India's first feature film to have been shot on a Digital Camera could have saved Balaji Telefilms more than Rs 40 lakhs
Tejash Shah, CEO, Accord Equips, India's premiere film production support firm believe that Dibakar Banerjee's LSD has already thrown up the star of the next century: The Digital Camera. The film is entirely shot on digital camera and makes the point that full length feature films can be shot inexpensively.
With one being able to save over Rs 40 lakhs shooting on digital, he expects many filmmakers making movies under Rs 5 crores to junk the conventional mode of 35mm film. A film maker with a limited budget would rather spend on the film's promotion with the savings.
Says Tejash, "Films are being shot today for a niche audience, Making a good product is just as important as marketing it. Both these costs if not managed could make the film unviable". Add to that other factors outside the control of the producer- theatre strikes, bandhs etc., A good case in point is Dibakar's films. Oye Lucky Lucky Oye unfortunately was released around the 26/11 terror strikes. This time, too, his movie releases during IPL 3. Risks need to be mitigated as much as possible, Costs need to be controlled. Like in his films,Dibakar has innovated even with his choice of camera. He chose to go digital, Although, his reason was not to save cost but to add a certain character to the film that only seemed possible through digital. He was able to add a unique dimension to his films (the camera is a character in the film) and also save valuable time and money. Digital means no expensive raw stock, no negative processing, no telecine costs, smaller units, faster shoots.
The decreased processes and the emergence of digital projection opens up digital as a filming option to many filmmakers making films for the multiplex audience. No longer will anyone have to get bogged down by the technical processes. One can use cameras like the digital HD, Sony EX3 or the Panasonic P2 to shoot a film. These camera rentals are lower than digital betacam. So one doesn't have to depend on expensive film cameras or expensive digital HD cameras .Tejash feels "No longer will the amateur film maker have the excuse of not fulfilling his dream. Film makers have a winning formula on their hands. Shoot digital, process digital and release digital"
However, Dibakar is not the first to shoot in digital in India although he is the first Indian director. Danny Boyle, like many other firsts, has this first to his name too. He shot Slumdog Millionnaire on digital since he was adamant that he did not want to take large, cumbersome 35mm cameras into the slums. He wanted to use smaller, more flexible, digital cameras to enable them to shoot quickly with minimal disturbance to the natural flow and communities. Besides saving money in the process, it was much simpler to process.
Director of LSD, Dibakar Banerjee states," LSD is a digital film with a hidden camera playing a character by itself! I've shot the film on a digital format with a hand-held camera. In the film, there are different camera angles, like that of a spy-cam, a mobile cam and a close circuit camera. Normally the digital format is used by a filmmaker for the lack of choices. But for Love Sex Aur Dhokha, the digital format was the only choice"
One can see on the chart that there are many complex and expensive processes in the 35mm format which a digital camera overcomes.
For an aspiring, amateur of the low budget film maker this becomes the perfect medium to shoot his dream without the complications that go into the film format. Accord Equips, who also supported LSD, provides equipment and technical support so one can walk in with a concept and walk out with the film"
Shooting on the 35mm camera needs tremendous expertise of the cinematographer as the final output can be seen only once the film reaches the lab. In the camera we offer, one can see the results on the location itself. Even an amateur film maker would know whether what has been imagined by him is showing or not.
If the theatrical promos of LSD are anything to go by, film makers have a winning formula on their hands. The fear of the unknown has been conquered. The film will open doors and the minds of many film makers and technology experts. This could be the iconic beginning of a revolution in Bollywood! Digital will be the future of film production. As Tejash has rightly said "If you ever aspired to make a film.... the time is now"
About Accord Equips
Accord Equips is actively associated with the TV, film and broadcast industry over 20 years.Specialists in professional small camcorders like Pd 170, Z1, Z5, Z7, Ex1, Ex3.Large range of DV/HDV/HD equipment with accessories like mics, lights. It service many news channels, documentary producers, independent producers, top production housesProducers of training films. It's the only company in India offering the 35mm adaptor for HD cameras Sony Ex 1 & Sony Ex 3.Accord Equips provides camera crews and regularly conduct shoots for production houses from US and UK. Some of its clients include Walt Disney, CNBC,Yash Raj Films, Vinod Chopra Films,,Aaamir Khan Productions, Sanjay Leela Bhansali Productions, MTV and many others.
For more information, please visit http://www.accordequips.com
