Today we’d like to introduce you to Gabor Koenczoel.
Alright, thank you for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, how did you get started?
First of all, thank you for the opportunity to share my story. I live in Hungary, but lately, I’ve been visiting Los Angeles quite often. My girlfriend studies film directing and screenwriting at Columbia College Hollywood, and we don’t want to be away from each other much. I want to support her with my presence. What does that mean exactly? We love each other very much, and I look up to her because she is working hard for her dreams. To help her concentrate on her studies, I take as much of the burden off her shoulders as possible: cooking, washing, shopping, etc. Especially during her exam period, this is a big help for her because she has no time for anything, even forgetting to eat. I have been interested in cinema since childhood. When I was seven or eight years old, they showed me on TV how The Terminator was made, which made a big impression on me. I became a film fan and wanted to make films. I even turned my childhood bedroom into a film studio. I built a camera and camera tripod out of cardboard boxes and made films with my toy cars and characters. Of course, those films were only made in my imagination. Besides filmmaking, I also love to travel.
In 2005, I traveled to Tunisia to explore the Star Wars filming locations. I was fascinated by the North African country and returned twice more. I took the opportunity to make a documentary about the Star Wars filming locations called Tatooine Expedition, which was screened at a Sci-Fi event and was a great success. A few weeks later, it was broadcast on a cable TV channel. Identifying the locations was challenging because there were no GPS maps for Tunisia at the time, so I set off on the adventure with a proper paper map, compass, and fan descriptions. It was like a treasure hunt: “at km 46, turn right, look for a rock, go 15 meters from the edge of the rock, turn southeast, and you will see where the jawas were hiding.” I liked identifying film locations so much that it has since become a regular activity. I identify the filming locations of all my favorite films and then capture them frame by frame, photo by photo. Since then, I’ve been to many countries, and others have joined me to share my experiences, so I haven’t traveled alone. It was one of those connections that brought me out here to California for the first time. I was in Petaluma, and Steve Sansweet hosted me at Rancho Obi-Wan. We took advantage of the opportunity and drove around California in a rented SUV from San Francisco to San Diego, but we also went through Nevada and Arizona. It was a great adventure!
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Has it been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I was destined first to study commercial school and to cater to help with the family business, but my interest in filmmaking never waned. In 2006, I started studying film directing and screenwriting at a film academy organized by a local production company. Unfortunately, in my senior year, the production company went bankrupt, and the school closed. I continued my studies on my own in private lessons and other productions. As an exam film, I shot a short film called Yasmine, which screened in three countries at various short film festivals. After a long hiatus, I will soon be back with another short film I want to screen at several international short film festivals.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My family and I run a restaurant and a B&B, so I’m also at home in the hospitality business. Because of the internet, I am in the fortunate position of being able to work online. I do all my bookings, invoicing, accounting, advertising, publicity, and menu updates from here, so I can manage financially when I’m away from home. I’ve met some great people here in Los Angeles who opened a European restaurant in Encino in December, serving Hungarian and Italian food. Since I have an insight into Hungarian cuisine, I offered them my professional help to prepare them for the opening. Since I can’t take a job in the US, this was voluntary and selfless, and I was happy to help a great enthusiastic team. I also gained new experience by getting to know how American restaurants work.
I also have a particular hobby that stems from my love of film. Dressed in a Star Wars costume, I try to cheer up sick children by being a member of the 501st Legion Hungarian Garrison and the Rebel Legion, and we also do charity work. The most frequent ones are visits to the children’s hospital, where we try to break them out of their grey everyday life. Some of my charity activities I am most proud of. I’ve met some actors who have also appeared in Star Wars films. I asked Mads Mikkelsen and Temuera Morrison for their autographs on a toy figure of them, which I donated to a charity raffle. I donated one of the signed action figures to the Hope for Children with Leukemia Foundation and the other to cover the costs of hospital treatment of a sick boy.
Any big plans?
When my girlfriend graduates, we would like to set up a production company in Hungary at home, which would also give space for international work. We would also like to work with foreign filmmakers and provide work for foreign filmmakers in Europe. A few weeks ago, I started writing a major story, so I’m working on a feature film script in addition to my online work. As for my passion for film, I’m exploring film locations in California. I’m also planning to contact the American 501st Legion shortly, as I’d like to do my part for charity here.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/revisited_locations/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gyongyvasznontul
