DELAYED RESPONSES

VIDEO FOR NCETIS


A lot of things were going right for me with my life as an independent filmmaker when suddenly 'project NCETIS' video happened. Nothing will ever be the same. Sadly my faith in the IIT system which had quivered when I was a student is further shaken with the NCETIS's approach to my project.

When Seema Periwal called me first time to go ahead with the projec, a lot of my fellow filmmakers who had been contacted by NCETIS earlier told "the whole deal regarding the video seems fishy and the lady is playing around". However my instincts told me to go ahead with the project. The same evening she canceled the project since  being a freelancer my payments can't be processed. The next day she said she had figured a way to go around the project and get my payments on time. (In the meantime she had in-fact asked one of my friend/fellow filmmaker to make the film which upon her inconsistent vision made him step out ).

I decided to take it up.

DESIGN
The video is designed according to documents and requirements sent by Seema Periwal ( Senior Project Manager )and Abhay Karandirkar (Head of NCETIS, . He is currently spearheading IIT Bombay's efforts in setting Research and Innovations Park at IIT Bombay. He is also the Coordinator of Tata Teleservices IIT Bombay Center for Excellence in Telecom.).

Seema was indeed very sweet to help me with my queries and had a vision regarding the project. I had constant discussions with Seema to see if we were making the same film with its right aspirations. Here 'right' means 'right for NCETIS' and not politically right.

I collaborated with Dhaksha animation regarding the animations of the project. This was very fruitful and my editor Rakesh was on the edit.

The visuals in the video are designed around interviews. Most people in the bureaucracy spoke about the need and vision of NCETIS which is repeated throughout the video. The video has more dialogues than vision (this is against my approach but here things cant be helped).

Everyone who speaks about vision and idea of NCETIS speaks to the camera and everyone who is a team member in the project speaks to the interviewer. This is to create a candidness to the members and direct eye contact for the owners of the project.

The prompt work of Manu from Dhaksha animation needs to be acknowledged. Rakesh  created the entire structure of the video and I like the way he has chosen content. The order of interviews is also his choice. Vishnu Haridas was my chief associate in the project and had done a wonderful job with blocking and lighting.

Anil Kumar , Professor Department of Chemistry

Abhay Karandikar

Head, NCETIS and Professor, Department of Electrical Engineering, IIT Bombay

Hemendra Arya

Professor, Department of Aerospace Engineering, IIT Bombay

Subhananda Chakrabarti, Professor,

Department of Electrical Engineering, IIT Bombay

Hemanth Manchella and his team working on the ROV

                                                                Anirban Guha and his teammates

Shalabh Gupta

Associate Professor, Department of Electrical Engineering

CRPF members - NAVI MUMBAI

Joseph John

Professor, Department of Electrical Engineering, IIT Bombay

Madhav Desai,

Professor, Department of Electrical Engineering, IIT Bombay

Meeran Borwankar, IPS

Director General, BPR&D

I was caught by the Mumbai police while I was filming the 'Gateway of India'. They were taking bribes and feared if that appeared in the video. Moreover I was filming on DJI OSMO which scared them. They were rude , unapproachable, arrogant and confiscated the DJI OSMO and my ID-cards. I had to call the chief of CRPF whom I had interviewed earlier that morning. Rahul Bhasarkar spoke to police over phone and they let me go.

Rahul Bhasharkar

Assistant Commandant, CRPF, Navi Mumbai

The music given was progressive to create a feeling of 'unfolding'
. Ajmal Hasbulla did music to the film. The sound design was done by  Sam Santosh who  worked on the film throughout the 6 months of its inception. (WAIT !!! 6 months ..how did this project go six months)


The timeline is given below. The project has been closed from my side. I have got the bulk payment, thanks to Abhay Karandirkar and Sudesh Balan who understood clearly that the project is going in the right direction and released payment.

Several times during the project after everything is completed and  my team got on with their personal work, Seema would pop in with changes. Most of these changes were incorporated and the video took its final shape. Seema would also tell me how she had intimated the concerned departments regarding my payments and video. However I understood that she was pre-occupied. I had to take care of this part myself and it is clearly sorted. Indeed she has done a lot for releasing my money nevertheless it was not a priority for her. Maybe if my point of communication was someone else this would have been different. Maybe it would have been worse but I always hope for better.

Date	Action	Output
21st August 2016	Project confirmed from both sides, The project was promised to be wound up by 8th September from both sides subjected to payment of entire advance amount before shoot starts.	Initial Proposal without TDS sent
23rd August 2016	Shoot started in iit - All people mentioned by Seema Periwal and handled personally by her team members were shot in the next 3-5 days.
27th August 2016	First token amount paid from NCETIS
26th August 2016	Editing first line up started	Rakesh did the initial line up which was available to the directors perusal
27th August 2016	Animation started with Dhaksha Animation	First token amount paid to Dhaksha.
29th August 2016	Specification sent for IG-SPG’s shoot
30th August 2016	Voice over script confirmed from NCETIS side
31st August 2016	Shoot in Delhi and all interviews completed
1st  September 2016	Voice over  - with Neelima
5th September 2016	Revised amount proposal with TDS sent to NCETIS
6th September 2016	Entire Advance paid by NCETIS with TDS cut	Advance amount paid to all artists and technicians
7th September 2016	Advance paid to animation studio from Krishand’s side
10th September 2016	First final edit sent to NCETIS
14th September 2016	First set of corrections from NCETIS side (TBRL needed to be changed to State police forces, Designation change, animation change)
17th September	Re-edited version with changes submitted to NCETIS	Submitted on-time before the scheduled meeting of NCETIS on September - 19th
23rd September 2016	Rework on ven diagram motion graphics with Dhaksha
26th September 2016	Re-worked on the audio since animation duration changed	Audio synced and mixed
October 5th 2016	Received IG -SPG file from Smita (NCETIS)	The file video quality and sound quality was low and hence discarded
October 6th 2016	Reworking with animation of the organisations
October 11-12-13 2016	Sams date blocked for shooting Prof Karandikar’s interview	Shoot couldn’t happen because the professor was unavailable
October 14th 2016	Final edit sent for sound and music (Long version and short version)
October 17th 2016	File sent to NCETIS - FINAL
October 21st 2016	A new Request to include the director of IIT-bombay in the video.	Proposed to shoot in december since technicians were unavailable.
October 24th 2016	Request to NCETIS to wind up the project and insert the add-on’s as a separate work in December	No response from NCETIS/Seema
Oct 25th 2016	Sudesh sir offers to use his team to complete the project
Oct 26th 2016	Sudesh sir , Jishnu and Sam shoots IIT director and sent file online- file transferred to edit. Informed Seema about the updates	No response regarding payment from Seema Periwal. Animation company sent a complaint mail regarding policy of use of footage.
Nov 2nd 2016	First update from Karandirkar sir regarding payment  that payment will be made
Nov 8th 2016	Sudesh Sir finished shoot and sent an updated file via we-transfer
Nov 9th 2016	Update from Seema Periwal that the bill has been prepared by IRCC
Nov 15th	Finished file and sent for Sound - Still waiting for Payment - Enquired with Pradeep in IRCC who said the process will take another day
Nov 22nd	Payment reflected in account from IIT bombay. transferred money to all
December 4th	Sam Santosh re-edited the sound and sent files to Rakesh
December 5th	Completed the project nd shared files with Seema and prof.  Abhay Karandirkar
December 8th	Seema Periwal sents a minor change request	Two of these changes could have been incorporated in the earlier version. This would have saved a lot of effort. Since animation studio is under re-vamp
December 12th	Spoke to editor and animation studio regarding changes
December 13th	Confirmation mail sent to Seema to lock changes and asked for further changes. Confirmed with the studio that changes can be made.

December 17th	Confirmation mail with Screenshot sent to Seema.	No response
December 27th	Seema confirmed on the changes also gave a set new changes. Asked Seema to check if the changes are final
December 28th	ANother set of additional changes which include expanding the organisational names demanded by Seema .
Jan 11th	Additional changes conveyeyd to  Rakesh
Jan 12th	Final version and additional fee sent to Seema	No update from Seema or Ncetis regarding final file - remaining payment
Feb 12th	Reminder mail sent to Seema	Seema Periwal informed that professor had not seen it and will get back in a day.

Some images and visuals from the project. (I have crossed checked with NCETIS and have not put anything which hey have not published in their website.)

Remotely operated vehicle to search and destroy bombs

circuit of ROV

A small reconnaissance drone from prof. Hemant Aryas lab

A device to detect explosives from far away

The thermo imaging project under NCETIS

Vishnu Haridas -Associate Director for the shoot 

Seema Periwal has not communicated in the last 30 days. The bulk amount has been paid and I have paid all the stake holders. There is a small amount pending. My TDS documents are pending too.  I am worried  NCETIS which does research for paramilitary forces, has such a pedestrian attitude when it comes to their own videos.

Lot of learning.

Meeting Meeran Borwnkar and IAS officer Ajay Kumar was very refreshing. 

.

Director and DOP
Krishand

Associate DOP
Vishnu Haridas

Editor
Rakesh Cherumadam

Music
Ajmal Hasbullah

Sound Design
Sam Santosh

Voice Over
NEELIMA HARIDAS

Concept
Seema Periwal/NCETIS

Script and Design
Krishand (with supervision from Seema Periwal)

Additional Shoot
(Rakesh Chermadam)

Equipment Rental
Accord equipment

Animation
Dhaksha Animation

Creative Director of Animation
Nitin Anand

Motion Graphics Chief artist
Manu Sankar

Stock footage and templates
Envato

Additional Music Design
Sam Santosh

Vocals
Alaap

Additional Cinematography
Sudesh Balan Sir
(who decided to help me out since a lot of additional clips which were not there in the initial script were demanded)

Creative Contribution
Deljo Thekkekara (typography animation)
Syama Bindu (pace and emotion )


I usually put my mistakes and learning in my blog.I have tried hard to be diplomatic here.(very -very hard ) .  However this time the most important learning is that "When a number of filmmakers prefer not to take a project there must be a reason"