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8 MUMBAI film making process. “At some levels the cinematographer has been reduced to being an image capture technician while all else is dealt with in post,” says Nair. “I have conducted tests comparing mother negative to DI negative prints, wherein I personally feel the loss of resolution and depth from mother to digital is very much quantifiable and noticeable even to a layman’s eyes,” he adds. The choice to do a film on digital, Nair correctly points out should be script driven rather than just budget centric. “For example a film such as Harry Potter works well on digital format, but a Monsoon Wedding doesn’t. One needs to use the best of both worlds and though a large part of my negative remains original, the SFX, optical and titles are handled through the Digital realm nowa-days,” he says. Where planning a film is concerned, Nair cites specific examples. “Since Joggers’ Park I undertake several tests for each film that I do – lens tests, stock, filter, camera, lab, DI, SFX, lighting and look tests, all of which I print and check,” he says. “Working with directors who want to have a say in the final look, I make a print of all the tests and show it to the director/producer, so we know that we are on the same page before going on the floor,” he says. Reminiscing about the most interesting assignments of his life, Nair says, “For his film Paranoia Bijesh Jayrajan was particular that the primary colour would be a deep blue. Considering the subject was hard and real, there was a need for extreme contrast and deep shadows with rich blacks,” says Nair. “I decided to try Kodak for the two different looks of the film. I have pulled the stock to its limits – underexposing, with bare fills (mostly none) and highlights sometimes touching a cool five stops over. The telecine looks good; the proof of the pudding will be in the print which I await with bated breath,” he says. Bumboo though a straightforward action comedy film has most of its action, set in a set which has to be matched to a real location, which poses its own challenges. “I felt Bumboo was a mix of colours such as limegreen and orange,” shares Nair. “In our primary discussion director Jagdish Rajpurohit and I were clear of the fact that it was a bright and good looking film. My obvious choice was to go to Kodak Vision 3 stock and that is what I did. The telecine looks good. Let’s hope I am able to translate the same onto print, considering that Bumboo is planned to be a non-DI film, where only the CG and opticals would be DI. Adlabs has been extremely supportive of my constant cranky requests for repeated test prints, which have all been very satisfying,” he says. To Nair, the most daunting aspect of a cinematographer’s duty is to work within the parameters of the film and achieve the desired final look. Many a time it so happens that the cinematographer has to put his preferences aside and use a high speed film at the dying hours of the day so that the day’s work is completed. “Though earlier I had great reservations about doing things like this, I found that Kodak 500T Vision 2 served me very well to do away the possibility of a mismatch with 200T Vision 2. Intercut with each other the difference was barely noticeable. Of course I tried not to mix 100T grain structure in the work flow, intuitively I have felt the difference would then be noticeable, though I have not yet had the opportunity of so doing,” he concludes. “Kodak offers barely any grain in low light.” For the film Uladhaal, one particular scene is set in 1654. The king hands over a golden shield to the family of the loyal Chieftain as a mark of respect. It was a scene I particularly set in night exterior, where the only source of light would be the mashaals. I requested for special make-up for the artists. I barely had an exposure at such low light conditions. But I went ahead and shot the scene with just an addition bounce dimmed down to FO.7, while I shot the scene at F 2.8. The results are for all to see. The faces are appropriately exposed and the highlights of the mashaals in frame do not flare out. Barely any grain – that is Kodak 500T Vision 2 for you! I have shot two films with Kodak, Joggers’ Park and the big budget Marathi film Uladhaal. Two of the others are under production – Paranoia and Bumboo. All of them have been shot on Kodak. Kodak has worked extremely well and has done justice to the themes of these films. For Joggers’ Park my objective was to have a real feel but still retain the romance. I decided to play it safe with Kodak for a glamorous, soft look. For glamour, softness and a dream-like look I have always associated with Kodak. I
Raja Satankar believes that each project brings with it – challenges and possibilities. He tries to understand the director’s vision before working on the look of a film. The new wave of people entering the business today, are sure changing the environment, but according to him Kodak will remain his evergreen choice. Mi Amruta Boltey MUMBAI different OUTLOOK C inematographer Raja Satankar is a very perceptive artist. “I way,” he reiterates. “Each director is opening up interesting areas of thought feel that every single director has a different way of looking at through their films. And where I am concerned, I must say it is not essential things,” he says. “So each film our new young Marathi directors that every single film should and must be thought-provoking. There are are making is different in its outlook and message,” he adds. times when only straight entertainment works,” he says. “Film, to me is also The industry has seen many people from diverse backgrounds an important tool for entertainment. Watching a movie can also be good, coming in with new ideas of storytelling and filming using new plain fun and I see no harm in it.” equipment and techniques. “Each one is unique in his own Interestingly enough Satankar began his creative journey in Marathi theatre Jatra Jatra Jatra Mi Amruta Boltey 9
Page 1 and 2: READ MORE ABOUT Amal Neerad Badal
Page 3 and 4: D irector Vishal cover STorY DARing
Page 5 and 6: the jungle sequence, I have kept th
Page 7 and 8: On the sets of Ready MUMBAI ORiginA
Page 9: On the sets of Bumboo ChaLLenGe ACC
Page 13 and 14: MUMBAI 11 HEART’SDesire Bhojpuri
Page 15 and 16: RChezhiyan is the kind of cinematog
Page 17 and 18: The ultimate aim of any cinematogra
Page 19 and 20: Armed with a Bachelors’ degree in
Page 21 and 22: On the sets of Gowri On the sets of
Page 23 and 24: KM Vishnuvardhana is a stalwart of
Page 25 and 26: “As long as the word cinema exist
Page 27 and 28: KERALA 25 the maverickfilm maker Pa
Page 29 and 30: PRASAD EFX 27 forging ahead Prasad
Page 31 and 32: “ Kodak film stock delivers excel
Page 33 and 34: STRICT discipline As the trade adva
Page 35 and 36: At FTII, teaching methodology is ve
Page 37 and 38: A very important aspect of the work
Page 39: ‘builds relationships. ‘ Being

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