Thursday, May 14, 2009

countless new beginnings

so...today is the day. 14th of may 2009. i end my journey with script peoples theatre. i've turned film maker and a lot more...but there is a hollow feeling inside. a hollow feeling which is of not being able to be in the four colourful walls with even more coulourful people. its sad. but yes. i see a lot new beginnings and from here, i promise its gonna be one helluva ride. heres something to sign off with.




Internee Questionnaire


1. What are the changes you have observed in yourself post this internship?

Since the first day, I began this incredible journey, till today, almost eight months later, I seriously will miss out a lot of things when it comes to what all has changes in me. But definitely, each day has been an experience. But yes, when I have to give an account of what eminent changes I’ve noticed in myself, there are quite a few. First of all, through a major part of this experience, I have totally been in the company of people much elder to me, it may sound funny, but yes, I feel I’ve matured in my way of looking at situations in quite a few ways. There have been days of sheer laziness when there hasn’t been much to do. Here I think I owe a lot to theatre as I’ve learnt the virtue of patience. On the flip-side there have been days when there has been a lot to do; Days when I’ve spent over 15 hours here and every moment was a pleasure as the mind is always put to do something creative, something artistic. I need to admit, I’ve learnt to deal with tremendous workloads and pressure during these times. Something I didn’t expect to change so soon has also happened; I’ve lost a major bit of my bad temper which always got me into trouble. I don’t know how, but I know it has happened. I’ve learnt to take decisions. I know where I need to go from here.


2. What are aspects that you liked and which you particularly found helpful in this process?

The experience began with ‘Jesus in blue jeans’ which frankly speaking was not as enjoyable as the other bits but definitely ranks right on top when it comes to modules which I found helpful. It was a very practical book; it looked at life from all the different angles possible. It took time, but I believe a lot of it has slowly sunk into me. Project Accenture was by far the most fun and helpful of all the processes when it comes to both acting and life skills. I definitely felt a change in my acting, the way I reacted to situations and never felt intimidated by huge crowds/ audiences which I used to feel earlier. Travelled all around Bangalore and Delhi for the performances, it was an unbeatable experience. Though it was never a part of the internship schedule designed for me in the first place, it comfortably fell into place. Then began the two most amazing theatre workshops one can find. One of them being one of the most interactive and amazing form of theatre that one can come across. There was team building, oodles of creativity and amazing interactions through the sixty hours of each. Playback is something that I will not easily forget; easily the most amazing form of expression. Then began the work on the book and the film, I have to admit, these are two really difficult process, the planning which goes into either of them is tremendous. Without doubt, this was the most different part of the entire experience. Something which I had never experienced before. I loved the entire process. I could not learn more elsewhere. The film appreciation is another course which has been of great help. I now have a very different way of looking at films. There are minute things which I have begun noting, making my film watching experience a true delight.


3. What are aspects that you found were missing or need to be developed in this process?

It was a very wholesome experience, but the only part which I felt lacked a little was my experience on the stage. My proscenium experience. But I believe all the other experiences that I went through easily made up for the experience.


4. What did you feel was the level of faculty interaction? Was it adequate or not. Please discuss.

The best part about the process was the faculty. A great group to learn from in this field. A mix of experience, adventure, fun, serious work and some amazing insight into theatre. I thought this experience would have fallen flat had I not been with such people. Each one has a very different personality, a different way of looking at things, constantly providing something to learn from. The best part, I could talk to them about anything I felt like. Like I mentioned earlier, the age gap was there, but not once did I feel uncomfortable in their presence.


5. Your overall impression of the experience.

If I go on to describe my experience it would take me ages. But truly, I believe it was like a grooming school for me after my high school experience. Something which I believe is necessary for each and every student before entering college. I would say, this gain of one year for me is something which very few people get to experience. Since I have got such an opportunity and since I’ve enjoyed it as much as I could, the difference will definitely show in my future endeavours.

Monday, May 11, 2009

Myriad Facades

This is the day i've been waiting for since such a long time. My film is complete..well almost 99.99%. i finally know what my film will look like and it gives me immense joy. i'm pretty confident the viewers will appreciate the effort that has gone into it. besides from that, i watched i one of its kind, according to me a flawless film, 'THE BICYCLE THEIVES' by Vittorio De Sica. It was an experience, all on the lines of the neo-realistic theories. I truly loved the film.

Apart from all of this, as i write this blog, i know that i just have three more days to work on this laptop. i will seriosuly miss this exoerience. dont know what else to say, probably tomorrow is the day, when i'll officially become a film-maker. waiting for then, waiting till then. signing off.

Thursday, May 7, 2009

last few steps and a few great films

Its coming closer and closer, the day when this journey shall end. and i realise how much i'll be taking back with me. truly each day has been a unique learning experience. right now im having the privelege of watching the amazing films ever made. theres a lot to learn from each frame. following is my review of pather panchali. enjoy.



PATHER PANCHALI
- Satyajit Ray


Pather Panchali is set in the rural Bengal of 1920s. The film is based on a family that lives in a distant village. The head of the family earns his livelihood through priesthood. He has a daughter, Durga (Uma Dasgupta) and a son, Apu (Subir Banerjee). Other than them he also looks after his wife Sarbojaya (Karuna Banerjee) and an aged cousin, Indir Thakrun (Chunibala Devi). The family struggles each day to make both ends meet as Harihar`s (Kanu Banerjee) income is meagre. But Harihar is a sort of man who can be easily exploited and his decency prevents him from asking for his own dues from his employers. As a father he dotes on Durga and Apu.

As the film proceeds the family is seen struggling for money and Harihar goes away to the city to earn more. With passing time less and less is heard from him by the family. In the meantime monsoon arrives and Durga gets herself drenched in rain. The already suffering family faces tragedy as Durga dies of fever on a stormy night. As the film nears its end the audience sees Apu brushing his teeth, combing his hair and doing things, which till now involved his sister and mother. His mother is surprised completely. Harihar returns and shows to his wife what he has brought from the city. As he shows the Saree which he had brought for Durga his wife breaks down but her voice is lost in the sound of the `tarshahnai.` Harihar breaks down too.

Pather Panchali ends with the family moving away from the village. As the film ends the focus slowly shifts to Apu. The narrative was for so long related from the perspective of Sarbojaya and Durga. In these final moments Apu is treated by the director as an individual.

The reasons why I truly loved the film:

Because of the acting. It is the most amazing side to Pather Panchali, even more than all of Ray’s talent. So divorced is this film from the usual cinematic conjuring tricks that an unusually heavy burden falls upon the cast. They must be utterly natural without boredom. A tough assignment for a professional cast, let alone Ray's amateur one.

Because there is never the slightest doubt that we are privy to a real family. The collective acting in Pather Panchali is superb. The way in which the actors work off of each other, reacting with emotion rather than thought, is a wonder to behold. This cohesion is especially impressive where little Durga and Apu are concerned. Both kids act in a delightfully unselfconscious and unsentimental manner, larking around and running after interesting people. They behave just like "real" children, bundles of excited, selfish and devious energy. The crowning aspect here is the powerful bond of affection that exists between them, drawing Durga and Apu close; this is where Pather Panchali ventures towards the magical and evades the miserable.

Because it's interesting to note that while the film resides in a society where boys are prized over girls, women dominate Ray's vision. Though Harihar is the unquestioned head of the family, his absence ensures that Sarbojaya wields the power. She cements them together, against the blows of existence, while all Harihar does is earn too-little money and waste it on tobacco. In some respects he is similar to Indir, a part of the family but not quite in the inner circle. Luckily Indir has presence, a cranky and cunning spirit, to make up for her physical failings. Towards the end Karuna Banerjee shoulders the family’s needs almost alone; her performance of desperation and hope has astonishing clarity for such depth.

Because of the most important character in the film is Durga - one that is very close to nature. Durga is Nature. Ray shoots her almost always amidst flora and fauna. She roams freely through the woods, groves, rice fields and in the rain without anyone stopping her. She is intrigued by man-made objects like locomotives and telegraph poles. Why, she even passes away after getting drenched in the rain.

Because of the last twenty minutes of Pather Panchali. It was life on celluloid. As the monsoon season takes over summer, skies darken and a breeze picks up. As the surface of the water starts pulsating, flies and other minute life forms gather over it. One wishes that this scene never ends.

Because Pather Panchali appeals directly to the sub-conscious. Hypnotic may be the proper word. Throughout the film, there is almost no shot where life is not seen. We always see some life form or the other playing around on the screen. Dogs, cats, cattle and humans galore, Pather Panchali is a film that overflows with vitality.

Because even though there is a lot of life in the frames of the film, the standout trope in it is death and decay - Durga’s, Indira’s, their house’s. Life exists in Pather Panchali only to be undercut by stronger forces. Life is not the focus but the epiphenomenon, a mere tool to underscore the frightening power of other things that control it.



When Ray depicts this depressing conclusion; the sharp edges of tension, surprise and terror that tear through the fabric of Pather Panchali grow naturally from within the story. Events happen, then the consequences; destiny, good or bad, comes to be inescapable. What makes Pather Panchali more than just a lyrical work of fiction is that Ray addresses universal concerns; how families deal with random catastrophe, how people unwittingly hurt one another, how parents love their children unconditionally. Yet as insightful as Ray is to the reality of rural India, a place of little opportunity, there's a distance between audience and cast. For viewers suckled on the primary emotion of Western cinema, Ray's undemonstrative and muted approach can fail to make an impact. Combined with Ray's extensive use of symbolism, some of which is sure to go over foreign heads, Pather Panchali may seem less than the sum of its critical acclaim.

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

a dead end with open doors.

So here i was, with the software on my computer, without the video, which i was supposed to be editig. my original video was in a format which could nothave been edited, so we went on a hunt for people who could convert our video for us. one long, incredibly warm day, we went on a major hunt wasted quite some money and got fooled. Day 2 of our hunt, we went back looking for our money's worth, we got royally fooled again. no problems, we gathered courage and moved on in the evening looking for out editable treasure. we found a guy, really humbe and kind who helped us get what we needed on the first call. by the end, after having paind over 500rs to random people around town, we had what we most needed to begin work.

two more days, and after lots of heated discussions with my colleague, we were ready with my film, all that we needed to complete the film was the music. currently i am working with a professional from Delhi for the same, looking forward to completing my film as soon as possible.

apart from that, eah day as i enter office these days, a weird feeling fills me up. i wont be leaving my helmet behind that door in under 8 eight days from now. i wouldnt laze around in the massive couches outside in very little time. my internship is soon getting over and it soon is a very weird feeling to have.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

ghee rice and sweet raindrops

The day didn't really start of very well, it was blistering heat in the morning and the traffic was just too bad, my head in the helmet felt like what a chicken would feel insie a tandoor. i can not explain the feeling. i got to office, and started exploring the next video editing software i'd found, THE ADOBE PREMIERE PRO CS4, in a few hours i was in love. undoubtedly the mother of all editing softwares. i cant wait to get the format right an start editing my film. it will be one experience.
then i went to have a good biryani for lunch but the que outside the place was so huge that i ended up in from of a plate of my favourite ghee rice and kebabs at empire. it was good fun, one heavy meal and just as we got onto the bike, the raingods were looking down at us, ready to pour with full force, i entered the college parking lot and the rain started coming down heavily. quite obviously on our wayup, we tasted a few sweet raindrops as well.
I totally forgot about the traffic and the heat of the moning, thats what bangalore weather does probably. im loving it now and after a good game of chess and a lot more exploring, i cannot wait for friday morning, when i'll hopefull tear my film apart.

Monday, April 20, 2009

~~~ dEsSeRTs ~~~

After a terrific shoot, it was time for another uphill task for me, completing the book. I took me about one whole week after that to come somewhere close to completing my part of the book. All we need to do now is to put all the material together and come up with a draft print which would then go for proof reading. It has been one incredible journey with the book. It all began in January when I'd returned from home after a good vacation. There was heaps of material to work with and slowly, with all the other things going on, we now have got somewhere really close to a completed book. Constant additions kept happening, changes in plan, changes in material, even changes in illustration, but the process is still not complete. I really have realized how difficult the entire process can be. We are also thinking of approaching a few publishers for the same and that will probably be an even greater challenge than writing the book itself. But we surely believe that the book has enough to find itself some good publishers.

The icing on the cake has started to be laid, my last exercise, the film appreciation course just began last weekend. That too with a bengali film by Gautam Ghose called 'Antarjali Yatra' (The voyage beyond). By the time the film appreciation course ends for me, my internship with script people theatre will almost be over. I'm sure the film appreciation course will the perfect dessert for this huge so-many-course-meal of my life. I'm currently working on another brilliant film called Aamir and surely this last leg has begun just perfectly for me.

Ill keep posting about myself and a lot more films, and for everyone, enjoy the IPL.

Pictures Taken during the Shoot




Heee Haaa!!!

The past week has been an adventure of a different kind. Or should I say a dream. Truly, a week of sincere efforts, delight, temporary satisfaction, failure and how can I miss out the plan B which never existed. ‘Face off’, well that’s what we’re planning to name my first film, which we shot over the last week. It gave us pleasant surprises; even nightmares.

The week began with the final phase of planning, we were deciding on the cast, the final budget for the props etc. I invested some money and we created a face, about 250 sq feet in size, big, colourful and bright. It took us a couple of days to make it. By the end of that herculean task, we were more than content. It looked beautiful. Then came the real task, the casting, out of the 20 I’d decided on I just got eight actors. The next 9 were sheer luck. They were people who just unexpectedly turned up on the day of the shoot. It was amazing to see so many people actually turning up for my film, that too on such a short notice. We did the shoot; we couldn’t work according to plan as we were not given a few permissions. Made plan B, on the spot and went ahead with the shoot. It was amazing how at one moment I was feeling totally helpless and by the end of it overjoyed by the day’s outcome.

I would love to thank all the actors who’d taken out some time for my dream. Thanks guys. Love you all for the effort.

Friday, April 3, 2009

hmmm.

Its been crazy, first i need to jump walls to get to my own house, take a bath and get dirty again, because i need to jump walls again. I get to college a little late, and started reading this book called 'Jesus CEO.' Brother to jesus in blue jeans probably. it was a great experience actually. the style of wirting was similar to the older book, but the context was pretty different. it was good to have read something like that after so long. besides from that, im working on the book again, a few more things to add in before we can print out a draft. the frames/script for the movie is coming along alright. everything is moving just fine. and yeah being back to blogspace feels really good.
waiting for the shoot to begin for the film, will be a really huge thing. apart from that, alls just about sailing along. time for admissions is coming close so i really need to start working towards that.

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

New Energy. uhh...red bull?

After the mountain dew experience, things have changed in a great way for me. i came back on monday morning with some different energy although i was not too well. tonsilitis attack. but then i got a few challenges and i took them with ease. i completed the enitre book contents with ease, something i thought i needed atleast 3 days to do.

I felt great after the whole day's work. tuesday was even better, i began work on the scripting of the film, it was in the form of frames. we began drawing and discussing the same. it was a good experience i should say a new exoerience for me. i felt amazing that my film was finally taking off.

Wednesday, even better, the day started with my getting a lot more material to work upon for my book. i am still working on that besides which Ankita my classmate from college to began her journey with us. i also began working on a whole new document which i cannot discloe right now. that will happnen only after a couple of weeks when i see the final results. and yes this blog, i keeps me coming back again and again and again.

Friday, March 27, 2009

The 'Mountain Dew' experience

'The Script' well actually it was strong enough to influence the scripting of my internship schedule. This was the first time that I felt frightened or scared of doing something. Something related to 'theatre' to be more specific. I chickened out, I was being a coward. I tried to escape just because it was an 'un-interesting task' for me. I was frankly a little too bored of the entire scripting process which went on and on from 7 30 in the morning till about 4 in the evening. Not that the script was uninteresting, it was just that I was not at all into the process. It was too monotonous and boring for me to handle.

This was not the end of it though, I mustered up courage and spoke to Rajesh sir about this problem which I had been facing. It felt good to be able to share it with someone. It was good to know that I was realizing my mistakes. The last time I was scared, I ran and ran so far away that getting back was not a possibility. I was lying to myself and to nobody else. It made me feel amazing after speaking to him, I was able to conquer my fears.

I've come back this morning, I was infact the first student to reach and I feel great. I feel a positive energy coming out of my system. The last two days have been great days and this last week, a major learning experience. Dar ke aage jeet hai.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

I relaised the last time i'd posted a blog, it was all about the ongoing developments in my film and my movie, but i simply didn't even give a simplest idea of what either one was about. probably that what excitement does to a person. I wouldn't blame myself there.

Well anyways since i did realise, and since i realised soon enough, i think i should elaborate on the two. The film, still untitled, is simply going to focus on the general psyche of different individuals and how entertainment and various art forms affect them in their daily lives be it music or theatre or films for that matter. it is the most simple short film you would have ever watched but i promise an AHA experience after watching it. it just focusses on the expressions and behaviour of different individuals as they walk out of an auditorium's gates.

The book, is the maturation of a very unique concept. A concept of a theatre hand book cum guide sort of a thing. our main objective was that by reading the book completely, any individual with the littlest of idea about theatre and drama can come up with a production of his own. it has the 10 easiest steps to a play right from the conception of an idea, to the scripting, to the direction, the stage set up, the bidgeting, the lights and sounds the costumes etc. not only that, we plan to eventually give it a form where, any individual would be allowed to write his own notes as he progresses along with the book. we are pretty confident that the book can work and the manuscript ready, we just can't wait to get to the latter parts of the same.

besides from all of this, the conception of the VISION 2020 has already started to happen and we have begun ideating on the script. hoping to complete by the week-end. ill keep posting. bye.

Sunday, March 22, 2009

The last leg begins

Performance over, workshops over hmm, now what.

The final leg begins here. The last part of my internship where I shall be working on a couple of films and a book. Sounds really exciting and it indeed is. the work has begun just fine, I've been working on the book since January and it seems to be shaping up just fine. Probably just another week or so and the book should be just about ready.

The planning for the short film has also been on since quite some time and it looks like I can really come up with something by the 10th of April, well thats the deadline I've set for myself. still doing a lot of research though.

This is when I realized that making a short film say even a one minute film takes a helluva lot of time. Theres so much that goes into it. The conception of the idea, debating around it, beating it down, chopping it, till the final outcome is perfectly refined and flawless. Planning put the various factors that need to come together for the same. the progress is steady, I'm current;y working on the script for the same and am just waiting for Arif sir to return from his epic tour with Thermal and a Quarter. that is when i plan to really take off with this plan.

Apart form that the VISION 2020 planning is on its way. We're all really looking forward to a finished script by the end of the week. But most important I just cant wait for April to begin when i will finally be able to give wings to both my babies right now, the film and the book.

I'll keep posting the progress and thats a promise till then CIAO.

Friday, March 13, 2009

The performance

3.00 pm in the afternoon we were all gathered again for the final step to the conclusion of the workshop. We all seemed to be pretty pumped about the next few hours of the day. The energies were pretty high and evident. We did a final run through of our proscenium piece, took all the props and moved to the assembly hall where we were supposed to be performing. We set up the space to our convenience and then did a quick visualisation. The crowd was gathering in the space outside the hall and very soon there were quite a few eager eyes waiting for the magic to unfold.

We started with the proscenium performance. It went decently all right but the ending was pretty sad which was unfortunately my solo-piece. There was group of about 5-6 people who just walked in during the performance, it was pretty distracting to be frank. Then we moved on to the playback half of the show. We started with a few random fluid sculptures of which I provided the music for two and acted in one. We moved on to the two very sweet stories. Both based on childhood and young children but I’m pretty sure we managed it pretty well. The music for the second story was highly appreciated which I and Akshay were providing. And then we moved to the conflicts which weren’t very much to our liking as we were being quite repetitive and had nothing new to offer even though we tried to. That I believe was the only disappointing part of the entire performance. We ended with a fabulous giant fluid which helped us end on a high note. But I truly believe I could have performed a lot better had the proscenium part of the show gone off smoothly.

But then my disappointment is just a mark of my hunger towards performing and performing well. This was not the last chance I had, very soon, in the second week of March we shall be performing again for an orphanage and now I’m looking forward to that.

Help me Jesus(in blue jeans)

Coming back definitely has not been easy. After the whole Accenture thing happening so amazingly, I feel weird. Where are those huge office rooms, where are all the bored employees, where are the pre-performance nerves. Where is the half torn script, where are the run throughs.

After waiting for so long, I finally got to perform. It was a test of patience and persistence for me. But suddenly, when I’m back in this phase again, I feel scared, scared to wait. In want to keep performing.

Not very long back, someone had told me, that in this field of theatre, there can be tremendous amount of exposure at a given point in time and suddenly, there can be a glum phase, a period of a long wait. It is those dull times when you need to hold on and believe in yourself even when nothing much is happening around you. Should I say déjà vu?

Like I mentioned earlier, it certainly has been difficult but not impossible. I’m trying to hold on, trying to find something out of nothing and waiting for mid-Feb when I can finally be on stage again. I know that I’ve done it once before, for a much longer period of time and I can do it again. I’ve finished reading Jesus in Blue Jeans. I’m already half way through my next important assignment, 10 easy steps to a play, and vey soon I’ll start work on the short films. Sounds exciting, but the fact still is, I miss being on stage.

Right now the best I can do for myself is concentrate on the other stuff, not miss any more sessions, and wait for another High Performance, to be Delivered

Thursday, January 8, 2009

high performance...delivered

The picture is still very clear in my mind. It was the 27th of November, 2008. It was the same day when the proscenium workshop began; it was the day when international documentary films were screened at the college auditorium. It was about 4:30 in the evening when Mr. Vaz, asked whether they should throw me into ‘this.’ Till then I had no clue of what ‘this’ was. All the members of Script Peoples, a couple of old play-backers and I got together and the ‘Big’ news was cracked open by Mr. Vaz.

The multinational ‘Accenture’ had hired a team called ‘Deferens’ to have interactive sessions and to motivate their young BPO workforce. They contacted us to put up interactive plays for the employees of Accenture thus bringing out their problems and focussing on the values and the culture of work of the company. We needed to perform for over three weeks at Accenture offices spread across various parts of the country beginning from Bangalore to Noida to Chennai and Mumbai. This project was massive; both for Script Peoples and for me as a performer. 1 day into the playback theatre workshop, I was already preparing for my first interactive performance for thousands of BPO employees over the country. It was exciting.

We further worked on the script that same evening and came back the next morning to perform for the team from Deferens. In another couple of days, we were performing at Accenture Bangalore. I along with Saraswati, a fellow play-backer put up the first performance and we nailed it. It was the perfect start to a long, long journey. The memories of that first performance are still very fresh in my mind. It was a totally different experience for me. I had never before performed in an office space to people standing all around me. I had never performed to a responsive audience before. This time we were there just make conversation with them, that too while performing. It was a challenge, with over a couple hundred, bored and tired BPO employees, that too on a Monday morning all around us in their den, we needed to make merry. We did. We felt amazing after that first performance. It was like a rush of excitement which was just beginning to kick in. It just kept growing. Very soon, after another couple of performances I got used to the space, the dead, sleepy and tired faces of so many bored twenty-somethings.

The third performance was the only low-point of the entire journey for me. We worked really hard and got an absolutely dead audience, unresponsive, quiet, mum and disinterested. We needed to up ourselves a little for such crowds and we did, soon we found better ways of using the spaces, we started doing without the microphones. Went and probed in a little more, got them talking and had a blast wherever we went from there. It was an amazing feeling. I felt something maturing in me over every performance. There were innovative techniques and gestures that I would come up with after each performance. Very soon I found myself measuring the crowd before each performance and began varying my style accordingly.

The trip to Delhi was also another high point. The crowd was totally different from what we had performed to back here in Bangalore. We changed our lingo a little to go with the crowd and tried new things which worked well for us. My last performance, I must admit, was to the toughest crowd throughout the journey. But we hit a six off the last ball. We watched the ball disappear into the crowds and got the same runners high at the end of a run.

It was definitely one of the most unforgettable experiences for me. I entirely felt myself mature as an actor. Now, I feel great. Indeed, “HIGH” PERFORMANCE ... DELIVERED!