Popular Hollywood producer and director of Albanian origin (Photo) dies

Who's Stan Dragoti...

Stan Dragotti, known to Albanians as the Albanian who “estbi” Hollywood Walls, or the man who made the re-awaken New York's dreams with the famous edition “I love New York”. He is said to be born October 4, 1932, in New York City. His welcome is Albanian. It comes from a Tepelena family, who migrated very early to the United States. His father Aslan from the village of the attractive landscape, the Dragons (his name also bears Tepelena's) and his mother Bahrie from the ancient town of Tepelene. The first steps of this genius began as a child. At an early age, he was very curious and interested in spending time in front of television programs. Every film he watched was passionate about commenting with his sisters and parents. From the age of seven, he started drawing, imagining, and many drawings of age.

According to Wikipedia, these were said to be the beginnings which brought his dream reality. He finished college simultaneously on “Cooper Union” New York and visual arts school. He is still working with his colleague Charlie Moss since 1968. Stan made a name when the director of a movie started in the first instance that had incredible success. Some of the sales amounted to $200 million of every product of his company. At the same time, ads began to be made for giant airlines and automotive industries. An intelligent and creative man, using them to serve time. He became too familiar and demanding of his own time.
Could it be that time had taken care of him for the right time to reawaken New York's dreams. It's unforgettable for those who have lived in the 1970s when you remind them of the movie symbol "the film which has “capture” the very coloury advertising and virines of the New York giant metropolis for the play “Love New York”. A heart “New York. Although so many years have passed this effort is as if the entrance of the New York “love”.

During numerous meetings with former Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha, in a practical life he has been not only discriminating about cinematography but also about Albania's launching in Hollywood, launching Albanian tourism around the world, and not even publicising religious tolerance, which according to the artist is very important.
Known director of Albanian origin, especially for films “Love at First Bit” (Love first bite, 1979), a black comedy on the subject of Dracula and “The Man With One Red Shoe” (Britain in a red shoe, 1985), a romantic comedy with Tom Hanks and James Belushi, had expressed the idea to Albanian Prime Minister for the realisation of three important cinematographic projects.
From sources close to the former prime minister, during Berisha's leadership, it is taught that Dragoti has had a project in co-operation with other American producers, the realisation of three films for Albania. Which the artist had then presented to the former prime minister for three film projects to be taken to Hollywood, which were according to then one for the history of Skenderbeu, another film project for helping Albanians have given Jews and another in collaboration with Peter Lucas, for World War II”.

Former Prime Minister Berisha himself had welcomed the prominent artist and praised him for his great contribution to his work in raising Albania's image in the international arena, as well as his continued interest in his country's developments and projects of origin.
But besides cinematographic projects, prominent director Stan Dragoti, in Albania, had started alongside his producers and associates, within the framework of efforts to promote and promote the development of Albanian tourism, recognition of Albania's history and traditions more widely through historical films, documentaries on Albania's country, and television spots' packages on tourism and the image of tourism Albania.
During the conversation that was then with Berisha, Dragoti had discussed the potential Albania has in terms of tourism and investment in various areas, as well as the possibility and importance of developing an effective strategy for promoting production “Made in Albania” worldwide.
The artist had also suggested the realisation of Albania's tourism spots, emphasising on publishing the exotic, romantic side of Albanian nature, why not religious tolerance in Albania.

Stan Dragoti is especially known for commercial music videos, many of which are considered art works. A total of six feature films, one of which was also a screenwriter (his first movie “Dirty Little Billy”, 1972). He's also shot “Necessary Roadness” (1991), “Shees Out of Control” (1989) and “Mr. Mom” (1983).

The grandson of Dragon

Years earlier, at the time when former Prime Minister Sali Berisha was in the position of Albanian President Stan Dragoti had gone to Albania for the first time after the fall of communism to the Enver Hoxha regime. During that trip, Dragoti has been accompanied by Ekrem Bardha, Arthur Lika, Dino Erbel, Gary Kokolari, Bardil Cook, as well as by Albanian leaders and senior officials. In his first trip, Dragoti had also visited his native village of his father's hometown, Dragoti in Tepelene, a picturesque village that lies in front of the city. During this visit to Albania, Dragoti named the virgin Albanian coast with California and mountains with those of Switzerland.

Renowned American director of Albanian origin Stan Dragoti said Albania has suffered for many years from lack of image, but it offers many things that can help improve its position in the world. Dragoti had an advertising agency and was a director of 7 films, some of which were well-known in America. He always said he wanted with the help of two other Albanian-Americans, Besnik Bezhi and Enver Jusuf, to repeat with Albania the success of his 1970s advertising that improved the image of New York City.

This is one of the first and only interviews with the Albanian press and then Ilir Ikonomit “The voice of America”

Voice of America: In Albania's case, how important do you think image improvement is to help the country a good image to compete successfully?

Stan Dragoti: Albania has suffered for many years from lack of image. People don't know what to think when they hear about Albania. It's a difficult region for people to understand, so when you talk about Albania, they don't understand whether you're talking about Croatia, Montenegro or Kosovo. I mean, foreigners don't have a clear idea because of long years of darkness, when Albania was expelled from the world community. And that's understandable. But today, if people don't talk about you, then you don't exist. Hence, our plan includes several aspects, and one of them is cultural. Albania has an amazing story that no one knows about. Also, Albania has extraordinary natural resources, there are mountains, there is a beautiful coastline. I think one of Albania's greatest sources is the human element, it has young, attractive people, people who speak English, educated and a fine work ethic. I think all of this needs to be talked about, this should be shown to others through communication mechanisms, such as marketing, advertising, and movies, which should talk about our heroes, our history. These films should serve as cultural wreaths that will then be passed on to advertising and marketing.

Voice of America: You're a personality used to success. How sure are you that you will not fail the project for Albania?

Stan Dragoti: First of all, we can't fail because for now there's nothing going on in this field. So we're doing something that's better than nothing. And we are extremely happy that we have such a case

Voice of America: How would this information spread, what in this case be your role as a personality of advertising art?

Stan Dragoti: We are still in the stages of negotiations, but the idea is for Albania to enter the American television network History Channel and I hope that we will achieve that. This will cause Albania to enter the homes of people around the world. History Channel has promised to allow the transmission of my projects to Albania. This is a big network of over 200 million people in the world. History Channel has been my client for over 10 years. I've been working a long time, since his beginnings, to make this network known. We have very close relationships with them, and they were willing to cooperate. So whatever I want to broadcast, that I think it matters to Albania and that they accept, we will do it to present the world.

Voice of America: If I'm not mistaken, it's about a complex strategy which ultimately aims to bring tourism and business to Albania...

Stan Dragoti: Our efforts will probably function as a direct marketing campaign to present Albania as a destination of true value. But before that, our plan is to run an image campaign, so let's tell business people why they should go and invest in Albania. Albania will already be attractive to a certain level of people, which we call “backers”, travelers “with backpack <x2x3>, which we can characterise as in good financial and a bit old state, people who like to go to places slightly visited by others. So this is the first category that we'll try to achieve with the image campaign. Gradually, after Albania's infrastructure improves, for example after a year, we will start campaigning tourism. This phase will be interesting because I know we will have results as Albania is a relatively undiscovered territory. Croatia is now experiencing a tourism boom and we will try to take these tourists and pull them south.

Voice of America: You are known as the implementer of one of the world's largest marketing campaigns, the campaign for New York City in the late 1970 ' s when the city needed an urgent need to improve its image. How did that campaign come up, and is there an analogy with Albania?

Stan Dragoti: People back then were afraid of New York. They came from a distance to watch the theater, and they were not sure if the tickets they had reserved were recognized, they were not sure if they would find the hotel rooms they had reserved. Everywhere they heard talk about violence. So it was a very negative image and the expression “I hate New York” was very fashionable. Along with my partner, we did an assessment on the positive side of New York, which offered a lot of good things: he had Broadway with all those amazing shows like anywhere in the world, there were extraordinary museums and good restaurants, there were Central Park and the northern area, which has a magnificent landscape. And we decided to replace the negative expression “I want New York” I love New York” We found a beautiful music and came up with the ad. I filmed and was her director at the same time. The advertising was an immediate success, people were not satisfied to see it. And then he brought a chain reaction. It spread like waves throughout the city overnight. So great was the impact that it is a fact that someone at the time even wrote on the Chinese Great Wall the words “I want New York”. I don't think there's another advertising campaign that worked so successfully. So the idea is to do for Albania what we did for New York.

Voice of America: Let's talk a little bit about the movies you're going to do on the subject from Albania. One of them addresses the already known subject of the Jewish salvation during the war. What's special about your movie?

Stan Dragoti: In most of the Holocaust movies, which all show the heavy and sad scenes we've seen so many times, they usually refer to a certain man who helps a certain people, such as Jews. While Albanian history is different, it testifies to a people helping another people. All Albanians, with their bride, promised the Jews that they would not touch anyone. And that's what happened. It's a very inspiring story. In the movie you won't see any scenes from the Holocaust but there's talk of a family from Hamburg, escapes the Nazis, comes to Albania, where it is warm and integrated into Albanian life. It's about how the Germans come, but they couldn't find out, because Albanians had given Jews Muslim names. It's a powerful story.

Voice of America: You said you'd make a movie about Skenderbe. Do you fear that this could be a costly undertaking that would take time to do so?

Stan Dragoti: It's a movie we're going to make a little different. I can't make a movie like Braveheart, which took $60-70 million. I don't want to make a movie with swords and shields. Skenderbeu fought many battles, and it would take 20 hours for a film. But I'm interested in one thing: no one has ever reflected in a movie about who Skenderbeu was, what he thought in his head, what his concerns were, and what moved him to come from Turkey, where he grew up as a military figure and returned to his homeland, knowing that they would retaliate with all his might against him. And they really came, but he beat them. It's the story of someone fighting fate, fighting those who had once been his friends and teachers. So all these elements are so dramatic that I think they'd be appropriate for any film if it was properly realised. Another film is based on the book Strategic Services Office during World War II in Albania. It's a very interesting book written by Peter Lucas. We'll base the film on the relationship between Albanian-American agent Tom Stefan and Enver Hoxha, how Americans advised their agent to kill Hoxha, which he didn't make.

Voice of America: Would it not be a little difficult to find the market for such films that will have a themeist focused on one country - Albania?

Stan Dragoti: You better ask me. I am extremely interested in what is called market segmentation. I don't intend to take Tom Cruz to play Enver Hoxha, I'm not trying to make movies with giant budgets. I want these films to have a modest budget and to move across the Balkan region, where maybe 12 million Albanians live, including those in Turkey. Then there are other people in the region who know about Skenderbe. So, I hope that in the region there's an audience like this that makes these movies profit. If movies are positively assessed, then we can expand their distribution to Western Europe as well. Then, we can cross the Atlantic and show them in the eastern part of America where many Albanians live, but there are also many people of culture who like quality movies. Movies can finally be shown in the western part of America as at the Sundance Festival.

Voice of America: Let's talk a little bit about your life. You were born into a typical Albanian family and raised in an environment just as typical American. How would you define your spiritual relations between the two?

Stan Dragoti: Let me show you this picture where I came up with a kid dressed in an Albanian dress. Every Albanian-American, as a child, has worn this garment deep in his heart. That's all I believe, and that's true. Of course I'm born and raised as an American. I don't speak Albanian because I've had a big difference in age with my three sisters, and that kind of separated us from the language point. Then something extraordinary happened, World War II came. America went through some surprising changes in the sense that partisanism in the country peaked. Just as described in the film “The rescue of Private Raja”, those boys made great sacrifices. It was an extraordinary time. In those years, I was young and it was impossible not to feel a hundred percent American. Like everyone else, I created in myself the patriotic American spirit. Yet, I have constantly kept that picture in my heart. Of course, I had very close relationships in my family, my parents, and my sisters. I long for those years. My father was a noble man, mother a true Albanian woman. And as the only boy among three sisters, my mother treated me like a prince. My father had an interesting sense of humor, and he always told his mother: “Ghere, don't give me your head off with that guy”, because all his attention was focused on me.

Voice of America: It must have been difficult for Albanian immigrants as your parents when they learned that their only son wanted to study art.

Stan Dragoti: My parents sighed deeply when I told them that I wanted to study art and become an artist. They did not stop me, but I knew that this increased their stress because they realized how difficult it would be. And it was really hard. But you need to know one thing: in all these stories, whether you're in Hollywood or you're a little kid with drawings, there's a factor called luck. So you have to have some luck, you have to shoot at the right time in the right place. I was very lucky at both of these.

Voice of America: Your parents thought art didn't bring you money?

Stan Dragoti: Of course. They thought I wouldn't win a dime. There were even times when I would say to myself “what am I trying to lie to? Who would want to pay for these drawings of mine?”

Voice of America: In the early 1990 ' s, you returned to New York to engage in the art of advertising. Why did you leave Hollywood who's so coveted by artists?

Stan Dragoti: At the time, I made a film entitled “Next Roadness” with Paramount Company. It was a successful movie about American football. When I was in high school, I used to play soccer, so I always wanted to make a movie on this subject. During this time, I began to see changes in Hollywood: People in the movie were now coming more and more from expensive schools like Harvard and everything was dictated by profit. So the goal was no longer a movie, but money and I didn't like it. However, I wanted the job as a director. That's exactly when my partner calls me with an extraordinary offer to return to New York City and open up an advertising company. I started thinking. In 1994, California was hit by a massive earthquake. I did save myself, but my big house shook. I had never seen anything like this in my life and I said to myself: "The Lord is trying to tell me something." I sold my house, packed my belongings, and returned to my hometown.

Voice of America: Compared to that time, how have Hollywood tastes changed today?

Stan Dragoti: I'm afraid Hollywood is going through a studio cycle that's responding more to teen tastes. When I was a teenager, I was shot to watch movies where Spencer Tracy or Katherine Hepburn played, movies that weren't for any particular audience, and I learned a lot from them. I also watched comic and dramatic movies known for the time. Today, the projector is very narrow and focused on teenagers because they are the most consumers. So today you see many banal movies that have reduced film culture to low levels. As a result, it is sad that writers are losing their ability to perform scenarios, this art form is losing. They no longer know the character's development, they don't know the order of the drama, but they only serve their teenagers physical things.

Voice of America: You've made 7 movies in a very difficult industry like Hollywood. You may not like the famous “ ” but it's a fact that you have left a trace in Hollywood. How did you get in first?

Stan Dragoti: I was very lucky because my first film worked. It was the film “Dirty Little Billy” produced by 1972, which gave me great pleasure during the shooting. My wife and I went to Paris for the premiere of the show. They waited for me as a hero, and my wife said: “And it really was a big success. The famous Hollywood industrialist Jack Werner, who had invested in the film, said to me: “You're a very lucky guy. But nothing is more successful than failure. So what you have to do is follow the movie when it shows up all over the country and try to understand why people like it. I did as he told me, and I followed the film for a whole year, and I heard the praise and criticism of the audience. Most directors don't do that, but once a film is finished, they jump into the next project. My next film was “Love in First Catrim”, a comedy that had rare success. $2.5 million was spent on it, and the profit was 100 million. So it was a good lesson. Then came Mr. Mom, who cost 6 million and made $100 million in revenue. For a movie, that's considerable profit. And you should know that Hollywood is a far from merciful city where competition is terrible. There are only four companies to buy the film while you have four thousand authors trying to offer you scenarios.

Voice of America: The film is definitely an art and a difficult process. From your experience, what things are crucial in this process?

Stan Dragoti: Before I went to Hollywood, I knew the movie very well. No one could teach me anything new in this trade. I knew how to do things like shoot, I knew about lighting. But in implementing a movie you have to solve an old problem, the problem of telling the story, so you have to have a good scenario. If you don't have a hit scenario, it doesn't matter how good you shoot or how good the actors play. And it's not just practicing writing, it's done shooting and getting the audience's reaction when the movie shows up. It's an entire cycle. If moviegoers do not sit quietly or stand up to buy popcorn, this indicates that confession is not good. The invitation should keep the viewer nailed all the time and not let go.

Voice of America: When you reflect on Albanians and their relations with America, what happens first to you?

Stan Dragoti: Albanians love Americans. I'm sure it started with President Wilson, who kept Albania alive as a state because it would have been disbanded. Then there is the admiration they have for what America did in World War II for its help. Then came the terrible years under Hoxha, and after that America came to the aid of Albanians. That's why Albanians love America. They also enjoy the American way that Americans try to reach their dream and aspirations.