Our La Rumba: «…it’s important that a person with a scorpion appears in the frame»
With over 20 years of experience in tourism, Carthage Group possesses extensive expertise in organizing MICE and event activities across various genres. We have participated in hosting stages of national beauty contests, welcomed international youth forums, and assisted with the accommodation of participants in major sporting events. Our portfolio includes more than 200 programs implemented with the involvement of a wide range of resources.
Today, we want to share a story about one of the fragments of this fascinating, diverse, and multifaceted experience.
So, Latin American dances and parkour on the rooftops of houses in Tunisia. What an explosive combination! Add to that the scorching sands of the Sahara, the shining white and blue freshness of Sidi Bou Said. And the fiery La Rumba, a music video by the Bulgarian pop diva and Eurovision participant Poli Genova, about the filming of which we decided to talk to someone who was directly involved in the process.
Answering our questions is Mikhail Sedov, a master of photo and video shooting, a well-deserved professional known in Tunisia and beyond, and a longtime friend of Carthage Group, whom we invited to the project of our Bulgarian clients as an local producer.
Mikhail, your involvement in the music video for Poli Genova isn’t the first time you’ve handled local production for a project filmed in Tunisia, is it?
No, it’s not. Although I never actively promoted myself that way, it just happened naturally. Popular bloggers, major TV channel staff, and artists all reach out to me.
Why is that? Well, first of all, I shoot myself and can communicate with camera operators and producers as a specialist, speaking the same language. I understand how the result of our efforts should look on screen and offer options to speed up achieving it. Of course, this takes into account my own knowledge of local filming locations, the best angles, and so on. And speeding up also means reducing costs, since it often involves equipment rental and other expenses related to the duration of the work.
If I have strong arguments, I can convince clients to forgo shooting in certain locations. But at the same time, I help them realize even their boldest ideas.
Plus, there is a second, and perhaps equally important, reason, which is the reliability of the organization process.
What exactly do you mean when you talk about reliability in relation to filming?
Tunisia is, of course, a wonderful country. The best, I would say. Sunny and friendly. And perhaps precisely because of its sunny and friendly nature, it is very, very relaxed. People here are not used to rushing. Let’s be honest, business precision is not always part of the local customs. Yet, during filming, it can be extremely important that, at the appointed time, for example, a person with a scorpion appears in the frame. Or a procession of camels passes by. Or someone speeds past in a cool jeep.
And all of this needs to be coordinated, ensuring both the presence and quality of these so-called scorpions, camels, and jeeps. Plus, they must appear on the right day and hour, and in the right place. Finding and gathering all of them, by Tunisian standards, is a separate miracle, and my colleagues know that I will apply 100% of my professional skills to make it happen. And in 95-99% of cases, it does.
How did your work on the project with the Bulgarian pop diva begin, a project sponsored by the Bulgarian tour operator Emerald Travel, which arranged flights for the artists, and Carthage Group, which took on organizational matters, transportation support, and accommodation for the film crew?
Carthage Group, my longtime partners, approached me with a request for local organizational assistance, which included help with equipment rental and scouting filming locations.
When carrying out such activities in Tunisia, special permits are required, and my colleagues at Carthage Group obtained them. It’s worth noting that many foreign event organizers assume they can simply arrive here and start filming right away. That’s a mistake. Permits for filming must be secured in advance, considering they can only be obtained through a reputable, licensed company that submits applications to the relevant government authorities on its own behalf and assumes dual responsibility, both for complying with the country’s national security requirements and for ensuring the safety of foreign nationals.
Separate permits are also required for equipment rental and route approvals. In the case of the Bulgarian film crew, even permission was needed for the movement of the truck carrying the equipment, similar to the approvals required for musical groups touring Tunisia.
Once all the paperwork was prepared by my partners at Carthage Group, I personally went to the authorities to notify the police about where, when, and how we planned to work on the video. In short, it was a complicated but extremely important bureaucratic process.
Did the Bulgarian artist arrive with her own team, or were specialists hired locally in Tunisia to participate in the creative process?
A full professional team arrived. A large film crew with many specialists, including a stylist and makeup artist. In Tunisia, Carthage Group handled accommodation and transportation for this creative team. The local staff included the truck driver transporting the main camera and equipment, and a camera assistant who assembled the camera before it was taken to the set and was responsible for technical maintenance.
Other Tunisians joined the process as needed. The people who brought the quad bikes, the parkour athletes running across rooftops, and extras. The video includes scenes of a nighttime disco, which was my idea to add as a plot twist. The Bulgarian colleagues were initially skeptical, asking, “Where will we find so many young men and women for the party?” But they agreed and didn’t regret it. I have a friend who manages casting for TV shows, and through him, it’s easy to get any number of actors of any gender, appearance, and age. Naturally, all legally and with the required formalities.
By the way, speaking of the night disco and the parkour athletes you mentioned, I simply have to ask. Where were the shoots held? The locations are incredibly impressive.
I brought in two parkour athletes at the request of the creative team. They needed some kind of activity on camera. The storyline with these guys was filmed in the capital’s medina. In the clip you can see its streets, an authentic café with vintage décor, and a panoramic view of the medina.
The second shooting location chosen was Sidi Bou Said, the famous Tunisian city of romantics and poets.
And the third venue was the Sahara, a campsite in Douz, which is literally a 10-minute drive from the city center and offers many additional advantages. It’s quiet and peaceful there, with almost no crowd, only the staff of the establishment. Facilities include toilets, showers, a kitchen, everything is properly equipped. If needed, there are large army tents with comfortable beds at your disposal. And the scenery is picturesque. Dunes, sand, and visually a complete desert all around 360 degrees. The campsite’s name translates as “sand river.”
It’s an ideal place for shooting, and that’s what I suggested. Of course, we could have gone deeper into the sands, to another campsite half a day’s drive away, where the dunes reach heights of 50–80 meters, real mountains. But there’s a catch. Our truck with equipment simply might not have been able to get there.
Answering your question about the team involved in the clip, you mentioned that a special person accompanied the camera during filming. Such respect is probably reserved only for very important equipment. Was it brought by your guests?
Exactly. But our guests didn’t bring anything, nor did they plan to, since in Tunisia you can find almost any technical equipment. They sent me a rental list, a diverse assortment of lighting equipment, various anti-reflective tools, filters, lenses, and much more. We tried to provide all the items on the list at optimal prices.
Among other things, colleagues from Bulgaria ordered a top-of-the-line camera, the digital Arri Alexa system. The model currently used for the coolest projects in Hollywood. And it really comes with a truck, various additional accessories, and yes, a separate person responsible for servicing this marvel of technology.
This is expensive equipment. Assembled, Arri Alexa costs from 100,000 euros, and its rental in Tunisia runs from 2,000 euros per day. And 2,000 euros is just the “bare” price, to which transportation, assembly, the aforementioned accessories, and the services of that separate person are added. Shooting with such a camera can deliver an incredible wow effect, but of course, everyone uses it as they see fit, according to their own tasks, goals, and vision of the final result.
And finally, one last thing. Tell me, during the shoot, did you manage to learn the song performed by Poli Genova by heart? Do you usually have to do many takes when filming a clip?
The number of takes depends on the producer’s nitpicking, the artist’s wishes, and the location. For example, we shot the parkour on the roofs in the medina in one go. And Poli Genova trusted our entire team, at least during the shoot, I didn’t see any active requests or objections from her regarding the organization of the process.
I would like to express respect to the singer herself. A wonderful professional and a charming woman, and to her team, specialists I truly enjoyed working with.
It’s nice that we also received corresponding feedback from the Bulgarian group. Our clients and guests highly appreciated the accommodation provided by Carthage Group, the organization of the shoots, the choice of locations, and all our other efforts aimed at ensuring their stay in Tunisia gave them the best possible experience.
As for the song, I remembered it very well. I can even hum it, although I don’t know the language it’s performed in. But that doesn’t matter. The main thing is that when the right communication arises, then complete mutual understanding is formed during the work process. Especially when it involves representatives of very different societies and cultures, people living in different corners of our big world.
