Hold still, frame your shot creatively and voilà!: Moviemaking has never been so accessible, and affordable.[break]
The recent advances in camera hardware and computer technologies, coupled with proliferation of Internet have democratized filmmaking process. More and more people now have the means to shoot cinema-quality footages, edit, compile and share them with an audience.
“DSLRs are a game changer for moviemakers and for anyone looking to express their creativity. It’s never been so viable,” enthused Julian James, an independent moviemaker who has been involved in three Nepali feature films and is an avid photographer/filmmaker.
James, who was involved in the making of music video of “Kagbeni,” still photography for “Sano Sansar,” and as the chief assistant director for “Acharya,” feels that the ability to capture HD is drawing more DIY (do-it-yourself) filmmakers to the relatively inexpensive devices.
“It’s not as if people are buying cameras to become filmmakers, it’s one of the options available in today’s cameras and people experiment. Some take it to another level while most just shoot,” said he, adding that at the end of the day, photography, graphic designing and moviemaking all share a symbiotic relationship.
Laxan Kundan, the technical director of Color Cubes, a company specializing in post production of films, TV and commercials, takes the current trend in the filmmaking positively.
“These cameras are in a way your first low-priced professional video cameras which can really compete with the good old 35mm film and it’s a major boon for those in creative field.”
Kundan sees this especially beneficial in a country like Nepal where talented folks can now work on projects done at a fraction of a cost and compete with major players, quality-wise.
“I don’t think the real change in the scenario of filmmaking is due to big players in the industry adopting these newer cameras, as there are better digital film cameras, like the RED One or SI 2K. The key here is that technology has gone to consumer level, and if you’re creative enough, it’s anybody’s game,” he says.
Portable, relatively affordable and highly accessible, the latest DSLRs, with their upgraded sensors shoot, noise-free footage in low-light environments give filmmakers the advantage of interchangeable “fast” lenses to achieve the movie look, which is measured by the richness of natural colors and depth of field.
With the capability to shoot 1080p video, which is within 6% of the resolution of the digital projectors used in most theaters, including IMAX, not just indie film-makers but even professional, it seems, are drawn to the domain of DLSRs.
“These cameras offer great bang for the buck and are perfect for shooting sample videos for clients or previews for storyboard,” revealed Kundan. According to him, the implementation is cheaper, as one doesn’t have to invest heavily on various lenses and it can be swapped with a friend or a colleague.
College degree or experience
On the topic of education, James feels formal education can greatly help an individual to express oneself, as he put it, “It can help you put forward your ideas in more aesthetic manners.”
He added that he initially went to study audio engineering at the School of Audio Engineering in Delhi and later changed his subject to filmmaking, which has been of great help.
Kundan seconds the advantages of having academic foundation, but is quick to point out that passion should be the first and foremost ingredient; and in this line, you will need it, in plenty. “Having formal education and some technical knowledge is obviously a plus point but at the end, one can’t teach creativity,” adding, “In our line of profession, education never stops. A good college education in film simply provides you with a foundation.”
Qualitative vs. quantitative
With everyone jumping into shooting mode, one risks the danger of congestion with movies, risking the junk overload?
Junk is a personal opinion and one man’s junk is another’s art, reasons James. “Yes, there will be trials and errors but that doesn’t mean you can label someone’s creative endeavor ‘junk.’ It’s in the way you perceive it,” adds he.
Kundan points out that the recent news of the Film Development Board branding films shot by DSLR as B-grade is preposterous and makes no sense in the real world.
“Slum Dog Millionaire” was shot by a Canon EOS 5D Mark II camera and it went on to win a plethora of Oscars that year. Surely, that isn’t a trademark of a B-grade movie. Labels don’t matter and one can’t brand creativity.”