Screenwriting & filmmaking workshop at IIT-Madras

Posted: March 30, 2012 by moifightclub in cinema, News, Workshop
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WHAT: IMAGING CINEMA 2012: An International Screenwriting and Filmmaking Course

DATES:  1-10 JUNE  2012

VENUE: IIT Madras

Resource people :

▪    Atul Tiwari (Mission Kashmir, Dasavataram, Viswarupam, forthcoming with Kamal Haasan)

▪    K Hariharan (Director, LV Prasad Institute of Film & Television Chennai)

▪    Rohan Sippy (Dum Maro Dum, Bluffmaster,  Taxi NO 9211, Kuch naa  kaho, The President is Coming)

▪     Shridhar Raghavan ( Screenwriter: Khakee, Dum Maro Dum, Apaharan)

▪     Sriram Raghavan (Director: Agent Vinod, Johnny Gaddar, Ek Haseena Thi)

▪     Anurag Kashyap (Dev D, No Smoking, Gulaal, That Girl in Yellow Boots, Shaitan)

▪     Patricia Gruben (Director, Praxis Screenwriting Programme, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver)

 COURSE :

Hands on training with experts in screenwriting and discussion of mechanics of screenwriting and direction with major industry figures.

– The course will be divided in four parts-

1. THE MAGIC OF CINEMA – This capsule in the first 3 days will introduce the participants to the magical world of Cinema, by making them go through a FILM-APPRECIATION module. How to read a film is the basic theme of this section.

2. THE MECHANICS OF CINEMA – This section for next two days will introduce the participants with the mechanics that goes into making a film including Camera, Lighting, Sound, Sets, Editing, Special Effects etc- to demystify and tell how the magic is created.

3. THE METHOD OF CINEMA– This section will introduce the participants to the most basic & important aspect of any film – the Blueprint, the Map, the Method behind the madness – THE SCRIPT. This will go on for next 4 to 5 days and the emphasis will be to make the students WRITE scripts and to dissect and discuss their work in class. It will be a group exercise where a group of 4-5 students will work together on mini-scripts to understand the process of film-script construction. At the end of this the groups will be ready with one short 3-5 minute executable script.

4. THE MAKING OF CINEMA – For Next 2 days – this will be very interesting hands on exercise with the students,  where they will have to shoot, act, record sound, edit, do post-production and be ready with their films within 48 hours. Candidates can bring their video cameras or use cell phone cameras.

5. THE MAJESTY OF CINEMA – The last day will be a ‘red carpet’ event where the films made by the student groups will be seen by all. A jury will then rate them and announce the AWARDS to the films – with
analysis – so that this too is a time to learn. The certificates will be given to all at the end of the event.

– An IIT-M CERTIFICATE OF PARTICIPATION WILL BE GIVEN AT THE END OF THE COURSE

Fee structure:

▪  Rs 10,000/ for professionals

▪  Rs 9000/ for attendees of 2009 & 2010 events

▪  Rs 8000/ students with valid ID and documents

$250 for NRI’s and International Students/professionals.

– Last date of application : April 30

– Application Forms can be dowloaded from Application form IIT Madras Screenwriting Filmmaking Course

– Limited rooms available in IITM guest house (AC), based on the date of applying.

– Few rooms available in hostels (Non ac).

– The course fee does not include accommodation payment.

– Application form duly filled in can be mailed to : draysha@iitm.ac.in

– For daily updates, visit www.imagingcinema.wordpress.com

Despite The Gods : Jennifer Lynch’s Hisss story

Posted: March 30, 2012 by moifightclub in Documentary, first look, Story / Plot / Synopsis, Trailer, video
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It was supposed to be Mallika Shehrawat’s international debut. The director had a world famous surname – Lynch. But by the time the film got released, the director, Jennifer Lynch claimed that she didn’t make Hisss. She was nowhere in sight too. During the release, it was Mallika and her good friend Govind Menon (director of Khawish, Kis Kiski Kismat, Bachke Rehna Re Baba) who handled everything. So what really happened? Did she quit or was she forced to? And if so, why and how?

A new documentary, Despite The Gods, seems to have all the answers. Penny Vozniak’s making-of documentary will premiere at HotDocs in Toronto.

Here’s the description from the official release..

Upscale Font Jennifer Lynch, daughter of cult film auteur David Lynch, made her auspicious directorial debut in 1993 with Boxing Helena at the Sundance Film Festival. A box office disaster, the film was viciously mauled by critics and became the focus of multiple lawsuits. Fifteen years later, a recovering addict and hard-working single mother, Lynch returns to the director’s chair with an ambitious project that will test her skills and the entire crew’s sanity.

Despite the Gods brings us behind the scenes on the set of Lynch’s Bollywood/Hollywood action film about a man-eating snake goddess. Out of her depth shooting on location with an Indian crew and two top Bollywood stars, Lynch turns her production into a vehicle for her own self-actualization, paying no regard to timeline, budget or reality. As the story in front of the camera derails, the story behind the camera explodes.

And the trailer. Do watch.

Via Slashfilm

Agent Vinod : “we-got-a-great-title-now-what-to-do” Project

Posted: March 24, 2012 by moifightclub in bollywood, cinema, film review, movie reviews, reviews
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Agent Vinod was one of the most anticipated films of the year. Those who know the filmmaker and love Ek Haseea Thi and Johnny Gaddar, they know what #JaiSriram means. So did he score a hattrick? The Matunga Fanboy is disappointed for sure.

“Hey! Johnny, matlab hi hai aasli yaar…”

Greed, vengeance, love, doom, betrayal, survival.

With little budget and a story to tell, it was all packed in awesomely in his earlier attempts. With more resources to film, more chases and explosions, and a lead actor/producer with adequate passion to “make-it-large”, there was little to tell and a lot to show in quick cuts.

Agent Vinod dangerously fell into the “we-got-a-Great-Title-now-what-to-do” films/PROJECTS. With everything sounding great at the onset – Title, Concept, Cast, Budget, it seems a kick-ass script was the only thing that was left. Probably keeping that as the last thing to do without any other worry puts too much pressure on the one most important thing to begin a film with…and that being kept last, with everything being taken care off, “shayad joote pasand nahi aaye” – One might not be able to pin point what exactly is going right as the support and resource is right there. Tough task and especially for a super self-critical person, that must have been one exhaustive task. It shows. It’s complicated and ironic how one manages with little resource and more imagination and…

A mild mannered middle-class Matunga boy with loads of pulp movies and literature consumed, and some-corner-room-twisted perspectives could add his mild humble magic to anything he touches with his “not so sure” demeanor beneath a killer observer. RABTA being just one Single Shot example of that. The simplicity of those couple of minutes completely overshadows the rest of the Millions spent on the quick cut Peter Hein action.

60% of the times I was either looking at a Peter Hein shot or a second unit exotic pick up shoot. I sorely missed my Desi Jim Gordon’s smooth humble touch to it. There were glimpses of it. But far and few, or maybe when it’s someone who grants some access inside his “Hard-Case” Adventureland gates only once in 5 years, it better be all him – A 100% Sriram Raghavan affair.

Plus, when you have a great title, why not exploit it? Casino Royal played it quite well with “Bond James Bond” coming just about when the End Credits began to roll but then that was the 21st Bond film. Why not use Agent Vinod to full effect throughout the film? It’s anyways a kickass name, why guise it, guard it and hold it and not let it breath? As Vinod says, he wants to go back for those 8 minutes on the cable, I too just wanted that feel of those 8 minutes and not the entire film to be about those 8 minutes. What makes Bond and Bourne is that they push me precariously close to those 8 minutes but then get me out and show me more of what happened before and after. Where we cherish those 8 minutes and treasure them, we wanted Sriram to give me those 8 minutes (Rabta give me a couple for sure) not Peter Hein.

Waiting for the next.

– MatungaFanboy

VOTD : Kamal Swaroop on “Cinema & Me”

Posted: March 23, 2012 by moifightclub in cinema, Indie, Interview, video, VOTD
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If you haven’t seen Kamal Swaroop’s cult classic Om dar badar, you still haven’t seen the best of Indian cinema. And if you are friends with him on FB, his wall is like a pandora’s box for visual art.

Tehelka Tv has been doing an interesting series called “Cinema & Me” where they talk to filmmakers of life, cinema and philosophy. The new video features Kamal Swaroop. Must Watch.

Ashvin Kumar’s ‘The Forest’ gets a release date & a new poster

Posted: March 23, 2012 by moifightclub in cinema, first look, News, pics, Poster
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Finally! It’s been a long wait for Ashvin Kumar’s film, The Forest. It stars Jaaved Jaffery, Nandana Sen and Ankur Vikal and is all set to release on 4th May under PVR Directors’ Rare. The makers have just released a new poster for the film which is quite striking.

VOTD : Kahaani discussion with Sujoy Ghosh + Origin of Bob Biswas

Posted: March 21, 2012 by moifightclub in bollywood, cinema, Interview, Q & A, Scripts, songs & videos, video, VOTD
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Continuing with our initiative to get directors to open up about their films after the film has released, this time we decided to stalk Kahaani’s director Sujoy Ghosh. And he was happy to accommodate us. In twitter language, our intention was to #AttackSujoyG, but everything changed when we reached his office.

Sujoy had fever, looked almost dead and there were tablets and syrup on his table. How can you attack a man in such a state? Plus, Hangla’s biryani and rolls make us go soft. But we decided that let’s record the conversation. And then just after first few minutes of recording, a filmy twist happened – Sujoy’s non-stop hiccups. We paused and re-started again after some 20-25mins. And by that time Sujoy was getting late for another meeting, so we quickly squeezed in whatever we could.

In the video, we discuss reviews, origin of the film, audience ko kya chahiye, dhokabaaz flashback, promo vs film, Bengali characters talking in Hindi, six writers – how does it work, spontaneous school of acting, Aditya Chopra and making it commercial (YRF was suppose to produce it), another cheating – text on screen & Darshan Zariwala’s designation, life versus cinema, cinematography & shooting style, working with a new team, binito Bob, IB so blind, why the informer, Ray’s cinema – running hot water and other homage, life after big flops, copying from films including Chura Liya Hai Tumne, what’s next – Aranyer Din Ratri and Jhankaar Beats, life at 46 and his love for “Sir” Amitabh Bachchan.

Have fun. But DON’T WATCH it if you still haven’t seen it – has SPOILERS.

If you didn’t like the discussion, the culprits are – @Navjotalive, @Damoviemaniac, @SumitPurohit, @MihirMakesMovies and @CilemaSnob.

Video and edit – Sumit Purohit.

Thanks to Sujoy for his time. And now that Bob Biswas has become such a famous character inspiring some great art work (here & here, and funny observation) here’s something more – the origin of Bob Biswas.

POTD : Depp’s body + Deol’s head = Bhaiyyaji Superhitt?

Posted: March 20, 2012 by moifightclub in Bolly Jokes, bollywood, film, first look, POTD
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Sunny Deol will soon be seen in a new film titled Bhaiyyaji Superhitt and will be essaying a double role for the first time in his career.

Bombay Times “Exclusively Unveiled” the first look of the film on Monday. Have a look at this picture.

All good, right? Well, now take a look at this picture of Johnny Depp. It’s from GQ cover.

If you are smart, then photoshop can do wonders. But you don’t commit blunders like this. Nobody expects any great journalism from Bombay Times but the least you can do is to verify the pics and the info. You just don’t put Deol’s head on Depp’s body. As the popular contest goes, now spot the 10 differences in the next picture.

Have fun.

Pics and info courtesy – The Daily Honey

Call For Entries – NFDC Screenwriters’ Lab, 2012

Posted: March 19, 2012 by moifightclub in cinema, Film Festival, News, Scripts, writing
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WHAT:  Screenwriter’s Lab 2012, a 2-part workshop is designed to prepare screenwriters with original Indian stories for working with the international filmmaking market place. It aims at improving a completed screenplay in its final stages and to increase the international marketability of the same.

The Lab is organised in partnership with Binger Filmlab, Netherlands, and the Venice International Film Festival, Italy.

LAB : The 1st Session will be held during the Venice International Film Festival in Venice (31st August- 4th September, 2012) where participants will get first-hand experience of the workings of the international film community and get to train with their screenplay mentors.

The 2nd session at Film Bazaar, Goa from 24–27 November, 2011 is where participants will apply their training and pitch their revised screenplays to participants at the film market. (dates are subjected to change)

MENTORS : The workshop will be conducted by Marten Rabarts, Artistic Director, Binger Filmlab, aided by experienced international guest mentors. It is organized in association with Binger Filmlab, Netherlands and Venice International Film Festival.

DATES : Last date for submitting complete application forms : 31st May 2012.  Results : August 2012

FEES : Application will not be considered complete without the Submission fee of Rs. Three Thousand Only [Rs. 3000/-]. The fee can be paid through cheque/demand draft/electronic transfer. For more details, click here.

CONTACT: For any doubts, you can check out the FAQ and other details here or can write to  screenwriters-lab@filmbazaarindia.com

Rules & Regulations : Do carefully read the Rules and Regulations page as there has been some changes this year.

Happy writing!

And here are the Ghanta winners

Posted: March 19, 2012 by moifightclub in Awards, bollywood, News, pics
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The Ghantas (TheGhantas.com) celebrates and rewards the worst of Bollywood every year. The 2nd Annual Ghanta Awards rewarded the worst Bollywood films of 2011. And the only nominee who dared to be present was Sonam Kapoor. All RESPECT.

The nominees were decided by a panel of experts and voting for the winners was done through a public, online vote that was held between Feb –  March 16th, 2012. The awards were presented by @AmusedDouche, @awryaditi, @gkhamba, @varungrover and @iarevaboon.

Winners in BOLD.

Worst Film

1.    Ra.One

2.    Bodyguard

3.    Ready

4.    Mausam

5.    Don 2

Worst Holier-Than-Thou Movie

1.    Dhobi Ghat

2.    No One Killed Jessica

3.    That Girl in Yellow Boots

4.    Memories in March

5.    Shaitan

Worst Actor

1.    Salman Khan – Bodyguard, Ready

2.    Shah Rukh Khan – Ra.One, Don 2

3.    Ajay Devgn – Rascals, Singham, Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji

4.    Sanjay Dutt – Ra.One, Rascals, Chatur Singh 2 Star, Double Dhamaal, Desi Boyz

5.    Vinay Pathak – Utt Patang, Tere Mere Phere, Chalo Dilli, Bheja Fry 2

Worst Actress

1.    Kangna Ranaut – Game, Miley Na Miley Hum, Double Dhamaal, Tanu Weds Manu, Ready, Rascals

2.    Nargis Fakhri – Rockstar

3.    Jacqueline Fernandez – Murder 2

4.    Gul Panag – Turning 30

5.    Bipasha Basu – Dum Maaro Dum

Worst Supporting Actor

1.    Tusshar Kapoor – The Dirty Picture, Hum Tum Shabana, Shor in the City

2.    Prateik Babbar – Dhobi Ghat, Aarakshan, Dum Maaro Dum, My Friend Pinto

3.    Anupam Kher – Every other film

4.    Om Puri – Don 2, Khap, Teen Thay Bhai, Bin Bulaye Baarati

5.    Shreyas Talpade – Hum Tum Shabana, Teen Thay Bhai

Worst Supporting Actress

1.    Hazel Keech in Bodyguard

2.    Giselli Monteiro in Always Kabhi Kabhie

3.    Mallika Sherawat in Double Dhamaal

4.    Charmy Kaur in Bbuddah Hoga Tera Baap

5.    Raveena Tandon in Bbuddah Hoga Tera Baap

Worst Breakthrough

1.    Chirag Paswan

2.    Rana Daggubati

3.    Zoa Morani

4.    Sarah Jane-Dias

5.    Nargis Fakhri

Worst Director

1.    Anubhav Sinha – Ra.One

2.    Anees Bazmee – Thank You, Ready

3.    Pankaj Kapur – Mausam

4.    David Dhawan – Rascals

5.    Rohit Dhawan – Desi Boyz

Worst Rip-Off

1.    Don 2 – every Hollywood action film

2.    Murder 2 – The Chaser

3.    Desi Boyz – Full Monty + all Adam Sandler films

4.    FALTU – Accepted

5.    Ragini MMS – Paranormal Activity

Worst Couple

1.    Kangna Ranaut and Ajay Devgn in Rascals

2.    Kangna Ranaut and Sanjay Dutt in Rascals

3.    Kangna Ranaut and Chirag Paswan in Miley Naa Miley Hum

4.    Ranbir Kapoor and Nargis Fakhri in Rockstar

5.    Shahid Kapur and Sonam Kapoor in Mausam

Worst Song

1.    Dhinka Chika

2.    Jalebi Bai

3.    Bodyguard title track

4.    Dum Maaro Dum

5.    Chammak Challo

WTF Was That

1.    Akshay Kumar going to Oxford University in Desi Boyz

2.    Ghost Rape in Haunted 3D

3.    The unexplained science behind the science fiction part of Ra.One

4.    Colourful holi song in the middle of a movie about Hitler & the holocaust in ‘Gandhi to Hitler’

5.    How Sonam Kapoor & Shahid Kapoor don’t manage to exchange a measly phone number over 10 years in Mausam

Thats Anything But Sexy

1.    3 girls conned by Ranveer Singh’s looks and acting abilities

2.    Ram Gopal Verma’s camera angles in Not A Love Story

3.    Anything involving Kangana Ranaut in Rascals

4.    Akshay Kumar as London’s most in-demand male escort in Desi Boyz

5.    Any time Shahrukh Khan says “Junglee Billi” in Don 2

Kahaani – Nine questions for Sujoy Ghosh

Posted: March 15, 2012 by moifightclub in Aao guess karein, bollywood, film, Spoiler
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If you have been a regular follower of this blog, you surely know about Subrat. If not, you can read some of his old posts here, here, here and here. So as we all discussed Kahaani, we realised there’s more to it. And who better than our favourite Prof. Saab to do the dissection. Was it just “if you can’t convince them, confuse them”? Or was there more?

Read on, scratch your head and do put your comments. And read only if you have seen the film. Otherwise it wouldn’t make sense. SPOILER ALERT – DON’T GO AHEAD if you haven’t seen it yet. Go and watch the film and do come back. It will be fun!

It is a rare film that receives both critical acclaim and box office success. Kahaani seems to have managed that. The central cast and the editing have earned well deserved praise. Kolkata has been lovingly shot and, as many reviews have noted, is almost a character in the film. A lot of people have called it a taut thriller. This is where our paths diverge. For me, Kahaani is as much a taut thriller as Golmaal – 2 is a cerebral comedy. I admit it was nicely paced but a taut thriller has to satisfy a more fundamental criteria – the plot should make sense. It didn’t make the cut for me. I have watched it only once and I am ready to admit I might be wrong on this. I guess the best course of action is to put my reservations on the plot here and seek your responses. I have left out a couple of issues that have been discussed on other blogs which bothered me as well; namely, Vidya’s recollections of her husband had Milan Damji and the fact that Vidya was introduced as Vidya Venkatesan Bagchi at the start of the film. I can live with these as I did with such chicanery in that other ‘taut thriller’ A Wednesday.

 1. Please help me explain the motive of Bhaskaran (Dhritimaan), the IB Chief. He was complicit with Milan Damji or may have even been the kingpin. Why did he then send Khan (Nawaz) immediately to Kolkata the moment he heard someone enquiring about Milan Damji? Nawaz is portrayed as a competent officer and wasn’t complicit. So, why was he digging his own grave by sending him over there? Instead, he should have been trying to provide as little help to anyone trying to enquire about Milan Damji.

2. Why did Bhaskaran approach Darshan Zariwala (the retired IB officer who had trained Milan) and ask him to come back to IB to nab Milan? Not satisfied with #1, he wants another of his good officers back to get hold of Milan Damji. Don’t tell me he was keeping up the appearances so that no one suspects him. This man seems to be suicidal.

3. What kind of investigation had Nawaz done the first time around? He hadn’t even spoken to Agnes (the HR lady of National Data Centre). Had he done so, he would have found the dusty file of Milan in that old, abandoned office and his address long ago. Didn’t Darshan Zariwala know anything about Milan while training him to help Nawaz in his investigations? I mean before Milan turned against the system, the IB should have had a good idea of where in Kolkata was he staying etc.  Also, why was Milan Damji working in National Data Centre under his real name?

4. After hacking Shridhar’s computer and copying all the files, the only file that seemed odd was the file that Bhaskaran’s number stored (ha ha) cryptically. This file had Bhaskaran’s number in an alphabet code. Shridhar could have stored Bhaskaran’s number in his own phone and named it ‘chimpu’ for all I care. And, what’s wrong with Shridhar having Bhaskaran’s number. After all, the IB seemed to have been sending their officers to NDC quite frequently and it’s normal for Shridhar to have known Bhaskaran. So, how did Nawaz conclude only the basis of that stupid cryptic code that his boss is the brains behind it all? And, that moment when Nawaz dials that number and find ‘Bhaskaran Old’ flashing on the mobile screen was classic. It was that ‘Sirjee’ moment of Kaho Na Pyaar Hai (another ‘taut thriller’?)

5. Didn’t Nawaz keep his boss in the loop during his stay in Kolkata? Then, Bhaskaran would have known that Nawaz is now using a pregnant woman to get to Milan Damji and eventually to him.

6. Why was that HR lady who replaced Agnes so happy to help Vidya and Rana in sneaking into Shridhar’s cabin? She knew the previous incumbent (Agnes) was shot dead after trying to help Vidya. Another suicidal character? And, what kind of a IB haunt is the NDC where there is a lone guard at the entrance while there’s a rear exit unguarded?

7. Why did Vidya kill Shridhar? It was made to appear she did it deliberately so that he wouldn’t be interrogated by the IB directly. But, Vidya and Rana were originally planning to hack into the computer, steal the data and scoot. In which case Shridhar would have lived and Rana (who was working for Nawaz) who would have asked Nawaz to pick him up for interrogation. It was Shridhar who had made sure he would get a message in case someone hacked into his system. This led him back to his office and then to chase Vidya and Rana. It was a convenient thing to show that Vidya planned on killing him when she had no control on Shridhar chasing them after they had hacked into the system.

8. How was Bhaskaran convinced that Vidya had gotten some files from Shridhar’s computer that would lead her to Milan and eventually to him? Why would then Milan come for collecting those files?

9. Why did Bob Biswas kill Agnes? She knew nothing and all she would have gotten is an old file of Milan Damji that would have shown to Vidya that Milan looked like Arnab Bagchi (which she knew) or Milan’s address in Kolkata. In any case, if Bhaskaran was the one ordering the hit (through Shridhar) they should have known there’s hardly anything more Agnes would know about Milan (after all, Shridhar worked in NDC) so what was the point in shooting her. Also, didn’t Shridhar know that there were old employee records that might have Milan’s document in them? It seemed silly not to get hold of it when they were covering Milan’s tracks

I can go on with a few more. May be you have the answers. May be we should all make leaps of imagination to bring credibility to the plot. May be I should watch Kahaani again. May be, one day, we will make a genuine taut thriller.

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