That 'Baaaeaaaa' thing

Dang! You know how sometimes you seem to have a lot on your platter but you're unable to do any of it. Those things keep hovering over your head but you just can't shift gears to do them. It's like there absolutely no motivation to 'do' things. No inspiration...zilch! I don't even know if I can or want to write this right now. You know, mindless meandering...I like to call this feeling 'Baaaeaaa...'. That Baaaeaaa feeling! The censor board awaits 500 &5, but we gotta transliterate this whole script. It's basically like rewriting the script all over again and typed it out in Tamil. Also, today was spent on looking and trying to get inspired from other people's work...that creative thingie that hangs around the universe. Don't know. But there's a higher purpose to all this, sort of. Like we got a responsibility to do stuff. Sometimes there's a need to be grounded in this reality and other times, this need to go where the dragons are...but you know you gotta strike a balance. Shit! Is this Baaaeaaa...gonna do the vamoose or what?

Trailer for Metroxical New York

Metroxical New York Documentary Film at IFFK 2012

Ok here's a bit of an exciting news for y'all! 'Metroxical New York' is having its World Premiere at the 5th International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala, between 8th-12th June 2012, at Trivandrum. It's part of the official selection under the Long Documentary Competitive section. Directed & Narrated by Kousalya, Co-directed by Dass, Co-created by Raghu & Ramesh Mourthy as part of the production of AccessibleHorizon FilmCollective, Accessible Horizon Films. Here's a poster.
For those who are wondering what, about a year and half ago, we shot our now, latest documentary film called 'Metroxical New York' in underground New York City(some of you know about it). Due to 500 & 5's production, it had taken kind of a backseat w.r.t editing and post-production. But now it's all done and ready. For more info, visit www.AccessibleHorizonFilms.com.

4 Basics before making an Indie film - Learning from ‘Ayynoorum Ayynthum (500 & 5)’ (Part 2)

(This is part 2 of the Indie filmmaking Series 'Learning from Ayynoorum Ayynthum (500 & 5). Part 1 Intro can be found here)
So you know, there’s this one time, in our lives, no actually, make that many times, where we realize there’s gotta be a line between ‘talking’ and ‘just doing it’. Many a times, we know we’ve been having this feeling of wanting to do something but never get around to it. But at some point, that ‘wanting’ to do it, turns into actually ‘doing it’ and for that to happen, especially when you’re trying to make an independent film, you need to have some basic things in place that’ll help you ‘decide’ to make that transition. Of course, like anything, there are so many other things that can tell you when you make that transition. Now coming to think of it, before we started production of Ayynoorum Ayynthum (500 & 5), we apparently had undergone these basics, without which we wouldn’t have been prepared for the next stages.

1. The 'Need' to tell the story

The word ‘Need’ is loaded. Maybe I should word it ‘desperate need’ to tell the story. I think you don’t get to that desperate stage before undergoing a lot of painful growing-up stuff. The need also stems out of a deep frustration that’s been lying within for a long time. Before getting to the need-to-tell-the-story-of-500&5 phase, I wrote other scripts spending months and even years to write apparently masterpieces that big studios would just swoop down and pick up. One of them even made it among the top 10 finalists of the IFFLA film fund development grant, but they were just sitting there, lifeless words unable to get someone to give them a soul, a form and make them into a living film. We tried getting those scripts through the gatekeepers, met up with reasonably well-known actors and did the whole nine yards thing. But something felt wrong, very very wrong. I/we spent 2-3 years getting ‘others’ to see our vision that we started losing our vision ourselves. The goal of making our film, was getting farther and farther. Then the frustration started to build up. Fuck, can’t we just keep it simple? Just freakin’ do it ourselves instead of waiting around for things to happen? Then we started talking, talking and talking…the want was becoming a need, to tell some story, any fucking story from within our sensibilities, the way we want it. Forget making masterpieces, forget star actors, forget the big monies, just tell it, damn it, let’s give the script a life! So there, we decided to tell the story about ‘money’ from a sort-of existential POV, which we’ve often talked about. The concept of money was a recurring theme in our discussions and so we made it the center of our film. Now, behind all the frustration, the seemingly wasted energies/time/efforts, came the ‘Need’, because if the desperate need is present, it will necessitate everything else, because it fulfils the question ‘why’? At that moment, we knew the need had to be addressed, no matter what. But of course, needing it and getting it have a long bridge in between them. So comes the next thing, the story.

2. The Story/Script

Do I need to state the obvious? Let’s face it. If there’s even a modicum of an evocative response to a film, it can only be attributed to its script. As any Joe Shmoe can tell you, a film is only as great as its story or more specifically the script. Everything else is secondary. The direction, cast, execution…everything. Of course, this is a highly subjective thing we’re dealing with here. But irrespective of how ‘good’ it is, it is one of the most personal stages of filmmaking considering how collaborative the entire process is. The writing process is by far the most intense experience that you can delve into without having to include anyone. The stage with total control in the otherwise chaotic filmmaking process. Considering my other feature screenplays that have taken months to write and re-write, 500 & 5 just took 15 intense days. Days and months of thought had already gone into it while the frustration was building up and when it was time to write, it all just exploded. A beautiful cathartic release. So if you have to get anywhere towards starting your film, you gotta have this part figured out. I could probably refer to millions of resources where you can find out more about the screenwriting process but personally, you really have to look within to get those words out. If you don’t connect with the story on an internal, personal level, then no amount of formulaic writing is going to help you achieve those needs.

3. The Team

One thing we realized, no matter what, the people that you are most comfortable with, are the ones you’re gonna be working with, if you’re gonna make a film(which usually takes months or years of your life). It’s not about experience or hiring union or whatever. Someone I knew used to say, “Work with people who are smarter than you” because with an ambitious vision at stake, you can’t possibly get into it thinking you’re the best brain at doing it the best way. The four of us, in our core team, knew how to do stuff, understood the process and all, but we weren’t the best at everything. Before we started production, we thought we had to hire only experienced film industry technicians and crew to get this made, because obviously this has to turn out damn good, right? And we did, but slowly things were falling apart for various reasons, mainly the comfort factor, for a project as unconventional as 500 & 5 and also, experienced doesn’t necessarily mean smarter especially with our use of more contemporary technology. For example, with a conventional film camera, you have lenses that are compatible with standard follow-focus rings that let you to easily manipulate the focus while in motion but with our use of DSLRs we didn’t have that luxury, so we had to use lenses without the follow-focus rings, which was quite a challenge. A traditionally experienced cameraman initially came on board with spiel after spiel of how he was the right man for the job but the day before shooting started, he bailed out, apparently not being to able to handle the challenges of Indie production. So within us, we had to learn stuff and ‘upgrade’ and get smarter and more adaptable people on board who understood what we were trying to do. Also, we had to resort to DIY(Do-it-yourself) filmmaking most of the time figuring out how to create things from scratch(more on that later). So basically, the point is to create a team of adaptable, understanding people(even if you’re a crew of just one or two) if you want your production to go smooth.

4. The Technology - The DSLR Revolution

Ahh, the icing on the cake. The word is DSLR or HDLSR. If you’ve heard this term before then you’ve heard of the revolution. The digital filmmaking revolution. Obviously, this is not something we invented because it’s been around the block, and quite a bit at that. I guess we’ve just been making it more popular and not without reason. It’s an abbreviation for Digital Single-Lens Reflex. Case in point, the Canon 7D, 5D Mark II and the more recent Mark III all unleashed by Canon. Indie filmmakers including us, have lapped up these cameras like there’s no tomorrow.

Even when you have the above three, the one thing that can keep you from starting production is the technology you are going to use. Obviously, we can’t all afford 35mm film cameras or the expensive Red or the Arri Alexa cameras. Thing is, if…if…you know (or learn to figure out) how to wield these cameras, they can be a boon especially when you consider their low-cost. A camera is only as good as the person wielding it. I’d written an earlier article on the use of DSLRs from the trenches here. But the main reason to put this out is how many people don’t realize the high price-performance ratio of the DSLRs. Before we started production, we compared the Canon 7D(costs around $1800) footage to the Sony EX1(around $6000) on the big screen, and there was no contest. The 7D’s image quality was far superior to the EX1’s. That’s how we decided to go with the 7D and its cousin the 5D. But as with any new technology, we had to understand its limitations and then work it to our advantage. At such a low-cost, a filmmaker has no reason to worry about the budget of making a feature-length film. In fact, as many feature filmmakers are resorting to digital cameras, the advent of the DSLRs can only help Indie filmmakers achieve their goals.

So when you have these 4 basic things figured out, there is an ample chance that you can jump from talking about making your film to actually doing it. Of course, there’s a ton of other chaotic factors involved, but this should give you the basic understanding, or sort of foundational signs that you may be in the right track.

Learning from ‘Ayynoorum Ayynthum(500 & 5)' – Indie filmmaking Series (Part 1)

If you want to learn ‘Indie(Independent) filmmaking’, there are probably thousands of resources and millions of ways to show you how to do so. But the thing about ‘learning Indie filmmaking’ from others is in itself a paradox. Because when you make a film in the true ‘Indie’ spirit of the word, you are actually going all-out yourself without much dependency on the traditional system or…just by Doing-it(Everything)-yourself, literally. Another thing is that it’s far too unstructured and chaotic to even try to learn it all with the amount of information deluge that hurls your way. But, at any rate…there’s nothing like experiencing the puzzling thing we call life, penning your thoughts down, taking your camera, getting into the trenches, wading through the shit, smelling the stench, finding the pearl and coming out with a unique piece of work. Or at least, ‘your’ unique piece of work. So, with the culmination of ‘Ayynoorum Ayynthum(500 & 5)’ ‘round the corner, we thought we could just share our perspective of making this film the ‘Indie’ way and add to the chaos, ahem! And maybe through this process, we intend to keep track of our own doings and maybe…maybe aid in the demystification of the process of Independent filmmaking in the digital and new media age.
One primary way of looking at filmmaking is that it’s mostly about learning through experience and eventually asserting your perspective in the world. Sure there are a zillion perspectives out there, but how is yours different. Your perspective may not or need not be the ‘best’ but is it different than the remaining zillion-minus-one of them? That’s what this whole thing’s about. Seriously, for someone who considers film school to be redundant – not because they don’t teach useful stuff but because of the concept of indoctrination of what constitutes good filmmaking – I certainly think twice about sharing and receiving ‘creative’ advice with others(not that we are all above it). Because, in the few years that we’ve been independently making films, I realized one thing. How could one contain the almost cosmic nature of the filmmaking process into a few nuggets of concise writing/advice in either book form or film school form? That’s why I repeat, what many truly visionary filmmakers have shown - filmmaking, to each his/her own – I mean, in perspective(for that matter, every film has its philosophy). And that’s why I even wonder about the concept of Herzog’s Rogue film school. By that definition, isn’t it also an indoctrination of how to be a Rogue filmmaker? But I guess that’s going too far out. But the point I’m trying to make is, getting your own perspective of things without being tainted by the usual suspects.
On the flip side though, we do feel the urge to share whatever we have learnt in a sort of organic way where one doesn’t teach but merely inform so that others can make decisions based on their set of experiences and subjective realities. More so, IMO, the creative process is best when cultivated from within one’s own universe, which I guess would more effectively bring out that unique POV. I know it’s hard not to be influenced by the variety of media and consumerist onslaught that constantly tells you what you need, to be ‘successful’ or ‘famous’ or ‘rich’, because if someone feels the need to be a filmmaker that arises from the need to be ‘rich, famous and successful’ in the traditional sense of the words, then I doubt if that could lead to creating true art. So anyways, as we near the completion of our project, with the background music(Re-recording) pending, we thought we’d start putting this out. This ‘learning’ is as much a learning for us, from our trials and errors as it is for others who are looking to learn themselves. If you’re even a wee bit curious, watch out for this series, as we’ll try our best to make it a weekly column or whatever. And hey, nothing in this series is meant to be an absolute so take it with a pinch of salt. And of course, if you have anything to share or contribute please feel free to add to the discussion.

Sibling thingy..!!

Siblings are such a luxury..in this reality.. to fight with, to fight for.. to complain about, to complain to.. to share, to snatch.. to cuddle, to kick.. to cry, to laugh.. to judge, to appreciate, to find comfort in.. to seek advice, to play, to yell, to like..and most of all.. to LOVE!..and much more.. to all the siblings..to the universe for creating them.

Holding the tiger by the tail - 500 & 5

It's been a little over a year since we started 500 & 5 and guess what, it's not over yet. I mean, it is but it is not. In a lot of ways, we have come through a lot, done a million things, interacted with a gazillion people, met with next to impossible hurdles and stuff. But it's not completely over yet. The beast has only become bigger and more monstrous than ever...and as they say 'the last few miles are the hardest'. Well, tell me about it! The moment we started 500 & 5 in an unconventional way, we knew we caught the tiger by its tail. And till now, haven't really had a single moment to release it. Of course, we've been doing several other things but the thought of it, holding it and needing to wait until the right moment is ever present. So we're biding our time and are trying to figure out the next steps in the process. Until then, I guess it's gonna be one adrenalin-inducing trip. We try to stay calm as the tiger is struggling to break free and go berserk, but can't let it out, yet. Restraint, action and then release. Almost zen-like in mode.

THE FILMMAKING PROCESS!! JIGSAW PUZZLE SOLVED!!

One by one..the pieces make sense..and the end product..the purpose..realizes itself..through the beings.. the puzzle solves itself with our help?? or is the idea manifested in this reality..?? either ways..we completed something we started..and dear friends and loved ones..it was not about the end product.. it was the process all along!!! being parts of an infinite whole..makes us what?? mm..CONNECTED! thank you for your patience and love to sit through these 13 pieces..as i said earlier..please read & see between lines. For more..please visit.. http://500n5themovie.com/

THE FILMMAKING PROCESS!! JIGSAW PIECE No:12

Nature does not go on giving challenges..it also gives you the luxury to balance it all..to sit back and feel good about how you handled the issues of crisis.. woo-hoo..

THE FILMMAKING PROCESS!! JIGSAW PIECE No:11

Sharing bitter experiences eases the pain so much..hence, this piece..but wait! the universe chooses who stays in your purpose and who offers lessons..hmm..

THE FILMMAKING PROCESS!! JIGSAW PIECE No:10

You know why things go wrong? Because we'll know the difference when they're right. :) someone effortlessly said to me once..if you can take a "PRAISE" and an "INSULT" in the same sense..okay now, don't ask me how it is done..the person who told me this practices this too.. ..and then fell this piece..

THE FILMMAKING PROCESS!! JIGSAW PIECE No:9

The social consciousness called Internet..and the many souls who help with the DO-IT-YOURSELF informations...who teach the world what they know..share resources...and the souls who believe that change is possible..and who encourage new ideas..with all due respect..with gratitude..

THE FILMMAKING PROCESS!! JIGSAW PIECE No:8

How can one cell be independent of a whole organism? it is not possible right? but the cell has to perform its duty..and hence realize the purpose of its existence..society is one whole 'living' organism..the cells..we..have a purpose in its functioning..what do you think?? observe and contribute to the overall consciousness..

"500 & 5" - Official HD Trailer Launched

Dear Folks
Accessible Horizon Films has officially launched the HD Trailer of "500 & 5", an Independent, Alternative, Experimental feature-length Tamil language film project, that is an ensemble of 5 short films. For more information and updates, please visit:



www.AccessibleHorizonFilms.com
www.500n5themovie.com
www.facebook.com/acchorfilms
www.facebook.com/500n5

THE FILMMAKING PROCESS!! JIGSAW PIECE No:7

Why do we keep saying 'think out of the box'?? What if there was no box at all?? hmm..still getting used to the idea.. alternatives..alternatives..a million of them..in the ether..waiting to be absorbed and manifested..

THE FILMMAKING PROCESS!! JIGSAW PIECE No:6

Do you ever take notice of the pieces as they come or wait for the end result to appear and then notice them..?? hmm..good question..i am thinking too..

THE FILMMAKING PROCESS!! JIGSAW PIECE No:5

The seed sown for stimulation of the thought process..within..the purpose of each piece..or is it that the purpose wanting to realize itself..through the design??

THE FILMMAKING PROCESS!! JIGSAW PIECE No:4

Grumpy pieces in between..it's alright! otherwise how are we to know the difference my friends..the puzzle in its process of realization.. let me tell you a secret..even these pieces have purpose..towards completion! hmm..

THE FILMMAKING PROCESS!! JIGSAW PIECE No:3

One by one..the universe unleashes..the pieces..

Story behind the making of '500 & 5' 

THE FILMMAKING PROCESS!! JIGSAW PIECE No:2

...and then the next drawing in the universe's design..

visit our '500 & 5' movie website "http://500n5themovie.com"

THE FILMMAKING PROCESS!! JIGSAW PIECE No:1

Parts of a Whole..the Jigsaw piece No:1 When you look back at the complexities of life.. keenly.. you'll find pieces that have been interwoven.. to make sense.. the pieces on their own may not make sense in the beginning.. but in the end.. when put together, the pieces reveal their purpose in bringing the WHOLE together.. and life will be really worth all that waiting and risks that were endured! This is one such process..that we have realized.. the most complex design of life.. put in simple drawing. please read between all the lines :) TO BE CONTINUED...in continuum..

visit our '500 & 5' movie website "http://500n5themovie.com"

500 & 5 - Latest project from Accessible Horizon Films

'500 & 5' is a 2-hour feature-length ensemble of 5 Short films in a series created by Accessible Horizon Films. It is an alternative, experimental and independent project in Tamil.

Synopsis: A 500-rupee currency bill. 5 characters. Their ...trysts with it.

The Shorts in order...
1. Adiyaalukku Podiyaal (The Goon's Stooge)
2. Mr.Adi...Director Adi?
3. Number Sollunga (Number Please)
4. Jenny's Shadow
5. Agni Kunjondru Kandein (I found a spark of fire)
More posters comin' up soon.
Check out our websites - www.AccessibleHorizonFilms.com
and www.500n5themovie.com

Sublime Vs our Reality..a profound cartoon from Russia

For all the souls trying to seek balance from both worlds..here is something profound..
alternate between realities..
BIGGGG EARR!!!

Launching '500 & 5'

Accessible Horizon Films unveils 500 & 5 - a feature-length ensemble of 5 short films. 

Synopsis - A 500 Rupee currency bill. 5 characters. Their trysts with it.

Dialectik..tik..

What really is Real?

Shucks, this has gotta be out there. I often wonder what is it that makes or describes reality or the concept of what is real. And then...just came across this quote from Margery Williams' 'The Velveteen Rabbit' and damn it, it can't get more profound than this. Seriously, think about this as you read it.

"Real isn't how you are made," says the Skin Horse. "It's a thing that happens to you… It doesn't happen all at once. You become. It takes a long time. Generally by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand."

Whew! Can feel it...or should I say 'really' feel it. And something about the storyline of the V. rabbit catches you by the throat. Anyways, now that I've opened the can called 'Real', here's an all-time favorite by Da Man Morpheus in The Matrix - who defines real to Neo:

"What is real, Neo? How do you define real? If you're talking about your senses, what you feel, taste, smell, or see, then all you're talking about are electrical signals interpreted by your brain."

 Classic...Maximum Awesome! Someday I'll come up with my re-loaded, redefined version of Real and then you'll all probably quote it and have gooseflesh all around ;-) Thank you very much! (And the pic above is one from our photographic light art collection.)

Thoughts, words...well?

Just got back into reality a couple of days back. Since then, been wanting to write about several things that have been snaking inside my gray matter. But unable to connect the pen to paper or rather having some trouble coordinating brain function to my finger tips. Over time I realize I am distancing myself from short-form writing. Well, it feels like whatever I have to write or say cannot be said/wrote about in a few concise words. Maybe there's a feeling that short-form doesn't allow one to explore deep thereby it ain't worth it. I've been juggling a few topics and each one has only about a paragraph in it. Shucks, unable to continue further now. Even with this, I'm trying hard to articulate...ok, see, my coherence is ebbing away and my brain seems like it's clawing, scrambling to get a good grip on my thoughts. Thoughts are way too fast to catch up with. I wish I could write at the speed of thought. Maybe I need an artificially intelligent robotic sidekick to put down in words what I think - like Tony Stark, if you will. Anyways, I'll get back to a more coherent rambling soon after I get some clarity.

Passing on...

When a person who loves you..and whom you love dearly, passes on..
leaves this reality, leaving behind everything tangible..
& a vacuum that hurts unbearably..
you are left behind to wonder what they have left behind actually..
they actually leave parts of them in each of those lives they have touched in this reality..
memories..moments..growth..happiness..and most of all, Love..and much more.
No matter how much we can philosophize the mysteries of the Universe and the ways of this life, and the death that follows, trying to see the big picture..
the loss is very much a part of this reality..and the grief is real..we might never be able to come to terms with their absence..but they become integral parts of our existence..
and stay within us.
In memory of our loving, funny, caring, thoughtful..and much more..
"mama"(Uncle in Tamil)..

To each his uniqueness...

Each one here has a story...
though we have a lot in common...
we seek, in this dimension, a purpose to live for...
and strive for a unified purpose simultaneously..
just the realization needs to be accomplished!

What makes a film? Form Vs Function - Article published at Filmmaker Magazine

An article I wrote for Filmmaker Magazine in New York has been published under the SXSW online column that is curated by John Yost(who's written/moderated quite a number of interesting discussions for a while now) who focuses on Micro-budget filmmaking. It's not the publishing itself that is of some significance, but more so the fact that it is on Filmmaker Magazine's Blog of which I've been a long-time reader. I've taken in a lot from them and their in-depth coverage of Indie filmmakers who share their journey from the trenches is what's really appreciable about them.
For folks in India and elsewhere, who aren't too familiar with the magazine, I must mention that it's a great resource for anyone who makes Independent films and it's actually published by IFP(Independent Feature Project) which again is part of the IFP (Independent Filmmaker Project). They are known for their tireless efforts towards supporting and contributing to the Indie filmmaking community which is highly fragmented. I'm not saying all this just because my piece is on there; I'd have written about them sometime soon and this just gave me a chance to do so. Though only my name is out there in it, it's our team Accessible Horizon Films, who's shaped my thoughts a lot. So, here's the link again on What makes a film? Form Vs Function.

Accessible Horizon Films - Getting a new skin

Folks, if you haven't already noticed, we've shed our old skin by revamping our website and will soon be updating about our latest projects. We've never been this swamped before and this kind of coordination is making us veer towards insanity, ok well, almost but it's sort of rejuvenating.

Absolute Spirit...

"Brahmam Okate"...The Absolute Spirit is One & Only ONE!
A collection of beings in multiple universes..
communicate with each other through their breaths and vibrations..
releasing the Infinite into the ether every single time..
to realize itself and be consumed again by another..
in an endless cycle of experiences..
Be it in one or many..the breaths hold the Absolute within..
metamorphosize with it & realize their purpose in this existence!
Is the purpose of the Infinite fulfilled or the Finite's fulfilled??

Dreamz, realities, dimensions..

This reality is an illusion they always say..
it is true..
to every single word..
this reality is actually a mixture of many realms..
trying to complete us and the endless thoughts that come our way..

A vivid dream is yet another reality that comes to
provide strength to our otherwise one dimensional world..

And..the day dreaming??
is an art..waiting to be mastered to make illusions into reality..
in this dimension.

What are you waiting for?

The Air I breathe...

Beings converging in a cauldron built centuries ago..
a thirst insatiable in them spreading in all directions..
their existential emptiness screams for visibility in this dimension..
their essence creating chaos in the spirits' realm..
their form devoid of function aiming for content..
their torpid exteriors holding an underlying fluid core..
which resonate with the supernatural sphere that is suffering
immensely by the pain but not dying from it..

An inner call draws them together towards the cauldron and into this sphere..
their form spreading an infinite pulse of chaos into the air...
and i happen upon it here!

Beings in search of a purpose other than theirs to unite for a cause..
but not ready to take the spiritual plunge of trusting the universe's intelligence..
filling the air i breathe with a sense of insecurity coming from unknown depths..
i contribute to the collective breaths whilst not knowing what to do..
i hope that..
under unpredictable circumstances the beings may alleviate the suffering and
a balance is stuck where..
the Contradiction between
Essence & Existence,
Form & Constitution,
Spirit & Corporeal,
Finite & Infinite..continues..!

Metroxical New York at Auroville Radio

http://aurovilleradio.org/arts-a-culture/visual-arts/2626-metroxical-new-york-art-movie
A little post screening discussion with Maria and Joseph from Auroville Radio. They are both actually  from Italy and are currently on a project stay in Auroville. This ain't exactly an interview but more about the origins and the why of 'Metroxical New York'. We were squatting right under a big ol' Banyan tree with its prop roots all around us. Anyways...

Redefining the term ‘Indie’ film – Interdependent Film

Okayyy, the first word of the title sounds a little pompous but hey, humor me. Sometimes I really wonder why an Independent/Indie film is called so. Of course, the most common reasons are that they are created outside of the mainstream studio system/film industry, that they rely on independent(unusual) sources(or even the lack) of money, that they are mostly composed of an Independent group of creators who mostly rely on passion and nothing else, that they cannot compromise on the independence of their visions, that they have the ability to take creative risks independently and so on. These reasons are well, quite understandable.

But apart from exceptions(like a one-man production), ‘Independent’ filmmakers are the ones to mostly ‘depend’ on resources that aren’t exactly quantifiable or tangible or put in monetary terms. Like borrowing from family, begging from friends and also stealing(ok, forget I said that but let’s not forget the fact that even mainstream filmmakers steal stuff all the time) from any readily available resource.

Back again, ‘Independent or Indie’ filmmakers depend on favors that are sometimes returned and sometimes not. But a general sense of camaraderie(among themselves) of the rebellious kind exists, that is kinda mutual. There is a need for that kind of support. So that ways, they are also dependent on each other. They seek scaffolding from their filmmaking brethren who are ever ready to provide assistance even if there’s nothing in the horizon for them but maybe hoping someday something might come of it.

Most of our earlier projects were mostly Independent, in the sense that, it was only our close-knit team of 4 with almost no dependence on external factors. It would be mildly amusing, not to mention pretentious, to see the same set of names(ours) over and over again in the end credits. Almost every name/s in every department in production would be a ditto. But now, as we move forward, the independence is slowly being replaced by an increasing ‘Interdependence’ even though we try to retain our Indie spirit in the general sense of the word primarily by learning-clawing our way out to completion. I intend to elaborate on the Interdependence part and on clawing our way out to finishing our Indie, sorry, Interdependent/Interdie project that has been in our pipeline. Because it is a must that we acknowledge our means, however small, to an end I hope will make some difference. Our recent documentary film(Metroxical New York) too has been sort of an Interdependent film, which is in the festival application phase about which I’ll update later.

Yay..RADISH...farming naturally!

Ever heard of a farming concept about how all the small plants & big trees should coexist for best yields? well, here is a combined effort on Natural farming which emphasizes on this concept by our friends, Shri. Ramanujam, Kumar (who likes to be called Iyarkai virumbi)& many more.
the photograph shows Iyarkai Virumbi and his harvest of the RADISH which is supersize..a result of natural farming..
around a feet & quarter long, 23cms diameter & 2 and quarter kgs weight.
for those of you who can understand Tamil..please check this link

http://www.inneram.com/business/business-ideas/radish-2797.html

it is time to be Natural again..

Grinding through...

As we near completion, we are beset with detail-oriented grunt work. Well, a lot of it ain't fun. Most of the creative work's been done up until the final cut. Even the cutting down to size wasn't that much fun. But I can very gradually see an organic change happening. Details. Details, my dear Watson. If I didn't already mention, dubbing's done and we are almost through with the DI(Digital Intermediate) process. Discovered quite a few things inside the new Magic Bullet Looks. Initially had trouble correcting the wide shots that were shot during the day but then I guess, we figured out a way. Will share some Color grading tips soon in another post. The above is a production still where the character 'Sundari'(Living Smile Vidya) is being harassed by the 2 Bike guys(Dilsa and Raj Bharath). Currently, correcting this sequence, using a bunch of stuff like Diffusion, Vignetting and Colorista. MB sure is a great tool.

to manifest..?

A pattern in my imagination repeats itself..
of something wanting to release itself from within..
the type of communication that i am familiar with, does not work here..
i wait...or endure?
the restlessness building up within..
maybe it is not an independent thing...
and has to be a Collective Creative process!
Where are the rest of the parts?
out there??

Creative Mythology - Joseph Campbell

The best things cannot be told,
the second best are misunderstood.
After that comes civilized conversation;
after that, mass indoctrination;
after that, intercultural exchange.
And so, proceeding, we come to the problem of communication; the opening , that is to say, of one's own truth and depth to the depth and truth of another in such a way as to establish an authentic community of existence.
- The word behind words, Symbolic Speech.

rastaa...

The corporeal self is very aware of its limits...
the spirit within knows none..
which is why it sometimes pushes the former
into unknown realms where it can realize more
of its strength..
the spirit prepares the finite self to extend its boundaries..
so someday it can come face to face with the infinite...
such instances are rare and initially faced with
tight resistances..by the corporeal..
but once endured, boasts of an experience profound..
in this realm..and uses that energy to enhance the journey further!

Shuruaat...!

A commencement...of a different kind..
A journey into another realm..
what does it mean in this reality?
is something that should be thought upon..
i stand between the finite that pulls me down
to this reality like gravity...
and another realm that floats just above the surface..
of my existence...
will i tread and never look back..
or will i stay back and wait for some sign?
being open to the infinite unpredictable possibilities..
is the key...i hear..feel..sense.
and wait for the portal to open!

Trailer New Doc - Metroxical New York

Here's the trailer for our new documentary film, Metroxical New York.

HDSLR Canon 7D, 5D - From the trenches

Here are a few observations about the HDSLRs Canon 7D and 5D, based on experiences on-location from our indie production. Though this is all very basic and already known information from various forums and DPs and pro-HDSLR users, we thought it might be good to share our views on these. Though we were initially skeptical about them, once we started work, we realized it is one of the best options for independent filmmakers, especially when you are going low-budget and/or experimental.

Pros

•           Excellent Image quality(2K resolution) that looks like film (even Hollywood productions have been using the 7D/5D footage)
•           Small, easily maneuverable in small spaces and can remain without being noticed
•           Works very well in low light situations
•           Big screen compatibility - Footage can be projected on big screens. This was a big question we had. So we tested the 7D and EX1 footage simultaneously at Real Image Media technologies, Chennai. The 7D stood up very well in comparison.
•           Easy learning curve
•           Camera accessories are relatively light-weight and can be made ourselves if we follow some Do-It-Yourself methods. We made our own dollies(track and tabletop), steadicams and the wheel cam rig, with help from youtube videos and the collective internet knowledge.

Cons

•           Not very conducive for fast motion or action shots. You can, but you have to be selective about it.
•      Slow panning also causes choppiness.
•           Limited Lens setup but this will slowly change with a lot of new lenses(CP2) coming up. But again, they are expensive.
•           Follow focus is very difficult considering the lenses that are compatible.
•      Slow motion in full HD1920*1080 resolution is not recommended.
•      When shooting outdoors, exposure has to be controlled consciously. Of course, this applies for any camera but with digital, take extra care. 

Gear used
Lenses used – 50mm Canon(F/1.8), 85mm Zeiss(F/1.4), 100-400mm L Zoom F/4.5-5.6 Canon, 12-24mm(F/3.5-5.6) Sigma(not recommended for 5D because of vignetting), 16-35mm Canon (F/2.8), Canon 24-105mm Zoom(F/4)

Two 8 GB Sandisk Cards

Kingston Card reader
Pics: One of our Cameramen, shoots a scene with the 5D and the DIY wheel cam rig. In the 2nd pic, the 7D is pictured with the 100-400mm L Zoom Lens and the 5D with the 16-35mm lens. The actors get ready for the take.

Not a dog’s day

(Ok, this post is atleast 2 weeks old, just found the time.) Perhaps the highlight of today is sitting at a coffee shop in the second floor of a shopping mall, in ‘mid-town’ Chennai and sipping on a cappuccino and looking out the glass window at the rain-mud-and-filth soaked traffic below. I neither feel pity nor wear a smug smile as I witness the rat-race because it really hasn’t been long since I was in the sludge, wading through murky waters which are obviously a result of our freakin awesome drainage system. Don’t get me wrong when I say that I’m in the shopping mall and contemplating life in such elite quarters. Mind you, I’m not a fucking elite, though I can be and sometimes act like one(and that’s a whole different argument altogether) just to empathize with things on both sides of the spectrum. I just freaking hate mindless consumerism but I will hate it from inside a glitzy shopping mall. I’m a minimalist, a bloody local with thoughts verging on the extreme. On the rare instances I will pay Rs.90 for a coffee with which I can sit comfortably in a lounge-like ambience for more than a couple of hours trying to make sense of Dito Montiel’s interview in Filmmaker mag or Arundhati Roy’s incendiary  ‘Shape of the Beast’(ok I ain't going for pretense there). As I wait for the guys to get back, I thought, ok fine, with all the commotion outside and inside my head, lemme vent out stuff.

Why is today not a dog’s day? Well, then don’t ask me if every other day is a dog day. Not for me, it’s not. Today, as with any other day I travel/commute, I witnessed about a 150 dogs, bitches, bitches with babies inside them and pups scattered all around in the rain doing what they would normally do. Experience a ‘dog’s life’. Having the life of an ‘underdog’. Spending a Dog day afternoon. Groundhog day. See? More references. No wonder we termed it so. (ok so groundhog doesn’t have anything to do with a dog but still they sound the same)And today was more than normal for them, especially with the cold and almost omnipresent uncertainty that the rains bring with them. And earlier in the day, before we came to Chennai, we had to transport 5 wet, shivering pups (who’d been taken away from their mother) from the soggy paddy fields to our humble abode in the village. Back to the 150 canines, their faces were so full of implication, that I could write a page each about what they were thinking. I mean, if they actually do. Or do they just live in the moment? Taking each day as it came? Surprisingly, many of our human kind seemed to have the same expression, or were they worse? Can’t tell. Really. But these days, my guess is we humans are becoming pathetic in more ways than one. So, pretty soon, to say, ‘it’s a dog’s day’ will become NOT a bad thing after all. Because, as people, especially as Indians, we suffer more than we can endure. No I take that back. We suffer uhh…more than what we think we can endure(coz we can endure shit-just-about-anything), but as we get accustomed to that, we reach the next phase of suffering and we endure that too and the chain continues. So henceforth, thou shall pat each other in the backs, in congratulatory delight, because we love to revel in our hopelessly romantic status as sufferers. (pic from google)

An evening after the shoot

The calm after the storm. Was a hot sunny day with too much chaos in the location. We scrambled to get our day's work done. But the sun had had enough waiting for us. So we knelt down in submission.

Independent film in India - Status quo?

Yawn, we don’t need another filmmaker to rant and rave about the struggles of Independent filmmaking and how he/she braved the storm or carried the torch to create yet another ‘masterful, unique’ Indie film that not many people(except of course his/her close circle of friends) would pay to watch or even watch, do we? In other words, do Indie films in India even matter, in the larger sense of the society? We are the insanely loudest democracy in the world so much so that even the big, typically commercial studio ventures get silenced pretty soon if not for the star-frenzy or the weekend hype they manufacture. And multiply that with the differences in regional languages. I can’t help but make the comparison with the Indie film scene in the US. Of course in the US, there is quite a sense of that camaraderie through Indie magazines like Moviemaker, Filmmaker, Film comment or even DIY film sites like Indy Mogul, Video Co-pilot and programs like IFP and Tribeca AA. These agents help and guide the larger Indie community or at least seem to have a space for the outcasts. And sometimes, they lead to successful creative partnerships that could lead to getting their voices heard.

This is part of the reason why many Indian Indie filmmakers keep referring to the American independent film scene or deviants of the Hollywood system for some kind of insight. Is there a sense of an Indie community other than a few blogs that seemingly fight the good fight? Considering the already outcast status of Indie films, don’t these filmmakers need to stick together, in the sense of creating a din so loud with their films that they DEMAND to be heard and seen? Of course, even a couple of  reasonably informative web-zines(dearcinema) have only a minimal amount of posts by filmmakers that are creating something new or are off the beaten track. So to even say that we have an independent film scene would be an exaggeration, but we can think whatever we want to keep our restless souls assuaged. In that same vein when the filmmakers blame audiences for not coming out to support them, it seems like a bit overreached.

Pessimistic as it may sound but to romanticize the notion of Indie filmmaking as a way of being different for different’s sake without understanding the birth pangs would be tantamount to shooting oneself in the foot. The Indie community has almost every odd against them. So if they want to keep creating the work that they want, one has to have an unromanticized passion(if you can still call it that) towards their work or getting themselves to a place where they can at least not worry about satisfying the system or at least accept the fact that unless their work demands to be seen, they have to learn to accept the rejection. There’s this article about being a ‘nobody filmmaker’ which many filmmakers go through in their journey towards creating something meaningful. I think it’s part of the rite of passage or building character, the rejection and non-acceptance(in conventional terms) of work that you have passionately been churning, until you get that elusive ‘break’. Though I don’t completely agree that one has to bide their time to even think or aspire big.

So what do, ‘the insignificants’, ‘the nobodys’, ‘the outcasts’ category of filmmakers do in order to stay afloat, at least keep their head above water? The prime thing could be to keep churning out work that they truly believe in, at the same time and maybe(if it’s not much to ask) share a little bit of what they learnt during the process which kind of fosters a sense of support around each other. Having had a few encounters with ‘professional crew’ here, I sense a strong defensiveness about sharing what they have learnt over the years. As if teaching that to others would deprive them of their superior knowledge status and their careers. So in a way, that makes it even more compelling to do things unconventionally and hopefully result in an outcome that’s outside the box. And if there developed a forum where all things unconventional came together then that would gradually become the convention, where the Indies find the space they can work in and express the unexpressed. But as many have said before, truly ground-breaking work comes from limitations and deviations from the norm and so it is here that we learn more, from the trenches, the gutters, the filth and the stench of reality.

The above is a production still from 'Adiyaaluku Podiyal' (The Goon's stooge) where you can see our man 'Dass' wielding the Canon 7D. The rig that the 7D is mounted on, is our own, DIY, self-designed table top dolly with the stylish colors and the tripod head. Proof that the Indie spirit is alive and kicking.

HD footage to SD DVD

Just a quickie on how to get best quality output from HD footage to SD DVD. Thanks to Vijay for helping out with this.
1. Export as quicktime mov with Apple Prores HD codec. Same dimensions as your source.
2.  Encode to mpeg2 using Compressor. In settings, ensure "progressive" is selected, that you have 16:9 enabled.
3. Quality has plenty to do with bitrate you're using. Use variable bitrate (vbr). Somewhere in the ballpark of 3500-3800 kbps is a good number for avg bitrate for a 2 hour movie to fit on a 4.7 gb dvd.

Then play it on DVD player/TV to see results. Typically there's a big difference in watching on the computer screen as opposed to a TV screen.

Exporting for HD streaming on the web

This process has probably been done to death in Post-prodn forums but thought one more reiteration can only help. For search purposes, the above topic can also be phrased Exporting for Withoutabox or IMDB Secure Screener online. Because the requirements state that the file to be uploaded should be no more than 2 GB. So if you have a HD file(1920*1080) that is 10 GBs or more, here's what you can do to conform and still have a reasonable quality.

1. Export as a Quicktime Movie with Current Settings and check the 'Make Movie self-contained'. I don't know if keeping it unchecked would make a difference.
2. Now open this full resolution file in Compressor and choose the following export options.
3. In the Settings window, under format, choose 'Quicktime, H.264' and drag it onto the file above.
4. Once you set the destination, click on the file. Now on the Inspector window, you will see the options available.
5. Now click on the second(Encode) button and click on Video Settings. Change the dimensions to 1280*720. Keep the setting as H.264 and in the bitrate change it to the desired value. For a 40 min HD video, we set the bitrate at 4000 kbps to keep it under 2 GB. Use the bitrate that would work best for you.
One question may arise as to why we need to export/convert to a Full resolution video before compressing on compressor. 1. To free up FCP when you are using compressor. 2. To speed up the compression process as opposed to exporting from an FCP sequence. (pic courtesy from ken's fcp)

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!!!