Namaste!
This would be my first time ever writing a blog so I promise to get better at it by religiously working towards recording every lesson that I learn in this course.
Film as an art wasn’t something that I got hooked ta at any recent. One of the first films I remember having watched was Modern times by Charlie Chaplin in school during one of our activity class in 7th grade. I was astounded when I saw one of the scenes were Charlie gets sucked in the factory machine for the first time. The same day I remember going to the internet café with my elder brother to watch the film all over again. After we finished watching, I found a making video of how the roller skating scene was shot and right then I knew, this is something I want to submit my life to.
It took around 8 years after that instance for me to take this field as my career option reason behind which is a story for another blog but every film that I watched since then is with a perceptive mind only to take me closer towards my ambition to make my own independent film sometime soon in future.
Now sure we would fall short of fingers if we count the number of successful filmmakers who would say, “If you want to make a film just make a film!” Now as encouraging as it sounds I disagree with that. Film making is a craft that involves not just creative mindset but also technical consciousness with a pinch of fearless belief of design something complete imaginary into reality testing one’s collaborative calibre as well. Now as acceptable it is that these skill sets grow with film you make it’s only so when you are doing that following a right track.
And hence here I am at UCA with the bundle of my dreams to enlighten myself with a pledge to reason every thought I learn here to then finally make my own independent film.
EAT THE FROG!!!
Mark Twain once said that if the first thing you do each morning is to eat a live frog, you can go through the day with the satisfaction of knowing that that is probably the worst thing that is going to happen to you all day long. Now this is literally the first lesson that we got taught in our Unit briefing today by Liz Thompson. She says of course it’s going to be tough. Sure you are going to have a break-down at some point but you will get through it altogether because you are MA! I am not going to lie everything our course reps said today was about making me feel that I’m a grown up now and the course will make sure that I act like one. I was excited to see the diverse bunch we are as students by the way: Also, 4 amongst them are Indians. We are everywhere aren’t we? 😛
Now the ritual of posting a group photo is usually in the end of any event but here let’s make an exception. This is us: each hardly knowing the other, standing with some mediocre pose together jumping onto the voyage of so called grown ups who have somewhat been asked to pledge that, “If you need to eat a frog, just eat the frog! ” A year after I’m pretty there would another one with the same faces but hopefully different clothes (at least washed I mean come on it won’t be that rigorous okay) and whole amount of love and knowledge multiplied towards each other and the craft of film making. Hope we could see it, the difference 🙂
My Temple for the year forward 😀
Okay let me just say this real quick before I lose appreciation towards it. Our library is clearly the best thing happened to me so far here. It’s as big as my primary school to start with and it literally has everything one would want. I challenged myself to find something that I would want here isn’t there and this place is knocking me out left right and centre. I submitted my defeat when I found “The Apu Trilogy” by Satyajit Ray on our shelves which is now my first DVD ever rented from our library. Not bad to start with haha. Let’s go watch it for the 4th time now yay.
Finding lecture rooms!
Half way into the second week and the hardest part until now has hands down been finding the lecture rooms. We started our week with Jo talking basics of narrative in short and what exactly makes any short film different from any feature length. I have always believed short film is a genre in itself and crafting any idea within the boundaries of time and space especially when you are bounded with budget and level of resources it’s a complete different challenge. Since the time I’ve been doing theatre I’ve always found shorts fascinating and even created a short film club during my time in college. It’s amazing how many say that one needs to invest time into characters in any story to seem believable let alone relating however there are so many short films that executive the very craft with the limited constraints. The session was followed by individual tutorials where we asked about us and our interests and rough blueprint on our expectations for the course. We also got into groups for our first fiction project which is a one location shoot at the baptist church. I think it’s with effect with the individual tutorial we had earlier in the week but I am already buzzing as I am assigned to direct in this project. We saw the location and I think I know what I want to make. Yes, buzzinggggg….
First of many; The team meet.
With all of split into 4 groups each supposed to make their own 5-shot piece at the assigned location one can already see heads circled around in little groups that were kinda scattered before. The timetable for the week is no kind for us with session on camera and lighting inductions however that could still not stop me and my group to have our first team meet to talk about what we’d want to do. We are beyond the formalities of creating the WhatsApp group to keep updating and are up and running for it.
Camera Hands oN #frog1
As much as I have been involved myself into film making it has always been physically away from from the camera. Traditionally starting in theatre and then working on set that had huge cameras with the value of diamonds only kept my fear keep as much as away as possible from them. I loved to read about the aesthetics of cinematography and the lens and how different cameras especially film cameras could totally set the tone of given story however just the registered thought of being clumsy kept me stuck to my chair near the monitor always 10 meters away from the camera. This changed on the very first week at UCA. I remember back in one of my early jobs in one of the short films I was assisting for my director had a squabble with the DOP as she hadn’t set the camera up in time. I found out it was over 40 minutes that took her to set it up and the first thought was literally unconsciously that, AGh even I could set it faster than that! And there I was with six other colleagues of mine who took an hour and twenty minutes to do the same. As overwhelmed as I was to getting to finally be so involved with something I always yearned for it also taught me to appreciate the level of technical aspects that are to be considered to just to camera out to work let alone set it in accordance. One of my Professor once said to me that the camera never lies. It has to power to capture exactly what is in front of it and hence one must be meticulous with it’s functions. I was trying to make sure I seize in everything that Thomas and Dave saying however I am pretty sure it’s going to take a lot more than that to master it. But that won’t be far as I have, already eaten my first frog.
Story confirmed; Working towards greenlight
After a couple of meets down we’ve finally picked our story for the 5-shot exercise. Alex came up with a really challenging story line and it’s going to be fun to try execute it the right way. We are going to be giving an homage to Charlie Chaplin by trying to apply the same tone to our short as to his classics. One of the most initial jobs as a director is to knowing your own crew and these meets we are having are getting frequent is only helping towards it. With the green light coming next week we are all pretty happy with our idea and work put towards it to get through it without any concern. It’s always one of my favourite phase of film making as it is when one has to research and that means watching endless number of films of Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton. Now who wouldn’t love that!
Early Christmas Gift
It’s not even November and I found the best gift I could ever get from UCA . It’s really interesting how the course has so many different content for us that we just need to make sure we use and make the most of. I wasn’t aware of it although one of my colleagues told me we could get free access to MUBI just by using our university email. The collection of films they have is crazy and just can’t wait to get started with. I think I am going to start with re-watching one of the films by Abbas Kiarostami yayayy!
Abbas Kairostami and his influence.
“Originally, I thought that the lights went out in a movie theatre so that we could see the images on the screen better. Then I looked a little closer at the audience settling comfortably into the seats and saw that there was much more important reason: the darkness allowed the members of the audience to isolate themselves from others and to be alone. They were both with others and distant from them. When we reveal a film’s world to the members of an audience, they each learn their own world through the wealth of their own experience.“
Abbas Kairostami
I have always aspired to make films with similar intentions. Film in itself is the part of the audience and when there are creative openings it could open up chances for complicity of the themselves. I remember when I used to have my friends come to me asking to recommend any film to them I used to watch the film again be through their eyes just to understand how they might react to any particular shot or sequence or whole film in general however it mostly never the same. That’s because human nature is quite complex and hence every film is seen differently than the other. I believe any good filmmaker is the one who is aware of it and pulls strings accordingly.
Pre Viz for Location Shoot.
We had our Pre Viz at the Church today for which we shoot next week. A film cannot be designed solely on paper, whether this is the script or a storyboard. It not only helps to experiment with different staging and art direction options—such as lighting, camera placement and movement but also act out the sequence with the actors like a rehearsal . Since we were lucky enough to get a chance to have our Pre-viz exactly were our shoot is going to be we set the space up exactly how we wanted and worked with the lights and actors to practise our most difficult scene. It’s one of those when the student has an altercation with the Janitor. We made sure we master it so that it’s easier for us on the day of shoot. We were having certain challenges controlling the light coming in through the windows and hence we have decided to bounce it than block and get our own light. However we can’t be sure as the clouds dictating the sun rays and his we will be taking lights with us as back up.
As a director another challenge that I was facing was the camera angles. In narrative film there are many reasons varying the viewing angle however since we are only allowed 5 shots it’s going to key to prioritise what we exactly mean to reveal for establishing the story line and develop a mood. We do have a shot list but we need to work harder with the framing and aesthetic distance.
Best workshop everrrrrr.
Without good lighting, even the best camera in the world can’t capture a perfect picture. Lighting has the power to pull the strings in the film as it could help you direct the tone, add drama, depth, and atmosphere to the story. Just bounce it off her face, WE NEED MORE FILL!, was something I have heard over a hundred times working at the sets by the gaffer but this time I was going to get to try do all for that myself. Noir films are just the example where lighting is the catalyst to orchestrate the mood by contrasts between light and dark, dramatically patterned shadows, and unique framing and composition choices. It is said that a good director knows how to edit. I believe being aware about lighting to be able dictate it’s offering for the film is what makes a good director. It’s one of the aspects I want to master as well until I finish my year here. And it’s bout about getting to know the technical side of it but just understanding film lighting and it’s aesthetics.
Just the three point lighting in itself could be used in so many different techniques has blown my mind away. Today’s session with Thomas made me realise lighting is such a technical setup. It’s so important to not get fooled from what you actually see and what the camera sees. Again, camera being the faithful capturing machine of images the lighting meter is what decides if it’s the right lighting for the shot and not your eyes. There is so much homework to be done just with the ND filters!
SHOOT DAY!!
WHAT A DAY! Exactly a month today when we had our first lecture on story and narrative and here we were for our first of many collaborative project. I was excited and to be honest only slept for four hours. I had it all in my head and notes. Pre Viz and the meetings after that have only helped to work on our challenges we thought we’d be facing. The weather seemed alright which meant only good news for our lighting. During the Pre Viz we had shot some takes in 12 frames per second to replicate the pace of Charlie Chaplin films however didn’t have much control on it trying to edit and hence decided to shoot at 24 frames and work on it in post. We were a team of five and since we were not assigned an AD we decided to let our Producer take over those responsibilities. Since it was her first time ever at any shoot location explained and made sure she is aware of all things she was supposed to be doing. We had all reached right on call time and since we were the first group to shoot assembling and arranging the equipment took a while. My most important objective as a director was to make sure we do not make the same mistakes we did during Pre-viz. We had already framed the shots and had discussed with the DOP on the shot composition so it was just about working with the source lights within the room and bouncing them around at the space as it was very bright outside although we did use 350 to fill. Pre-Viz had also helped the actors to deliver what was asked by the characters. It being a homage to a one of the greatest actors of all generations it was key was not to replicate or even overdo the act to make it seem as an exaggeration. Charlie’s character was childlike, bumbling and his unique way to behave and he just wanted to keep up with those values and tell this little story of a student who comes to learn Piano.
I was a little anxious at the start as we weren’t able to work with the lights quite well but after the first shot I really got the hang of it. We had made sure we took all the shots as mentioned in the call sheet and made sure we took all shots with windows in the frame first due to the lights. Presence of Phillip at the set helped as well as he helped us in one of the shots were the character was jumping in rejoice and our DOP being working with the camera first time couldn’t really set the frame right. He also helped us with the ND filters to help us get the right amount of exposure.
5 shots and 4 hours. It’s so funny how time works that when you want it the most it runs out like any iPhone battery. But we did it. We got all the shots we wanted and could also spare some time to experiment with a hand held motion shot at the end. Will that get used is to be seen later in post. I think I am happy with everything we got. All the countless meets and discussions had finally answered all our thoughts and it’s the magic of editing now that carries the footage to turn into a film we see in our heads.
Time for a little of Bert Haanstra
“I don’t know what truth is. Truth is something unattainable. We can’t think we’re creating truth with a camera. But what we can do, is reveal something to viewers that allows them to discover their own truth.”
Michel Brault
Having signed up for the optional session for documentary has already paid off after James showed us the three minute short ‘Pockets’ where the filmmaker James Lees asks Londoners to share what they’re carrying in their pockets and what it means to them. Every object tells a story, revealing more than expected about its owner. From tiny treasures to the downright bizarre, the contents of Pockets provide quick and charming social insight. It’s just a 3 minute long film that tells something so simple and still feels so intriguing which is only because of it’s narrative style. One of the most initial documentaries that I liked was Glass (1958) by Bert Haanstra. The film is about the glass industry in the Netherlands. It contrasts the handmade crystal from the Royal Leerdam Glass Factory with automated bottle making machines. It has no dialogue but delivers with a contrasting layers where the first half shows several men at work using traditional glassblowing to create ornate objects like vases and mugs set against jazz music, while the second part shifts abruptly into the mechanised world of industrial glass production set to a whimsical score of more synthesised music. It’s unique way of storytelling is inspirational to those who aspire to make documentaries away from it’s traditional technique.
We have been asked to write a little premise of our own little documentary short we wish to make as well going forward in the course and my idea is somewhat in similar narrative structure as pockets where people are asked about something/object they have been physically holding on to and the story behind that as to why it could not just be a picture of it or so. More on that, later.
The invisible art of film making.
The last draft of the screenplay is the first cut of the movie and the final cut of the movie is the last draft of the script.
Quinton Tarantino
Editing is where the film is made and that’s where we were today. We were taught the basics of premier however being already worked on the software I started working on the film right away. I love editing. The satisfaction of matching two cuts is beyond imaginable for me. For the writer it’s the words; For a composer it’s a note and for an editor it’s the frames. I remember watching one of the videos of the making of Jaws when Spielberg mentions how shooting a film in 36 frames would differ drastically from the one at 38. In our project as well we tried playing with the frames while shooting although it didn’t work however it’s about fixing it in the post now. A well-shot and well edited film can engage a film completely but a badly shot film can also be edited well in order to engage the audience. I remember sitting in one of my initial sessions learning editing during I was complaining about how badly the film was shot but my tutor corrected me right away saying that if anything goes wrong in the film, it is always the editor’s fault. We are all supposed to edit our own versions which would be great to see as any given footage will be edited differently by two different editors. I believe there is no right or wrong in editing but the key is to be brutal. Sometimes when you are editing your own film there is a good chance to fall for one of the shot that you really want to make the cut but as a good editor if does not fit well it’s worth sacrificing over it.
I had to sit a couple of hours extra in the library later after the session although I think I have got what we at first thought when we sat together to write. As a director I think I could have done better with the framing of the shots in the film but I think if I had lesser restrictions with the number of shots it would have only helped the story. It’s ready and I can’t wait to screen it in front of my team and my other classmates to find out what they think. There is a lot more for me to learn here in this course and the next hurdle is the essay. I am not proud of missing out on the chance to go for Aesthetica film festival with my mates although it only buys me time to work on my essay. I have also dedicated to watch atleast one film a day while all of them will be away at the festival. Bring it on!
So long..
Okay it’s been longer that I thought it would be and harder that I thought it would be to work the essay for me. Mainly because it was my first time writing an academic essay with Harvard referencing. It’s going to be important to get a fair feedback already counting on it. Can’t believe the reading week which all of us were fondly awaiting for is even done. I’m glad that I could at least watch the films I set dates for except one which I intend too watch on this weekend. Our next project is going to be building a set at one of the studios and clearly need to more words to hype it up!
Shhh…here comes the Sound Designer
Okay I agree I have not been regular with the blog but there have been so many things happening around. First things first I have been assigned Sound in our next studio project. I won’t lie I wasn’t much happy at first but after some thought I think I should be alright. It’s not like I haven’t enjoyed playing around with the equipment since inducted.I think it would be fun to work with the group I have. Another thing I have got board on is Sari’s independent project as an AC for which I am already buzzing for as it’s something I really wanted to work and get experience as. Script writing session with Thecla was beyond amazing. It’s exactly the type of lectures I was looking out for in terms of writing and research for our draft for A project. The films she showed and feedback on the little 10 minute stories we created based on one of the pictures she got for us was really helpful to work on opening our minds to different possibilities for any story line . I got obsessed with this old man’s picture that she showed us. That man is the most photogenic person in the world lol.
One the day of our shoot I really couldn’t believe the set in front of us was created by us front nothing. I was really proud of we had done and really boosted my confidence as after we have much time later in the course I would be just building sets and shooting short story films to get the hang of it. My job on the day of shoot was fairly easy as I had not only got good with the equipment but we had also used it during our Pre-viz the evening before and since most of our sound in the film was folly I had recorded them the same during the Pre-viz. That meant all I had to chill and enjoy the shoot and play around with the sound to try capture and see is if we could get any thing extraordinary.
Started from here 
The Wolf Man!
Working on Sari’s project was a breakthrough in itself for me as I got to do something I had never done in my life. Working so close to camera as an AC was surreal as it reminded me of my one of the initial days when I used to just get out of my house with my Kodak to shoot whatever I thought was cinematic. We had Dave around with us which was really great as he literally explained me every bit of the job I was assigned to do, focus pulling. We used to Tilta wireless follow focus that I had only seen someone else use before. Dave taught me how to re calibrate it onto the lens as well. I think I am proud of the footage we shot as it was hard to follow the characters being a one long take. I was closely watching through the project I myself am planning to do my skills and development on a Long take Exercise.
Christmas break much like study leave.
Off starts the break! It’s hard to believe how fast the time is passing. Most of my colleagues have already headed home for Christmas which is something out of the cards for me at least in this break. That’s kind of a blessing in disguise as there is SO MUCHH I need to work on before the break ends. First comes first I think I will be starting one film one day again in this break. I also need to start working on my first draft for the A project and most importantly write a scene for my long take exercise for skills and development. I think I am going to do the same idea I had during our church location shoot which our group thought was too complex. It’s about a girl who is kidnapped and abandoned in a warehouse left to die. She rather than giving up on life lives through the days and finds a way avenge their doings. The idea is very raw at the moment but definitely the one I want to get going on as it’s the best time because even if doesn’t turn out the way I want it I would get to learn over my mistakes to make sure I have a good B project. I just started reading the book “Shot by Shot” from the library and seems like the right way to start things off.
It’s happening.
One of the most important and initial steps for creating a long take is writing the scene itself. Determining the value of the take is important as the viewer is forced to pay attention. I have my first draft ready and so is the team. It’s going to be my first independent project at the university and I am already buzzing. I have got Sari working very initially on this with me as she having done her own already has a lot of dos and don’ts I could use. Lindsey would be doing camera and Sandy with lights and rest should follow. It’s going to be a challenge to get the studio for the month of January however I am not going to let that turn my enthusiasm down. It’s Christmas tomorrow and I’m off to London ❤
Year 2020 is mine!
It’s here already. Oh new year. For some reason I strongly feel it’s going to be my year. I am starting it with a promise to make at least 2 independent short films and going to strive on it. Draft one submission in four days so more on this later!
Flat out like a lizard drinking
Avid training. Draft feedback and alterations. Independent project. Skills and development. Script Pitching. So much in so less time. Anyone from outside if looks at our time table would envy the number for free days we have not knowing when you align the assignments we have there is literally no time to feel my breath. But isn’t this what we signed up for? I have got the studio I have wanted on 22nd for the whole day which is next week and that’s when we rule! The team is ready and set to go and this is when my enthusiasm turns into anxiety. My roommate has just given me a pep talk suggesting to do one job at a one go and before I know it should all be done. I have been watching Gone girl as the character in my long take has hints of her resemblance. This is something I have wanted to do for a while now it’s happening. I will and have to own it!
And just like that it’s a wrap!
I really need to understand how does time run out so quickly when you need it the most. We were supposed to be shooting in the little storage room in G12 studio. Having moved most of the unwanted things from that room on the eve of 21st and since the set was ready in itself we could spare a lot of time to have rehearsing the take with the actor. I was really happy with Sari’s efforts setting the room which was really looking like a abandoned storage room. Countless meetings with Lindsey had worked well as we both collectively knew how we wanted the camera movements and blocked the shot accordingly with a couple of rehearsals. The most time was taken with the lighting as since it was a confined space it was difficult to follow the character. Finally we had to choose to use the source light and then had filter later in post as I feared it being under exposed. One of the biggest lessons for me doing this project was not having much knowledge about lighting which I really want to development on going forward in this course.
It took us 10 takes to settle for the one in the end and even though it felt like keep going on I decided to wrap it up as it was already getting late. I felt it went good but not satisfied.There were so many points I knew I had been wrong even before working the footage in post. But that’s what the exercise was about. Right now the motive is to learn from the mistakes. It’s time to get on the editor’s chair and try fix or at least hide to wrong.
We also have final draft feedback and the all the submissions including the blog coming in less than a week and just like that finishes our first unit. I am really happy with every project and session I have been a part of as it has somewhere grow me and my thoughts in the track that I want to head onto. I have enjoyed blogging even though it feels not have not done it enough and regardless of being asked as any assignment I will be continuing to write and document rest of my upcoming units too. Until then, Caio!
NAKED THOUGHTS 