• Can you tell us about your career?

At the end of my course at ESSEC, I decided to stay in the media sector and in particular the film and audiovisual industry. I had the opportunity to go straight into an internship, which finally became a job last December, with a young production company specialising in IPs, remakes and adaptations: Maremako Films.

• What is your current job? What are your main tasks?

I'm currently Head of Production and Development at Maremako and I'm really involved in everything, given that it's a small structure, founded in 2020. It ranges from day-to-day accounting and housekeeping to taking part in development meetings with writers/directors, co-producers and commissioners (platforms, channels, etc.), as well as scouting interesting films/series for remakes, particularly during festivals. I'm really pleased because it's an opportunity for me to discover even more about this business, to take part in ambitious projects, to meet different people who are already established, and to experience the development of a company from the inside.

We're now going to talk about a project you're working on alongside your job, with some friends, AVE Studios.

• Why did you set up AVE Studios? When did you start your business? What was your initial desire?

After completing our training at the Cours Florent (June 2021), a group of us wanted to continue creating/writing, having fun and exploring acting in front of the camera, which our 3rd year teacher, director Cédric Prevost, had introduced us to. Little by little, we began to organise ourselves more and more seriously, dividing into groups and developing a number of projects of varying scope. 

Since the summer of 2022 we've been officially organised as an association and we're trying to bring together a growing number of technicians and artists to support us on each new shoot, which we always want to be more professional than the last.

• If you had to describe AVE Studios in a few sentences, what would you say?

AVE Studios is first and foremost a film creation and production collective. It is also a meeting place for artistic and professional people interested in working in the film industry. In addition to our creative work, we are keen to bring together a community of audiovisual/film enthusiasts who don't necessarily have the means or the network to bring to life the ideas they have in their heads or already have on paper.

• What did you achieve last year?

In the space of a year, we have shot and entirely self-produced 3 episodes (30 minutes each) of our short film series 'Le Temps des Cerises'. At the same time, we have started to develop an innovative concept of meetings between actors based on video improvisations, which will then be broadcast on social networks. We launched our various pages on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok in autumn 2022.

Last year, we also participated in the production of the series 'Les Livreurs' by Cédric Fleury and Arnaud de Grandry, which is currently in the final stages of post-production.

Finally, several members of the association have made films for the Nikon Film Festival 2023.

• What are your objectives and future projects?

Our first objective is to complete season 1 of "Le Temps des Cerises" (7 episodes), and we already have 2 shoots planned in the next few months. The episodes already shot are currently in post-production and, as they are independent of each other, we'd like to send them to festivals as short films this year.

We also have a number of special short film projects that we'd like to shoot in the coming months.

Above all, we'd like to see the association grow and continue to become more professional, involving more and more people in our projects. The idea is also to collaborate with other collectives and other enthusiasts to explore worlds further away from what we're used to doing.

Finally, the dream would be to be able to release some of our films before 2024 to try and get feedback from professionals in the field and, with a bit of luck, find production partners for the future.

• What drew you to the chair and what did you get out of it?

To be honest, it took me a while to decide to apply for the Chair, not least because I wasn't yet sure what I wanted to do after ESSEC. But after discussing it with friends who had done it and realising the opportunities it could offer me, particularly thanks to the people I met at seminars and on trips, I didn't hesitate!

I learnt a lot about the media sector, both during the Wednesday evening round tables and when preparing my dissertation. What's really rewarding is that you get to take an interest in all aspects of the media world, not just those that attracted you to the Chair.

• What's your best memory of the Chair?

Of course, the trips to Bordeaux, Séries Mania and Cannes were great experiences, but I'd have to say that one of my best memories was moderating the round table on 'Sport and the Media', which I had a lot of fun preparing with one of my fellow professors (Victor Cumer), especially as it was the last one of the year.

• What advice would you give to students in the Chair or those interested?

Go for it, you won't regret it! Whether you want to work in music, publishing or film, it will open a thousand and one doors that were previously closed or barely glimpsed. It's also an opportunity to meet lots of new people from your year or from down the road, and if it turns out that way, you'll have the chance to work together one day!

• What question would you have liked to have been asked?

I'm not sure but maybe: "What sparked your interest in the media sector (or the film sector)?"