The treatments are ready. We have 11 of them. I get the older girls Kajol, Meera, Alakananda, Deepti and Salona to polish their treatments. They have the language skills and the patience to engage in the exercise. The boys, on the other hand, have shorter attention-spans. "Do we need to write this stuff again and again before making a film?"
The importance of treatment writing should never be underestimated in cinema. If a filmmaker cannot answer the question "Is there really a story here?", there is no point in even writing a script. Are you, as a filmmaker, able to keep a readers attention on the story even when its on a page. Is it engaging enough to draw them in? Will an audience sit through two hours of it on a screen?
The boys are still goofing off. We pick Abhay's story about three boys who fight over a frisbee. Its simple and has a conflict that is eventually resolved. We've got the characters, just need frisbees and we are a go. We've got to write the script though. The boys take turns writing this one. Nishant is keen on his story too. He asks me several times, "Have you read mine? When are we writing that?" I reply that we will, eventually. There is some grumbling that we are making Abhay's story because he's my son. I don't reply.
Kajol and Meera have written a nice piece about two friends, a shopkeeper and a beggar. But they need to iron out if this will work in Lal Bagh. The get the shopkeeper to allow the use of his shop entrance. A guide at Lal Bagh agrees to act. The girl's driver will play the beggar. This can be made. The girls launch on the script.
Deepti has one that explore the relationship between a hungry homeless boy and an old man in the park. Very touching. I want to do this. But can Deepti find the actors? We ask around and Disha's grandfather agrees to do it. We still need the boy. We glance at the goofballs in our class, but they are too engaged in their story. Still got a problem to solve.
Salona and Disha have written a cute little piece. Its funny involving a 'perly white pastry" and splattered bird shit. Salona is keen on acting in it. Disha isn't. She knows she wants to be behind the camera. And we're fine with that. We still need to find another actor for this one. The girls finish the script and Raghu starts them on the storyboard.
Alakananda has a nice Chekovian piece. I adore Chekov and this one has all those elements - a character who knows how to rise above her circumstances but submits out of the burden of tradition. There are 5 characters in this film. Can she find the actors? She's confident and I think she can. She must now write her script.
We wrap up with a practical. Setting up the tripod, mounting the camera and exploring frames - the close-up, the medium shot, the long shot and the American long shot. These kids are all set to make some interesting movies. And FilmCamp is going to be there to see them through. I'm proud of them.
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