Dear Readers,
Now, generally, I do not need an excuse to explain why women are better than men, but today I decided to analyze just one of the myriad ways in which we are the superior gender. Women are amazing editors, film or otherwise. Quite simply, we were genetically preconditioned to do it. Let me explain...
It all comes down to shopping.
How does a man shop? He goes to Store A. One of two things happen here. If he likes something in Store A, he buys it. End of story. If not, he goes to store B and continues his focused search there. The story goes on like this. He finds what he wants and he leaves; the mission has been accomplished, Houston.
And how does a woman shop? She goes to the mall. She examines every corner of every store that sells the item she seeks, and is within (and sometimes beyond) her budget. After weighing up all the options, she returns to the store with the best version of the item and buys it, even if it is Store A itself. She does not see this as a waste of time. It's (market) research.
Why do we do this? Because we are trained to. Back when we all lived in caves and had no eBay, we had to fend for ourselves, and we all know who the hunters and who the gatherers were. And as gatherers, women did a damn good job of it. We examined the options and choose the vegetation least likely to kill us and most yummy to eat. Or something like that. Basically, we did then what we do now in malls.
And this brings me to the neat conclusion of my point. Women are great editors because when it comes to choosing the best take of a shot, or the best word to replace in a paragraph, we look at EVERY possible option before making a choice. We have the patience and energy for this and indeed most women relish it. Most men pick the first one that looks or sounds good and move on. In that way, women are better perfectionists and sticklers for detail. This could also explain why we like cushions, dessert forks and napkin rings, but more on that another day. For today, I have had my say on this soapbox of a blog. and now I am off to do what my gender does best-back to the drawing board. :)
gk*
October 22, 2009
July 03, 2009
ROSALIND: To you I give myself, for I am yours.
ROSALIND: [To ORLANDO] To you I give myself, for I am yours.
But in As You Like It, Rosalind also keeps wearing her disguise long after she has to. Why? Some critics claim it is because of the freedom it gives her. In her male persona, she escapes the limitations of being a woman, the obvious object of Orlando's love and that in the process, she learns a lot about herself, about him, and about the nature of love itself.
That could just be critics being critics. I doubt that Shakespeare ever thought of gender conventions while writing his plays, because his target audience saw them as pure entertainment, a bit like masala Bollywood films. Rosalind is an amusing character, and her male guise allows her to have the kind of cheeky fun that would not have been possible if she was openly female. She doesn't show her true identity because it's much more entertaining for her to go on fooling people. Would an actual woman behave like that in Shakespeare's time? Definitely not, but that's exactly what makes the play amusing to watch.
However, the play is not all fun and games; the comedy does, in fact, make some clever observations about real male-female interaction, and the games we play, both psychological and emotional. Because it wouldn't be as funny if it was all make-believe, like A Comedy of Errors and Two Gentlemen of Verona are.
Now, back to the opening line. This post wouldn't be a post if it wasn't circular, right? :) What did she actually mean by it? Wasn't it more than just pledging to be Orlando's wife, as a sort of informal wedding vow? Because she hardly says three lines after these in the play, mutely accepting her place as devoted daughter and wife. We are led to believe that Orlando must be taught that love is a madness, of which he must be cured, not of loving Rosalind, but of worshiping her with unrealistic expectations, that will only lead to disillusionment. And surely, by the end, he has learnt this.
But how did the cheeky trouble-maker make the rapid transition? Or is there still a sly glint in her eye as the curtain comes down? Maybe she has also collected a lesson or two on love, along the way. Perhaps she is 'his', in that she has finally understood him and love in a way that she can truly offer herself to him, who knew not if her reciprocal feelings. In essence, she is already his, from the moment she understands the nature of love itself, not by knowing that he feels the same. And this is the ultimate moment of revelation to both him and her father, of gender, of identity and of love.
gk*
November 13, 2008
Graduation day
Well, the day finally dawned when I acquired another degree. I was sitting in the huge hall, feeling stifled and hot, as you do in Jane Austen novels when you are a young heroine vastly uninterested in capturing the attentions of an appropriate suitor. Anyway, back to the point. So I skipped breakfast, because I was far more interested in looking stunning for the Big Day. Of course, in my life, that translates into looking like a drowned rat because I didn't get time to dry my hair, too much perfume and half-done make up. At least I had natural rosy cheeks from running after a bus for 7 minutes down Eccy road. (Damn you, taxi that never turned up!)
I spent the first few minutes in City Hall chatting with the few people from my course who turned up, cursing myself for forgetting to bring a mirror and looking for spots I'd missed whilst shaving my legs. I eventually got up to find a bathroom to beautify myself, making everyone in my row stand up, then doing the awkward try-not-to-let-your-bum-touch-anyone-as-you-exit walk. Once there, I realized I had forgotten my handbag in the hall, with my precious make up stash in it. I tried to fix my appearance but the harsh lighting made me feel worse, so I slunk back. By now, I was ready to faint from the heat, lack of food and the butterfly farm which had nested in my stomach. I became light-headed. And that's when I remembered a similar day...
(Cue the dream sequence wavy lines)
No, it was not the day I graduated from MH, that hallowed all-girls institution where I did my first degree. It was the day I joined it. I remember the hot July afternoon, standing at the back of a massive auditorium, upon whose stage I would perform in years to come (but I didn't know it then), with hundreds of other young women. We were all bored, waiting for the endless welcome speeches to end, and the Principal seemed to be droning on for ages. I was standing at the very back, fanning myself with a fresher's welcome brochure of some sort, feeling faint because I'd skipped breakfast so that I could (you guessed it) look good on the Big Day. I knew no one and was acutely aware of it for the first 30 minutes or so, after which all I wanted was air conditioning. But then the Principal said some things about being a student at MH and what it meant to be there, something about a history of strong independent women, making a difference in the world, and how we should all be proud of being a part of it all. She said that our time here as undergraduates was precious and we should make the most of it and find a way to shine. I felt strangely inspired and had a deep feeling that one day I would understand the full weight of her words. She said we would be adults when we left, and it was so true. I learnt a lot, not just about literature, but about life. Before I embark upon a philosophical diatribe about it all, I shall stop. the point is, I had the same feeling yesterday. The university's VC said some similar things, things which I think I may fully understand a few years from now. And I look forward to it.
Oh and my joke about the lack of gown with the VC got a few laughs and lifelong infamy. But if I don't lead a soap-opera life, who will? :)
g.k., B.A. (Hons.), M.A. ---> ha ha!
I spent the first few minutes in City Hall chatting with the few people from my course who turned up, cursing myself for forgetting to bring a mirror and looking for spots I'd missed whilst shaving my legs. I eventually got up to find a bathroom to beautify myself, making everyone in my row stand up, then doing the awkward try-not-to-let-your-bum-touch-anyone-as-you-exit walk. Once there, I realized I had forgotten my handbag in the hall, with my precious make up stash in it. I tried to fix my appearance but the harsh lighting made me feel worse, so I slunk back. By now, I was ready to faint from the heat, lack of food and the butterfly farm which had nested in my stomach. I became light-headed. And that's when I remembered a similar day...
(Cue the dream sequence wavy lines)
No, it was not the day I graduated from MH, that hallowed all-girls institution where I did my first degree. It was the day I joined it. I remember the hot July afternoon, standing at the back of a massive auditorium, upon whose stage I would perform in years to come (but I didn't know it then), with hundreds of other young women. We were all bored, waiting for the endless welcome speeches to end, and the Principal seemed to be droning on for ages. I was standing at the very back, fanning myself with a fresher's welcome brochure of some sort, feeling faint because I'd skipped breakfast so that I could (you guessed it) look good on the Big Day. I knew no one and was acutely aware of it for the first 30 minutes or so, after which all I wanted was air conditioning. But then the Principal said some things about being a student at MH and what it meant to be there, something about a history of strong independent women, making a difference in the world, and how we should all be proud of being a part of it all. She said that our time here as undergraduates was precious and we should make the most of it and find a way to shine. I felt strangely inspired and had a deep feeling that one day I would understand the full weight of her words. She said we would be adults when we left, and it was so true. I learnt a lot, not just about literature, but about life. Before I embark upon a philosophical diatribe about it all, I shall stop. the point is, I had the same feeling yesterday. The university's VC said some similar things, things which I think I may fully understand a few years from now. And I look forward to it.
Oh and my joke about the lack of gown with the VC got a few laughs and lifelong infamy. But if I don't lead a soap-opera life, who will? :)
g.k., B.A. (Hons.), M.A. ---> ha ha!
October 14, 2008
Foodie food food
Today, I cooked from what was left in the fridge. Good times.
My cooking went down so well, that I decided to share my perfect recipes with the world. So, here you are-burdened with my greatness. Enjoy!
Amazingly Easy Roasties
Wash and cut potatoes into cubes, one to two inches square. Cook your spuds in the microwave first, in a bowl with a spoon of water in it. Vary cooking times according to your oven, but ensure you turn them over once and that you remove them when a knife goes in the middle of a cube smoothly. Then, put them in an open roasting tin/dish with olive oil and any herbs you've got (I use fresh black pepper, garlic and Herbes de Provence). Put it in a hot oven for 10 to 15 minutes, to brown the outsides. Turn them once halfway through to brown evenly.
Even Easier Sugar Snap Peas
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok or pan. Fry your seasoning (I use whole red chillies and whichever fresh herbs I have) for 1 minute and add the washed and drained peas. Toss for 2 minutes until glossy.
My cooking went down so well, that I decided to share my perfect recipes with the world. So, here you are-burdened with my greatness. Enjoy!
Amazingly Easy Roasties
Wash and cut potatoes into cubes, one to two inches square. Cook your spuds in the microwave first, in a bowl with a spoon of water in it. Vary cooking times according to your oven, but ensure you turn them over once and that you remove them when a knife goes in the middle of a cube smoothly. Then, put them in an open roasting tin/dish with olive oil and any herbs you've got (I use fresh black pepper, garlic and Herbes de Provence). Put it in a hot oven for 10 to 15 minutes, to brown the outsides. Turn them once halfway through to brown evenly.
Even Easier Sugar Snap Peas
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok or pan. Fry your seasoning (I use whole red chillies and whichever fresh herbs I have) for 1 minute and add the washed and drained peas. Toss for 2 minutes until glossy.
August 05, 2008
oh dear oh dear
Well hello readers. Your favourite blogger is back, and is she bursting with news or what? New place, new lifestyle, new job and lots of big news! I have finished film school, at last. Please shed a tear for the end of my student life as we know it. I have also moved into a new place, a lovely grown-up flat in a nice part of town, far away from the cries of schoolchildren.
Now, apologies for not writing in a long time. I know it is an unforgivable sin, but alas, moving home means dearth of internet for extended periods of time, and well, I was a bit busy. Aren’t we all? Wait, this was meant to be an apology. Ok, I’ll just leave it at sorry. Now, on to the real stuff. The interesting and banal. The great and the totally nonsensically useless.
First up, I’ve been home for two weeks in May, for a breather. I thought I would go mad if I stayed here for longer than 6 months at a stretch and I was right. I needed time at home, doing the things I’ve loved to do for years; eat, shop and then eat some more. And I am not talking about home cooked food the way all good-Indian-children-away-from-home should. I mean all my favourite café’s, restaurants and street food carts. Mmmmm…the taste of food I haven’t cooked. And the pleasure of not having to wash up afterwards. Amazing. I also went out to old haunts and new, including the new (not new, there was one earlier but it was forced to close for dubious reasons…only in Delhi) and improved (yawn) F Bar. Yep, it was predictably full of VIPs with too much money, thinking that it made them all-powerful and gorgeous-looking.
And this leads nicely to my monumental question, what with the whole controversy on the fake lashes used in mascara ads. They have now been forced to stick a little “warning” at the bottom of such ads, to say they were “filmed with lash inserts” or “edited in post-production”. But the thing is, this is shown in every mascara ad on tv or in print. So, where did this get us? I watch an ad and think-wow that’s great. I can look like that! Oops, they gave her lashes in post. Hmmm, so why should I buy that product? How do I know it really works? Oh gee, maybe I should just get some fake lashes to look like the model. Or an editor to follow my virtual self around and airbrush me every minute. Point to ponder, my friends, point to ponder.
If you are looking for a serious world issue to think about (how dare you?), check this out.
Keep debating, readers!
luv,
gk*
Now, apologies for not writing in a long time. I know it is an unforgivable sin, but alas, moving home means dearth of internet for extended periods of time, and well, I was a bit busy. Aren’t we all? Wait, this was meant to be an apology. Ok, I’ll just leave it at sorry. Now, on to the real stuff. The interesting and banal. The great and the totally nonsensically useless.
First up, I’ve been home for two weeks in May, for a breather. I thought I would go mad if I stayed here for longer than 6 months at a stretch and I was right. I needed time at home, doing the things I’ve loved to do for years; eat, shop and then eat some more. And I am not talking about home cooked food the way all good-Indian-children-away-from-home should. I mean all my favourite café’s, restaurants and street food carts. Mmmmm…the taste of food I haven’t cooked. And the pleasure of not having to wash up afterwards. Amazing. I also went out to old haunts and new, including the new (not new, there was one earlier but it was forced to close for dubious reasons…only in Delhi) and improved (yawn) F Bar. Yep, it was predictably full of VIPs with too much money, thinking that it made them all-powerful and gorgeous-looking.
And this leads nicely to my monumental question, what with the whole controversy on the fake lashes used in mascara ads. They have now been forced to stick a little “warning” at the bottom of such ads, to say they were “filmed with lash inserts” or “edited in post-production”. But the thing is, this is shown in every mascara ad on tv or in print. So, where did this get us? I watch an ad and think-wow that’s great. I can look like that! Oops, they gave her lashes in post. Hmmm, so why should I buy that product? How do I know it really works? Oh gee, maybe I should just get some fake lashes to look like the model. Or an editor to follow my virtual self around and airbrush me every minute. Point to ponder, my friends, point to ponder.
If you are looking for a serious world issue to think about (how dare you?), check this out.
Keep debating, readers!
luv,
gk*
January 22, 2008
Archive Material May-July 2005
The best of May-July 2005
Just wrapped up a theatre fest at IHC. It was pretty hectic, but PG and I had loads of fun and made loads of new friends (who will hopefully help further our theatre interests...muahahahahaha) The week just flew by, and now we are left wondering what we're gonna do for the rest of the summer holz. I don't think any of us is capable of sticking to a job ;) , so decided to start looking for scripts for our next production. Also looking forward to our play in July at IHC and IIC. Started on publicity work for that, as well as arranging sets, etc...
I realized I can be quite relentless in my search for books sometimes, be it a fancy bookstore or a roadside stall selling second-hands...you never know where you might find a treasure...
Been busy lately...with rehearsal for the play! The countdown to showtime has begun! Exactly 26 days left. Seems like a long time, but trust me, it ain't! There's SO much work to do and no sponsors in sight!
On other fronts, we are making a lot of progress. Also, the search for scripts for next play is moving along nicely. How i wish I could share more details with you all, but alas, there is the competition to consider! What if our trade secrets were leaked?
We also managed to pull through some major issues, namely 2 actresses dropping out from the production, last-minute! But we found replacements in 24 hrs. How good are we? :)
Press Release-written by moi...
The English Dramatics Society of Miranda House presents its adaptation of “The House of Bernarda Alba” by Federico Garcia Lorca, directed by Sohaila Kapur.
The House of Bernarda Alba is Federico Garcia Lorca's last play, written the year he was killed, at the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War. The play expresses what Lorca, often called the “finest Spanish playwright of the twentieth century”; saw as the tragic life of Spanish women. This adaptation of Lorca’s masterpiece is set in Old Delhi, before Partition. The characters, all women, exist in a cloistered household, managed by a newly widowed mother of five daughters. Under the shadow of strict religious doctrines and the tyranny bred from a need to protect the reputation of the family, the matriarch represses her daughters by enforcing an eight-year mourning period. The tensions build rapidly among the imprisoned women, with a demented grandmother playing a role resembling that of a Greek chorus. The powerful features of this work include its terse dialogue and growing tensions, which are relentlessly sustained until the dramatic climax, and the hint of madness and impending chaos that surrounds the characters, who are constantly in conflict. This is a study in family relationships under the strain of culturally and socially imposed taboos, regarding sexuality and the self-determination of women. The House of Bernarda Alba might be seen as the tragedy of virginity, of Indian women who will never have the opportunity to choose a husband. It is also a play expressing the costs of repressing the freedom of others.
The play had its stage premiere nearly a decade after Lorca's death, in the same year in which it was published. The House of Bernarda Alba continues to be revived and read all over the world, in both Spanish and English productions. Its setting is specific to the values and customs of a rural Spanish people, but the play's appeal is universal rather than national.
I must say, the play was an absolute success. For all of you who came to see it, thank you dahlings! It was a great show...sold out both days! The audis were packed and people came for tickets even after they were sold out..no jokes! I would like to thank everybody in the cast and crew, without whom this would not have been possible...you all know how hard you worked and we all deserve a pat on the back...so here it is-pat! It's a weird mix of happiness and relief...Relief that nothing went horribly wrong, and that it all worked out in the end! Happiness because of the unexpected success of the show. I truly didn't think all the tickets would sell, but I guess i underestimated us! As a last toot on our trumpet, I would like to mention that we were interviewed by Aaj Tak, and we appeared not once, not twice, but all day on TV yesterday, during the hourly bulletins :D yay! Toot!
March 06, 2007
The Mirror-Day One and Two
And so it begins...
'The Mirror'-The First Day
We spent Monday on simple stuff, almost like a warm-up. We went to Dimi's in the morning to shoot the famous (or is it infamous?) cup scene. Louise, Mishaal and I got there early and went over the series of shots, while Dimi made us tea. It was all very informal, as you may gather. (Wait til they see the other side of me!) We then proceeded to shatter several teacups on Dimi's kitchen floor, as he calmly sat and edited the shot list and final schedule. I am surprised he was unnerved by the mess we made (and swept up after each take), as well as the racket, even though he eventually did work upstairs in his room. :) The scene went well; we shot the shatter from several angles and used a tripod for all of them, since the camera position had to be very precise and the shot had to stand out as different from all the others in the film. Initially, we were getting too much light in the kitchen, from the window, and hence seeing zebra all over the scene. Lou cut the light simply by drawing the curtains a bit and changing the F-Stop.
We then went to uni, as we had a meeting for Dimi's film with our project tutor and had to swap the monitor cable, since it didn't seem to be working. We also had to swap our DAT recorder for a hard disc recorder and spent some time in stores sorting out equipment. We attempted to negotiate with the other crew working the same week as us, for a few items, but it didn't seem to be practical, so we used the other monitor instead. Not a good idea, but more on that later. After the meeting, where some changes were made to the crew, we headed back to homebase and began setting up lights, while Shafia (producer) bought food for the crew and Lou (DOP) did a few test shots on a tram, for the next day.
When Lou arrived, we drew up a lighting plan for the next few days and tested all the lighting set-ups we would use, on camera. When we were happy with the results, we left the gels in place and went back to discussing the shots we would do the following day, after hearing Lou's report on shooting conditions on the tram. The actress arrived and I selected her costumes for the film, in consultation with Lou. We also marked the spot on the wall where the mirror was to be hung, according to her height. The camera crew then left (with the camera, to charge it) and me, my AD and producer waited for Hsiang (Sound) to arrive, to check the new sound equipment. I sorted out some last-minute requirements with Shafia, about food and transport, and then she went home too. Hsiang arrived and tested the new sound gear with me and Dimi. We messed around with the boom pole and mike, testing it in distant locations in the house, with Dimi's housemates. Hsiang approved of the sound quality and then left as well. AD and I then sat about for a while, going over the shots one final time. I approved of the final shot list and revised schedule. I then left for home, hoping that all would be well. However, upon arriving, I found out that all of our extras for the next day had suddenly cancelled on us!
The next few hours were panicky for me and AD, until we realized that there was no point and we would have to make do with members of crew on location. We asked a classmate to step in as the conductor on the tram and I agreed to make a cameo appearance as well. What a lovely nod to Hitchcock, who is one of the main reasons I wanted to be a director in the first place and is one of my biggest inspirations. I think I want to include this in my personal style. :) I finally got to bed relatively late, but ready for a 7 a.m. start.
'The Mirror'-Day Two
Today was the first true day of shooting. I arrived at homebase first and went over the equipment list, to check it before loading it into the car. As the crew arrived, we briefly went over the shots in general, while giving each of them the freedom to improvise on location. We arrived at the tram stop on time, meeting our classmate/conductor there. A person from the tram company arrived and gave us a conductor's uniform and said he would be joining us for all of our interior shots, so as to keep the public out of our shooting area.
We secured a good space to shoot in and proceeded to set up while the tram was in motion. It was much tougher than we thought it would be! We couldn't stop moving and were very unstable on our feet. Everybody helped set up and we attempted, in vain, to connect the monitor to the camera. The wire was so loose that the slightest movement would cut the connection. We agreed to abandon it after several attempts. It was a scary thought-to shoot all day without seeing the image?-but I calmly said it was fine and we would move on. We shot the required scenes in the tram interior within a couple of hours, after some stalling during set-up. Also, we were trying to avoid the tram announcements while recording sound. It was a huge challenge, but I am proud to say the crew stepped up to it and we got several great shots. Many members of crew sat in as extras during their scenes and then helped with cable bashing and filling log sheets or using the clapperboard when not in shot. It was teamwork at its best! I managed to squeeze in behind Lou for most of the shots and saw some of the shot we were filming, as a means of 'monitoring'. In some cases, I simply saw the initial frame and a rehearsal and was unable to view it while actually recording. The second biggest challenge in the location was the fact that the sun kept popping in and out, making our image perfect and then suddenly bleached and over-exposed. We felt frustrated, as we had limited time on the tram, but tried to work around the light problem and shoot anyway. Also, the movement of the tram made it nearly impossible to get an extreme close up on anyone, since the image would blur and a minor shake would look like an earthquake on screen!
Now, we were taking our time with the shots until we were suddenly informed that we had only an hour left, as the person from the tram company had to leave then! We rushed through the shots, ignoring log sheets and clapperboard in an effort to get every shot needed in time. Shafia worked on getting our rightful hours to shoot (we had permission for 5 hours officially) when she was not in the scene. She thankfully succeeded and we slowed down the pace, while dreading the earful we would get from our editor about the uneven log sheets! We finally got the shots we wanted and then got off the tram for lunch. While cast and crew ate, Shafia (producer) and I went to buy more batteries for the sound gear and then sat down for our own lunch. We all had a nice informal chat over lunch and the actress got along well with the crew, which subsequently made shooting more enjoyable for everyone. She said really enjoyed working with us, even though I knew the shots were tedious on that day.
We then got on the tram again, and went up to the house, where we were to shoot the exterior shot of Alice leaving the house. We set up quickly, as we were in the middle of a sidewalk, and began rolling almost immediately. We did the shot from a few different angles. We had a few problems with sound, as the boom would not extend as far as the shot, but we decided to sort out location sound for the scene in post-production, by recording sound seperately.
By now, daylight was fading fast and we had several key shots to do at the tram stop, so we moved quickly and set up very swiftly at the next location. It was only a minute away from the house. We sorted out the shots and I asked my AD to call 'Action' and even 'Cut' for some of the scenes, since I was acting in them. I approved of most of the frames, but it was impossible for me to see some of them, for which I relied on him completely. I found it rather challenging to act and direct at the same time, especially because the scene demanded subtlety, plus I was exhausted by then. However, AD did a great job of directing both me and the actress, and we managed to get several great shots just as the sun went down. I went back to directing for the close-ups on the actress, and then we wrapped up and headed back to town. The actress left for home and we went back to homebase.
I made snacks and Dimi made tea for us, as we sat and had a crew meeting. I thanked the crew for a very productive day in a challenging location and went over the shots we needed the next day, with the sound and camera department. I also pointed out a few places where we needed to improve over the next few days. We then decided how we would hang the mirror in the staircase. Finally, everyone went home to get dinner and a good rest before a very early start tomorrow. I stayed on for a bit with AD and went over the day's work, as well as what we needed to do the next day. We figured out what steps we could take to improve efficiency on set, but didn't worry too much about the situation, as the tram scenes were actually the most difficult in the script. I then went home and viewed the day's footage, and discussed it online with AD. We decided not to re-shoot any of the scenes and instead focus on the rest of the script. I am now sitting and continuing that discussion with him, while eating a very late dinner. I must get to sleep soon, for a 7 a.m. start tomorrow, which implies a 6 a.m. alarm for me! All in all, it was a great experience today. The tram shoot was by far the most exciting place I have ever worked in and the thrill of overcoming challenges has always motivated me. It was serious work, but fun for everyone and I was glad to know the crew had a good time shooting at, as did the actress. Now we need to hope this continues! :)
Gute Nacht!
gk*
Listening to-Tilly and the Wall & Bright Eyes
'The Mirror'-The First Day
We spent Monday on simple stuff, almost like a warm-up. We went to Dimi's in the morning to shoot the famous (or is it infamous?) cup scene. Louise, Mishaal and I got there early and went over the series of shots, while Dimi made us tea. It was all very informal, as you may gather. (Wait til they see the other side of me!) We then proceeded to shatter several teacups on Dimi's kitchen floor, as he calmly sat and edited the shot list and final schedule. I am surprised he was unnerved by the mess we made (and swept up after each take), as well as the racket, even though he eventually did work upstairs in his room. :) The scene went well; we shot the shatter from several angles and used a tripod for all of them, since the camera position had to be very precise and the shot had to stand out as different from all the others in the film. Initially, we were getting too much light in the kitchen, from the window, and hence seeing zebra all over the scene. Lou cut the light simply by drawing the curtains a bit and changing the F-Stop.
We then went to uni, as we had a meeting for Dimi's film with our project tutor and had to swap the monitor cable, since it didn't seem to be working. We also had to swap our DAT recorder for a hard disc recorder and spent some time in stores sorting out equipment. We attempted to negotiate with the other crew working the same week as us, for a few items, but it didn't seem to be practical, so we used the other monitor instead. Not a good idea, but more on that later. After the meeting, where some changes were made to the crew, we headed back to homebase and began setting up lights, while Shafia (producer) bought food for the crew and Lou (DOP) did a few test shots on a tram, for the next day.
When Lou arrived, we drew up a lighting plan for the next few days and tested all the lighting set-ups we would use, on camera. When we were happy with the results, we left the gels in place and went back to discussing the shots we would do the following day, after hearing Lou's report on shooting conditions on the tram. The actress arrived and I selected her costumes for the film, in consultation with Lou. We also marked the spot on the wall where the mirror was to be hung, according to her height. The camera crew then left (with the camera, to charge it) and me, my AD and producer waited for Hsiang (Sound) to arrive, to check the new sound equipment. I sorted out some last-minute requirements with Shafia, about food and transport, and then she went home too. Hsiang arrived and tested the new sound gear with me and Dimi. We messed around with the boom pole and mike, testing it in distant locations in the house, with Dimi's housemates. Hsiang approved of the sound quality and then left as well. AD and I then sat about for a while, going over the shots one final time. I approved of the final shot list and revised schedule. I then left for home, hoping that all would be well. However, upon arriving, I found out that all of our extras for the next day had suddenly cancelled on us!
The next few hours were panicky for me and AD, until we realized that there was no point and we would have to make do with members of crew on location. We asked a classmate to step in as the conductor on the tram and I agreed to make a cameo appearance as well. What a lovely nod to Hitchcock, who is one of the main reasons I wanted to be a director in the first place and is one of my biggest inspirations. I think I want to include this in my personal style. :) I finally got to bed relatively late, but ready for a 7 a.m. start.
'The Mirror'-Day Two
Today was the first true day of shooting. I arrived at homebase first and went over the equipment list, to check it before loading it into the car. As the crew arrived, we briefly went over the shots in general, while giving each of them the freedom to improvise on location. We arrived at the tram stop on time, meeting our classmate/conductor there. A person from the tram company arrived and gave us a conductor's uniform and said he would be joining us for all of our interior shots, so as to keep the public out of our shooting area.
We secured a good space to shoot in and proceeded to set up while the tram was in motion. It was much tougher than we thought it would be! We couldn't stop moving and were very unstable on our feet. Everybody helped set up and we attempted, in vain, to connect the monitor to the camera. The wire was so loose that the slightest movement would cut the connection. We agreed to abandon it after several attempts. It was a scary thought-to shoot all day without seeing the image?-but I calmly said it was fine and we would move on. We shot the required scenes in the tram interior within a couple of hours, after some stalling during set-up. Also, we were trying to avoid the tram announcements while recording sound. It was a huge challenge, but I am proud to say the crew stepped up to it and we got several great shots. Many members of crew sat in as extras during their scenes and then helped with cable bashing and filling log sheets or using the clapperboard when not in shot. It was teamwork at its best! I managed to squeeze in behind Lou for most of the shots and saw some of the shot we were filming, as a means of 'monitoring'. In some cases, I simply saw the initial frame and a rehearsal and was unable to view it while actually recording. The second biggest challenge in the location was the fact that the sun kept popping in and out, making our image perfect and then suddenly bleached and over-exposed. We felt frustrated, as we had limited time on the tram, but tried to work around the light problem and shoot anyway. Also, the movement of the tram made it nearly impossible to get an extreme close up on anyone, since the image would blur and a minor shake would look like an earthquake on screen!
Now, we were taking our time with the shots until we were suddenly informed that we had only an hour left, as the person from the tram company had to leave then! We rushed through the shots, ignoring log sheets and clapperboard in an effort to get every shot needed in time. Shafia worked on getting our rightful hours to shoot (we had permission for 5 hours officially) when she was not in the scene. She thankfully succeeded and we slowed down the pace, while dreading the earful we would get from our editor about the uneven log sheets! We finally got the shots we wanted and then got off the tram for lunch. While cast and crew ate, Shafia (producer) and I went to buy more batteries for the sound gear and then sat down for our own lunch. We all had a nice informal chat over lunch and the actress got along well with the crew, which subsequently made shooting more enjoyable for everyone. She said really enjoyed working with us, even though I knew the shots were tedious on that day.
We then got on the tram again, and went up to the house, where we were to shoot the exterior shot of Alice leaving the house. We set up quickly, as we were in the middle of a sidewalk, and began rolling almost immediately. We did the shot from a few different angles. We had a few problems with sound, as the boom would not extend as far as the shot, but we decided to sort out location sound for the scene in post-production, by recording sound seperately.
By now, daylight was fading fast and we had several key shots to do at the tram stop, so we moved quickly and set up very swiftly at the next location. It was only a minute away from the house. We sorted out the shots and I asked my AD to call 'Action' and even 'Cut' for some of the scenes, since I was acting in them. I approved of most of the frames, but it was impossible for me to see some of them, for which I relied on him completely. I found it rather challenging to act and direct at the same time, especially because the scene demanded subtlety, plus I was exhausted by then. However, AD did a great job of directing both me and the actress, and we managed to get several great shots just as the sun went down. I went back to directing for the close-ups on the actress, and then we wrapped up and headed back to town. The actress left for home and we went back to homebase.
I made snacks and Dimi made tea for us, as we sat and had a crew meeting. I thanked the crew for a very productive day in a challenging location and went over the shots we needed the next day, with the sound and camera department. I also pointed out a few places where we needed to improve over the next few days. We then decided how we would hang the mirror in the staircase. Finally, everyone went home to get dinner and a good rest before a very early start tomorrow. I stayed on for a bit with AD and went over the day's work, as well as what we needed to do the next day. We figured out what steps we could take to improve efficiency on set, but didn't worry too much about the situation, as the tram scenes were actually the most difficult in the script. I then went home and viewed the day's footage, and discussed it online with AD. We decided not to re-shoot any of the scenes and instead focus on the rest of the script. I am now sitting and continuing that discussion with him, while eating a very late dinner. I must get to sleep soon, for a 7 a.m. start tomorrow, which implies a 6 a.m. alarm for me! All in all, it was a great experience today. The tram shoot was by far the most exciting place I have ever worked in and the thrill of overcoming challenges has always motivated me. It was serious work, but fun for everyone and I was glad to know the crew had a good time shooting at, as did the actress. Now we need to hope this continues! :)
Gute Nacht!
gk*
Listening to-Tilly and the Wall & Bright Eyes
February 24, 2007
the mirror reflects
These blog titles are getting cheesier by the day...sigh...
Well, it was another mad week but I will try to recall most of it in sparkling, vivid detail. I had a meeting with my directing tutor (Steve) on tuesday, where we came up with some great ideas to enhance the 'look' of the film. He encouraged me to experiment with black and white, and I decided to do so in the edit, but not while shooting. Most of the crew agreed to the changes and felt it would add aesthetic value to the film, as well as an interesting theme. I watched a few films from the era he suggested, like 'Repulsion'. I also now openly admit buying several fashion magazines for research. This is highly believable, as many of my classmates will testify that I would rather be out of fashion than buy a copy of 'Vogue'. But the magazines surprised me. I got some interesting ideas from them. One had an article about models being dangerously skinny (as if that is a new issue, but anyway) and another had a diary-esque article about a woman trying to live for a week without any mirrors. This intrigued me and I read the entire thing. What I at first dismissed as a silly piece of writing by a fashion-obsessed beauty editor turned out to have many points I identified with. I understood how difficult it must have been for her in some situations, such as getting a haircut or dressing for a formal event, without a mirror. I wondered about mirrors in people's lives and what they mean to them. This led to a few minor changes in the script, which is now on its fourth draft.
On Thursday, we had a camera class with Paul, where we discussed specific issues about films we were shooting. We tried to light the very dark location for 'Toilet' and thought of viable solutions to manage this. We decided that changing the bulbs on the ceiling lamps or using a bright key light bounced off the ceiling would be best. We also looked at locations for 'Silence' and I suggested blocking lights in the hallway with black poster paper, in order to create shadows. I later met my AD and discussed locations and props for the film, as well as some script details. We planned a meeting with the whole crew for the coming Sunday. I also got some books from the library on directing, hoping to find inspiration.
On early Friday morning, I received the news that Jon would be unable to work on our film. We hurriedly asked Mishaal to take over as assistant camera and he readily agreed. We had one set of auditions on Friday, where a few people turned up. I even resorted to walking around campus and approaching young women with "Hey! You look exactly like the kind of girl I am looking for! How would you like to be in a student film?". I have never picked up women before in my life and now wholly understand why my male friends complain about it. :) We found a few women we liked and are waiting to see some more, but the casting situation in general is looking positive. We also looked at the tapes from Zoe's audition and liked a few people whom we could call for the London audition. At the end of the day, it was a well-organized and productive casting session. There were no mistakes or moments of feeling unprepared. A big 'thank you' to our producer, Shafia!
Saturday was (finally) a day of some rest. I went out and finalized the first storyboard with Lou and then bought some essentials to survive the coming week, such as long-lasting food and a flash drive! :) I looked over the storyboard myself and made notes for the meeting tomorrow. I also contacted a friend who works in theatre, about some actresses.
The budget has been planned to accommodate vintage clothes and posters for the set. I am all set to make a trip to London next week for buying these items and to conduct a final audition. It will be a hectic week but hopefully a productive one. The script I was writing for my MA film is currently on hold, as are all the other scripts I was churning out swiftly. 'The Mirror' has completely taken over my working hours and the only spare time I have is spent resting, to gather energy for the rest of the work.
I must run along now and get some (much needed) sleep. The week ahead is going to fry my nerves and I must be prepared. Ciao!
gk*
listening to-Franz Ferdinand
Well, it was another mad week but I will try to recall most of it in sparkling, vivid detail. I had a meeting with my directing tutor (Steve) on tuesday, where we came up with some great ideas to enhance the 'look' of the film. He encouraged me to experiment with black and white, and I decided to do so in the edit, but not while shooting. Most of the crew agreed to the changes and felt it would add aesthetic value to the film, as well as an interesting theme. I watched a few films from the era he suggested, like 'Repulsion'. I also now openly admit buying several fashion magazines for research. This is highly believable, as many of my classmates will testify that I would rather be out of fashion than buy a copy of 'Vogue'. But the magazines surprised me. I got some interesting ideas from them. One had an article about models being dangerously skinny (as if that is a new issue, but anyway) and another had a diary-esque article about a woman trying to live for a week without any mirrors. This intrigued me and I read the entire thing. What I at first dismissed as a silly piece of writing by a fashion-obsessed beauty editor turned out to have many points I identified with. I understood how difficult it must have been for her in some situations, such as getting a haircut or dressing for a formal event, without a mirror. I wondered about mirrors in people's lives and what they mean to them. This led to a few minor changes in the script, which is now on its fourth draft.
On Thursday, we had a camera class with Paul, where we discussed specific issues about films we were shooting. We tried to light the very dark location for 'Toilet' and thought of viable solutions to manage this. We decided that changing the bulbs on the ceiling lamps or using a bright key light bounced off the ceiling would be best. We also looked at locations for 'Silence' and I suggested blocking lights in the hallway with black poster paper, in order to create shadows. I later met my AD and discussed locations and props for the film, as well as some script details. We planned a meeting with the whole crew for the coming Sunday. I also got some books from the library on directing, hoping to find inspiration.
On early Friday morning, I received the news that Jon would be unable to work on our film. We hurriedly asked Mishaal to take over as assistant camera and he readily agreed. We had one set of auditions on Friday, where a few people turned up. I even resorted to walking around campus and approaching young women with "Hey! You look exactly like the kind of girl I am looking for! How would you like to be in a student film?". I have never picked up women before in my life and now wholly understand why my male friends complain about it. :) We found a few women we liked and are waiting to see some more, but the casting situation in general is looking positive. We also looked at the tapes from Zoe's audition and liked a few people whom we could call for the London audition. At the end of the day, it was a well-organized and productive casting session. There were no mistakes or moments of feeling unprepared. A big 'thank you' to our producer, Shafia!
Saturday was (finally) a day of some rest. I went out and finalized the first storyboard with Lou and then bought some essentials to survive the coming week, such as long-lasting food and a flash drive! :) I looked over the storyboard myself and made notes for the meeting tomorrow. I also contacted a friend who works in theatre, about some actresses.
The budget has been planned to accommodate vintage clothes and posters for the set. I am all set to make a trip to London next week for buying these items and to conduct a final audition. It will be a hectic week but hopefully a productive one. The script I was writing for my MA film is currently on hold, as are all the other scripts I was churning out swiftly. 'The Mirror' has completely taken over my working hours and the only spare time I have is spent resting, to gather energy for the rest of the work.
I must run along now and get some (much needed) sleep. The week ahead is going to fry my nerves and I must be prepared. Ciao!
gk*
listening to-Franz Ferdinand
February 17, 2007
writing frenzy
Hello again readers!
I spent the week looking for locations again. We also decided to make some major changes to the script for 'The Mirror' and now have a third and final draft, which I typed out yesterday and sent to the entire crew. I now understand what my tutor meant by a Director's interpretation of the writer's script. I think I am finally progressing towards developing a directorial 'style'. Imagine...one day, people will watch a film and say "Oh, but that is such a typical GK film! How dull!" Sigh...big dreams!
I did a shoot for Hallam Volunteering on Wednesday aka Valentine's Day. It was at a class for senior citizens, to keep them fit. The toughest part of it was that almost all of it was handheld and I tried my best to be as stable as possible. Also, there were windows on every side and plenty of daylight coming in. We coped by moving as close to the people as possible, which was easy, because there were quite a few intimate interviews.
I also watched dozens of short films over the week for inspiration or ideas, in terms of plot structure. One film which struck me as an extreme form of what we are trying to achieve in this film, is 'Meshes of the Afternoon' by Maya Deren. It was shot on film, in black and white. It was a landmark in American film, one of the first Psychological films to ever be made. I decided that 'The Mirror' would not push the psychological angle that far, but would certainly explore it. I also did some research on the condition we are exploring in the film. Here's an extract from Wikipedia:
Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a mental disorder, which involves a disturbed body image. It is generally diagnosed of those who are extremely critical of their physique or self image, despite the fact there may be no noticeable disfigurement or defect.
Most people wish they could change or improve some aspect of their physical appearance, but people suffering from BDD, generally considered of normal appearance, believe that they are so unspeakably hideous that they are unable to interact with others or function normally for fear of ridicule and humiliation at their appearance. They tend to be very secretive and reluctant to seek help because they are afraid others will think them vain or they may feel too embarrassed to do so.
Ironically BDD is often misunderstood as a vanity driven obsession, whereas it is quite the opposite; people with BDD believe themselves to be profoundly ugly or defective.
BDD combines obsessive and compulsive aspects which has linked it to the OCD spectrum disorders among psychologists. People with BDD may engage in compulsive mirror checking behaviors or mirror avoidance, typically think about their appearance for more than one hour a day and in severe cases may drop all social contact and responsibilities as they become homebound. The disorder is linked to an unusually high suicide rate among all mental disorders.
A German study has shown that between 1-2% of the population meet all the diagnostic criteria of BDD, with a larger percentage showing milder symptoms of the disorder (Psychological Medicine, vol 36, p 877). Chronically low self-esteem is characteristic of those with BDD due to their value of oneself being so closely linked with their perceived appearance. The prevalence of BDD is equal in men and women, and causes chronic social anxiety for those suffering from the disorder.
Phillips & Menard (2006) found the completed suicide rate in patients with BDD to be 45 times higher than in the general US population. This rate is more than double that of those with depression and three times as high as those with bipolar disorder.
You may find more information on:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_dysmorphic_disorder
We did several test shots over the week, experimenting with white balance and F stops. On Friday, we had a class with Paul, where we listed some of the main problems with shooting 'The Mirror' and possible solutions. That is where we hit upon the idea of a manual white balance for the bathroom shots. We also learnt about using a spider dolly. Afterwards, we lit and shot a few scenes with a portable blue screen. We experimented with the shots and people used and are waiting for the results next week. I just got back from another test shoot in the bathroom on location. Most of our locations are confirmed and we are working on a storyboard and production schedule, to keep everything on track. Casting is on the 23rd and we are hoping for the best! I hope it goes well...
I have spent a lot of time this week working on my script for my MA film as well. Even though it is very early, I can never sit still when it comes to writing and am currently working on 4 scripts. I don't know when I will eventually make them, or if they will ever be produced, but I am giving them all a fair chance for now. I am off now, to watch a few films and enjoy an early night, for a change!
Au revoir!
gk*
I spent the week looking for locations again. We also decided to make some major changes to the script for 'The Mirror' and now have a third and final draft, which I typed out yesterday and sent to the entire crew. I now understand what my tutor meant by a Director's interpretation of the writer's script. I think I am finally progressing towards developing a directorial 'style'. Imagine...one day, people will watch a film and say "Oh, but that is such a typical GK film! How dull!" Sigh...big dreams!
I did a shoot for Hallam Volunteering on Wednesday aka Valentine's Day. It was at a class for senior citizens, to keep them fit. The toughest part of it was that almost all of it was handheld and I tried my best to be as stable as possible. Also, there were windows on every side and plenty of daylight coming in. We coped by moving as close to the people as possible, which was easy, because there were quite a few intimate interviews.
I also watched dozens of short films over the week for inspiration or ideas, in terms of plot structure. One film which struck me as an extreme form of what we are trying to achieve in this film, is 'Meshes of the Afternoon' by Maya Deren. It was shot on film, in black and white. It was a landmark in American film, one of the first Psychological films to ever be made. I decided that 'The Mirror' would not push the psychological angle that far, but would certainly explore it. I also did some research on the condition we are exploring in the film. Here's an extract from Wikipedia:
Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a mental disorder, which involves a disturbed body image. It is generally diagnosed of those who are extremely critical of their physique or self image, despite the fact there may be no noticeable disfigurement or defect.
Most people wish they could change or improve some aspect of their physical appearance, but people suffering from BDD, generally considered of normal appearance, believe that they are so unspeakably hideous that they are unable to interact with others or function normally for fear of ridicule and humiliation at their appearance. They tend to be very secretive and reluctant to seek help because they are afraid others will think them vain or they may feel too embarrassed to do so.
Ironically BDD is often misunderstood as a vanity driven obsession, whereas it is quite the opposite; people with BDD believe themselves to be profoundly ugly or defective.
BDD combines obsessive and compulsive aspects which has linked it to the OCD spectrum disorders among psychologists. People with BDD may engage in compulsive mirror checking behaviors or mirror avoidance, typically think about their appearance for more than one hour a day and in severe cases may drop all social contact and responsibilities as they become homebound. The disorder is linked to an unusually high suicide rate among all mental disorders.
A German study has shown that between 1-2% of the population meet all the diagnostic criteria of BDD, with a larger percentage showing milder symptoms of the disorder (Psychological Medicine, vol 36, p 877). Chronically low self-esteem is characteristic of those with BDD due to their value of oneself being so closely linked with their perceived appearance. The prevalence of BDD is equal in men and women, and causes chronic social anxiety for those suffering from the disorder.
Phillips & Menard (2006) found the completed suicide rate in patients with BDD to be 45 times higher than in the general US population. This rate is more than double that of those with depression and three times as high as those with bipolar disorder.
You may find more information on:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_dysmorphic_disorder
We did several test shots over the week, experimenting with white balance and F stops. On Friday, we had a class with Paul, where we listed some of the main problems with shooting 'The Mirror' and possible solutions. That is where we hit upon the idea of a manual white balance for the bathroom shots. We also learnt about using a spider dolly. Afterwards, we lit and shot a few scenes with a portable blue screen. We experimented with the shots and people used and are waiting for the results next week. I just got back from another test shoot in the bathroom on location. Most of our locations are confirmed and we are working on a storyboard and production schedule, to keep everything on track. Casting is on the 23rd and we are hoping for the best! I hope it goes well...
I have spent a lot of time this week working on my script for my MA film as well. Even though it is very early, I can never sit still when it comes to writing and am currently working on 4 scripts. I don't know when I will eventually make them, or if they will ever be produced, but I am giving them all a fair chance for now. I am off now, to watch a few films and enjoy an early night, for a change!
Au revoir!
gk*
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