PROJEKT iVIEW : Misadventures of an aspiring film maker and the yes men of our industry
iVIEW AUTHOR:
Nirad Baran Bhattacharjee (Bombay, India)
email:
niradbaran[at]gmail.com
After being at the post table for nearly five years, where I edited numerous TVCs, TV shows and telefims, I decided to jump into the fray and try my hands at directing. Having edited the works of many talented directors like Pankaj Advani, Imtiaz Ali, Kushan Nandy and Pavan Kaul, I thought it was time I explore my own abilities. So I began with a short film called ‘Arjun’s Eye‘. It was an attempt at stringing a story together with flashes of memories. Looking back at the film now, I think it was a little naive as far as its content was concerned but the structure and style of the film was not that bad. But the silver lining of the film was that it began my association with one of the finest cinematographers of our country, Abhik Mukhopadhyay. I had met him with the script in Bombay. He showed his interest but that was it.
I almost forgot about the meeting, when one fine day he called me up and told me “Lets produce it together”. As a matter of fact, he was looking to try his hand at something experimental, and it was around the same time that I approached him with the script. It was a wonderful experience and we had a ball of a time. This brilliant cinematographer even kept aside his work for two days and flew down to Bombay to colour correct our film! For him it was a “letting his steam off” but for me I got a mentor and a great friend. I was exuberant but the next one year saw the film just lying around. It was only when I took the film to BYOFF Puri, that ‘Arjun’s Eye’ caught the eye of a German film maker called Bernd Lutzeler who was scouting for short films in India. He took the film to various festivals around Germany.
Kunal Zaveri,a pioneer of shorts!, who was then the curator of the Mocha Film club in Bombay also took a liking to the film and it was screened at the Mocha Film club. Anurag Kashyap, our fellow blogger, was the guest that day. He never mentioned the film when he spoke at the end of the screening and so i guess he didn’t really like the film .Since I am an admirer of his work, I was hoping he would say something about the film but he didn’t. He talked in length about another film made by my friend, Jerrit John, whose film was also screened that day. Personally I didn’t really think much about this particular film of Jerrit in comparision to his earlier short called ‘Loo Tales‘, which was fresh, stylish and funny.
Nevertheless, with the efforts of Kunal Zaveri, who took some personal interest in my fim, ‘Arjun’s Eye’ went to many more festivals. (Kunal has now founded ‘The Short Film Club‘ after parting ways with The Mocha club when the latter’s business ambitions started breeding greed. Thanks to Kunal and Cyrus Dastur, many brilliant shorts like ‘Right here, right now‘ have come to fore for the first time in the country. It is a testimony to their single minded devotion that the short film sector is slowly waking up and many more short film clubs have come up.)
Later I went on to make some ads like ‘Suncity’ and a whole lot of corporate films. In between I produced and directed a reality series revolving around ten characters who were trying to put together a fashion show in a small town in Arunachal Pradesh. That was the time Star One was trying to tread on a different path. I went with the show and met their programming team. They lapped it up and I thought wow! But six months of deliberations and sponsor hunting, they gave up with a official letter which cited that while they liked my series, it didn’t fit into their scheme of things. Fair enough. But what happened next opened my eyes to kind of desperation and depravity the creative & programming heads of our television industry exuded.
When I took it (the reality show concept) to other channels & production houses… the big ones, I found an amazing congruence in the way all of them reacted. First everyone marveled at the originality and audacity of the series. They eulogized and patted my back. Then all of them without exception wanted the copies of my edited episodes and the storylines and complete breakdown of the remaining unedited episodes. Once that was done, they would disappear as if nothing ever transpired. Beyond a point, I started to understand the game. All I could do was give them a wry smile which hopefully reached them with the message that, “All right bastard… have a ball…but I know what you are upto”. Once when I lost my cool and questioned one of those guys, he smiled at me and said, “Nirad go and make some mainstream stuff. No one wants anything that caters to a niche audience.”
I learnt my lesson. Time was running out. I pushed myself to go ahead and do what I always wanted to and write a full fledged film script. Having burnt my fingers, this time I wrote and designed a completely mainstream script. What I didn’t compromise was on logic and common sense. It took me six whole months to write the first draft. I completed it with a sense of relief and exuberance and then I began my next adventure… hunting for a producer…. and thus began a whole new game.
My first stop was a growing production house, the CEO of which I knew. I took my appointment, practiced my narration and went ahead to give him a full one hour narration. What he told me next sort of calmed me and made me think I was on the right track. He said, “This is a winner buddy…Don’t go to anyone and we shall do it together. Just wait.” And so I waited… and waited ….and waited ….and waited till I realized that its time I approach someone else as well. And so I went to the second producer and he is a corporate sort of a guy and he got his entire creative team to come and listen to my narration. I got a little flustered but I regained my composure and narrated. I thought I am not such a bad narrator because all these five guys listened intently for the next hour and questioned me at the appropriate places. The verdict was unanimous. The MD smiled at the end of the narration and told me okay, you develop a second draft of it and then we will have a dialogue writer join you. So I went back home sufficiently charged to devote my next fifteen days to the second draft. I was told to mail the new draft and wait. I mailed and then I waited…. And waited….. and waited till I again realized that I should go to one more producer without wasting anymore time.
The next one… I had just heard his name…and had never seen his face in newspapers, magazines or tv. So I didn’t know how he looked like. I went to his high rise office, entered and inquired with a gentleman who seemed to look like a gentle front office clerk. To my surprise, he happened to be the big man himself. What I didn’t realize was beneath the genial looks lay a smooth operator. When I offered to start my narration, he got up and said that he would prefer to read the script in his free time. So he called the peon and told him to Photostat my script. The peon came and with one swift action took away the script from my hand. I turned around to find the big man has vanished. When I inquired further, I came to know that he has already left. Already left?… what do you mean… already left. He was right here just a moment ago. My constant queries were met with disdainful looks and no answers. Meanwhile I waited for the peon to turn up with my original draft. After an agonizing half hour later, the peon appeared and handed me my script. Then with the ease of a practiced professional he told me “Aap jaiye. Producer sahib aapka script padenge. Tab tak Aap wait kijiye.” (You leave. Sir Producer will read your script. Wait until then)
After all these experiences I learnt one things – when a producer tells you to wait….. run away…run away to the furthest corner from him and show him your thenga (thumb)…
Anurag Kashyap
Abhay Deol
Dibakar Banerjee
Hansal Mehta
Khalid Mohamed
Kundan Shah
Anish Kuruvilla
Jaideep Verma
Manish Gupta
Navdeep Singh
Bhavani Iyer
D. Santosh
Onir
Ashvin Kumar
Ramu Ramanathan
Sudhir Mishra
Pankaj Advani
Revathy
Saurabh Shukla
Shilpa Shukla
Sujoy Ghosh
Suparn Verma
Santosh Sivan
Shashank Ghosh
Shivajee
Pavan Kaul
Partho Sen-Gupta
Prroshant Naryannan
Sam Langoria
Satish Kasetty
Oh gosh Nirad! These trysts of yours with these producers are threatening to diffuse whatever glimmer of hope i had about writing my own screenplay and getting it thru somebody. Is it really that bad???
Nice article though
hey nirad,
thx a lot for your generous mention. a friend of mine mentioned to me about this article.
just to point out one thing , the new entity is called The Short Circuit and not Short Film Club.
Thx once again
Kunal
Nirad,
When I came to Mumbai and heard by now a cliched quote ‘Mumbai ki barsaat, aurat ki jaat and producer ki baat ka kabhi bharosa na karo’..it took me quite some time to really get to its essence..So far aurat ki jaat part is concerned i can’t comment with conviction about its authenticity but Mumbai rains are really unreliable. And on producer’s spiel–well i can vouch for the veracity of producer’s unreliability and hundred percent endorse your observation and relate to your experiences having watched the industry very closely myself.. Still don’t lose hope..Focus has to be like Arjun’s in this industry full of Duryodhan.. wish u all the best.And hey, i would love to watch your Arjun’s eye.
Ohh wow Nirad…a touching post bro….Keep trying yaar…hang in there…i really dont know what to say…but…dont give up.
Nirad,
Good post. I can totally relate to it as am going through a similar phase right now. But I must say one thing, we have to keep trying till we succeed. And yes Mumbai ki barsaat and ladki ki jaat and an unreliable producer ki baat is very true!
Best wishes,
Himanshu
what to say Nirad. Keep knocking and dont stop, u never know it might just be the next door..just dont lose your patience and faith in your story. good luck and god bless.
Which BYOFF are you referring to, Nirad? I mean which year?
Nirad bhai, don’t let it get to you. Keep your spirits up yaar. Consider this the “paying your dues” or struggling period. This may be a really silly question, but have you done much following up?
I mean, often times these Producers are great when you have them face to face, but out of sight is out of mind. They move on pretty quickly to the next person, the next script and the next project or whatever else they have on their plate.
You really need to ensure they don’t forget about you and your script, and just stay persistant. I dunno about the 3rd guy, but the first two at least gave you the courtesy and opportunity to do a full narration, they’ve invested some time in you so that’s a good sign. I would just keep following up until you hear back one way or the other. After a point just say “I need an answer by _________ date or else I will have take this to another producer”. At least that way the waiting is over.
Good Luck yaar, look forward to seeing your name in the credits :D
Himanshu bhai, I’ve been reading your comments on various posts and must say yaar you’ve got a very optimistic, inspiring attitude (filmy basha meri tere himmat aur honsle ki daat deta hoon!)
One day your time will come bhai, hang in there and don’t change man!
This too shall pass Nirad… All the best to u
Thanks for the really nice post :-)
Everything comes to those who are willing to wait
Nirad, become a Narad in the film industry. Been there done that. No use running behind these producers. Follow my advice. Start sucking up to a saleable actor. Even if it takes you a year or two, keep up to it. Keep meeting this actor whenever and wherever possible. Initially don’t bore him with any script ideas…slowly as he gets used to your face, keep dropping hints that you have a “great” subject for him. Meanwhile, keep telling him about some “International” work you are doing…it will raise your esteem in his eyes…After a year or two, find the right moment and tell him that you want to direct his movie…He himself will get you the producer…
See, this is much better than running behind these assole bhaisaab producers who don’t have a clue and still be nowhere after two years…
You have a hero with you, even Yash Chopra will produce your movie.
You go to a producer with a script and he will say it is bullshit…Next time, go with the same script and say you got a hero with you, your script will be the most amazing script ever!!
So what are you waiting for…Start “Project Patao Hero!” immediately!
Hi Gopi… It is often bad as I have experienced. But that shouldn’t deter us from trying to do what we love so much. So go ahead… give it a go… all the best.
Hi Kunal,
Yes Short Circuit. How could I forget such an interesting name? Carry on the good work brother.
Thanks Krysh
Hey om…thanks.. its cool… its not to much fun… but there is a humorous side to everything… so till one gets the right man… one keeps on trying.
Krysh I am not net savvy at all. I wouldn’t know how to upload and stuff like that. So if you send me your mail add, I can send across a VCD of Arjun’s Eye to you. Thanks
Hi Himangshu,
Exactly… All the best.
Thanks Smriti
Tushar
it was the 1st chapter of BYOFF – 2004
Hi Tony,
Thats the whole point. Its not as if I didn’t follow up. I did it regularly till they stopped responding. The whole point of this article is why are these chaps not able to say ‘NO’. Saying No is hundred times better than telling one to wait… – its so much easier for everyone… Does this reflect their incompetence and insecurities? I guess so.
Thanks Kartik
Machchar Kumar…you got a nice name.Project Patao Hero’ is on..
Nirad my email kryshdhieraj@gmail.com
Hi. Where can I see / buy a copy of your short film?
“Thanks to Kunal and Cyrus Dastur, many brilliant shorts like
Shilpa,
I can send a vcd of my film across to you if you cxan give me a address.
Hey Nirad…I realised the world in your side is not as straight and glamarous as it looks. Heartening to see you treading on this path but your perseverence has finally paid off, I wish you all the success in the new project.
I would love to see your Arjun’s Eye, however naive it would be.
Hi Nirad,
I read your experience and the struggle. What impressed me was your immense growth as a film maker. Ever since the days at XIC, to now. I am sure you will find the producer to fund your dream film. The industry is noted for its lack of professionalism, but the bright side is that it rewards talented young film makers. So all the best and hope to meet you soon!
Cheers,
Nivedita
Please visit himasnshuvora.blogspot.com .. a book on an aspiring film maker is written by me.
Sorry correction for the address:
It’s himanshuvora.blogspot.com
After a long time I saw this post again. Thank you Tony Mera Naam and Nirad. Best wishes! I am already in the process of making my first feature film!
@ Machchar Kumar – I liked your idea about roping in an artist before chasing a producer. Now why didn’t I think of it before? I too have written a couple of scripts and its just either collecting dusts in the house or viruses are crawling through it in the computer and eating it away even before it sees the light of the projector hehehe… Thanks for your guidance. I don’t know about others but I will definitely follow it man. Cheers!!!