INTERVIEW with Michael BESSE writer and co-director of “EN ROUTINE, the movie of mistakes”

How long have you been doing movies? How did you decide to start making movies?

Filmmaking isn't my primary profession, as I've been working as a hospital engineer for 20 years. But I wanted to show that Art and Health could be combined for a good cause : to convey a serious message and offer caregivers a unique experience.

That's why we decided to make the first-ever musical short film about Quality culture in hospitals, inspired by the song and music video "Libertine" by Mylène FARMER and Laurent BOUTONNAT (released in 1986).

Why did you do this project?

In hospitals, we're overwhelmed with information : posters, emails everywhere... Getting messages across is becoming increasingly difficult, as healthcare professionals have less and less time. So I thought that with a different, unusual, and original medium, we could capture attention amidst all the messages. And what better way than with a song that sticks in your head ? It was also an opportunity to offer caregivers an artistic break that would allow them to showcase their hidden talents.

The other objective was to offer a communication and training tool for healthcare professionals. It's a "movie of mistakes”, a tool that can be used like an "educational game", where you have to find the 150 mistakes hidden in the 6-minute film.

(If you can say). How much budget did you have to do this project?

We carried out this project without a budget, because that's not the hospital's job. We asked for help from film and music professionals, artists... and it seems that goodwill still exists. Everyone agreed to play the game for free, to support a good cause : patient safety.

Among the artists who supported this project, there was even an American composer, Gary Guttman... who composed the opening music for us for free. We would never have had the means to pay Hollywood or hire a professional actress, singer, or director.

Was it self-funded or did you get budget/producers/investors?

We managed everything in-house, with the support of the artists who provided their expertise for the recording of the song and the shooting of the film.

How long did it take from the initial idea to being able to release?

It took 17 months of work between writing the song, rehearsals, studio recording, mixing, filming the movie, editing and recording the music in Hollywood... until the release of the film on YouTube. We were the first to be surprised by the time it took between writing the song and the release of the film.

Are you happy with the result?

Even though we are not film or music professionals, we wanted the film to be made under professional conditions at every stage, since it is a parody of a song and a video clip very well known in France ("Libertine" by Mylène FARMER and Laurent BOUTONNAT). It was important that the result lived up to the original, if only out of respect for all the artists who worked with us, including the composer of the original song (Jean-Claude DEQUEANT) and the actress who played the rival in the video 40 years ago (Sophie TELLIER). And we were very flattered that the composer appreciated our version.

What phase is this project in right now? Are you in the initial phase of sending it to festivals, middle phase or finishing the circuit?

The film was released on YouTube on 2024, April 15th. It is competing in various festivals and was just screened in the official selection of a short film festival for the first time a few days ago.

How has your experience been with the festivals so far? Where do you think they should improve?

For now, our experience is modest, but it is very pleasant to be able to present our work to the public and to exchange ideas after the session.

Could you tell us which platforms you use to submit your entries to festivals?

We mainly use the FilmFest platform.

Normally, filmmakers use many references, favorite directors, favorite movies, etc. Were you inspired by any director or film? If so, tell us your references.

We drew our inspiration from Mylène FARMER's music video, in terms of script, editing, framing, camera movements... If you look at the original film ("Libertine") and our film, you will find many nods, in homage to the original work. It was important for us to resemble this work as much as possible, whether it was the sound of the song, very "80s" or the atmosphere of the film.

Your favorite movie?

I really like animated films because I'm fascinated by this art and all the work that goes into it, capable of creating an extraordinary emotional moment like the "Circle of Life" scene from THE LION KING (1994). I like films that demonstrate ingenuity, with real special effects like Steven Spielberg's "

Favorite series?

I really liked a British series starring a group of three actors called "The League of Gentlemen" : it's incredible how they managed to create an atmosphere, wacky characters you believe in...

In a different genre, I really liked "American Horror Story" for Jessica Lange, or "Game of Thrones" for the universe it created.

Do you see yourself making movies in 5 years? Where do you see yourself?

I hope to be able to repeat the experience by proposing a new film for the hospital.

Do you have any other project in mind?

For now, I'm measuring the time and energy it takes to carry out a project like this. I'm currently working on a rather fantastic project, based on an ancient legend from the French countryside, talking about ghosts... which happened to my family and which has always intrigued me.

What do you ask for the future? (cinematographically speaking)

I am currently writing the script for a short fantasy film based on this ancient legend, which I would also like to adapt for the theatre… I haven’t chosen yet.

Your best experience in a movie theater?

One Saturday night in November 1994, in a movie theater full of people… the thrills during the opening scene of the animated film “THE LION KING”: that’s when I understood the power of cinema in terms of emotions.JURASSIC PARK" or Coppola's "DRACULA"...