Thursday, March 20, 2008

Report of “Swapathgami Filmmaking Workshop”

Shikshantar: The Peoples' Institute for Rethinking Education and Development, an NGO mainly working for education, had organized “Swapathgami Filmmaking Workshop” on 8th /17th August, 2007 at Udaipur, Rajasthan.

There was some sessions based on “learning while doing” philosophy such as making a team film, reviewing various kinds of films, participating in learning exchanges, bettering our interviewing techniques, making a sound story and an image story. A few different independent / swapathgami filmmakers was there to support and facilitate the programme.

The four-member delegation from SAFAR (Social Action For Advocacy & Research) had attended the workshop and went through the various filmmaking activities as follows:

1.0 Visualization: Visualization is the first requirement of any visual medium, in which we have to develop our concept/idea of the film by writing on paper in pictorial manner.

2.0 One Shot: After visualizing the concept, one-shot was taken. From switching on to the turning off the camera is known as one-shot. Between two shot a cut exists.

3.0 Audio shoot: Carpenter shop was selected to shoot the audio. Apart from the existing sound, creating own sound to support the visual story was also learnt. Sound of nails from near by puncture shop was recorded

4.0 Picture Project (Individual Assignment): A pile of magazines was given to cut the pictures. After taking minimum 10 pictures, which worked as 10 shots, we had created a story in the form voice-over. After shooting the each picture as per one shot and recording the voice-over, it was taken to the editing table where adobe premier software was used to edit the story based on non-linear method. I christened my picture project as “Sarhad”.

5.0 How to make (Group Assignment): Under this segment, the five-member team named, “Tatkar” chosen the location of timber mill, where a raw wood was transformed into the pod of the table-top. First of all we went to the desired location and prepared our story-board for the shots. A story-board shows, which kind of shot would be taken with its type and angle, keeping the object of the location in the shot. Then we started shooting according to our story-board. From cutting the designer block to rubbing, and smoothing the block; all the steps were shown in the film. We also came to know, how producing contrast in sound track could help lot to reflect the message very well. We put the chirping of birds over the shots machines of timber mill and did vise-versa in the shots of green forest, keeping the sounds of machines, emerging as hazardous to the greenery. The film was named as “Kasak”.

6.0 Film appreciation: Each of the days of the workshop, a film was shown. After watching the movie, we have to discuss the good and bad point of the movie at scale of shot, editing perspective with its entertainment quotient and the communicability of the message. We have to give the reason behind the assessment of the movie.

Learning the aspects of filmmaking is not merely technical-hand practice; additionally it is a procedure to understand the sensitivity of the surroundings as well. Getting closer to the nature and its flora and fauna with the relation of mankind is also subjective to the filmmaking. Participation in the filmmaking workshop not only brings lot of experiences of diversified world but also strengthens our senses to alert each and every response for the impressive visuals.

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