WORKSHOPS
Fiction Filmmaking Workshop
2 DAYS
Overview
Laced with examples through film clips, extracts, interviews and film illustrations suited for the various aspects in discussion and interaction, the following workshops aims to be a comprehensive, experiential and inspiring course for filmmakers at Level 1. Through exercises and assignments given during the workshop, the course offers and insightful, hands-on and delightful dimension to the otherwise largely academic aspects of filmmaking.
The end goal of the course is to get the participants to make films … at least one short film, to begin with, which they can send to festivals, monetise and consider their calling cards with greater ideas and scripts for proper, regular films and other audio-visual endeavours.
Conducted by
Brahmanand S Siingh
Brahmanand S Siingh, a National-Award winning filmmaker, has been vastly recognized for his experiential and inspirational biopics on iconic legends like RD Burman and Jagjit Singh Pancham Unmixed & Kaagaz Ki Kashti), movies that have acquired a cult status, in addition to social and emotional cause-based films like Jhalki, a stor y of hope, courage, compassion and self-belief against the backdrop of a story of lost childhood & human trafficking. Many other films like Riding on a unbeam, Through our Eyes, Ashgari Bai, Ragpickers, Uncaging the Body and A Burden of Love continue to be popular and loved.
He has been invited to be on the Jury, film and script selection committee of various International Film Festivals and award platforms. He also conducts filmmaking and scriptwriting workshops in film festivals and institutes.
In-the-pipeline projects like Surmayee Shaam on father-son bonding against an Alzheimer's backdrop, Sweet Blasphemy with Rumi as a backdrop, The Dream Teller, with an occult world backdrop of Spiritual communication and practical life; Kindness Series, Legacy Series and a series of hundred 90-120
minute well-researched, and well-told Biopics Series of Iconic figures, along with many other films.
What the Workshop will comprise of:
- Craft, Art & Collaborative Nature of filmmaking
- Where does individual space exist, with what scope … and where does the collaborative nature begins
- Steps broadly defined, without going into details (script / pre-production / casting / production /
- Key components & Key people (producer / director / cinematography & lighting / sound design / production design / costumes / music / core crew for each of the key components & then the larger crew
- Summing up and whetting up the participant’s appetites for getting into details
- The various popular, existing genres – action / adventure /crime /epic / biopic /musical / war / thriller / western / drama / rom-com / science fiction / mystery / melodrama / historical / parody / legal drama comingof- age / comedy / horror / erotic / films for change etc etc
Prominent Films of all history (clips from them & why are they valued when there are thousands that get made around the world every year)
10 am – 4:30 pm: Lecture in Screenwriting, covering the following.
- Structure
- Subplots
- Scene design
- Dialogue
4:30 – 5:30 pm: Q&A, which will cover participants’ final questions on the craft.
Feature Filmmaking Components
- Developing the Script – various stages of drafts / what are different drafts & why are they needed
- Sources / where do they come from (experience / books / films / short films / idea sparks) … How do you live fully to increase your source database?
- What does a script look like, physically and content-wise …
- Length of a script — with quality … why just writing a hundred pages is not enough …
- Workshop & brainstorming – why is it needed & how does it help
- Essential ingredients of a good script – subject backdrop / story / conflict / characters / dynamic arc / inciting incident / storyline / back story / internal motives, external behaviors
- Conceiving & Designing images / shot sequences / dialogues
- Original scripts vs adaptations (rights clearances / characters & plot adaptations)
- True stories scripts (research / permissions / liberties)
- Copywriting your scripts
- How do scripts affect budgets?
- How do script detailing help production team for location, props, costumes etc.?
- Working with a writer / co-writer / team
- Rewriting with clarity, collation and consistency …
- Director as an auteur / storyteller
- Director’s vision, style and what he/she wants to achieve with the film
- Going through the scenes, analyzing it consistently with what the film is all about
- Closing in, finally, on the shooting script
- Raising Funds … as an art, craft and a science
- Funding options (private funding / foundations / grants / corporates / loans / barters / crowd)
- What gets you funds (crisp & detailed presentation / clarity/ conviction / relevance and/or recovery plans / positioning)
- What makes a good presentation?
The Pitching Game … what, those who you pitch to, look for …
- Breaking down the script
- Helpful Script formats
- Scene & Shot Breakdown / scheduling / budget
- Developing a shoot plan – jugglery involved
- Knowing the script / knowing the subject / knowing the characters / knowing what characters want to do in the film context
- Knowing the visual style & color palette
- Pace, rhythm, tone
- Floor plans & storyboards
- Shot list
- Fixing timelines
- Juggling and matching different actors’ schedules & dates
- Locations (permissions, negotiations, arrangements)
- Exterior / interior / day / night sequences
- Continuity
- When dealing with child actors
- Time of the year / weather / season
- Crowd sequences /special fx / stunts /
- Turn-around time, set up time
- Beginning the schedule / creating the schedule / juggling the schedule
- Equipment / Special equipment
- Making the day / night plan
- Locking of schedules, locations, characters, actors’ dates
- Call sheet
- Above-the-line & Below-the-line costs
- Pitfalls in budgeting
- Good budgeting vs bad budgeting (contingency / insurance & other details)
- Pre-production & Post-production budgets
- Choosing the crew
- Key crew vs larger crew
- How to handle large numbers
- Negotiating the deals
- Contracts & agreements – why these are required and broadly, what aspects to be careful about
- The casting process / casting director / casting steps
- Auditions, shortlisting, selection, rehearsals & workshops
- Taking them through the characters, making sure they understand what they are in the film.
- Scouting / Recce
- Lighting and other requirements / power / sound / reach
- Contracts & permission
- Catering
- Identifying travel, stay catering and all aspects related needs
- Production Design
- The look & feel of the film and suiting the film
- Props / duplicate props
- Camera & Lenses
- Accessories
- Cameraperson
- Shoot with edit in mind
- Shoot with music in mind
- Lighting style
- Shooting formats
- Lab & post-production coordination
- Raw Data handling & Safety steps
- Why is getting good sound so important
- Sound team
- Mikes / Overhead booms
- Analogue / digital sounds
- Controlling the environments
- Location & Sound connection
- How large should your sound crew be?
- Set paraphernalia
- Vanity Van / Green Rooms
- Directing the actor & rehearsals on set
- Keeping track of the Art Department
- Troubleshooting on sets
- Set Etiquette & culture
- Continuity Needs
- Script supervision
- Data Manager
- The importance of the entire post-production components
- Importance of the editor & sound designer
- Editor & his team
- Sound designer & his team
- Foley work
- Special effects
- Color pallete & color grading
- Sfx
- Music
- Music choices, sittings, discoveries, silences
- Final mix and the importance of track laying and levels in it
- The various aspects worked on and consistency
- Correct formats / multiple formats / handle lengths or raw data Distribution / Exhibition / Business
- Publicizing the film
- Evaluative and connecting screenings
- Have a plan from the beginning
- Web presence
- Markets & Film Festivals
- Theatrical markets / Satellite / Digital / Others
- Strategies & Collaborations
- Launching the film
- Festival Route
- Being your own PR person or engaging someone for it
- Getting the right people to see your film
- Word-of-mouth publicity
- Critical recognition
- Coming soon suspense
- Self-distribution
- Internet / Satellite / Home Video / Ancillary Markets
- Profits
- Perspectives larger than profits
- Tip-offs for jumping into a big world of filmmaking
