Street Painting Team... : Frantic Freaks Productions (en)

Street Painting Team meets ... Frantic Freaks Productions

Frantic Freaks Productions

We had the pleasure of meeting Stefania Agkritharakis (Elfie Ksotikobalitsa), Managing Director of Frantic Freaks Productions, and talking about their team, festivals, music and art ...

Frantic Freaks Productions

Frantic Freaks were created in May 2012 in Rethymnon, Crete by a team of alternative artists, musicians, singers, fire performers, painters, dancers, animators, and so on, seeking a way to truly express their art.

Frantic Freaks Productions

How is the team funded?

Frantic Freaks Productions are funded by ourselves, at times there have been sponsors not financial ones but with exchange eg. food, travel and such.

Frantic Freaks Productions

How do people react to shows in public?

Its always a Wow factor!! Even a person has seen it before, he or she has never seen us before, and if he or she HAS seen us before, it will always be different because when we play on the streets we do not do the choreography we would do in a theater or in a business. So as we progress we learn new moves, new tricks. The only ones who might react negatively sometimes are some shopkeepers, who may be a little biased by other shows, maybe not so well organized. We always take care of security measures and give a show with a high level of seriousness

Frantic Freaks Productions

As a team we have everything that anyone can think of for entertainment, we have Kids Animation, Adult Animation, Fireshows, Acrobats, Aerialists, Dancers, Juggling, Workshops, Educational Programs, and we have also worked with the disabled.

Frantic Freaks Productions

I have seen you on stilts many times, how did you get involved and how does it feel to be up there?

I tried it for the first time in 2009, but I didn't keep it up, I climbed again with the help of a friend, at first he kept me steady and then I just walked. Balance is definitely needed and you should not have a fear of heights or if you do you have to overcome it. I've fallen many times, and I've learned to fall, if someone pushes me or something goes wrong. What can not be saved is a slippery floor there you just just fall spaghetti and do the split. When you are up there, ecstasy and madness tenfold, your mind gets a fresh bout of air ... (laughs)

How can one learn something similar and integrate with the team?

We train for years to do what we do and evolve, and every day we learn things, we go to seminars and teach one another. There is no competition in our team and we focus on pushing each other up. Everything we do requires a lot of preparation.

Frantic Freaks Productions

In order to get in the group one has to get along before, because if you can't connect as a human being, as good an artist as they are, its impossible to connect otherwise. What we need is to be able to talk and understand each other .We dont get along with "Divas" we like purity. By joining us you can learn something new from the beginning and of course become friends. At first the equipment used is ours. Not everything is for everyone, so new members try out our eqipment and finaly when the flow is found then the propp is purchased and is their own. On the other hand, all of the propps we use are also damaged bu use, so in the process when someone integrates with the team we call for appropriate agreements and partnerships.

Frantic Freaks Productions

Are Frantic Freaks Productions connected to the Trance scene only?

The trance scene is where we began our journey we when we were young, and there we were given the first pedestal. Specifically the Free Earth Festival, which trusted us with the chill out stage and gave us a push and a shove in 2014 where we had started as a Decor Group and Jugglin troupe we ended up doing allsorts, and in the end we became event organizers ourselves.

We have brought ONE DROP FORWARD who are Reggae, we have held Cretan nights, Peace Love Music Fest dedicated to the disabled (EEEK Rethymno) with a variety of music types, and more.

We are not just targeting the Trance scene anymore, but we do happen to have a huge success and experience in this field.

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Tell us about your now established Summer Gathering in Crete.

Summer Gathering, which takes place every year, started years ago on May 19th as a birthday party, as it was my birthday and to many friends of the psycedelic scene so we originally set up a private party. Over the years it has grown to an extent that a bigger stage is required with well known artists and it has become more open to the public. Summer Gathering is now a tradition and this year for the second year it has become somewhat delayed.

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Is it simple for you to get permits for public events?

It is quite difficult and especially in the beginning, until we prove our worth. I have worked with many municipalities and such and as an individual I try to make them understand that what we are doing is not frivolus. Many of them now know that we are an organized team at all levels, security, cleanliness, noise pollution etc. So we will always be able to do something and find solutions.

Tina Gourzi.- Aerial

Future plans?

We have already started contacts for the next Summer Gathering which will become a Festival. We are not sure of the exact date yet but it will most probably be around July again. I wish it to be on a beach in Rethymnon or Heraklion, we want it to become the festival Crete deserves, something Multimedia and not just electronic music.

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There are many future plans professionally I can't say much yet. Currently all is posted on our Facebook page Frantic Freaks Productions, we have done a lot of work on our new site, which I hope will be up and running by the end of summer.

There is also a second page, Flow Art illusions. Flow Art illusions are a new production and include Frantic Freaks Productions along with Loukos Events, Illusionist Mousourakis, Aerial Athens and Burn the Floor from Larissa.