Ten Teachers without whom life wouldn't have been the same.

I almost never ever celebrate any festival. Its been like that, apart from the 2008 holi, there has never been much celebration in life when it comes to festivals since last seven odd years. Probably, i never thought i would make to movies and finally when i made it, life's been a celebration in itself, so whats the need of the festivals?.

But there's this day called Teachers day. Since the time I thought "Lets venture into movies", I have never ever failed to wish people who are responsible for adding value to my this journey. I am writing as if i am some accomplished artist or something. But its ok, everyone is a celebrity on facebook and on their Blogs. So I will let it be.

On this wonderful day, let me take the pleasure of thanking the following ten people who taught me many important lessons in life - lessons that change the way you see life, lessons that contribute in your upbringing and lessons that will always be with you, wherever you go. The people and the lessons are in no particular order.

1. Thank you Prof A.F Mathew for allowing me to come to Mica (during 2004-05 weekends) so that you can give me an hour of patient hearing. Thank you for telling me that movies are meant for much more than just entertainment, and of course thank you for introducing me to alien terms like Micheal Haneke, Walter Salles and several others. Sir, life has never been the same after knowing those alien terms.


2. Thank you Manoj Nair for not allowing me to sit in the campus interview for Almarai Foods, Riyadh. If selected, the money would have lured me to the desert, and i may not have found the magical world of movies. Later on, thank you for being there and encouraging me during the transition from advertising to cinema. I cannot forget those chai sessions in Ahmadabad, even when you were loaded with your IIM subjects.


3. Thank you Rani Dais ma'am for telling the class in Basil school that "even if hardik doesnt get an engineering seat after boards, he should not fret. He can do better in many other careers"
For the reader, sorry for that self-appraisal note, but when a student is feeling miserable with his sad scores in mid term class XII exams, that sentence is a huge respite in a confusing career with competitive friends around.

4. Thank you Mr. Harsh Purohit for taking the risk of adding a fresh dairy technologist to the copywriting crew of one of the most dynamic advertising agencies. Thank you for all those little nuances about writing, presentations and clients. I still follow them to the core.


5. Thank you Prof. Shohini Ghosh for those wonderful lectures on images, their politics, films and documentaries. I wish those lectures would have been more in number. It changed the way we thought about media and films. I had almost 100% attendance in second year, coz i thought you would come any day for a surprise lecture and i better not miss it. Thank you also for rejecting me in 2005's interview at Jamia, I was a different person when i entered in 2006. :) :)

6. Thank you Gangaraju Swamy for giving me shelter in your room no. 114 during dangerous ragging sessions in first year. Thank you for those delicious conversations during dinners at the tasteless Hostel Mess. Thank you again for supporting me during early Mumbai days. (Actually to Gangaraju I cant thank enough!!!)

7. Thank you Shailesh for all those wonderful childhood memories, classroom pranks and introducing me to good hollywood movies.

8. Thank you Yazad in renewing my interest in photography and how digital photography can change your vision. I can now start to think the possibilities of sfx in an image. But am more thankful for showing me the way in how to live properly, how to keep the kitchen clean, how to make tea and how to contribute when you share the flat.

9. Thank you Mr. Dev Benegal for almost whatever all I know about practical filmmaking. From introducing the concept of script supervision to introducing me to the wonderful world of Apple technologies, from encouraging an assistant's ramble about world cinema to making coffees during edit sessions. The last one year has been priceless!!


10. Thank you Bombay/Mumbai. There isn't a better teacher for a young ambitious man in this world. The lesser i say the better it is. As the cliche would go: "The city surely has possibilities to make your dreams come true. Aise he nahi chale aate hum jaisen yahaan..."


Happy Teachers Day to all the wonderful teachers out there in the world. You guys are doing a great job.

With love and respects.
Hardik Mehta




© Copyrights 2009 www.bhaandgroup.blogspot.com. All Rights Reserved. Hardik Mehta

Forever Young - Ranjan Palit & Sound for Documentaries

Last Sunday as I was surfing through TV channels I happened to see on a ticker that Documentary 24x7 on NDTV will show Ranjan Palit's film - Forever Young.

Now during my days in Jamia's Mass Communication Centre, one of my faculty members had told the class that how Ranjan Palit is one of the best or probably the best documentary cinematographers of India. She said: "he almost dances with the camera" -

I was hardly impressed with that statement of hers. Later she showed us a clip from one of his works and that too didnt leave an impression on me. I thought there was nothing so extra-ordinary about the visuals, which our teacher was trying to point out to.

So then, with this in mind, I started watching Forever Young. Its a documentary about probably India's biggest Bob Dylan Fan - Mr. Lou Majaw, who resides in Shillong. From what I am told, Ranjan sir himself is a huge Bob Dylan fan. The camera in the documentary follows this guy to his concerts, performances, his life, his home and to his fans.

There is a moment in the documentary when the girls from St. Mary's school in Shillong are so excited to be at the performance that while he is singing, like every concert they too join by an impromptu dance steps. Now here is where i saw two superbly executed shots - where "the camera almost danced with them - step to step". It was amazing to see, my teacher was right.

Absolutely on target, even while the camera danced - it was so stable, the framing, the idea behind doing that - amazing. i felt that i was Enlightened.

Cut To
2 DAYS LATER

I was with Mr. Vikram Joglekar (Location Sound for Road, Movie). I casually referred to him about this documentary and Mr. Ranjan Palit and out came a box of surprises. Vikram had stayed at Ranjan Palit's place at Yari Road for a year. He too repeated the same words, what my teacher had told the class about Mr. Palit being the best camera for documentary. Vikram stressed that how everything happens so impromptu when he comes on location. the lighting, the framing, the movements - everything.
Quite an artist - i must say!

Vikram told me an interesting thought. The Sound for documentary is so much important compared to fiction. In Fiction films, the concentration is on Visuals. "Sound Post mei FIX kar denge" - is the usual remark you will hear from people on Sets.

But for a documentary - if Lou Majaw is performing for students in their school - then that sound has to be recorded then and there itself, in the best possible quality, you cant ask those guys to perform for you again. It wont have the same effect, the same quality, the same ambiance.

Thus, the sound and visual go together when it comes to a documentary whereas in Fiction - "Fix it in Post" is the attitude.

Thankfully, on "Road, Movie" - not a single shot went without the call of "Sound rolling". It surely was a great learning experience.

As for Mr. Ranjan Palit - I have got your filmography. Next few months, will go in sourcing some of them.

More posts on you will follow.