The Latest Edition of the Mastershot Film Workshop at Ławica Airport – Report
The most recent edition of the film workshops centered around the Greater Poland Uprising featured a unique setting and exceptional atmosphere. The historical location at Ławica Airport—where aircraft were stationed during the Uprising—alongside a replica of a Fokker plane and an authentic BMW Dixi car from 100 years ago, recreated the spirit of the era. Participants, historical reenactors, and the organizing team used state-of-the-art film equipment to create a historical short film in a single continuous take—a so-called mastershot.
Since November 2018, as part of the Mastershot Film Festival, the organizers have conducted three film workshops focusing on selected events from the Greater Poland Uprising. During the first workshop in November 2018, the organizers, together with a group of participants, actors, and reenactors from the Ławica Air Station in Poznań, produced a film depicting six key events of the Uprising. The second and third workshop films focused on specific moments and individuals. One portrayed the capture of Fort VII in Poznań and was filmed on location at the real Fort VII (Colomb) on Aleja Polska. Another film told the story of an extraordinary insurgent—Sam Sandi, a Black soldier of Cameroonian origin, who arrived in Poznań with French troops and took part in the uprising. The final workshop in this historical series had to be truly exceptional to underscore and bring closure to the entire project.
A Fokker plane, Ławica Airport, and a pilot—these three elements formed the narrative framework of the fourth and final film about the Greater Poland Uprising. The authentic airport location, the proximity of historic hangars, the period-accurate Fokker replica, the pilot, and the insurgents not only recreated the atmosphere from a century ago but also justified the use of advanced cinematic techniques. A camera crane mounted on a pickup truck, equipped with a high-end ARRI cinema camera, was employed—gear typically used for outdoor scenes in full-length feature films. This professional setup captured the extended single shot at Ławica Airport during the eighth edition of the Mastershot Film Workshop.
The organizers are currently working on a behind-the-scenes documentary detailing the production of the one-take film, as well as on post-production of the mastershot film dedicated to the Greater Poland Uprising at Ławica. Once post-production is complete, the airport film will premiere publicly and be shared with project partners. All films will also be available on the organizers’ and partners’ online channels.
The organizers would like to thank the City of Poznań for financial support, the Wielkopolska Museum of Independence for their historical consultation, the Poznań-Ławica Airport for granting access to the airport tarmac for filming, the University of the Arts in Poznań and the Historical Reenactment Group Ławica Air Station for their collaboration, all supporting partners and collaborators for their commitment and assistance in producing this film and the entire uprising series. Special thanks to the workshop participants for their creativity, energy, and passion for cinema, which helped overcome challenges and meet the demands of making a historical film.
Visit our Facebook page! Click to view the event photo gallery.
PHOTO GALLERY – MASTERSHOT WORKSHOPS: GREATER POLAND UPRISING
Organizer: MASTERSHOT FILM FESTIVAL
Project: “A TALE OF TRIUMPHANT POZNAŃ. Film workshops using the one-shot method – MASTERSHOT” is co-financed by the budget of the City of Poznań.
PATRON: City of Poznań
Content Partner: Wielkopolska Museum of Independence – Greater Poland Uprising Museum Branch in Poznań
Technology Partner: WinMar
Partners: Poznań-Ławica Airport, University of the Arts in Poznań, Poznań Film Commission, Historical Reenactment Group Ławica Air Station, Fresh Studio, CamL Studio, FreeFly Systems.
#poznanwspiera