The art of faking it

>> Dominic Gaucher's Montreal atelier creates magically realistic movie backdrops

by JOANNE LATIMER

What if you can't afford to fly your film crew to Damascus for a location shoot? Fake it. Have backdrops painted of the cities and shoot in a cheaper location. That is exactly what's happening for Sum of All Fears, an $80-million (U.S.) suspense film starring Ben Affleck that's shooting in town. It's a Cold War story based on a Tom Clancy book, so the locations are plentiful and the political intrigue calls for realism.

That's where Montreal painter Dominic Gaucher comes into the picture. Gaucher runs a Renaissance-like atelier that services the film industry's needs for panoramic backdrops, portraits and rip-offs of famous paintings.

"We say 'inspired' by famous painting," clarifies Gaucher, holding court in his 4,600 square- foot studio downtown. "We don't say 'rip-offs' or 'copies' because of the legal issues."

Walking around his studio, Gaucher is careful not to step on the 95-foot painting of Damascus taped to the floor. Apprentices are busy filling in the horizon with rooftops, while other protégés are working at easels.

Beside them is a curious sight: hanging from a clothing rack are leotards painted to resemble naked human bodies. Sagging on hangers, the leotards are otherworldly. They are uncannily like Saint Bartholomew's flayed flesh in Michelangelo's "Last Judgment."

"Oh, it's for the next Montreal opera," explains Gaucher, laughing at the leotards' startling effect.

Saint Bartholomew and the leotards aren't the only connection to the Renaissance art scene. Gaucher is operating a successful art business, using his skills and employing others, in a way that resonates with 15th- and 16th-century concepts of artistic productivity. He entertains no romantic notions of being a starving artist too proud to use his talents to earn some cash.

For 16 years, Gaucher has been providing filmmakers with cost-effective ways to fake locations. The '87 movie RoboCop was his first big Hollywood commission, then came a call from the producers of Highlander. Gaucher's name spread through the filmmaking community in Montreal and he set up a business called Cadmium Scenic in '91. His twin brother, David, a well-known set designer for theatre, heads the company's stage division.

Remnants of past projects are sometimes visible, including a sketch from Christian Duguay's The Art of War. For that Montreal-made thriller, Gaucher painted his largest backdrop to date: a 225-foot view of Hong Kong. Gaucher's handiwork can also be seen in The Bone Collector, Richard Attenborough's Grey Owl, Brian De Palma's Snake Eyes and the upcoming DeNiro film The Score.

"The art world sees money as evil, especially in Quebec. I think it has to do with our Catholic side," jokes Gaucher, relaxing in a couch while watching every move on the Damascus skyline. "My work is lucrative, but I use the money to finance my own art. I have applied for bursaries and wouldn't complain if I got one, but I prefer to be self-sufficient. For bursaries, you need to spend a lot of time sending dossiers. But here, I'm always painting and it gives me income to do other things."

Dominic Gaucher's exhibit of paintings, Canons, runs March 9-April 22 at the Maison de la culture Plateau Mont-Royal, 872-2266