Creating impressions
Padhivugal 2006 discussed the form and impact of short films and documentaries, writes K. Jeshi
PHOTO: K. ANANTHAN SHORT FILMS A powerful medium
"Conveying a message in a short time is the grammar of short-film making.Maximum duration is only 29 minutes but the impact it creates stays on," says P. Thirunavukarasu of Nizhal Film Society, Chennai. Short films can be used as a propaganda tool to create awareness on a variety of subjects in the field of science, education and health among others, he adds.
From interpretation of the Quran to providing social security to HIV positive people to the courageous modern day woman, amateur filmmakers hogged the limelight with their creations at Padhivugal `06, the second annual documentary and short film festival of PSG College of Arts and Science.
"Technology has made filmmaking easier and to get started as a short filmmaker, all you need is a handy cam. In any film, primarily there are only three types of shots — long, close-up and median. And you should know to adjust zoom in and zoom out to capture the image the way you want to," Thirunavukarasu adds.
PHOTO: K. ANANTHAN
Visual communication student Nithya Mahesh presented On the run, a short-film on a current day teenager who takes the extreme step of taking the life of a person who tries to misbehave. Another student D.K. Sivakumar chose to present Nijam that dealt with jananam and maranam (birth and death) through the life of a HIV positive student.
Films of the Nizhal society were simultaneously screened to help students improvise on their work and also to understand where they have gone wrong. Indru, a short-film was all about filming poetry in visuals. "The maker has caught the metaphor of poetry in visuals using colour gradations and library shots (readymade shots)," Thirunavukarasu explains. On a tie-up with Tamil sangams in New Jersey, Melbourne and Paris, the Nizhal Society screens short films and documentaries to a wider audience. The society also has a tie-up with film societies in Tamil Nadu.
The message of a film on `smoking is injurious to health' was that preachers don't practice. Pencil caught the lack of responsibility among individuals through a classroom sequence. Late explained unemployment and suicide in a single shot. "In the movie Russian Ark, there is a single shot of the Moscow palace for 86 minutes. Such shots are common in Alfred Hitchcock's movies too. In Late, the shot starts and the camera starts rolling beginning with photographs of the student winning awards and accolades, an envelope from an employment office falling through the closed door and the girl hanging herself," he adds. Andhi (twilight) on AIDS by J. Ramesh explained, only through visuals the helplessness of an AIDS victim when it is too late. "Film-making is an ocean and with every project you learn something new. In short films, screenplay and scripting is important. Use dialogues only when necessary," he told the students. J.Ramesh has to his credit more than 50 telefilms and has also worked in K.Balachander's Chinna Thirai.
PHOTO: K. ANANTHAN
Student S.Ayswarya's film, a graphical representation of the clash between words and images was well appreciated. " It's an innovative way of presenting a concept," says joint secretary of South Indian Film Writer's Association, T. Shanmugasundaram.
What followed was a discussion between the experts and students on a variety of film related subjects beginning with theme, technical aspects, emotions, editing and dubbing. Students also got practical tips like using a neck mike to avoid echo and how facial emotions could be avoided for certain sequences.
There has to be thaedal (search) in every script. Discuss with friends and re-work the script till you are satisfied, the students were told.
As the special guest Mysskin, director of Chithiram Pesuthadi put it: "The first step to film-making is reading. Knowledge on film literature is vital to get started," he added. Battleship Potemkin, a book that discusses odesso steps (240 shots in 12 minutes) was released in the course of the programme.