Meet Your Makers: Honesty is the Best Policy for Eurydice Gysel
Eurydice Gysel, executive producer and managing partner at CZAR.BE, has been involved in the world of production since 2000. Since 2010 she is the executive producer and manager of the company and has since co-led CZAR Film jointly with director/producer Koen Mortier.
The director-driven production company CZAR was established in 2000 by Koen Mortier and Joe Vanhoutteghem and quickly became one of the most creative production companies in Belgium and abroad especially through the director Lionel Goldstein, the alias of the directing duo Koen and Joe. They won so far a total of 14 Lions at Cannes Lions, including four gold next to a Grand Prix at Eurobest, Clios, etc…
Eurydice has, next to commercials, produced and co-produced 15 films, five TV shows with the BBC, as well as documentaries and short films. Furthermore, she is a member of the ACE Producers Network and the European Producers Club.
Under her management the company continues to gain national and international awards. The most recent triumph for CZAR is the feature film Skunk, directed by Koen Mortier, winning the “Just Film Youth Jury Best Film Award” at Tallinn Black Nights FF 2023 and receiving a Special Mention from the International Jury. Skunk is performing very well in Belgian cinemas and is receiving a lot of media attention.
CZAR thrives on talent, guts and imagination of its directors and producers. Eurydice embodies this spirit of creativity and innovation to excel in the world of production, whether it be in advertising or fiction.
LBB> What first attracted you to production - and has it been an industry you’ve always worked on or did you come to it from another area?
Eurydice> I studied Communication sciences just because at 18 years old I did not know what to do. During my studies I realised I liked helping creative people realise their goal. After university I went to Amsterdam and started working at BABY. It was a ‘club’ for creative people where you could leave your portfolio and we organised diners, fashion shows, film and docu evenings.
I did a bit of everything there and it was a great period. BABY was the project of the director René Eller so in a way before I knew I was already connected to CZAR. After Amsterdam I worked in a PR office for fashion in Antwerp. And when CZAR Brussels opened, they rang me to know if I wanted to join them. I never did any film production before. After two weeks I was on set with Lionel Goldstein.
LBB> What was your first role in the production world and how did this experience influence how you think about production and how you grew your career?
Eurydice> My first production ever was immediately the second commercial by Lionel Goldstein – “Heavy Foot” in 2000. I had never been on a filmset before. The good thing about film production is that a film crew is a machine. Everybody has his position in the pyramid. So in a way if you communicate well and you keep an eye on the budget you can produce a set.
LBB> How did you learn to be a producer?
Eurydice> Literally by doing it. I started in 2000 producing commercials and in 2006 I produced my first feature film. “Ex Drummer” by Koen Mortier.
LBB> Looking back to the beginning of your career, can you tell us about a production you were involved in where you really had to dig deep and that really helped you to grow as a producer?
Eurydice> The way we produce in Belgium is the perfect basis to learn how to produce. We do a lot ourselves, not working with assistants and assistants of assistants simply because we don’t have the budgets for that. The good thing is that because the budgets are lower sometimes we get more creative freedom and like that we win prizes. On every commercial you work you learn and grow, even now!
LBB> A good producer should be able to produce for any medium, from film to events to digital experience. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Why/why not?
Eurydice> It depends how you define a producer. Some people see producers as “organising a production”. For others it’s networking and finding money. Producing commercials is having good connections with the agencies and TV producers and creatives and knowing which director you have working on the commercial. In film it’s a different network with fundings and festivals and markets.
For me it’s the perfect combination to do commercials and feature films as on one side we produce a lot and on the other we can work on long term director driven films. But I would suggest not to make your spectrum too wide otherwise it’s just quantity and no quality anymore. It’s important you can work close to your directors and the ideas and creatives.
LBB> What’s your favourite thing about production and why?
Eurydice> Bringing the idea of a director to life and see the result is one of the things I love about my job. Especially if you have good directors who put an extra layer on the idea and in the end you are surprised with the result.
LBB> How has production changed since you started your career?
Eurydice> I’ve been producing since 2000 so a lot changed in one way but also not in the other way. Budgets went down (unfortunately) and creativity became much more “secure”. When I started we still filmed on negative 16 and 35mm. Travelling abroad and taking your film through hand luggage with the black bag with you… Scouting of locations was analogue.
So your prep time was much longer than nowadays! Now everything is “faster” thanks to the digitalisation but I don’t know if it’s always so good. Quantity takes over the quality sometimes. In the beginning our directors got much more freedom in giving a direction to the script to make the film out of it. Now sometimes I have the feeling that a lot of people think that it’s easy to direct a film as we make socials the whole time.
But a good film demands a good director. Directing is a talent. It’s not because you have a camera that you can make a commercial. Sometimes I miss the trust in craftmanship.
LBB> And what has stayed the same?
Eurydice> Talent and original ideas will always win.
LBB> What do you think is the key to being an effective producer - and is it something that’s innate or something that can be learned?
Eurydice> Stay honest to your work and to the people you work with. If you receive a board which is too ambitious you should flag it immediately. It’s good to trigger people to think out of their control zone. I think that being a good producer is partly something you are born with and partly something you learn. But if you don’t have the passion and drive to work hard and stay looking for creative solutions you will never learn it.
LBB> Which production project from across your career are you most proud of and why?
Eurydice> There is not one only project. Where I’m proud off is that after 24 years working at Czar and being 14 years manager and EP and combining the commercials and the feature films and documentaries I still try to make the most creative films in the market. It’s sometimes really not easy and the last years the market was tough. But I have a feeling we are trying to go back to more creative commercials with humour so I hope the next years will be full of good films again.
If there is a project I have to mention than it’s the commercials for Equal Payday we make together with Mortierbrigade and Lionel Goldstein. You don’t do it for the money but the client gives us total freedom. There is a good communication between us and the agency and like that we can make every year an award winning film for them. We have been doing this for more than seven years now.
Equal Payday - Handshake
Equal Payday - The Umbilical Cord
LBB> And in terms of recent work, which projects have you found to be particularly exciting or have presented particularly interesting production challenges?
Eurydice> We just release our latest feature film “SKUNK” directed by Koen Mortier. Although it’s a rough and hard film it has an urgent subject about child abuse. Our distributor thought the film would never work but they were wrong.
Youthcare and the whole sector embraces the film and we have a lot of people in cinemas. This makes me really happy. To proof that an audience is clever and can stand difficult films as well. Sales and festivals and distributors often think that everybody wants to see happy flappy things. We proofed the contrary. And in a way it’s the same for brands and advertising. Everything needs to be tested. But the only thing what people want to see is clever and well-made ads with humour or visually intelligent movies.
LBB> Producers always have the best stories. What’s the hairiest / most insane situation you’ve found yourself in and how did you work your way out of it?
Eurydice> I think it was a production in Brazil where everything went wrong. From boats sinking to almost a helicopter crash to thunderstorms who turned the set in a mud stream. But it became a very beautiful film.
LBB> What are your personal ambitions or aspirations as a producer?
Eurydice> To keep on making the most creative films possible. Going for the quality instead of quantity.
LBB> As a producer your brain must have a neverending "to do" list. How do you switch off? What do you do to relax?
Eurydice> Going to the beach with my dogs. Being together with my family. Working in the garden. And I’m lucky my husband is a great cook so often a good meal with a good glass of wine.
LBB> Producers are problem solvers. What personally fuels your curiosity and drive?
Eurydice> It starts when you receive the board from the agency. It triggers me to find the best director for the idea and to make the best budget for the treatment and win this job. If you win you do everything to make it as easy as possible for everybody to make this film. That everybody is happy in the end and surprised with the result. So listening to what creatives want and what the director want and make a nice result out of it.
LBB> What advice would you give to people who are interested in becoming a producer?
Eurydice> Be proactive. Try to look at the positive site and remember that in the end it will always work, you will always shoot your film. Listen to the people and look for solutions and don’t complain ;-) And work hard!
LBB> From your experience what are the ingredients for a successful production?
Eurydice> Working with talented people.
LBB> And what’s the key to a successful production-client relationship?
Eurydice> Be honest to each other.
LBB> Producers are naturally hands on - they have to be. How do you balance that in the more managerial role of an EP?
Eurydice> As an EP you have to be hands on as well. But you are more the connection with the agencies and creatives and clients than with the crew on set. It’s making sure that everybody feels ok in what you are doing. Giving trust to the agencies and the client and giving enough freedom to the producer and your director.
