BIOGRAPHY
Very few people get a chance to realize their lifetime dreams to the fullest, yet every once in a while along comes a person who does just that. With an impressive career that has spanned 40 years, Sylvio Tabet happens to be one of those people. Sylvio Tabet has directed & produced more than 400 commercials worldwide and classic feature films as Bilitis, Cotton Club and the Beastmaster franchise.
He also co-wrote with best selling author Richard Knaak, the novel “ Beastmaster MYTH”. His spiritual book “ A Journey to Shanti,” was blessed by the Dalai Lama.Yet photography has always been one of his major mediums of expression. When he’s not creating out of Los Angeles or Beirut, he travels the world with his camera capturing his magical and mystic experiences. His current photography show “Mannequins and Bikes” is a fresh and colourful depiction of two elements that seem to set the imagination free. One element is a dynamic representation of macho machine while the other although a lifeless object seems to have a life of its own. Tabet admits he has always been fascinated by a Mannequin’s frozen and eternal gaze. “As if they are humans trapped in a cast or future robots with perfect features,” he says. Attracted by vibrant color colors and big format his photographs are a statement.
“…I like painting, I use the modern technology to create a photo painting , I use a brush, a digital one to mix my colors and sign my Art…
…I love Diptych , the Ying and Yang, the opposite creating unity..
…Black and white : mysterious, intricate, zones of grey and white,…so subtle, intimate, a difficult ,still exciting way to explore ..”
His vision and versatile techniques are clearly upbeat and fresh allowing the audience their own personal interpretation of a composition rather than imposing one.place for you to tell a story and let your users know a little more about you.
1963:
Graduated from l’IDHEC : Institut des Hautes Etudes Cinematographiques , Paris
1964 -1974:
Founded SMT films, he was a pioneer and one of the best director for commercials. He directed more than four hundred commercials in Lebanon, France, and USA.
He directed documentaries for the Lebanese ministry such as “Lebanese villages “
(a patrimoine pour le Liban )
He co-produced “Les heritiers des mille et une nuit “ a TV mini-series for French television
He was the first Lebanese to win an award in 1972 for his commercial “Chicklets at the “19eme film festival du film publicitaire Venise 1972 “
1974-1980:
He produced / co-produced in France
Bilitis : director David Hamilton
Cours apres moi que je t’attrape with Annie Girardot
Vas y maman with Annie Girardot
Le Pion with Michel Galabru
Tusk from Alexndro Jodorowsky
Liberte Egalite Choucroute from Jean Yanne
Le Toubib with Alain Delon
He co-founded “ Neue Constantin Film “ the largest film distribution company in Germany
1980-2012:
He produced, co-produced or executive produced
Defiance with Jan Michael Vincent
Freedom Road with Mohammed Ali
Evil Speak : awards at the festival du film fantastic at Avoriaz
Fade to Black : awards at the festival du film fantastic at Avoriaz
Dead Ringers with Jeremy Irons
Cotton Club a Francis Ford Coppola
Beastmaster I : awards at the festival du film fantastic at Avoriaz
Beastmaster became a cult film
Beastmaster II , co-writer , Produced and directed by Sylvio Tabet
Beastmaster III a pilot for Universal studios
Beastmaster the TV series , 66 episodes for Alliance and Tribune ,
Co financed the development of “ Intervista “ a Frederico Fellini film
He was awarded a Life achievement reward at the Lebanese film festival in 1997
Books:
“Journey to Shanti” spiritual book illustrated by his photographs about his experience in India. The book was blessed and signed by the Dalai Lama
Repetitions: a book of poems
Tara the queen of the Touargang co writer Mark Graham , a magic sorcery fantasy tale , in the spirit of “Beastmaster”, published by Dorrance publishing . Actually
Beastmaster MYTH “ co-writer with best seller author Richard Knaak , the legend of the Beastmaster, published by Simon and Shuster
Architecture and development
He designed and developed seven houses beteen Paris , Los Angeles , Aspen
Photo Exhibitions:
1964 -1974 :
He photographed fashion and advertising.
2004:
He developed his personal photographic style (Diptych , large format )
2005:
Sylvia White gallery (solo) , Los Angeles.
2012:
Beirut photo fair , Beirut (September)
Kettaneh/ Kunig gallery (solo) Beirut November (November)
He is a world traveler, hiker and scuba diver.
He lives between Los Angeles and Beirut.
2013:
Illumination: An exhibition of fine art phtography, NYC
For his general achievements, please visit www.smtabet.com
© 2012 by Sylvio Tabet