TESLA will be a Landmark Film for Serbia
The forthcoming Nikola Tesla biopic will be a landmark project for Serbia and will provide a long overdue reappraisal of the great revolutionary thinker, scientist and humanitarian.
That is my considered opinion after many months of working as Associate Producer on TESLA (@TeslaTheMovie), the Balkans’ most talked-about film, which will shoot in Serbia and the United States, in coming months.
The phenomenal reaction to our planned film points to TESLA being an international milestone in the legacy of the Serb scientist. It will detail the life and works of Nikola Tesla, showing a man who was one of the greatest minds of the twentieth century.
As well presenting Tesla as a great scientist, the film will highlight Tesla as a revolutionary thinker and humanitarian. It will also show Tesla as a man who has been wronged by history, sidelined by the manipulations of men in power.
Michael Anton Breathes Life into Nikola Tesla
Director Michael Anton has produced a tight script that represents Tesla in the most truthful light yet, covering key periods in his eventful life, mostly in the US but also in emotional scenes at home with his mother and sisters.
Michael’s excellent writing breathes life into the great man, without resorting to any unnecessary exaggerations of his character. The truth will be more than enough in Tesla’s story.
It is not surprising that the integrity of Michael’s script has played a big part in attracting our notable cast of acclaimed regional and international actors. Unlike some productions that would seem destined to remain real only in the mind of the would-be producer, we do not need to speculate or make unfounded claims about our cast for the sake of publicity. Our project, our cast, is the real deal.
Key scenes featuring Nikola and his family will be shot in Serbia, with a strong cast of well-known local actors speaking in Serbian. But, for us, Serbia is not just a backdrop to the story. Our reason for shooting in Serbia is out of respect for Tesla’s Serb heritage and to represent his story with authenticity. Tesla is on record saying that he was proud to be a Serb. So filming in Serbia was always a given. The people, language and locations of Serbia will play a key role in making TESLA the success that we all expect it to be.
With extensive experience in international communications and entertainment publicity, this is an ideal project for me. For the past seven years I have worked as a consultant on projects in Serbia and Bosnia. I also write the Wild Rooster blog and I am regularly featured in news and lifestyle publications in the region.
Respect, Experience and Interest
During many visits to the region, I have come to respect the Serb people and the Balkan way of life. I treasure the friendships and experiences that I enjoy there. My relevant experience, valuable network of friends and business partners and a deep-rooted interest and active participation in Serbian culture ensures that I can play a significant role on the director’s core team.
I am extremely fortunate to work with a director such as Michael Anton. He is very collaborative in his approach. As Associate Producer and International Publicist, my role in bringing TESLA to the screen can be quite varied.
As we near our shoot, I can be tasked with a range of frontline activities to help make the script a reality. That diversity can be extremely rewarding, especially as we have received such a positive response from Serbia and across the Balkans.
I know how highly Serbs value the legacy of Nikola Tesla and so I can appreciate the faith that is being placed in us to handle his story with respect and honesty. We won’t let them down.
* Commentary by Marcus Agar, Associate Producer for TESLA
8 / 25 / 2013 4:21 pm
What took Serbia so long to promote genius Nikola Tesla? Could it have been the Tito interlude?