Tailors & Embroiderers
The Poet's Of India's Clothes
Date
Jan 11, 2019
Duration
3 Weeks
Target Audience
The target audience for this project is anyone interested in film-making or visual storytelling or the daily life of a local tailor in Yellahanka.
Team
Facilitator: Prakash Babu
Team Members & Main Roles:
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Nidhi Surekha (Capturing Shots)
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Shraddha Sekhar (Capturing Sounds)
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Tanvi Deodhar (Acting)
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Tasneem Kachwala (Directing)
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Vipra Bhargava (Capturing Shots)
This is a individual/group project and can be completed by designers with expertise in Videography or Film Making.
Project Brief
Are you ready for some lights, camera, action?! In this project, we explored the world of film-making and boy, did it take us on a wild ride! Starting from scratch, we had to come up with our own stories and bring them to life with sound and visuals. It was a learning curve, but we quickly discovered that inspiration can be found all around us - even in the most unlikely places. The film-making process bridged the gap between us and the local community as we captured the 'men at work', or should I say 'women at work'.
Budget
We did not have to bear any expenses for the camera equipment as our facilitator provided it whenever we needed it. However, in order to convince the tailoring lady to participate in our film and accommodate us in her schedule, as well as to use the white cloth that appears in the film, we paid ~Rs. 500.
Deliverables
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Written visual stories and scriptwriting for the film
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Final edited versions of the film created using captured sounds and visuals in an appropriate format for viewing
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Project documentation including notes, sketches, and research materials
Design Considerations
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Use of sound and visuals to tell a story effectively
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Storyboarding and planning before filming to ensure a clear vision
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Use of appropriate tools and software for editing
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Attention to shot composition and editing to create a cohesive visual experience
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Consideration for the artistic vision being conveyed through the films
The Process & Outcome
At first, I thought this class was going to be a snooze fest, but boy was I wrong! Our mission was to create some stunning artwork through film-making using sounds and visuals. The first class was a real eye-opener - we were asked to find inspiration from the world around us. I never knew the sound of a car horn could be so inspiring!
The next day, we were given a range of photos to choose from and tasked with writing a visual story on them. Let me tell you, my story was fantastic, but my visuals were seriously lacking. Lesson learned: always write a script before you start filming - otherwise, your film might end up looking like a cheap horror flick!
Throughout the course, we watched a ton of films and I was blown away by the creativity on display. Blue City was a standout for me - the editing was so precise it was like watching a surgeon at work! Mahdoodeye Dayereh played with the concept of time, and Tierra y Pan told a whole story with just seven zoom-out shots. Each film was unique and had its own sparkle.
As we continued through the course, I felt like I was becoming a real-life Indiana Jones of the film-making world. Suddenly, I was introduced to storyboarding, which I thought was just a fancy way of organizing my thoughts, but it turned out to be a lot more than that. I was blown away by the amount of planning and creativity that goes into it.
For the 'men at work', my friends Subhadra, Valli and I walked around out campus to dosa stalls, small grocery shops and finally a ladies tailoring shop. We felt like the life around was so colourful with the clothes and the tailor's skill, so we decided to base our films there. And let me tell you, breaking the ice with the locals was no easy feat. Thankfully, my friends who had a grasp over the language helped me communicate with the tailor and her team. After taking pictures of the surroundings, I created a Visual Storyboard. The next day, I filmed scenes on my phone. I made many rookie mistakes like taking vertical shots, forgetting to record audio, files getting misplaced, using a fade out effect between all scenes, etc. I had a lot to learn.
Our final week assignment, our group created a beautiful film that compared the art of tailoring to the art of writing. The metaphors gave it a poetic feel, and it took us a while to get there. Initially, Tasneem and I visited a lot of people including ice-cream sellers, locksmiths, newspaper buyers and tailors. We kept jumping from one idea to another, like a kangaroo on a trampoline, but once our group fixed on the tailor concept, everything fell into place. We even organized our files like Marie Kondo on a cleaning spree, but despite our efforts, we still had to finish all editing in a single day. Clearly, we weren't pros at using Final Cut Pro (although I found it much easier than Adobe Premiere Pro), so we made tons of mistakes. We learned that the film-making process should value others' time more than our personal effort or creativity.
Learnings & Shortcomings
As I reflect on my experience in this film-making project, I realize how much I've learned and grown in just a short amount of time. I entered the course with no prior knowledge or experience in film-making, but I was eager to learn and explore this new creative medium.
One of the most significant things I learned was the importance of planning and organization. From storyboarding to file management, I saw how a well-planned approach could save a lot of time and effort in the long run. I also learned about the various techniques and tools used in film-making, like sound design and editing software, that can make a significant difference in the final product. My facilitator also brought to my attention that using background music can hinder the ability to capture the true environment by suppressing natural sounds.
I struggled with communicating with locals during our group projects, which made it challenging to capture the shots and sounds that I wanted. Additionally, I made several rookie mistakes when filming, such as forgetting to record audio or using the wrong aspect ratio. Despite these shortcomings, I am grateful for the experience and the opportunity to learn. I have come to appreciate the art and craft of film-making and how it can communicate stories and emotions in a powerful way. I look forward to continuing to hone my editing skills and improve my film-making in the future.
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