Metroxical New York - New Documentary Film

Music. Metro. New York city. Future of society. A poetic narrative about underground subway music in New York city and how it forms the basis for a futuristic collective society. Metroxical New York is our latest production in the roster of Accessible Horizon Films' documentary genre. The doc. is about music, the musicians and the New York city subway. Well, it's actually much more than that. 
It really started out with our exploratory subway commutes over time interacting with musicians from almost every part of the world, eventually leading upto this moment where we just burned DVDs for submissions to various international film festivals. Audio post-production was really tedious but we made it through. Still tons of things to learn. Anyways, will add more stuff about it soon. Trailer's on the way.

Editing – The Non-linear, Mind-bending Asana

Editing is like intense meditation. More so, meditation that forces you to concentrate so intensely that you have to first take time to get into it, then stay in there focused and then take an equal if not more time to get out of it. Or it may also be comparable to sitting on the shit-pot on a fairly constipated day and trying to focus all your energies at that one point, ‘doing’ it and then slowly relaxing your way out of it. I had to resort to that scatological reference for nothing else could be more illuminating.
I am, at any rate, not a meditative person but tough times call for tough measures. So here we are, well into the Editing aura. Two major portions have been completed(rough cut) as of last week, but the remaining is yet to be brought into contact with the scissors. Today as I look up at what’s ahead of us, it’s sort of daunting to say the least. Actually, a better expression would be an anticipated sigh of exhaustion. It’s literally twisting the mind into following a rigorous and methodical procedure. (Signing off end of June).
Contd from present(The gap is thanks to the unavailability of power and the patchy access to internet) Another way of describing non-linear editing is that it resembles the writing process. Or you could say it’s basically re-writing the script visually but with your previously imaginary characters who now have a defined form and personality. I typically make a layout of the usable/good clips before starting the actual cut like outlining the script before I actually start writing the scenes. Just noting down random but usable thoughts in the detailed outline, then proceeding to write the nuances. So here in the editing timeline(like a palette to artists or the blank document for scribes), the re-re-creation happens. I say two ‘re-s’ because they say a film is made 3 times. Once while writing the script, 2nd while shooting it and 3rd while editing it. But anyways.
One thing I noticed though, is not to look at the entire layout too often. Take shots of a particular scene or a small sequence, get to work, finish it and then move on to the next one. Keep doing it until you have no other sequences. To be clear, basically, take 1 sure step at a time and don’t look at the mountain ahead too often. Awright, I’m getting out of character here and before I start rambling away, I need to stop. And the rough cut is almost done. Almost...so I need to meditate a bit more.

Rusticating away...from the past!

This is a post written almost 2 months back. So let's keep the chronology in mind....After all the madness of Production work(which is now comfortably in the near past) in the cities, Post-production now seems to be quite a breeze in ‘the little village we know so well…’, (yes, Asterix reference), ok lemme rephrase, in a little village called Kavanoor, near Arakonam Taluk. For the geographically challenged, it is about 170kms from Pondicherry or about 100kms NW of Chennai. When I say ‘breeze’ it is only in comparison to the city schedule, and I am, in no way, being a reductionist when talking about Post-production being a breeze. Get that! But again, before getting into the details of work, there are some things about village life that begs to be told. Not that 10 days of it are enough or qualifies one to write a thesis on this kind of living, just that in this age when we seem so frantically searching for something in our fast-paced urban life that will take us to the next level or whatever, it feels kinda like taking the back-seat and looking at things retrospectively.
Ok ok timeout…for now there’s a thunderstorm that’s adamant on demanding my attention. Am back. It seems months had passed since the rains smooched the earth and today, it's a hard-core French kiss. The strong wind is shaking the living daylights out of the big teak tree that’s in our backyard (as if it wasn’t already breezy enough here to sway the tree thereby emitting the only sound we can hear around us). Ok now continuing after a 4-day hiatus.
And about the subjective reality here. Yes, I’m gonna make a couple of revelations that may shock the shit of you city-slickers out there. One, that power outage happens every morning between 9 and 12. Not to mention the periodic (5 to 10 minute) breaks in power any time and also during the rains. Two, the lack of…uhh…the internet! Yes, don’t panic for us because we have gotten used to this way of life, at least for now.
But the biggest difference or change that you can feel, is the enormous availability or rather the protracted-ness of the indefinable and strangely(but ironically) unquantifiable TIME. There seems to be too much of it. Obviously you can’t help but romanticize the surroundings especially when you haven’t really experienced this way of living before. But then again, this extension of space-time(I use it both literally and figuratively and also because I don’t wanna segregate the two) really helps to do the one thing that’s most imperative right now – EDITING which is a process in itself. I’m gonna save it for the next post. Signing off around mid-June. The above is a shot of the backyard just after the rains.

Stop-gap

Ok, this is one of those times when we've been meaning to update for a while but because of various avoidable and unavoidable reasons could not. I've written 2 posts in the mean time but haven't really sat down to post them. But what's actually been happening is E-D-I-T-I-N-G. So until we muster up enough resolve to let you in on the details...see? can't even finish this...

Of the mind...

Just when you think you know it all, you get a reality check, a real fucking hard slap in your face. A lesson in humility, modesty…about the greatest ever lesson ever taught or will be taught – life. Yes, you can swear or scoff all you want, but it sometimes feels like an existential crisis out here, I mean, in the mind. Maybe ignorance is really bliss. Why do we have to try to learn so much and suddenly have to realize one day(that oft repeats itself) that you gotta unlearn it all and then relearn it all. Arrrrrggggghhh, the irony of it all!!!

C'est la rue!

Rue Pedro Canagaraya Moudaliar

Of radicals and resurgence...

A little excerpt from one of the many ramblings...

"There are a lot of things that's making me feel alive. I'd think twice about saying this out loud, but i think i'm evolving into a state which makes my foundational philosophies question literally just about everything. the basis of everything we've learned.

No specific goals in the horizon but this time i feel, is a time for revolutions, not of the gun-trotting kind but of something more infectious...more viral...more in times with the 'now' where everyone feels the need for change but not sure how to go about it. but i feel energized, a sort of resurgence within, which we hope to spread through the ideas within. for right now, thots are being made into celluloid reality through radical means for that is the way to go.

now i feel is a time, where non-conformism is the new conformism, where the darkness of shadow is the presence of light somewhere close, where the unheard voices will be heard, where the mind is without fear. coz that is the only way to break out of this godamn prison the humans have created for themselves. the alienation, the desperation for something as basic as love, the feeling of helpless doom where the soul is cornered into a seemingly irreversible blackhole. "

Corridor Noir

Shot in progress - as seen through the tripod. Setting the mood.

Ok been there done that...next?

What do you do when you reach a point in time which you’ve been wanting to for a long time? So much so that you think, ‘I’m gonna burst my lungs out in pure inhalator-y bliss?’ when you reach there. Do you actually scream out in ecstasy? Do you run around naked like Archimedes when he hit upon the discovery and yelled Eureka? Do you feel like the shaken, corked-up champagne which has just gotten its liberation? I mean, do you ‘really’ feel the exhilaration?
ORRRRR…do you feel a transcendent moment where everything seems sublime & ethereal and experience a quiet sense of ‘It had to happen and now I’m here’ and not really feel the way you thought you would feel? Now that we have completed a process, one that has been pending for a long time, I am left wondering in a state of intermediate high as to what one should feel. Anyways, here’s a tiny glimpse of what’s yet to come. No points for guessing who this is.

A lil' trip

Feel it.

Amidst the calm...

I've never wanted someone so bad (ok wisecracks, you know what I mean). I even had a dream a couple of nights back - a faceless but somehow intense 'Jenny' came up to me and said "oh you still haven't found her, you poor, languishing insomniac? Lemme put you out of your misery...yes...I'll be HER". Ok, fine, she didn't exactly say that but you get the drift. While we brood over Jenny's so-close-yet-so-far predicament, lemme put out something to show a sign of activity. This is in Palavedu, Periya Annan's headquarters.

Casting Call - Jenny!! Where are you???

Casting Call - Alternative Tamil Short Film (Chennai/Pondicherry)

We are casting for a key female character 'Jenny' in her early t0 mid-20s to play an extreme character. Interested folks can contact the number in the poster. (Orig. pic courtesy Google.)

Grinding Halt

I guess I spoke too fast last week. We suddenly find ourselves coming to a screeching halt in our production. All because of you --- > JENNY, JENNY --- WHERE ART THOU?

Cosmic Conspiracy - Production still

Sometimes I wonder what really makes things happen in the cosmos. I mean, how does a thought become a creation…through a series of seemingly chaotic, difficult and sometimes impossible stages? Here, in Bangalore, we just finished our shooting schedule surmounting a sequence of things that weren't in place. The people aligned, the location aligned, the process of shooting itself aligned, the flow, the vibe, the energy, literally everything came into alignment. The shoot went quite well, with the adrenalin pumping and everything. Who do we acknowledge apart from the people? I guess it's needless to say. It's also strange that some other things happened too but let's leave it for later. Here's a glimpse of what happened.

A morsel from the cauldron

I know we haven't been updating anything from the 'making of' process. As expected, the going got very crazy and we are still figuring out our next schedule. But here's a little morsel out of the production cauldron. This is a tree that we shot one of our scenes from, in Palavedu village, a little away from Avadi. This is from the 'Social Worker's' story.

The madness is on...

It's finally time and pre-production is almost over. Our short films are on the verge of taking an identity. Planning for the wildest ride in a long time. My head is about to explode into mushroom cloud. At least that's how it feels. The anticipation, the craziness, the fucking high...wonder if dope can be this intense. The psychedelia of it all. Mannnnnnnnnnn......

Distinctly Pondy

One of the few roads not taken much but very distinct in its style. Where French meets Indian.

Sax Player in New York City Subway

This was shot during our documentary film shoot about the Subway Music in New York City Times Square Stattion. Something about his pathos inducing note made us wanna obscure his identity. Think his name's Ahmed or something, couldn't quite catch it coz his voice was broken. He himself seemed a broken man and his music was haunting enough to prove it.

Short Film - Chasm in Time

One of our short films made almost 2 years back.
Synopsis: When the subjective realities of the materialistic world and the war-torn world meet, the only visible consequence is the chasm between them. When three friends 'accidentally' meet a super-market employee, he is not what he seems.
Cast: Cornelio Abella, Karthik Srinivasan, Joey Mintz, Kymm Walker.

2G Scam? What 2G Scam?

World Free Consultants

World Free Consultants are those who do any kind of help to serve the people or a community for free.

A new wiki page is created which will comprise a collection of all those wonderful souls who exist among us in this very world we live in. Here anyone can add in the people whom they know who are helping either a few people or a community with whatever skills they are capable of. This wiki is not dedicated to any particular country or region or a sect of people. This is for us, the people of this universe. Please feel free to add more people to the list here.

Protect Julian Assange Campaign

If we, the people, need to protect Julian Assange and his ideals, we need no other reason than this. This is a quote from his personal blog's archives - http://web.archive.org/web/20071007093903/http://iq.org/

"Every time we witness an injustice and do not act, we train our character to be passive in its presence and thereby eventually lose all ability to defend ourselves and those we love. In a modern economy it is impossible to seal oneself off from injustice.

If we have brains or courage, then we are blessed and called on not to frit these qualities away, standing agape at the ideas of others, winning pissing contests, improving the efficiencies of the neocorporate state, or immersing ourselves in obscuranta, but rather to prove the vigor of our talents against the strongest opponents of love we can find.

If we can only live once, then let it be a daring adventure that draws on all our powers. Let it be with similar types whos hearts and heads we may be proud of. Let our grandchildren delight to find the start of our stories in their ears but the endings all around in their wandering eyes.

The whole universe or the structure that perceives it is a worthy opponent, but try as I may I can not escape the sound of suffering. Perhaps as an old man I will take great comfort in pottering around in a lab and gently talking to students in the summer evening and will accept suffering with insouciance. But not now; men in their prime, if they have convictions are tasked to act on them."

The harassment by the system (US and the world) is proof enough that we not only live in deteriorating times but also one that seeks to suppress the voice of the people. To them, to us all, Julian represents the ideal. Let's protect Julian Assange, not just in the literal sense, but also the ideals that he projects.

Warrant Balaw - Law made simple!

We are governed by laws but we do not know what law is; we do not know about our privileges and duties and so we are made to live with suffering, not knowing how to live peacefully.Pleading in courts of law is as easy as having discussion with members of the family says WARRANT BALA a simple, honest human being who has been helping the common man for the past 10 years and making him aware of the legal system through his knowledge (from his own experience) and books NETHIYAI THEDI series. You can read about his efforts from his blog...
http://warrantbala.blogspot.com/

What the planet needs right now - A MOTHER

They say that God can't be everywhere so he created mothers. But for all those who do not have a mother, there are people like Sindhutai Sapkal who shower them with the love and affection of a mother.

Sindhutai Sapkal is helping begger, orphan children. So far she has adopted 1043 orphan children.
She has orphanages near Pune and Vardha.

Her homes survive on donations and grants as well as the award money she receives and she unabashedly continues to beg in cities and villages asking people to put whatever they can into a cloth she spreads out on a table after her speech. She is also invited to colleges and schools to address students and she unhesitatingly asks for donations. This year has been particularly tough because though the Savitribai Phule home runs on government aid, Sindhutai's orphanage in Saswad has not received its grant for the last two years from the cash-strapped Maharahstra government. And to make matters worse, there is also an acute water shortage in the area.

She says;
"Do write the address of my organization so that people can send any contribution - financial or material." Donations can be made to: Sanmati Bal Niketan, Meenakshi Building, Second Floor, Vihar Chowk, Hadapsar, Pune.

for more search for SINDHUTAI SAPKAL on the net.

Vijay Simha's Tehelka Column - What Indians politically do wrong

While not sure about every aspect, still felt this is something we should rethink about. The thing is, we do know all this but what actually prevents us from doing what is right?

	PAMPER DYNASTIES  Blinded by powerful families, we vote for them continually though our conscience must say no.
	DON’T REWARD FIGHTERS  The CPI(ML) has been seeking a clean Bihar for years. They don’t get more than a handful of seats.
	IGNORE WORTHY NOMINEES  Manmohan Singh lost by 29,999 votes in the 1999 South Delhi Lok Sabha election. Hasn’t contested since.
	DON’T CHANGE VOTING HABITS  Grandfathers voted for Indira. We vote for Sonia and Rahul. The world has changed in between.
	GIVE UNDUE CREDIT  The Congress didn’t do CNG in Delhi. The Supreme Court did.
	DON’T STAND AS ONE  Thirty-seven parties in the Lok Sabha and 29 in the Rajya Sabha. Can get crazy, like in Jharkhand.
	ARE LETHARGIC  Can’t step out, for causes or for voting. So, we minimise who we are.
	DON’T THINK  The BJP in Gujarat after 2002. The Left for 33 years in West Bengal. Chamling since 1994 in Sikkim.
	CHOOSE PERSONALITIES, NOT POLICIES  Amitabh. Dharmendra. Azharuddin. Jayaprada. Not liberalisation, Article 370, RTI, women’s reservation.
	ACCEPT BRIBES Liquor. Money. Land. Jobs. And sundry other favours. We are fine with it. They are fine with it.

The Zeitgeist Moving Forward

Time to move forward from an illusion called money to love..
from one human living the moneyless life...
Suelo says in his blog...
I've been totally without cents since Autumn of 2000 (except for a couple months in 2001). I don't use or accept money or conscious barter - don't take food stamps or other government dole. My philosophy is to use only what is freely given or discarded & what is already present & already running (whether or not I existed). I don't see money as evil or good: how can illusion be evil or good? But I don't see heroin or meth as evil or good, either. Which is more addictive & debilitating, money or meth? Attachment to illusion makes you illusion, makes you not real. Attachment to illusion is called idolatry, called addiction. I simply got tired of acknowledging as real this most common world-wide belief called money! I simply got tired of being unreal. Money is one of those intriguing things that seems real & functional because 2 or more people believe it is real & functional!

Living Without Money - Documentary of a life

A vision i see of a world...a planet breathing peace...a moneyless world..where every being will exist for the sake of love and the other..in a united purpose to realize the infinite within!

The enormity and the being!

a teaching in itself of what can be done...
maybe...this jogs the memoir of only being a small speck!
in a great wide, ever-expanding vastness...
a taste of the enormity!!!

Daayen ya Baayen - Trailer of Indian Indie film

Just wanted to spread the word about the film 'Daayen Ya Baayen' directed by Bela Negi, an FTII Pune graduate. Supporting this for the spirit of Indie film in India.

Must-see Documentary - Man on Wire...

...should actually be phrased 'Man on Fire' - the fire of determination that is; and the indomitable will to do what you want no matter what. The documentary film directed by James Marsh 'chronicles Philippe Petit's 1974 high-wire walk between the Twin Towers of New York's World Trade Center. It is based on Philippe Petit's book, To Reach the Clouds, recently released in paperback with the new title Man on Wire'.(source Wiki)
In the film Philip says "It was impossible...that's why I had to do it". There are 2 profound aspects in the film. One, the triumphant will of Philip, and two, his post-walking "success-story" as a human being and the impact on his friendships/love(though not depicted much). This is something to watch out for because the current knowledge about the WTC changes the way you see the film.

Bereft Beauties 2 - Aravanis/Thirunangais

More...These pictures can be used freely only if portrayed in a positive manner. Pls do not misuse them.

Bereft Beauties 1 - Aravanis/Thirunangais

During the Aadi Festival in August, our team went to Salem(Tamil Nadu) to shoot some footage of various Tamil folk artists and performers who were part of the festivities. It is an ongoing documentary film project which we hope to produce through a possible collaboration. While we did get a lot of amazing street performances, most of it was commercial(I use this word because instead of performing for actual folk music and songs, many were performing for popular movie songs, even 'item' numbers).
Amidst it all, we met some Aravanis/Thirunangais (Transgendered women) who were really in their elements, singing, dancing and having a whale of a time, at the same time, enthralling their mostly male audiences. It was surprising to learn that the Aravani/Thirunangai community in Salem is actually respected and not shunned, abused, raped and ridiculed as is usually the case in almost every other part of India. Even their Chennai sisters do not get the treatment they get. We befriended the beautiful Nakshatra(extreme left among the group of 3) and her gang and there was a whole slew of fanboy-males who were swarming around them.

Chennai to Pondy(and back) on the Suzuki GS150R

Friday I went on a not-so-long distance ride on our GS150S (160kms=about 100 miles one-way) from Chennai to Pondicherry and returned today. Took the Tindivanam route coz ECR (East Coast Road) is apparently not too safe coz it's a single lane highway. Anywho, loved this route coz it was multi-laned and it was overcast. To top it all, the rain just added a little adventure by drenching me. I especially recommend this route coz the newly built highway (I think NH-66) from Tindivanam to Pondy was spotless. I guess I really needed this weekend ride coz for some strange reason I wasn't and ain't a wee bit tired AND it felt so damn relaxing. A catharsis, if you will.
For all you Suzuki riders or rider-wannabe/s, the GS150R is one hell of a smooth ride, especially long distance. I stopped twice for the rain but it wouldn't let up. So I was like, fuck it, I'm doing this, embracing every drop the water-gods were lashing out. I made a couple of observations about highway riding in India, 1. Almost 99% of all Toyota Innova drivers drive like crazy, maybe it's the vehicle size and comfort that makes them feel they are the kings of the highway. Even Lorry drivers seemed tame by their standards. 2. There's an increasing number of two-wheelers on the highways. So many motorcycles, which was kinda surprising. I purposely didn't take my camera coz I anticipated the rain and mainly, just wanted to enjoy the ride. Next time, I probably won't do a solo. My biking retrospection is over for now. Even got an idea for a motorcycling road movie. Hopefully not a la the Motorcycle Diaries. Need to sit and write.

The road oft taken

That Subtle Essence!

"Bring me a fruit of that Banyan Tree."
"Here it is, venerable Sir."
"Break it."
"It is broken, venerable Sir."
"What do you see there?"
"These seeds, exceedingly small."
"Break one of these, my son."
"It is broken, venerable Sir."
"What do you see there?"
"Nothing at all, venerable Sir."
The father said: :That subtle essence, my dear, which you do not perceive there - from that very essence this great Banyan arises. Believe me, my dear, Now, that which is the sublte essence - in it all that exists has its self. That is the True. That is the Self. Thou art that, Svetaketu.
- The Chhandogya Upanishad, Chapter 12.

The Stray - True Survivor in Pondicherry

In a pavement reigned by rabid, flea-infested dogs, this little stray, seemingly lost, was scavenging for scraps. She would wait for the dogs to walk away and then come out of her hideout. This was one such moment. She seemed to have a tenacity about her. Her attitude reflecting on how much she might have seen in her little time in this world. I wonder if she was with her mother or just separated. Despite the survivor in her, there was a beautiful innocence, that seemed untouched by all that's there around her.

Filming & Photography in NYC Subways

A quick reference and a MUST-HAVE for filmmakers and Photographers filming in New York City Subways. Print out these two documents and put it on your camera-bag and just FLASH it when cops or MTA officials interrupt you. Many of them don't know that this exists.

1. NYPD Directive - On April 3, 2009, the NYPD issued a directive to officers stating that it is legal to take pictures within the subway system so long as it is not accompanied with suspicious activity.

2. MTA Rules of Conduct saying it's ok to film/photograph inside the Subway. Check out 1050.9.
LINK - http://mta.info/nyct/rules/rules.htm
Currently, the MTA Rules of Conduct, Restricted Areas and Activities section states that anyone may take pictures or record video, provided that they do not violate MTA regulations:

Section 1050.9 Restricted areas and activities.

Photography, filming or video recording in any facility or conveyance is permitted except that ancillary equipment such as lights, reflectors or tripods may not be used. Members of the press holding valid identification issued by the New York City Police Department are hereby authorized to use necessary ancillary equipment. All photographic activity must be conducted in accordance with the provisions of this Part.

Very handy documents. Source from Wiki.

La-eets!

Beauty...Fall!

A time for change...or a change of times?