Unni Mohan (friend designer visionary) call me up and wonder
what I am doing. I am relaxed on a balcony in Pondicherry skeptical about the
feature film I am making. He wonders if I am free to shoot a promo teaser for a
scale model of the ‘Varanasi naav’.
A scale model floating with the floating lamps of varanasi
will be a good visual I suggest him. This can be shot in Kochin. A few days of
talks and discussions and I go to meet Unni and his Boss Jeevan .
Samudra is a pioneer in boat making industry in the south.
Unni took me into the hull of a fishing boat as big as a bus or twice. I have
fever. I take a train from trivandrum and get down at Cherthala and go to
Samudra office in Kochi. Jeevan explains his requirement and I have my
storyboard ready which is approved. I made it in the train on my way to Kochi.
The last time they ever made a video was some 15 years back
or so with Rajiv Ravi as the filmmaker.
Now I need to be careful.
Boarding the Varanasi train from Mumbai I had a lot of
expectations. An assistant was supposed to join me in Varanasi. He didn’t.
The best part of the project was waiting for the morning and
evening light. I would wake up at 5.30amand wait for the light and made a light
intensity chart. This is usually prepared by me since I use daylight in most
videos. The chart is accompanied by
photographs and two days observation. Rains usually change this plan. I have a
back up led light and a big mirrors to reflect sun. The sun was faithful and didn’t trash my
footages.
Technically, The video was shot on Canon Full frame Dslr
with an old cineprime Nikon 50mm lens and also a wide angle 35mm Helios lens. Both lenses are older than
me. This would give a painting like look and also a clumsy careless retro look.
(the color fade out look with low contrast I wanted for the place).
Design Objective--The final visualized video should give
feel of Varanasi and should introduce the souvenir boat. It should also introduce samudra.
Packaging- he most important contribution to the whole
package was done by Ajmal Hasbulla the music director who took the visuals to a
whole new level.
Sound design was done by Sam Santosh.
Met Rishab Dwivedi in Varanasi ( friend painter artist human )
The advertisment paid some of my bills and there is bliss too.
Samudra Shipyard cochin famous in the ship building sector in south india is working with the Sankat Mochan Foundation at Varanasi.
As a tribute to the Hon`ble Prime Minister's Clean Ganga Drive, Samudra Shipyard have decided to contribute a portion of sales proceeds to the Swatch Ganga Abhiyaan.
As a tribute to the Hon`ble Prime Minister's Clean Ganga Drive, Samudra Shipyard have decided to contribute a portion of sales proceeds to the Swatch Ganga Abhiyaan.
direction camera edit
Krishand
Music Direction
Ajmal Hasbulla
Sound Design and Mixing
Sam Santosh
Vocals
Sarath Baby
Associate Editor
Girish Atuvalaipil
Production Controller
Rakhil Akkali
Colorist
Hari Prime
Associate Cinematographer
Shyamin Gireesh
Associate Editor
Rakesh Cherumadam
Associate Cinematographer
Shyamin Gireesh
Associate Editor
Rakesh Cherumadam
Creative Contribution
Jishnu Krishnan
copyright
jeevan Sreedharan
Girish Atuvalaipil
copyright suppor
Ajith Kesavan Haridas
Special Than
ks
Anami Lodge assi ghat
Niranjan Boatwala
Banras Travels
Akhil Vinayak
Dheerej M
G Radhakrishnan Nair
Rishabh Dwivedi
ShantanuYennemadi
Anmol Dharmadhikari
www.mapofindia.com
Koteswar Rao
and
UNNI MOhan
storyboard scribble page 1
storyboard scribble page 2
storyboard scribble page 3
storyboard scribble page 4 - final image
screenshot color CC for look and feel
