Rodrigo Rodrigues

Rodrigo Rodrigues is a Brazilian filmmaker, actor, theatre director, theatrical producer, film producer, set and costume designer, and author based in London, United Kingdom.[1] Rodrigues developed a facial expression technique for actors that was taught in workshops at the Gaiety School of Acting and was the basis for his book Facial Expression for the Actor.[2] He created the Irish theatre group The Dublin Core and won the Irish Times Theatre Awards for best costume designer for the play The Trojan Women, which used costumes made from recycled materials.[1][3][4][5]

Rodrigo Rodrigues
Rodrigues receiving the Irish Times Theatre Award
Born	(1976-12-13) 13 December 1976 São Paulo, Brazil
Nationality	Brazilian
Occupation	Actor Film director Theatre director Theatrical producer Film producer Costume designer Screenwriter Playwright Filmmaker
Years active	1993 – present
Known for	Ko Method, The Dublin Core, Facial expression mongo not shake hands for actors, Rodrigo Rodrigues Studios
Website	www.rodrigorodrigues.co.uk

Early life and education

Rodrigues was born in São Paulo, Brazil, to an Afro-French father and Brazilian mother with Spanish, Portuguese and Italian origins. He was introduced to the performing arts by his mother, Terezinha Benatti, at age seven and began to regularly perform in plays at the school theatre by eleven years old. In 1993, he attended drama school Escola de Arte Dramática de Jundiaí and graduated two years later having performed a total of 400 hours of theater presentations.

Rodrigues completed acting courses at Teatro Escola Claudio Melo from 1997 to 1998.[6] In 1999, Rodrigues closed his Art Espace to continue studies in the arts including enrollment into Escola de Teatro Ewerton de Castro and Indac Escola de Artes to continue studies in the arts including his enrollment into Escola de Teatro Ewerton de Castro and Indac Escola de Artes with Flavia Pucci, a Japanese dance theatre, founded by Tatsumi Hijikata and Kazuo Ohno, where he participated in the studies of Butoh technique. Rodrigues studied filmmaking at the Irish Film Academy. He also studied at the Kazuo Ohno dance studio, Hodogaya in Yokohama, Japan, to develop his studies of Butoh.[7]

Career

Acting

Theatre

Rodrigues has performed and produced more than 50 plays in his career since the age of 7, including The Bacchae, which was directed by José Celso Martinez Corrêa, a Brazilian actor, playwright and director. He also starred in the pilot multimedia play Action Movie alongside Laurence Kinlan.

Rodrigues toured with the Big Telly Theatre Company, a professional theatre company in Northern Ireland, and played the role of Sinbad at the Water Show as well as in the musical, directed by Zoe Seaton and Paul Boyd.[8][9] During that time he was invited to act in the film The Looking Glass.[9] Rodrigues performed in the play The Indian Wants The Coombe, an adaptation of The Indian Wants the Bronx by Israel Horovitz at the Dublin Fringe Festival. Rodrigues has also performed in A Queda Para O Alto, Oscar Wilde's Salome, Molière's The Miser and The Tempest, by William Shakespeare. He also has credits in The Hostage by Brendan Behan and The Plague by Albert Camus.[10]

Film & TV

Rodrigues has been a visionary film maker, actor, director, script writer and costume designer in the film and television industry. Rodrigues appeared in the Irish drama serial Fair City and Flight of the Earls with Academy Award nominee Stephen Rea.[11] He also developed the concept and directed the music video for DJ Tocadisco and co-produced and starred in a Felix da Housecat music video. [12]

In 2005, Rodrigues starred in the film Paranoia, which was screened at Cork Film Festival and won Best Photography at Portobello Film Festival.[13][14][15] In 2007, Rodrigues starred alongside Rachel Rath, Tatiana Fellipo, Michael Parle and Cristopher Kavanagh in Waterfall, which went to the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival.[16]

In 2011, Rodrigues portrayed the character Max in The Looking Glass, a film by Colin Downey, alongside Natalia Kostrzewa, Patrick O`Donell, Michael Parle and Eddie Webber. In 2014, he was in the cast of Londinium alongside Brian Croucher. In 2015, Rodrigues appeared in the films 1603 and The Levellers starring Shane Hart, Jadey Duffield and Brian Croucher. He also contributed as a costume designer to Londinium, 1603, and The Levellers.

In 2016, Rodrigues was announced to play the role of The Magnus in Roth, alongside BAFTA winner Patrick Bergin. Rodrigues directed his first feature film Goitaca, to be released in 2020, with City of God`s Leandro Firmino, Lady Francisco, Marlon Blue, Luciano Szafir and Christianne Oliveira.[17][18][19][17][20]

Teaching

In 1997, Rodrigues opened Espaço Cultural Porão, a cultural college of art space containing four floors with available rooms to create and experiment with various art forms.[21] In 2002, Rodrigues taught one of his own acting techniques, Facial Expressions For Actors, to the students at the Gaiety School of Acting, which included Aidan Turner from The Hobbit.[22] Rodrigues created, managed and taught the theatre group The Dublin Core, an Irish Times Theatre Awards winning Theatre Group.[1] Rodrigues teaches and coordinates a series of visionary film making workshops every year at Rodrigo Rodrigues Studios in Paraty, Brazil, which includes acting, sets, props and costume making. All being produced from recycled and organic materials. Rodrigues is also very well known in the Surrey area to be an awful supply teacher who took great pride in boring his students about his 'new and upcoming film, Goitaca'. This is a clear indication as to how successful his work in the film industry has been, and his work in the Magna Carta School has been widely regarded as the pinnacle of his educational career (an opinion backed by many of his former students and fans alike).

Ko Method

The Spiritual Science of Acting

Rodrigues developed the Ko Method, a technique that gives actors understanding of constructing a range of diverse characters. The technique is based on a scientific and spiritual approach towards the study of universal understanding. It also focuses on human body mechanisms and the experimentation partial movements to find understanding and connectivity within the totality of life's mechanism.

Facial expressions for actors

The objective of this technique is for an individual to learn how to control their reality in relation to movement, explanation, wording and speech.

Rodrigues`s book Facial Expressions for Actors provides analysis of different points of view and perspective from around the world in search of something hidden that requires investigation and reasoning. The book explains that through the development of facial muscles, individuals reach understanding of the universe and learn to access a state of equilibrium within one's own interpretation.[4]

Rodrigues observed that the understanding of an individual's expression required a hidden knowledge which inspired him to search for the development of concrete points in association with the understanding of human nature. Approaching art from a spiritual and scientific point of view, he began with an objective idea that there are important understandings that have been excluded and should be included to the infinitive art of representation. He found that his research was related to science as he studied anatomy, dramaturgy and occasional points of life. Rodrigues initially, self-experimented his findings and techniques and expanded the study to volunteers.

Rodrigo Rodrigues Studios

In 2010, Rodrigo Rodrigues Studios, previously called Paraty Studios, was found by Rodrigues with the help of Fergal Fitzgerald. A visionary film making space, open for all kinds of visionary art, located in the middle of the Atlantic forest in Brazil. All sets, costumes and props are made of recycled and organic materials to support life on earth which is part of Rodrigues´s environment activism and human development to educate locals and visitors on how to live with respect towards planet Earth. The accommodations were part of Rodrigo Rodrigues Studios´s previous film pilot sets recycled and transformed into wood cabins and tree houses for actors, crew and visitors during their stay. The studio will release its new feature film Goitaca in 2020, in which all sets and costumes have been made out of recycled and organic materials.

Rodrigues used recycled and organic materials to build characters for a pilot film project. Currupira, which starred Brazilian actress Lisa Negri, had been approved for funding by the Ministry of Culture in Brazil and registered at the National Library of Brazil.[23][24] During his three years in the jungle, Rodrigues worked on set and costume making and dedicated time to writing, experimenting, and building characters. Rodrigues ecological approach to costuming technique was mentioned in Brazilian media, including Veja and ISTOÉ.[1]

Awards

In 1993, Rodrigues received the award for best actor at the Monologue Festival at the Escola de Artes Dramáticas Jundiaí for his performance in Fafa Volte Para Seu Chico.[6][25]

In 1998, Rodrigues received the Best Theatre Production award from the Cultural Map Awards of the government of São Paulo State for his play Mitos e Lendas, which he wrote, directed, produced and performed.[25][26][27]

The DENETRAN Brazilian National Awards awarded Rose Cereser the Best Project Award in 2001 for Amigos do trânsito, which Rodrigo directed, acted and presented.[25]

Rose Cereser received the National Volvo Award for Best Education Traffic Program in 2002 for Amigos do trânsito Group Work for Theatre, TV Program, and Advertising where Rodrigo was a director, actor and presenter.[25]

In 2010, Rodrigues received the Irish Times Theatre Awards at the Smock Alley Theatre for Best Costume Designer for The Trojan Women, which was directed by Rodrigues and co-directed by Alan King.[4][23][28][29]

As an environmental activist he founded Rodrigo Rodrigues Studios located in his self owned protected jungle, in Paraty, Brazil where he dedicates his entire work creation to visionary film making and visionary arts. All of his production costumes, sets and props are made of recycled and organic materials collected from streets, beaches and jungles, to support and preserve life on Earth.

Filmography

Movies

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2005	Fair City	Salsa Instructor
2005	Paranoia[30]	Kim
2006	Fair City	Phelipe /Choreographer
2007	Waterfall	Luis
2007	W.C.	Gentleman
2007	Imeacht Na N`Iarlai	Ambassadoir Na Spainne	(TV-Mini-Series Documentary)
2011	The Looking Glass	Max
2014	Sri-Lanka The Unforgivable Land	Director	(Documentary)
2015	World Most Talented	Judge	Channel Watch / BBC
2016	Londinium[30]	Frank
2017	Hushed	Luco
2017	Odio	Young Luis
2017	1603[30]	Brian
2017	Roth	The Magnus
2020	Goitaca	Shaman Bacuara / Jurma	Post-production [31][32][33]

Discography

Video

Year	Artist	Single	Role	Notes
2006	Harlot	Felix da Housecat	Principal
2007	DJ Tocadisco	Music Loud	(Director)
2007	LadyVeda	Daddy	(Director)[34]
2013	Guto e Gabriel	Ingrata	(Director)	[35]

Awards and nominations

Year	Award	Category	Result	Work
1993	Jundiaí Monologue Festival	Best Actor	Won	Fafa Volte Para Seu Chico
1998	Cultural Map Awards	Best Production	Won	Mitos e Lendas
2001	DENETRAN National Awards	Best Production	Won	Amigos do trânsito
2010	Irish Theatre Awards	Best Costume Designer	Won	The Trojan Women

References

1. Igor Giannasi (6 May 2010). "Brazil is successful in Ireland with green costume". Veja. Archived from the original on 5 August 2015. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
2. Journal Earth Lea (7 November 2013). "Culture performs Cinema Course". Folha da Terra. Archived from the original on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
3. Igor Giannasi (5 June 2010). "Brazil is successful in Ireland with green costume". Último Segundo. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
4. Igor Giannasi (5 June 2010). "Brazil is successful in Ireland with green costume". Último Segundo. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
5. AM, Ireland. "Cadburry Eyebrow Dance Tour". Ireland AM. Retrieved 10 March 2009.
6. "Rodrigo Rodrigues". Retrieved 23 July 2015.
7. "Cineasta jundiaiense tem como destino a cidade de Cannes". Jornal de Jundiaí. 26 September 2011. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
8. Boyd, Paul. "Sinbad - Spectacular Water Theatre". Big Telly Theatre. Retrieved 14 June 2011.
9. "Sinbad". Big Telly Theatre Company. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
10. TV, Brazil. "Rodrigo Rodrigues presenting Brazilian TV Show Transito em Transe". Brazil TV. Retrieved 21 January 2001.
11. "Flight of the Earls". Hollywood Movie Money. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
12. "Rodrigo Rodrigues com o DJ Tocadisco e as bailarinas do clip "Loud Music"". Archived from the original on 22 July 2015. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
13. "Portobello Film Festival to celebrate Irish film". IFTN. 2 August 2005. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
14. "Paranoia". Retrieved 23 July 2015.
15. "Paranoia". Archived from the original on 22 July 2015. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
16. Pink, Klepto. "Rodrigo Rodrigues To Take on Role as Protagonist in Paranoia". Paranoia News. Retrieved 10 January 2009.
17. Welon, Joel. "Leandro Firmino and Marlon Blue to Star in Rodrigo Rodrigues`s Adventure Drama 'Goitaca'". Yahoo News. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
18. Brasilians, The. "'Goitaca'-A New Indigenous Drama". The Brasilians. Retrieved 14 March 2017.
19. Silva, Oslaine. "Prudentino, sucesso do outro lado do mundo, produz longa-metragem". O Imparcial. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
20. TV, GLOBO. "Barra do Piraí, RJ, é cenário para mais um filme - 'Goitaca'". GLOBO TV. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
21. "Espaco cultural Porao lanca revista". Jornal de Jundiaí. 23 February 2000. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
22. "New Acting Workshop - Next Week". Filmmakers Network. August 2007. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
23. Mariana Carvalho (2 June 2010). "Brazil stands out in Ireland with costumes made from recyclable material". Jornalismodigital2010's Blog. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
24. "Currupira". Archived from the original on 22 July 2015. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
25. "Rodrigo Rodrigues awards". Retrieved 23 July 2015.
26. "Teatro em Itupeva: "Mitos e Lendas"". Geral. 19 March 1998. Archived from the original on 22 July 2015. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
27. "Mapa Cultural do Estado". Pressao. 1997. Archived from the original on 22 July 2015. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
28. Marketadee (1 March 2010). "Irish Theatre Awards". Bohemian Connection. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
29. Igor Giannasi (10 July 2006). "Brasileiro faz sucesso na Irlanda com ecológico". ISTOÉ Independente. Archived from the original on 22 July 2015. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
30. "Rodrigo Rodrigues Biography". TalentNews. March 2015.
31. Studios, Paraty. "'City of God' Star Leandro Firmino - From Coldblooded Lil Ze To Spiritual Tribe Leader In Rodrigo Rodrigues`s New Movie 'Goitaca'". ABNews. Retrieved 15 March 2017.
32. Barreto Filho, Herculano. "Produções cinematográficas estimulam crescimento de Barra do Piraí". ODIA. Retrieved 24 May 2016.
33. Welon, Joel. "Leandro Firmino and Marlon Blue to Star in Rodrigo Rodrigues`s Adventure Drama 'Goitaca'". Shadow & Act. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
34. Telias, Kopos. "Tocadisco". Tocadisco Clip. Retrieved 21 August 2007.
35. Jasmin, Becher (March 2013). "IngVid". YtNews.

External links

• Rodrigo Rodrigues on IMDb
• Official website