EXCLUSIVE!!!!

 

TODOR CHAPKANOV

 

Born on July 29, 1977 in Sofia, Bulgaria, Todor Chapkanov graduated in 1999 from the National Academy for Theater and Film Arts in Sofia, Bulgaria. He directed three episodes of the Bulgarian TV series “Stolichani v poveche” in 2012, six episodes of the Bulgarian TV series “Tree of Life” in 2013 and fifty episodes of the Bulgarian TV series “Dear Heirs” in 2018. He wrote and directed in 2022 the short film 'The Annoying Husband'.

 

Todor worked as a second assistant to the director between 2001 and 2003 on the films 'Shark Hunter', 'Hyper Sonic' and 'Dragon Fighter' and the TV movies 'Alpha Force' and 'Deep Shock', since 2003 he has been the first director's assistant on the films 'Silent Warnings', 'Maximum Velocity', 'Dark Waters', 'Post Impact', 'Boa vs. Python',  'Boogeyman 3', 'Echelon Conspiracy', 'Infestation', 'Messengers 2: The Scarecrow', 'The Way Back', 'London Has Fallen', 'Bar Tricks' , 'Nightworld', 'The Hitman's Bodyguard', 'Jarhead: Law of Return', 'Infamous Six' and 'Barbarian' and the TV movies 'Epoch: Evolution', 'Dragon Storm', 'Phantom Force', 'Darklight ', 'Alien Siege', 'Path of Destruction', 'Locusts: The 8th Plague', 'Manticore', 'Magma: Volcanic Disaster', 'S.S. Doomtrooper', 'Dragon Dynasty', 'Beowulf', 'Lake Placid 2', 'Ghost Voyage' and 'Morlocks' and between 2007 and 2013 he worked as a second unit director on the movies 'Return to House on Haunted Hill', 'Wrong Turn 3: Left for Dead ' and the TV movies 'Reign of the Gargoyles', 'Rock Monster', 'Dark Relic' and 'Invasion Roswell'. In 2012 Todor was responsible for the additional action sequences in the TV movie 'Lake Placid: The Final Chapter'.

 

Since 2008, Todor also directs such as the films 'Storm War', 'True Bloodthirst', 'Asylum' and 'Undisputed 4' and the TV movies 'Copperhead', 'Thor: Hammer of the Gods', 'Ghost Town', 'Monsterwolf', 'Miami Magna', 'Crystal Skulls', 'Viking Quest', 'Picture Perfect Royal Christmas', 'Royal Blossom' and 'Lost & Found in Rome'. He has directed Hollywood stars such as Billy Drago, Gil Gerard, Stacy Keach, Brad Dourif, Stephen Rea and Scott Adkins. Perry was given the opportunity to speak to the very friendly Todor Chapkanov because of an interview for the internet site.

 

001.How did your love for film come about?

       When I was little I loved to watch movies in the cinema, especially American movies. For example, I loved to watch ‘Star Wars’, ‘Indiana Jones’ en

       ‘E.T. the Extra – Terrestrial’. Although I actually like all genres. Between 1994 and 1999 I studied at the National Academy for Theater and Film Arts in

       Sofia, Bulgaria. I personally think that film is the best way to tell a ‘bedtime’ story.

002.Which process of making a film do you enjoy doing the most: rehearsing, filming or editing the film?

       I love doing it all. But if I have to make a choice, it will be the filming process. I always find that the most exciting. You finally work with all your cast

       and crew members. The most important, like everyone else, to be well prepared. The more prepared you are, the smarter you look.

003.Over the years you have worked with quite a few well-known names. However, who has impressed you the most?

       I enjoyed working with all of my cast members. Surely there has been someone who was not doing so well. I'm not going to name names though.

       Unfortunately I clashed with couple of people. That gives me bad feelings, because I try to have a happy and exciting film set, so I would never want

       to work with that person again. As I like to say: I did two films with that person - the first and last. I still have quite a wish list of people I would love to

       work with. Jeff Bridges (from the movie 'Crazy Heart' of 2009, ed.), Gene Hackman, Tom Hanks (from the movie 'Forrest Gump' of 1994, ed.) and

       Jack Nicholson are high on my list to work with. They are also not the least, since all four are Oscar winners. Still, I don't think Gene Hackman and

       Jack Nickolson will make it anymore since Gene Hackman's last movie was ‘Welcome to Mooseport’ from 2004 and Jack Nicholson's last movie was

       ‘How Do You Know’ from 2010. But yes, you have to dream of course.

004.Is it true that you can also be seen as an actor in your projects every now and then?

       I certainly wouldn't call it acting. I'm not an actor either. However, I can always be seen in the picture in all my directing jobs. It is better to call this a

       cameo role (a short appearance in a TV series or film, ed.). But this is always in jest and with a nod to the well-known British film director Alfred

       Hitchcock who always did this. For example, I was seen in 2007 as a guard in the TV movie 'Beowulf’. In 2015 I played a villager in the TV movie

       ‘Viking Quest’ and in 2018 I was the young version of the character Baii Dotcho in the Bulgarian TV series “Dear Heirs”.

005.At which moment in your career are you most proud and/or do you have the best memories?

       I am actually quite proud of almost all of my projects. I see every project as a step further in my career. I am most proud of something from my private

       sphere. Namely my wife Adriana and children. My daughter Leah who is 15 years old, my sons Atanas who is 8 years old and Matey who is 7 years

       old. They are  my best work so far. Adriana is a great photographer and also makes movie stills (film photos, ed.). For example, she did this in 2017

       with the film 'Nightworld', where I myself was involved as the director's first assistant. Adriana also made movie stills in 2018 of the Bulgarian TV

       series “Dear Heirs” that I directed myself. There is one film that I am disappointed of and that is the film 'Asylum' from 2014. The shooting still went

       well, but during the editing the film was taken out of my hands. It turned out to be something completely different from what I had envisioned. But this

       kind of thing happen.

006.How did you get involved as a director of the movie 'Black Lotus'?

       In 2019 I was approached for the film 'Black Lotus', by the producers Marcel de Block and Tom de Mol. They also produced in 2017 the movie ‘The

       Hitman’s Bodyguard’ which was partly shot in Bulgaria. I myself was the director's first assistant on the film 'The Hitman's Bodyguard'. I had a job

       interview with Marcel and Tom in Amsterdam. They were looking for an action director for their movie 'Black Lotus'. I was immediately excited about

       the story when I read the script. Besides Marcel and Tom, the American Christian Mercuri is the third producer of the film 'Black Lotus'. We were

       supposed to start filming in May 2020, but this ended up being June 2022 due to the coronavirus. We filmed for a total of six weeks, four weeks in

       Amsterdam in the Netherlands and two weeks in Sofia in Bulgaria. Before I was involved in the film, I didn’t know who Rico Verhoeven was. I only

       found out later who he was and that he is an incredible champion.

007.What can we expect from you in the future in showbiz?

       The TV movie ‘I'm with Me’ should be released around Valentine’s Day of 2023, while the movie ‘Black Lotus’ will be in cinemas from April 2023. And

       at some point in 2023 my other two romantic comedies ‘For Better or Worse’ and ‘Valley of Love’ should be released.

 

For more information about Todor Chapkanov, visit https://todorchapkanov.com/.

 

Interview: Perry Krootjes