Robinson Vil isn’t a newbie when it comes to filmmaking. Creating stories for the big screen has always brought purpose to the life of this producer, director, and filmmaker behind several shorts and urban films.
His newest production Rasin Mwen is set, and was filmed in Haiti. It’s storyline takes viewers into Haiti’s slums. A young man (David Charlier) gets on the wrong side of a mafia-like pimp, resulting into all sorts of quandaries.
Kreyolicious: What was it like filming in Haiti?
Filming anywhere is overwhelming and it was no different in Haiti. The art of film-making can be arduous, especially when it’s done under budget. There were many obstacles we had to overcome as a team to see the project through. Some of the challenging factors were: the heat, traffic and the noise level. I’ve been making movies for over a decade now and I have learned so much; I was prepared. I was determined to do the film no matter what; nothing was going to get in my way.
Above: Filmmaker Robinson Vil.
Kreyolicious: Did you do make preliminary trips there to see how things were before you started shooting?
I lived in Haiti for sixteen years, before moving to the United States in 1992—so I knew what to expect. There were no hidden surprises. But, prior to shooting my film Rasin Mwen, I was hired to co-produce and star as the lead in a short film there in 2011. During that production—a one-week shoot—I had to pretty much do the same thing I did on my film. Though, we shot Rasin Mwen for five weeks.
Kreyolicious: Why was it so important for you to bring Rasin Mwen to the big screen?
One of my goals with Rasin Mwen was to bring about a new type of film-making to Haiti that was compatible to other countries. I wanted to do a story with young Haitian actors, that was relatable and relevant. A story that would not only intrigue, but resonate with its people. Screenwriter Wade Ballance and I did just that with the screenplay for Rasin Mwen. I also felt that the presence of good quality Haiti films was lacking. I wanted and determined to change that. I have three other Haiti films that are ready to go—upon securing funding.
Above: A scene from Rasin Mwen, a film by Robinson Vil.
Kreyolicious: Were there any things that surprised you about filming a project in Haiti?
How great and accessible the raw talents were. The majority of my cast was new and had never done any type of films before—let alone a full length feature film. We developed such a great bond instantly, many thanks to our casting director Frantz Louis-Charles, who helped me cast ninety percent of the talents in the film.
Kreyolicious: As someone who is living in the USA, what advice would you give to filmmakers about shooting in Haiti?
Don’t do it—unless you have all your ducks in a row. Be ready to work harder than everyone else on your team. Know your script, the story inside out. Be able to think quickly on your feet. Find quality and good people who believe in you, your project and themselves.
Kreyolicious: Are there some things you wished you had done differently?
Not really. If there is one thing I can think of, it would be the funding aspect of the film. I would look harder at securing funding and not go into production until it was fully acquired. My team of actors and crew-members were excellent, I wouldn’t change that. They all worked so hard, I’m indebted to them.
Kreyolicious: So Rasin Mwen has wrapped up. What should we expect from you next?
With the success of Rasin Mwen and new relationships with sponsors and investors, you can expect bigger and better quality films from Villain Pictures. As I previously mentioned, I have 3 more films in development that are ready to go into production. Rasin Mwen 2 is one of them.
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