Final Paper

Cinema, to me is an obsession. I consider, this as the only medium under communication arts, wherein, I can express my thoughts effectively. It is the most challenging of professions where art, science and commerce have to be equally dealt with. This also makes it the most vulnerable field for failures. Unlike, most others, I never was carried away by glamour and other materialistic benefits this profession has to offer. “The hunter should always hunt, not be hunted. We create illusion for others, but, should never get into it overselves.”

I came to the United States with a hope and a long cherished dream of becoming a Cinematographer, but, shockingly I discovered, here, cinematography has been reduced to a mere demonstration of equipment, technology and ‘Three point lighting.' This explains an old, unanswered question of the frightening number of foreign cinematographers working in this market.

Norman Cousins, in one of his perceptive editorials (from Saturday Review, May-June 1983), wrote, “We are turning out young men and women who are superbly trained but poorly educated. They are a how-to generation, less concerned with the nature of things than with the working of things. They are beautifully skilled but intellectually underdeveloped. They know everything that is to be known about the functional requirements of their trade but very little about the human situation that serves as the context for their work.” [Reprinted from the book, “On film Editing” by Edward Dmytryk, Focal Press, 1984.]

Columbia College - Hollywood is no exception to this attitude. After, fifteen years of ‘adventures beyond imagination’ and spending savings of a lifetime, I find myself at square one. Here, I have learnt more in classes on Directing than Cinematography. Maybe, in the end I may end up directing movies. This class along with the one previous to this completely changed my direction.

Directing - I, was a turning point in my attitude. The instructor Mr. Corey Allen, is one of the few people in my journey whom I am proud to call, my teacher. His methods made me take a look at life, in depth. This careful introspection helped me to concentrate on a process of thinking which results in a better understanding of life. This class was an exercise in directing the actors in general and specific in a search for our own identity. While Directing - I, helped me in a philosophical level, this class, Directing - II, helped me in putting together the results of this thought process cinematically. This also made me understand the details that create intensity and drama.

Directing, among other things, according to me is telling a story from a certain point of view and this point of view depends on my point of view. The American critic Herman G. Weinberg expressed the matter succinctly, “The way a story is told is part of that story. You can tell the same story badly or well; you can also tell it well enough or magnificently. It depends on who is telling the story.” [Reprinted from the book, “Understanding Movies” by Louis Giannetti, Seventh Edition, Prentice Hall, 1996.] My point of view is based on an ideology. This ideology has nothing to do with ideology of religion or economics. It is a process of thinking solely based on the ‘Truth’. Truth, here is not truth as in “true or false”. It is the logical result of an analytical argument.

My project was an exercise in expressing a regular process of thought that happens to everyone, any time, any place. The concept, “To do or not to do” is universal. At the discussion after the shoot, when I was asked, “How did the shoot go?”, I remember saying, “Fine, went well.” With confidence. Here, fine and went well does not mean, “It was perfect.” Over the years, I have learnt an invaluable lesson, “Never make a mistake, once a mistake is committed, learn fast and try to correct the mistake, but, never regret committing a mistake.” Ethically, it is wrong not to accept a mistake, but, in the real world it is dangerous. It is like, “If you do something good, have a hundred witnesses, if you are doing something bad, do it alone.”

By, saying what I said, unknowingly I did myself some good. Because, of this my exercise was widely discussed and criticised. This in turn helped me a lot. I finally understood, among other things the necessity of close-ups to emphasis drama. This also taught me to utilise the available time to shoot more coverage. I had real hard time while editing, when I ran out of insert shots!

Another, important lesson was to appreciate a good team. I possibly could not have finished the shoot in half-an-hour without the involvement of the entire class. My only complaint is that of the video assist. Video assist despite its advantages is a nuisance. It gives an opportunity for non-creative members to get involved in the creative process. Secondly, depending on video assist is dangerous because, rest of the world does not have it. While training, it is better to shoot without this luxury.

Overall, I enjoyed this class and learnt several things which would definitely help me in travelling to my destination.

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