BEHIND THE CAMERA
I grew up in communist Czechoslovakia, where the options to travel were strictly limited to within the guarded borders. I suppose when you’re trapped somewhere it’s natural to dream of leaving. I began dreaming about a job that would take me to different places. After graduating high school, at the age of 18, I wasn’t given the choice of university, instead I was told there were only two job possibilities: clerical work in either a dietitian or optometrist’s office. My dreams were limited at best. But luck intervened, as it always has in my life, when I overheard a conversation about a production assistant job at Film Studio Barrandov. I eagerly pushed my way into a meeting with Jaromir Lukas, the most amazing producer who was working at the studio. He saw potential in me and graciously offered to teach me everything—and he did. He taught me to learn and respect every department, if I wanted to be successful. And for two years I did just that, working in all possible departments, from PA to lighting to clapper to script. To this day, it remains the foundation of my producing knowledge. I was very lucky to start my adventures under his mentorship.
After the Velvet revolution the borders opened up and so did my world. Director Vit Olmer, hired me as his ‘continuity girl’ on the very first independent movie out of Czechoslovakia -- “The Tank Battalion”. It was a job I’d never done before but when you are 20 years old, nothing seems like a problem. After that production ended I was off and running for the next six years, freelancing in continuity a production assisting. My biggest achievement during that time was working on “ Kolya", directed by Jan Sverak. This amazing story won numerous worldwide awards including the Academy Award and the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Film.
So now, my world was really beginning to open up, as I always dreamed, and it became clear that I needed to add another skill to my resume--English. I found an opportunity and the solution in London with a job as an au pair to three dogs. Not exactly a producing job but it certainly was a fun production and it allowed me time to study English at a nearby language school. Always a quick study, I returned to Prague seven months later able to speak English and on the hunt for my next job.
The very next day I accompanied a friend to his interview for a soundman position on a Canadian TV production prior to our catch up lunch. We never made it to lunch because we both got hired. I became the production coordinator and assistant to the producer. The more I learned, the more I achieved and the more responsibility I was entrusted with. I honed my production skills over a period of seven years eventually rising from Coordinator to Line Producer. It was completely thrilling working on both Czech and international productions, but I still had this craving to travel and experience the world. I mentioned my desire to a Chilean Producer I was working with and she jumped at the opportunity to steal me away Line Produce locally for her production company-- Tantor Films. It took me two seconds to decide. I packed my suitcase and moved to South America, without knowing a word of Spanish.
For three years, from the southern most tip of Chile, all the way to Cartagena de Indias in the north of Colombia. I was traveling, producing, meeting and working with amazing people. In the process, I built a network of contacts and crews all across the continent. And though it was one of the most difficult challenges in my life, it was also the most rewarding and I finally felt like producing was what I was born to do.
The funny thing was, that even though I didn’t speak Spanish, it turned most of the people I came across were more interested in speaking English—so I got to practice it everyday.
It was around this time 2006 that I was ready for my next professional challenge. I was offered a producing job in Prague and was heading back to investigate when I decided to take a quick detour to Hollywood since I was so close. While touring the town I literally bumped into the owner of Milk and Honey Films who I’d known back in the day in Prague. After we both got over our mutual surprise I shared all about my experience in South America—and he hired me on the spot. He wanted to expand his business to exactly the place I had just been. That stopover in Hollywood turned into eight years producing for Milk and Honey Films.
It became another new beginning in another new continent! This time completely equipped to apply my unique producing style to American productions. I pride myself on being hands-on and egoless. I’m coordinator, manager, line producer and producer all rolled into one. My crews are smaller, so we work faster. It also means that every person involved is more invested in a high quality outcome. By producing this way I’m able to control the quality, the process and the price—which all goes into the production.
For me, I take my business very personally. I’m based in Los Angeles but I shoot all around the world. I love what I do.