involved creating the final color grade and the final sound mix according to cinema standards. Additionally, we edited a trailer to promote the film for the current marketing campaign. For color grading, close collaboration between the DoP and the colorist is essential to ensure the film achieves the desired look.
Johannes was on-site with us as both DoP and director to help craft the perfect looks for each scene. From the cool light of dawn and lush green olive branches to the warm, golden afternoon sun, the film now perfectly captures the atmosphere Johannes experienced in Tuscany. The sound design also makes the film an immersive experience for the viewer. Through the rustling of branches in the wind and the chirping of birds, a balanced sound mix creates a unique connection to the Tuscan landscape. To give you a sense of the transformation, we’ve put together a few before-and-after shots.
Post-production is now complete, and the film has moved into the distributionphase. This involves creating final titles, adding current and upcoming sponsors to the credits, and inserting subtitles. The festival distribution for the short film will likely be handled by the agency aug&ohr Medien, who also managed the festival run for our short film Eine Gute Geschichte .
You can find further updates and information about the film's release on its website. Our thanks go to Johannes Ziegler; without him, we never would have had the chance to work on this gem in post-production. We look forward to collaborating on future projects!
