#EXCLUSIVE: Win a DVD of #graffiti film #Wholetrain and the soundtrack courtesy of director, Florian Gaag

Graff film "Wholetrain" was released on DVD last month at these worldwide stores, but if you didn't get it on Black Friday or Cyber Monday there's still a chance now. And for free!

Florian Gaag, the director of "Wholetrain," has offered up *two* free prizes for you hip hop fans to win: a copy of the "Wholetrain" DVD and also the fresh "Wholetrain" soundtrack CD! Now that's love!

How to win Just send in your answer/s using the "Comment" button below (and don't forget your email and mailing address!) I will choose at random the winners. Hopefully you'll have the prize in time for Christmas!

You can enter to win both prizes, but I will chose different winners for each prize. Only one entry per person please!

Question 1 for the DVD:
What are the names of the two graffiti crews featured in "Wholetrain"?

Question 2 for the CD:
Which rap artist (and former graffiti writer) from the Bronx headlines the "Wholetrain" CD soundtrack?

HINT: Reading my earlier review of "Wholetrain" or checking out Amazon might help with the answers.

PEACE and GOOD LUCK!

#EXCLUSIVE: Inteview with Florian Gaag, writer/director of #graffiti film, "Wholetrain" [ #hiphop #wholetrain]

The award-winning graffiti film, "Wholetrain," is being released on DVD this Tuesday, so I managed to track down Florian Gaag, the writer/director, to get under the skin of the film, the film-making process and his next project.

Backstory "Wholetrain" is a German film production that took several years to complete because Gaag wanted to capture some of the essence and drive of illegal graffiti writers and what they do. That meant developing believable characters and filming bombing scenes. Unlike Wild Style, Florian Gaag choose to cast actors who had an appreciation of hip hop, rather than choose graff writers to play the roles. The conversation continues below....

Stevio: You were a graffiti writer (Aero One) and have now written and directed an award-winning film and traveled the world. If we fast forward 5-10 years where do you think the KSB crew members will end up?

FLORIAN: "Well, the story in the film leaves that open. All is possible, I´ve seen graffiti writers turn into sophisiticated fine artists, drug pushers, teachers, highly successful business men, drug addicts etc., so the whole spectrum of the human condition is reflected within this culture.
 
"Wholetrain" really focuses on that moment in the protagonists' lives where they´re just doing what they´re doing, totally devoted, without overly reflecting or intellectualizing it from a distanced point of view – a moment every writer who has been seriously involved with the (graffiti) culture can relate to. Of course people´s viewpoints change when they get older, they see the multi-dimensionality of this movement, things like promoting your name and getting up is probably less important. But to me..."Wholetrain" is about the essence, that´s where it all started. That´s the beauty."

ATL piece from the film "Wholetrain"

Stevio: We have both gone back to school and have moved from Europe to live in the U.S. Do you think you could've made "Wholetrain" without film school? What did (film school in) New York give you that Germany/Europe could not?

FLORIAN: "Could I have made "Wholetrain" without film school? Probably, yes. But I´m sure it would´ve been a lot harder – harder than it already was.

I went to New York because so many things that have influenced me have their roots there. So being in New York, in the graffiti-mecca, and meeting people who have been central in the evolution of writing culture, certainly pushed me towards turning the idea of "Wholetrain" first into a screenplay and then the finished film."


Stevio: What storylines did you want to develop, but had to drop for whatever reason and why?

FLORIAN: "I basically wrote the screenplay and shot the film just the way i wanted to. I didn´t have to make adjustments for the producers or anybody else. I made that very clear in the first production meetings that i wouldn´t compromise in terms of making the movie more accessible by over-explaining the protagonists' wants and needs or adding certain elements to give it an appeal for a mainstream audience. I really wanted to focus on the crew and on the characters lives, without moralizing or judging what they´re doing.

I had to drop one part of a scene, though, for budgetary reasons. In that scene the protagonists – all boozed up and smoked out – would´ve ran into Dr. Funkenstein himself and helped him to get the Mothership back into the air...And I have no idea if I could have pulled it off, but my funk-infested brain couldn´t help but coming up with the idea."




Stevio: People compare your film to "Wild Style" and "Style Wars" for obvious reasons. How conscious were you about following in their footsteps? What other films were most influential to you during the film making process?

FLORIAN: "These two iconic films were of course highly influential for me – as for all European first generation writers. They really made us understand the scope of this culture with all its elements. I was scribbling on public walls before, but when i first saw "Wild Style" and "Style Wars" it all made sense.

When doing "Wholetrain" it wasn´t really about following in the footsteps of these films, "Style Wars" is a documentary, "Wild Style" a docudrama. "Wholetrain," however, is a fictional feature film with actors (or self-taught actors), so the whole approach was very different.

There weren´t a lot of films that i could use as a reference. "Kids" by Larry Clark was definitely an important one. "La Haine" by Mathieu Kassovitz, although the cinematic style is very different. And there´s a French director by the name of Siegfried whose work i really like. But in general my film taste is very eclectic and i appreciate the work of many different directors from all over the world."




Stevio: You wrote and directed "Wholetrain," but what partnerships were vital to enabling you to make it happen?

FLORIAN: "Actually, I was also the co-producer and in many instances the main producer, especially in putting all the different parts together and making them work.

I had production partners who I worked with to secure the funding and shooting permission – an odyssey of about two or three years, since no one wanted to invest in a movie with such a controversial subject. And the German transportation company refused to collaborate and threatened to inform all other transportation companies in Europe so the project would be blocked.

I already had access to the graffiti community. I started writing in 1984 and was actively doing it up until the early nineties, so I already knew most of the guys I worked with from back in the days.

The artists who I collaborated with on the soundtrack I didn´t know personally, so I just linked up with them, met them after a show, contacted them online or through people who were close to them and then sent them my beats, clips from the film and rough ideas what I wanted them to express in the lyrics.

The most important partnership however was the comissioning editor at the German TV station ZDF who was the first guy to believe in the project and, thus, paved the way for others to follow. (Nice coincidence: this is the same editorial department that funded "Wild Style.")"

Stevio: To all those folks who are tempted to watch pirated versions of "Wholetrain" instead of buying a copy can you give an outline of how much time you invested in this project?

FLORIAN: "I started working on "Wholetrain" 2002, so about 10 years ago and I´m still working on it! The process of financing, getting shooting permission, pre-production, the shoot, post-production and dealing with the promotion, distribution, finding foreign partners etc. took about six or seven years. Not very lucrative if you look at it from a commercial point of view. But it was never about the money for me. It was all about making the movie I wanted to make and giving something back to the culture that has given me so much. I hope I succeeded."


Stevio: How did you manage to make the film and also produce the sound track album?

FLORIAN: "That was pretty difficult at times. At the last minute, the production company refused to support the production of the soundtrack, in contradiction to their earlier statements, so I was forced to finance it myself. Coming up with the money during post-production and at the same time mixing the film, finishing the beats, hooking up with the artists, organizing the sessions and recording the tracks put me under a lot of pressure. But I´m really glad it all worked out and we could finish the film on time for the premiere at the Berlin Film Festival.  I then released the album on my own label Stayin´ Up."


Stevio: I asked Charlie Ahearn once why he created the "Wild Style" white label records for most of the party scenes instead of using the classic break beats and rap tunes. He said that the licensing fees were too high for his budget, but also for control and continuity since the hottest rap tunes favored by the rappers changed on a weekly basis. What were you reasons for creating a soundtrack to the film?

FLORIAN: "Licensing fees were definitely a reason. But, more than that I wanted to create a unique soundtrack with exclusive graffiti-themed tracks. And I wanted to work with people whose music I dig and who have either been active as writers themselves or have love for the culture, guys like Tame One and El Da Sensei (Artifact), KRS-One, Planet Asia, Afu-Ra. It was a great moment for me when KRS-One presented "Wholetrain" at S.O.B.´s in New York. I bought "Criminal Minded" right when it came out in 1987 (when they had tiny crates with hip hop-vinyls in stores, direct import records) and was spinning it forever. So seeing him embracing the film was really cool."



Stevio: What advice do you have to other (hip hop) storytellers who want to get into film making? Do you have a Top 5?

FLORIAN: "I have a Top 3: Be persistent, be patient, and most importantly: Don´t fake the funk!"


Stevio: What is your next project? Have you received any interesting offers since "Wholetrain" hit the screens?

FLORIAN: "You know how it is sometimes when you make a film in a certain genre or about a certain scene or culture. They want you to reproduce that same film over and over. So i got many offers doing films about other so called youth cultures or urban, subcultural movements. But I hate to repeat myself so I wrote a new screenplay and will be doing a very different film next year. More like a thriller / horror-drama."

"Wholetrain"...arriving on platform DVD! Catch it Nov. 23rd [#wholetrain #graffiti]

The graffiti film "Wholetrain" has been described by Charlie Ahern (director of "Wild Style") as "...an impressive piece of work. It´s the only Graffiti-Movie that can follow in the footsteps of 'Wild Style'."

If you didn't catch it during its international film festival run, wait no more! It's finally being released on DVD in the U.S. later this month. You can pre-order before it ships worldwide on November 23rd by going to Amazon.



And, you can cop the soundtrack now on CD or vinyl here on Amazon! Yep, vinyl...Old skool! Check out a streaming sampler below. Produced by Florian Gaag, aka Aero One, it features KRS-One, El the Sensei, Planet Asia, and one of my favorite rappers, O.C.



Break it down If you don't know the story, "Wholetrain" is a compelling tale about KSB, a crew of graffiti writers in Germany,  but this is happening in every country with an urban sprawl. The story centers around a crew's rising infamy for painting pieces across the city. That is, until they are humiliated by a new rival crew, ATL (Above The Law.)

The film develops into a tale about the crew's internal friction as they try to overcome their nemesis and how it eventually frays the unity between the friends. This does take many hip hop cues from the New York of the 1980s, but "Wholetrain" is a uniquely European tale which highlights how multicultural and ethnically diverse cities have become: David (Mike Adler) could have African blood,  Elyas (Elyas M'Barek) is of Tunisian decent, whilst Tino (Florian Renner) and Achim (Jacob Matschenz) seem of German heritage. Hip hop is the unifying factor that brings these young men and their friends together.

Writer and director, Florian Gaag, captures the limited opportunities these young men have and the sense of freedom and achievement they get through their graffiti. You get a glimpse into the mundanity of life in these cities and why graffiti offers a meaningful creative outlet for a generation. Tino works part-time in a cinema and argues with his estranged girlfriend about childcare for their son, Kenny. We see Elyas' family kebab business and his job as a panel painter, whilst Achim is flunking school to break free from his regular middle-class family.

Getting Up "Wholetrain" captures some of the essence and drive of why illegal graffiti writers do what they do. Gaag shows us the preparation and planning, the blackbook of designs and the bravado of the writers' bench. What is unique in this film is tension and anxiety that goes into an illegal "bombing" mission. We see KSB hit a train interior during the day and several raids on a trainyard at night to paint their burner pieces.

Collaboration Gaag got the (rare) cooperation of a Polish train company to make "Wholetrain." Without it and the support of established graffiti writers (Cemnoz, Neon, Won, Ciel, Pure) the film wouldn't be as powerful and realistic as it is. Support "Wholetrain"by ordering it on Amazon and spread the word!

LA's new Montana (graffiti) paint store...Ma'claim and Risk

Although the new Montana store has been open for a couple of months last night was the official "opening."

Montana sounds American, but I was told it's German, so it was no surprise some of the German graffiti crew were in the house. Parked outside was a truck called the "Mobile Mural Lab." And painted on the right panel was Ma'claim's (Akut, Tasso, Case, Rusk) photorealistic work. On the left panel was Risk's piece.

Ma'claim, Germany

Risk, WCA Los Angeles

 LA's Graff O.G.s I don't know many of the graffiti names in LA, but I did recognize Slick and Risk.

Pic borrowed from Slick's blog

 Live and Direct Supported by LA Art Machine, Ma'claim will be painting live today at the Gothe-Institut Los Angeles which is the German cultural center that hosted another hip hop event this year, the screening of Florian Gaag's Whole Train film. There's also a panel discussion with Retna and Tom Kummer (who I don't know much about.) Read more about Ma'claim at their blog.

"AKUT, TASSO, CASE and RUSK a.k.a. MA’CLAIM have managed to paint their way up to the very top of the international Graffiti scene in no time.  The crew from the former GDR has breathed fresh air into the world of graffiti writing due to their peerless workmanship of a mix of classic graffiti and photorealism.

Their extraordinary productions have set new impulses within the scene. Ma’Claim have attracted an international fan community and are an inspirational source for other graffiti artists. 

Individual members Case and Akut ( one half of the duo "Herakut") already had solo exhibitions at renown galleries in Los Angeles, this is their first visit and collaboration in Los Angeles with the crew." Goethe-Institut

On the move Although there's no website yet you can read about the Mobile Mural Lab here.

"Providing communities with visual space...Free of charge...No permit required."

"Whole Train" film screening, LA premiere

The story has been told before...Romeo and Juliet, West Side Story...But, with Whole Ttrain there's a difference. This rivalry is between two graffiti crews - KSB (Keep Steel Burning) - and ATL (Above The Law) and their battle for supremacy in their town of Munich, Germany.

Munich, USA It might seem ironic to see such an American (aka New York) tale of graffiti wars cloned by Germans and accompanied by English subtitles in Los Angeles. But, remember when breaking and hip hop fell off in the States in the '80 and '90s it lived on in Europe and beyond. Germany is still the home of the world's largest breakdance championship better known as "Battle of the Year" (so well documented in the 2007 film, "Planet B-Boy.") And Zeb Roc Ski (aka Akim Walta,) the hip hop historian and recording artist, wrote the indispensable photo book "Hip Hop Files" which is illustrated by Martha Cooper!

The Whole Train LA premiere played to a full house at the Goethe-Institut, a cultural center for anything German. It was like a little underground scene with old skool heads like Asia One (B-Boy Summit, No Easy Props) and Yem in da house. As was director, Florian Gaag who shared some of the details on how he made the film so realistic.

Some writers in the audience asked how come the bombing scenes were so realistic. The answer was that some scenes were actual covert trips to the train yards! Other scenes were shot in Poland where Florian was introduced to a friendly train company willing to allow him to shoot in their yards. A crazy story only Florian can do justice to.

Go get the DVD of Whole Train - all the actors are intense. Instead of casting graffiti writers who could act (they couldn't, ;) ) Florian ended up choosing actors who could paint to play the four stars of the film – David, Tino, Elyas and Achim. Look closely and you'll spot the work of international graffiti artists NEON, WON, CEMNOZ, PURE and CIEL who were responsible for the artwork in the film.



This summer Florian Gaag released the soundtrack CD produced by himself (aka AERO ONE.) This guy is one all-round b-boy! The CD features hip hop names like KRS-One! O.C., Planet Asia, Afu-Ra, Grand Agent, Tame One, Akrobatik, REEF the Lost Cauze, Roger Rekless and El Da Sensei.

AWARDS

Urban World Vibe Film Festival New York - Best Narrative Feature Film

Kiev International Film Festival Molodist - Best Feature Film & Audience Award

Cologne Conference - Best Feature Film

Starter Film Award - City of Munich

Sarajevo International Film Festival - Best Youth Film

Exground International Film Festival - Best Youth Film

Boston International Film Festival - Best Narrative Feature Film

HipHop Odyssey International Film Festival New York - Best Narrative Feature Film

Berlin International Film Festival - Special Mention "Dialogue En Perspective"

3 Grimme Awards: (Screenplay / Direction: Florian Gaag), Camera (Christian Rein), Editing: Kai Schröter)

Prenominations for the German Fim Awards in six categories: Best Film, Best Editing, Best Set Design, Best Score, Best Sound Design, Best Costume.