Understanding Cinema
There is a story I often quote in my lectures on classical dance. It unfailingly brings out a spark of understanding in my students’ eyes. In an ancient text called Vishnudharmottama there is a story about a king who desires to learn dance. He approaches the venerated court acharya of dance. The guru tells him ‘go and learn the art of sculpture first.’ The king obeys him and spends a year learning sculpture. When he returns, the guru sends him back to learn the art of painting then music and so on. Finally he is admitted to the class of dance.
This story explains why one needs to understand other arts to become a master of dance. Dance is sculpture come alive, painting gives an insight into colour and form and music is the soul of dance. Today as I study cinema I can see how it applies far more aptly to this nineteenth century art called cinema. Dance embodies so many arts and I see cinema as a magnificent expansion of all the arts made possible by the wizardry of modern science. Like dance and theatre, cinema too is money –guzzling fickle Dame who may or may not grant you success. History records show legendary film makers been bitten by the silver screen bug because of their obsession. They have mortgaged their homes, pawned their wife’s jewellery and binged on alcohol or drugs in frustration. In fact if you are not passionate about cinema you can never make a credible film.
After spending over half my life exploring the creative aspects of dance and theatre, I, a closet star-struck movie buff, was drawn to study cinema. What is it in cinema that fascinates and unites millions of people around the world?
I had no idea how to go about satisfying my new thirst for knowledge about cinema. How does one read a film? Why do some films remain evergreen in my memory and some I cannot even remember the names of? I still can never forget the first film I ever saw- Fancy Pants (1950 starring Bob Hope and Lucille Ball). Born in the black and white era I remember having seen a great many films in Tamil, Hindi and English as a child. Tickets were a couple of rupees and we stayed a stone’s throw from Metro, Eros, New Empire and Regal. Sunday mornings the rates were half rate and we never missed a flick. Undoubtedly the melodious film music of the golden era helped burn some scenes into one’s memory.
My friends in the media were too busy to help me in my search but suggested good films I could see and books I could read. But can you really understand the layers of work that went into making a film by reading a book? Well the Universe heard my plaintive moan and gave me a teacher, Oorvazi Irani (Andheri, Mumbai). Irani is passionate about cinema, is academically and professionally trained and has a family background of film makers. In six all- day sessions (three weekends), we were bombarded with information starting with the first ever still photograph to the present day. The passionate- for- cinema class was taken through the journey film has made in France, Germany, Italy, America, Russia, Iran and India.
Beginning from 1839 when still photography was discovered and the first motion picture camera invented by Edison and Dickson we trailed through Lumiere Brothers, the pioneering film editors Edwin Porter to Griffith’s ‘Birth of a Nation’ (1908), every session a pure delight. What did terms German Expressionism mean? Who were French Impressionist film-makers? The first sound films, Italian Neo-realist movement, Orson Welles, and the French New Wave had meant nothing before but mean a great deal now. Every session was illustrated with relevant clippings and rare films. Fellini’s La Strada left me sleepless for nights, Akira Kurosawa’s Rashomon captured my days and Dreyer’s Passion of Jeanne D’Arc, an amazing silent movie, keeps flashing before my eyes even today.
Joining a film club satiates our thirst for good films. Here it was not just watching films. This was a unique experiment in education where one does not just learn but discovers. The weekends were a voyage of discovery of the hidden joys of cinema, the technique and the related fields which combine magically to gift us a 90 minute slice of life.
We were given simple assignments to awaken our forgotten senses of sound and sight. To appreciate the sensitive art of acting first hand we went through an entire session of dealing with feelings and emotion including an introduction to the Natya Sastra. We learned why Chekov and Stanislavsky had a different approach to acting. Directors like Godard, Dreyer, Truffaut, Guru Dutt, Ray and Ghatak are names that mean something more now. After the sessions were over we thirsted for more and those with genuine passion continue to meet, watch movies and discuss the style and specialty of the various directors. A unique community was thus created to spread the joy of cinema.
Appreciation of cinema and understanding the history of cinema is vital for all film professionals. Today’s mainstream films are lavish meaningless exercises with neither beauty nor message. In the last decade youngsters feasted on regressive television serials and artless films leading to thought famine. Like a small frog in this stagnant pond this is all they had access to. An informed cinema audience will demand quality cinema and will be quick to spot denim-clad cowboys disguised in salwars and dhotis.
Today’s actor, critic or film professional may wonder, ‘why should I learn history of cinema or bother about what happened in France or Germany’? Who cares? How can I commit to six days of my life learning about unheard of directors and actors? Is it going to get me roles or help me make a box-office hit? Yessir! The film appreciation course opens your eyes to the vast possibilities of cinema. The course is a tribute to the masters, pioneers and visionaries who have fashioned cinema into what it is today. Every era in cinematic history uncovers a layer of understanding with its own cultural, linguistic and socio-political influences. Watching the masters’ films refines our senses. They have achieved wonders without the help of digital wizardry but just the limited technology available to them. Today’s actor or director will assuredly draw inspiration from these gems of world masters.
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
Indu, tell us more of this session. I being in Delhi just cant get into all these film appreciation courses in B’bay. For me,I am reading a lot of film making eBooks ( thanks to torrents), watch a film a day, once of a while I write about them when it really hits me. La Strada did the same thing to me what it did to you. I so regret not taking up a course/career in Film making
Hi Neeraj: If you have a grup of like-minded people may be it could be conducted in Delhi too. You could email OOrvazi Irani and get more info about the course:sbi.impressario@gmail.com
Indeed, Indu! A few days or weeks is definitely worth it…great tidbits of learning introduced….thanks for writing it such…simple and meaningful…
I know of a month-long residency course conducted by FTII in Pune, but a short term course
is ideal as we get a grip on the basics we can follow.
I have read somwhere inpfc only about appreciating cinema. It states that “A film is not merely meant for amusement. A good film stays with you as a rich experience. It creates a certain impact: emotional, political or intelligent.”
I was hoping for more writeup on this topic of understanding cinema. When you had told anecdote in the begining, it clearly suggested what was coming in the post. Your emphasis on learning diverse field to get understanding of cinema is the main point I like in the article. You correctly emphasize that “Every era in cinematic history uncovers a layer of understanding with its own cultural, linguistic and socio-political influences. Watching the masters’ films refines our senses.”
Appreciation of cinema is a good thing but it is only for those who have money and spare time for it. It is not included either as academics or extra ciricular activity by leading universities. Hence this fungi like artless and meaningless movies growing in India and this appreciation course becomes lost and valiant cause. To break this circular loop of box office oriented mindless flicks, we have to spread in the young minds as soon as possible. I always believe that what good is cinema if it trails behind literature.
As you rightly say yayaver, this is the right method to stem the rot of young minds .
Appreciation of any forms of arts is a critical aspect of education. If there is will, lack of money or time cannot be a hindrance! But let’s not forget this is not an end in itself. We have to work and use our knowledge. Somebody asked me, “What do you want to be? An intellectual or a filmmaker?” It’s up to us to find a balance. Ignorance is bliss– Sometimes I feel, there is some truth in it.
“What do you want to be? An intellectual or a filmmaker?”
.
Well, how are they divorced from each other?
Tanul you are correct when you say an filmmaker is an intellectual. He is also an sensitive artist . Watching Ray or Guru Dutt and understanding the symbolism of certain scenes reveals their real genius.
You’re also correct. But he meant an intellectual who remains just an intellectual.
Salik, its not about will or curiosity for learning cinema. General exception is always there. I am talking about awareness campaign in illiterate population. Appreciation Course should be fed along with any other stuff useful/useless, we leran at the college. People will appreciate cinema if they accept it as medium of expressing thoughts rather than mindless entertainment only.
“what good is cinema if it trails behind literature.”
golden words my friend!!!
Hey Indu can i get details of that residency course, and btw the email might be the wrong one.
I am not sure if the FTII -Film Institute Pune still conducts the course. It happens only once a year in May.You may have to contact them directly.
please conduct smthing like this in delhi too.pls…
Amn you can write to oorvaziirani@gmail.com directly.
‘Today’s mainstream films are lavish meaningless exercises with neither beauty nor message.’
Apropos the above,I think the rot goes down deeper. The films that are made/produced are meant to make money/entertain. Why hold the filmakers solely responsible for their sense of loud/crass/regressive/imitative/unimaginative output?
If the audience deserves/wants better-it will and it should reject the films in toto. What we get served is what our artistic sensibilites want.
As long as the understanding of filmmaking as an artistic endeavour is not ingrained into the junta- we will have to cope with a Kambhaqt Ishq every month or so. And a Hazaar KHwahisyen aisi will be every 1000th film that Bollywood produces.
How can ‘it’ be ingrained?Maybe by teaching basic art/film appreciation in schools/colleges.By stressing on the idea that some amount of art needs to exists for art’s sake.As heiroglyphics that future generations can judge us by.
What is currently taught in the name of art in All indian schools is a joke. There is no history/dissection of Art/ music/ theatre/ literature that ever percolates down to students at an age when they need to start forming opinions about which way they might want to lean.
Schools abroad have compulsary art-appreciation courses as part of the curriculum. Someone here needs to start a movement to bring that into India.Before its too late.
nice post Indu… your thought is right that cinema is combination of many layers. You have to learn everything to create good cinema, one has to be master of all trades to create a master piece. Its like a SANGAM of different colours of life. In Delhi, there are no such kind of film appreciation courses. If it some time happens here, i will go for it. Once i attended lecture by Shyam Benegal in Delhi and it proved to be informative for me, so i can understand what such kind of film appreciation courses can give u…. Tell us more about your experiance…
akash, I see there is lot of interest from Delhi readers. You need a minimum of three full days and screening facilities .
Indu, a lot of Delhites, which includes me, find themselves deprived of film appreciation courses such as the one you’ve mentioned. We’ll send a mail to the Id you’ve given and find out more.
There’s no end to learning in some professions; film making is amongst them. There’s always a desire to present something better than what you’ve made in the past. This is perhaps the passion that drives people in this profession.
Liked your post!
Thanks Arun. Films allows one personal freedom and is not bogged down by rigidity. A creative person can truly flower in all glory.
There was a film app course smwhr in June in Delhi….a week i think…by nfai…
As I feel many people across cities in India are interested in viewing meaningful cinema and understand different aspects of film making. A very lively example is the success of UTV world movies channel. And needless to say that such film appreciation course is obviously a nice step to start/propagate good cinema in India. But the flip side is mostly the film centric activities (rather credible activities) are mumbai centric, which leaves people like me and many like minded ones in other cities starving for even a good film library in there city leave aside such kind of course. I think if PFC (being such a great platform for like minded people to discuss cinema) can request eminent film makers to take up such courses in other cities that would be great. I am sure there are lot of interested candidates for taking up such courses and would go a long way for creating a different breed of viewers and film makers who want to break the mould and try something different. For me I am based in bangalore and would love to attend any kind of workshop happening here.
saurav,
In bangalore you can join suchitra film society which has good screening faicility and a cinema educated crowd.If you are interested you can contact them at their website as suchitrafilms.org(or type the same in google).For more info You can reach me at bed.sharma@gmail.com
Sourav, I am totally with you! If there is anyone who can understand and also address this need, then it’s got to be PFC. Exclusive authors like Anurag, Santosh Sivan, Dibakar can conduct these sessions. In fact profs from film schools are also not bad options. I dont mind shelling out 5-7 K for a 3 day course if such personalities take these courses for us. It doesnt have to be fancy with 5 star conference rooms et al. Take up any college/school premises. A projector, sound equipment and other paraphernalia required like cameras and stuff. It will only propagate this revolution of quality cinema. We all can volunteer for the logistical and managerial help required in doing something like this.
Yes exactly…thats what I tried to convey…if anything of this sort happens…am game for it
Friends, there are no of activities happening in Delhi and in smaller parts of India. In Delhi the Indian Auteur group have cinephile meetings, cine experiences. And soon more activities will take place. So everyone’s invited.
It is funny how people are ‘understanding’ cinema in just 6 days. Rapidex?
Understanding cinema is a lifelong process of learning and refining. But a basic informative course is good. And Indian Auteur have cinephile meetings in Delhi on monthly basis. I think all of above (delhi based) can attend them..
Its free also
Can i get some details about the INDIAN AUTEUR group ?
http://www.indianauteur.com/
This is the website of the group and you can contact them…
Very nice post, Indu. Diversity is the key to learning. If you approach any art with blinkers on, you can;t be expected to go too far. Nice idea, Neeraj & Sourav. Go for it!
Thanks Aarti The blinkers make today’s filmmakers see only the greenbacks. Sorry state.
Neeraj & Sourav, i agree with you. It could be happen in cities like Delhi and Bangalore. I being in Delhi and many others can voluntery organize such kind of activities. It could be done in the same as technocrats organizes barcamps…
Is it possible to lay down what you learnt in the weekends here itself on PFC
good write up ,i am really cruious to know are you a fan of carlos saura ?
I have not seen many of his films to declare myself a fan, but Iberia fascinated me.
Great article. Thank you.
I am new to this website and loving it.
So what about the film club? I am a film student too and would like to join it for weekend screenings.
PS : did the guru send away all who came to him, asking them to learn other arts first? lol.
Rahul depends on where you are based. BTW Most dance colleges do insist on courses in allied arts like music, and art.
I live in Bombay. I meant I am already in a film school. Whistling Woods International.
Hi Indu,
Thank you for the write-up. It sure did perk my interest in the course. However, the email id of mr OOrvaz irani that you have given here gives me a failure delivery notification. Could I please have an alternate email id or preferably his contact details on my email id fatema.kagalwala@gmail.com
Regards
Fatema