Film Making In Covid Times

By Author: dgmc institute
Total Articles: 5
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Inside the ancient caves of the prehistoric era lie the secrets of a trance unmatched, the trance that has survived for centuries and continues to thrive, the trance of story-telling. From the paintings carved on the walls by the first humans to the magic of live theatre manifested by Shakespeare, over the decades, the art form of story-telling has travelled through a plethora of mediums. However, by the end of the 19th century, the world witnessed a legendary transformation with the advent of film-making. Ever since then it has continued to stay as the most capable and exquisite form of expression.

The beauty of this medium resides in the fact that it beholds the power to transcend one into the mind of the storyteller and make the viewer experience a world that doesn't exist in the first place. Cinema is synonymous with a time-capsule for it captures the crux of society and its traditions into a motion that is bound to live for ages as a universe where varieties co-exist like the pieces of a puzzle. Be it the intricacies of the Parallel Cinema or the subtle nuances of surrealism, through the magic of film-making and ...
... media one can always recite the thoughts as seamlessly as the songs of the dawn.

To understand the deeper roots of film-making, it is important to acknowledge that it in itself is a learning-experience which flows into any given vessel and creates a different shape and identity for an individual. That's the glory of film-making, it knows no rules and aspires for none. Silent films, colourless films, talkies, non-fiction and a thousand other forms and styles have emerged due to this process and each has thrived in the hearts of different sets of audience.

The process of film-making in itself is a nail-biting yet a soothing journey that throws the makers into the roller coaster of emotions and forces them into a place of paradox where they constantly fight with their ideas, philosophies and struggles. However when we look over the past year, the most dreadful one in the history of centuries, there's no math required to conclude that each one of us has become a hostage of our emotions.

The dreary confinement in a mysterious way, brought us closer to the parts of ourselves that we had left undiscovered under the noise of our mundane routines. Our beings have been forced to discover a freedom that can only breathe between the four walls of our homes.

As much as we appreciate the breakthrough of ideas during this period it is also privy for us to ask the bigger question considering practicality, "What is the future of film-making in the wake of Covid?" Needless to say, making movies is going to be more difficult than ever. Now there exist unavoidable limitations but there is hope. "Limitations can be a key to innovation", says Wesley Joseph, a British film-maker and producer based in London. In fact, according to Joseph, we might witness a rise in the number of films owing to the flourishing and never-seen-before technology that will allow people to film stories inside their homes.

Let's talk about Siddhartha Bedi, an aspiring film-maker from the capital who righteously stole the hearts of the people online with a One Plus camera phone, his younger sister and a will to create something bigger than ourselves. "My sister and Hand-Me-Downs" shot during this pandemic is a short film that explores the weird aspects of a sibling relationship. Like Bedi, there emerged hundreds of film-makers who turned this pathetic time into a bearable one through the lenses of their cameras that peeked into the kaleidoscope of their minds and brought on our screens the most heart-wrenching and beautifully shot short-films and stories. Films like "Aavaz", "Listen to Her", "Home Stories" have stood-out and brought out the untold secrets and struggles of the pandemic. The renowned faces from the Bengali cinema gave us the beautiful, "Jhor themey jabe ek din", a short film directed by Arindam Sil wherein the actors sent their shots through iPhones.

"Is making a film THAT easy?" you might ask yourself as you watch these masterpieces on your screen. The answer to that, in all its honesty, is quite ambiguous. Making a movie can be a mammoth task, however, as a beginner, it isn't quite impossible. As long as you carry the basic equipment by yourself, you'll just be a pinch of discipline, a few sleepless nights and platter of creativity away from producing the best film!

We at Devi Prasad Goenka Management College, believe in this idea of self-sufficiency and therefore our Film Club is back again with the fourth edition of CINEVOYAGE, a three-day virtual film festival which is a platform for all the film connoisseurs and amateurs alike looking for recognition of their work, ideas and opinions.

Being a media and communication college, we understand the importance of creating an environment that can motivate the beginners to share their short-films and learn immensely through direct interaction with the industry professionals originating from the top media colleges across the country. Here lies your chance to make your own webisode/short-film and steal the centre stage with your talent. But before you participate, our patrons at DGMC have shared a few valuable insights on how you can ensure a well-shot content:

1. KNOW WHAT YOU WANT TO MAKE
This one is obvious, we know. However, it is equally important. Before you begin, you need to have a precise picture of the genre. Visualize the feeling that you wish to give to your audience and then explore your theme from various perspectives. Remember that there are limitations on the location and therefore choose a storyline that matches with your home/neighbourhood.

2. SCREENPLAY TIME!
It is important to build an outline of the story that you wish to convey. Writing a script becomes much easier when you know your approach towards the story. Spend an ample amount of time here and keep rewriting and editing the script until you are satisfied with the flow of the direction.

3. WHAT EQUIPMENT DO I NEED?
This one's a tough nut to crack but fret not! As a first-time filmmaker, don’t hesitate to use your smartphone if it’s the best camera available.
Lighting is another important aspect that needs to be taken care of. If you do not have the lighting gear available to you, the natural light captured from the right angles can lend a lot of sense to your scenes.
Unavailability of audio equipment won't be a problem either if you try to capture the best sound possible. Recording in a quiet environment and keeping your in-built mic closer to the speaker can suffice.

4. ALL SET?
You're almost there. All you now need to do is gather your cast and start filming. When shooting a movie, you should set your camera to 24 frames per second. Shoot from multiple locations so that you have more to edit from in the post-production stage.

5. EDIT AND DONE!
Bring all the shots together, trim them into the sequence with the help of a gazillion video editing software available on the internet. Under the concepts and rules of colour, grading to make your film visually appealing.

Like we mentioned before, making a movie can be tough but this process brings with itself great experiences so get up, take your camera and start TODAY! While you're at it, do not forget to submit your work and participate in CINEVOYAGE.

Click on the link below to know more details.
http://www.dgmc.org.in/cinevoyage/