by Jacques Lipkau Goyard. Rome, January 25-26, 2013
Neither recession. political chaos, elections, nor winter weather could dampen the spirits of newborn “Micro Salon Italia” which was a huge and unexpected success.
“Micro Salon Italia” is not a rip-off but a bona fide Italian job, thanks to Paolo Rossato’s intuition, hard work, planning and promotion along with the co-operation of ANICA’s Roberto Stabile.
Paolo Rossato, AIC is the General Secretary of the AIC (Associazione Italiana Autori della Fotografia Cinematografica — Association of Italian Cinematographers). He told FDTimes that he had the idea of asking Richard Andry of the AFC (Association Française
Des Directeurs De La Photographie Cinématographique — Association of French Cinematograhers) and other association friends in Paris if Rome could have its own “Micro Salon,” and in less than a year it happened.
The inaugural “Micro Salon Italia”” was held at Cinecittà Studios’s Stage 1 just a few weeks before the 2013 Paris edition. Over three thousand visitors attended the two-day expo: Film Professionals, Cinematographers, Line Producers, Camera Operators and Students from Italy’s top film and television schools “Centro Sperimentale”, “Roberto Rossellini” and NUCT.
Among the visitors who attended, we noticed, strolling around, some of Italy’s internationally famed Cinematographers–to name a few: Vittorio Storaro, AIC, ASC (with a rakish new beard), Luciano Tovoli, AIC ASC, Aldo Tonti, AIC, Franco Di Giacomo, AIC, Ennio Guarnieri, AIC, Beppe Lanci, AIC, chaperoned by the Italian Society’s President, Daniele Nannuzzi, AIC. They were looking at new products like Canon’s C500, Drone Services’s “Quadricotteri”, the Codex booth, the Cartoni JIBO, Piuma’s new CityCam camera car, ALF Balloons and a lot more.
Twenty-two exhibitors attended the Roman Salon this year: Arri Italia, Canon, Adcom, Alf Service Lighting Balloons, Best Light, Blutek, Cartoni, Brother-Brother & Sons, Cinegarden, Clic Catering, Codex, Image Works, Dbw, And Lighting, Communication, Drone Service, K5600 Lighting, Molpass, Piumaworld & Nane Aerial, Rec & Lee Filters, Rosco, Trans Audio Video, Tuttodigitale, and Working Easy. The AIC turned down a dozen other companies who wanted to participate at the last minute.
On the second day, there was a full-house conference on “Production, Distribution and Restoration, from analog to digital” int Cinecittà’s Fellini Auditorium. Next, the Society presented the AIC 2013 awards to Gianni Mammolotti, AIC for best feature film cinematography (“Sandrine nella pioggia”) and to Luigi Martinucci, AIC for best TV cinematography (“Non smettere di sognare”).
The Roman “Micro Salon” was so successful that the AIC is already working on the 2014 edition. Appreciation has been expressed by the Italian Society for the AFC’s assistance, the free use of the name and logo and advice given by Erik Guichard, AFC for the floor plan. As Nigel Walters, BSC, President of Imago, told FDTimes at “Micro Salon Paris mutual co-operation was in the dream of Imago’s founding fathers twenty years ago and… there it is! “
For next year AIC and AFC will promote more involvement between Italian and French companies in the industry at both Salons. In fact, AIC is thinking for next year to have free mini workshops and training programs to present new technologies and products, and also to train Film School students on the proper use of filters, fluid heads, compact cameras, lights, etc.
Paolo Rossato told us that he is open to any suggestions aiming to improve next year’s edition by creating a think tank between the industry, end-users and AIC. He can be contacted directly at segreteria (at) aicine.com. It could be that next year “Micro Salon Italia” will not be held at Cinecittà Studios but at another prestigious location.
