Thessaloniki International Film Festival and Marni Films production company are happy to present a unique edition featuring the precious work of the singular, multidimensional artist, George Tassioulas. Self-taught and a renegade, a film buff and soundtracks’ aficionado, but also a pioneer who left an indelible mark as a storyboard artist, Tass, to quote his signature, waved us goodbye too early, two years ago, at the prime of his career.
A great part of his versatile and abundant work, mostly in the field of cinema as a storyboard artist, but also in his early days as a visual artist-illustrator-comic artist takes prominent stage in the pages of this book, thanks to the work of graphic designer Yannis Karlopoulos.
The powerful imagery is matched by a series of handpicked texts written by some of Tassioulas’ closest friends and partners. Directors Alexis Alexiou, Yannis Veslemes, Panos H. Koutras, Christos Houliaras, as well as set designer Marie Louise Vartholomeou-Nikolaidi, recount the unforgettable experience of their creative partnership alongside George Tassioulas within the context of the filmmaking process, but also their personal relation with this tireless and erudite movie lover that often grew to a deep friendship.
Vassilis Koutsounakis, a childhood friend of George Tassioulas and president of the “soundtrack community” the two of them had set up with another close friend, Christos “Manson” Houliaras, outlines Tassioulas’ multifarious personality. In addition, writer and comic screenwriter Dimitris Vanellis delves into the artist’s visual art universe, reminding us that Tassioulas’ inspiration, mostly expressed over the last 20 years in the storyboard field, sprang out of his natural talent as a painter.
Last but not least, and for the first time in a Greek edition, a small mention to the lesser known art of storyboard is included, as well as to its role in Greek cinema, through the texts written by professor Evi Sabanikou and director Markos Holevas, respectively. This way, uninitiated readers will discover the magic of storyboard through the work of the artist who defined and established it in our country, as part of a process that may trigger further interest towards the art of storyboard”.
The two-language edition was coordinated by the Festival’s editions coordinator, Geli Mademli, and edited by journalist Efi Papazachariou and director Christos Houliaras. The book presentation will take place within the framework of the 64th Thessaloniki International Film Festival, on Friday November 10th, at 12pm, at Olympion’s Green Room.
The universe of George Tassioulas
George Tassioulas (aka Tass or the vice-president of the “soundtrack community”) was born in Thessaloniki in 1970 but grew up in Munich, Germany. Although he was accepted into the Schools of Fine Arts of both Munich and Athens as well as the Department of History & Archaeology of the University of Athens (winning a scholarship), he decided not to attend any of those schools. His first professional contact with cinema was on the set of Nikos Nikolaidis’ film See You in Hell, My Darling (1999), where he was Second Assistant Director. His close collaboration with the great Greek filmmaker continued on his next film, Loser Takes All (2002), for which he designed the storyboards, also working on the set decoration team with Marie-Louise Vartholomeou. For over two decades, Tass incessantly drew storyboards, posters, titles, concept designs, and artwork for shorts and feature films, Greek and foreign TV series, and advertising. Titles he worked on include: Directing Hell and Dream Toy by Christos “Manson” Houliaras, Wednesday 04:45 by Alexis Alexiou, Norway by Yannis Veslemes, Interruption by Yorgos Zois, Marionettes by Pantelis Kalatzis, Largo by Stergios Paschos, Cosmic Candy by Rinio Dragasaki, Son of Sofia by Elina Psykou, and Digger by Georgis Grigorakis. Among his final works were the storyboards for the TV series 42°C and Cartes Postales, and for the films Dodo by Panos Η. Koutras and She Loved Blossoms More by Yannis Veslemes.
