CONCEPT PAPER ON ALTERNATIVE FILMMAKING

What is a good film ?

It is very difficult to define a good film. There are so many aspects and components to consider and evaluate. Since film is a multi-disciplinary product, the value and function of each element of filmmaking become important. The aggregate combination of these values determines the true merit of a film.

But if we had to break down the components of a film, two broad chapters would be revealed: Content and Form. Content specifies the idea, subject matter, story. Form specifies the way the story is told through the medium of film.

At the root, the art of storytelling in film simply requires a person with an idea pursuing the realisation of that idea on screen with a camera. The relationship of the camera and the subject is what makes film happen. Within this relationship, the first element is Content. Content is king, the core essence of why films are made. Sometimes Form seemingly triumphs over Content simply because film is also a technically driven art form. Technique and style in the use of the medium are also key aspects that shape the art of cinema. They are integrally important to the craft.

But there is enough technology in Nepal today to ensure technically sound films. With time, extensive technical improvements have come about in Nepal. Today production and post-production facilities available in Nepal have arrived at the digital revolution. We don't really need more facilities and hardware to make better films. The more crucial need is to work on the software, the art of storytelling.

The notion that more money ensures higher quality of film is wrong. Innovative filmmakers have always been able to create films that exude expansive beauty and grandeur on shoestring budgets. The business tenet in film says: It is not the amount of money you have, it is how you use the money. And to use money well, you need a sound working knowledge of the various aspects and components of filmmaking. An educated filmmaker knows how to allocate money to realise the highest level of his art. The more educated you are in your craft, the more you can get out of every Rupee. This economy should be the business drive in filmmaking rather than counting tickets at the box office.

To judge Content these are the guidelines suggested in order of priority.

CONTENT »
Artistic Expression, Novelty, Cultural Expression, Scale, Genre

Artistic Expression: The foremost milestone of any artistic creation is expression. The medium of film is utilised to express the artist's vision to the world. Each artist/filmmaker has a particular style/signature which shows in his/her work. This identity is crucial in judging the merit of films.

Genre:One of the key reasons for the lack of variety in Nepali films is rooted in lack of Genre. In Nepal, one genre triumphs: the masala mix, a potpourri of several genres but lacking a distinctive genre as the principal genre. Every story is influenced when adapted to this genre, the legacy of Bollywood. If all films are based on the same genre, there is the chance that you get repeatedly the same or similar content and form. Hence, all the films look, unfold and end in the same manner. Genre is the most crucial consideration in judging the filmmaker's motivation to make the film. Knowledge of Genre, its principles and creative use can facilitate Nepali films of a larger variety in style and content.

Novelty:The novelty of the story determines variety. Stories that have not been told before need to be encouraged to hit the screen. The masala-mix storyline usually repeats itself with miniscule variation in characters and events. Independent films have to thrive on new, original storylines and literary innovation.

Cultural Expression:The relationship of the film with the filmmaker is crucial. The background and setting of the story determines the cultural expression of the film: where it's set, who the main characters are, what are the events. Films based on particular cultural backgrounds and settings differ from others in that they express the story within a cultural framework. This determines a distinctive look and feel for the story. The story could follow any genre: Love Story, Action, Adventure, Horror, but the cultural setting influences the emotional and spatial information as the story unravels.

Scale:There are big films and there are small films, and films in between, in terms of scale. What the story is trying to attempt to put on screen determines the scale of the film. Scale certainly has an impact upon the story, and consequently the audience. e.g. Caravan. Regardless of genre, the scale of a film influences emotional and spatial information as the story unravels. Stories told in epic form differ from films that are made sparingly. Epics have the advantage of larger-than-life spectacle, but are also plagued with budgetary problems. Economy of storytelling, the craft of saying more with less is a fine talent that requires honing with experience.

FORM »

Artistic Expression:The Artistic form of film emanates from its technical structure. Innovative use of the camera and sound and editing techniques set a film apart from the others. Artistic expression of form alone, however, does not elevate film. It has to serve the story, the content. Bu when a story is matched with artistic form, the combination can be astounding.

Novelty:It is difficult to be novel with form these days. One can almost assume that every experiment has been tried already. Creating a different form just for the sake of doing so
does not command respect. Haphazard, random experiments detract from the story and therefore result in a frustrating product. Novelty of form today can only come about by a combination of genres.

Cultural Expression:The Cultural expression in form comes about by simply placing the camera where the cultural action is happening. If the camera is transported to a cultural setting and is allowed to linger there, the images and sounds convey a variety that is always different from the mainstream films.

Budget:The budget determines the form. By its very nature, alternative films should be low-budget. Hollywood cannot make alternative films. Money corrupts the integrity of the alternative filmmaker. Alternative films are the result of blood, sweat and tears of the filmmaker who had to bring the story to life under any circumstances. To do this, the filmmaker has to be extra innovative and creative in making the film, using unconventional and experimental means to attain his dream. This environment of toil and effort is what sets alternative films apart from big-budget blockbusters.

THE STANDARD EQUATION »

Film is a marriage of art and science - the cornerstone being innovation. Technological developments in film have made it possible to take the illusion of image and sound to new frontiers. Computer-generated special effects can make anything possible on the screen. What is required is imagination. The root of imagination is still the ancient art of storytelling. This is what needs to be polished and developed, especially in Nepal.

The real equation: Film is a marriage of three disciplines - art, science and business. Unfortunately, you cannot slice off the business angle. The filmmaker/artist's dream depends on finance to be realised on the screen. When talking about improving the quality of cinema and its environment, the financial aspects also have to be considered carefully. In the world of films, money is a very important component.

THE PROBLEM WITH NEPALI FILMS AT PRESENT

Business vs. Art:The biggest problem with Nepali films at present is the filmmaker's (Producers, Directors) approach and motivation to making films. The general motivation seems to stem from commercial interest rather than the intention to create art, a true cinematic experience for the viewers.

Business is business. You do everything you can to sell your product. But when you approach film with the singular intent of manufacturing a product for the masses to consume, the result may be what is plaguing Kollywood at the moment. When the pressure to sell exceeds the pressure to excel, the value of film as an artistic, creative endeavor is reduced to the same level as the production of toiletry or kitchen commodities.

Granted, one has to accept that film is also an industry and the norms of industry dictate that you supply what is in demand. But unlike other industries, this is an industry where you sell mind more than matter. Film is a product of the mind, emanating from the imagination of the writer. It is brought to life by the skills of a huge team of artists each specialising in their particular craft. Technology and science are utilised to capture the story on a medium, celluloid strip or videotape. Then only is it ready for the market. In the market, the competition is not of weight, size and price, rather it is of depth, meaning and value. So instead of merely catering to demand, the real challenge for artists is to create a demand for the product of their art. One should not forget that a filmmaker is first an artist, then a businessman.

Unlike other consumer products, film is a social and intellectual commodity. It transcends the mere rules of the market and mass consumption. Film influences and shapes society. It works on the minds of the people, spreading information and emotion, which can have the impact of changing people's views and perceptions positively or negatively. The power of film is unfathomable. Hence, with such a dangerous and volatile product, it is wise to take precautionary measures.

Filmmakers are in a position to become informal ambassadors of their culture and nation through their films. The between-the-lines statements can affect the image of the place and people the film represents. When done well, films command respect and understanding for is subjects; when done badly, they can elicit ridicule and contempt, and worst of all, create confusion and frustration amongst the audience.

The only way of ensuring variety from filmmakers is to facilitate a market that demands and accepts variety. Filmgoers do not demand stereotype, they want to enjoy novelty and diversity in what they consume. They want an elaborate menu to choose from. But filmmakers propagate stereotype knowing it's an easy sell. It is also less effort to mass-produce from the same recipe. If this was the food industry, nothing would be wrong with that. But in the film world, the problem with the best-selling recipe is that it becomes the norm for every filmmaker and the audience gets the same dish heated over and over again. The world of cinema is and should be different from the consumer market. It is important to know not just what sells, but to discover what can be sold. Just like people have different things to sell in the market, the film market should also have a variety to offer.

Variety stems from innovation. Innovation is not about repackaging, which seems to be the norm in the Nepali film industry. I am not against adaptation. The best filmmakers in the world have tried their hand at giving their personal touch and expression to a film done by somebody else. The motivation, however, is not to cash in on the success, but to create a new perspective to a story. Many classics are the mainstay of new filmmakers. Well-done remakes relive the magic of the original, thus compounding the joy and beauty of films of yesterday on the brink of being forgotten. A good work of art is always appreciated. Time does not wear the value of art. In fact, it even adds to the value.

Nepali films lack variety and originality simply because they lack of a specific overriding genre. Sporadic efforts at diverse, deviant storylines have been made but these efforts bow under the sheer pressure of competing with the volume of commercial films, the rulers of the market. There is nothing wrong with masala if you use it properly. But when laid on too thick, it gets too much for your stomach. One can only take in enough, too much can ruin your palate forever. The situation is not much different than that of Hollywood or Bollywood where the market rules the art. But some filmmakers have taken up the challenge to change things and ake film back to its original purpose - to tell the story, cutting out all the extra baggage.

ALTERNATIVE FILM MOVEMENT: DOGMA FILMS »

In the 100-year history of cinema, the world has seen almost no truly international film aesthetics movements. Most films are not challenging, due to the comfortable routine of increasingly complex and garish entertainments from Hollywood.

Back in 1995, two Danish filmmakers named Lars von Trier and Thomas Vinterberg stepped back from their industry, took a hard look, and decided it was time for a change. The film business, they concluded, had become overly dependent on special effects, fancy camerawork, and other techniques of production. Rather than being built on the bedrock foundations of drama - actors playing real human beings in a story - movies were becoming more and more dependent on gratuitous action, special lighting, impressive sets, optical effects, audio engineering, and all the other gee-whiz paraphernalia of showbiz. The vital essence of film, dramatic narrative, was in danger of being submerged in glitz. And as if this weren't enough, they also concluded that the cult of personality surrounding the film director was detrimental to making good films. Movies are not the work of a single visionary, they argued, and too many directors spend time making "artistic statements" to gratify their own egos when they should be concentrating on characters and story.

Dogme 95's goals were twofold: first, to uncouple filmmaking from technology (by denying it its technological tools), and second, to remind the director that he or she is not a demi-god (or demagogue), but part of a collaborative process whose primary aim is drama, not the aesthetics of film itself.

Dogme95, or Dogma Filmmakers, as they have come to be called, are a small but growing group of film artists who have willingly created a reactionary film movement. The Dogma is a set of rules to follow which essentially force the film maker to stick to the basics - location camera and sound, a well-written story and acting. While nearly all otherfilmmaking instruments have been stripped away, what remain are the two most essential of instruments to a director, the story and the acting talent.

This is what we should concentrate on facilitating in Nepal to improve the film environment. There is a message to be heeded from the Dogma film movement. The most relevant of course is promoting low-budget productions with high degree of creativity.

Low Budget Production Practice »

Following Dogma's footsteps, films can be shot on digital video for very low budgets thus giving independents the opportunity to produce films. With the new technology today, shooting and editing on non-generation-loss digital formats, reverse telecine on to 35 mm celluloid is of extremely high quality fit for screening in the cinema theatres. Thanks to Dogma, the international cinema is receptive of films made on video. This may be the way to hit the international market with Nepali films.

The argument that video productions cost only fractionally less than celluloid productions is valid to an extent. It depends on the type of film being made. On video most films, if they follow the norms of genre, can be made for a vastly lower budget. If you take the Nepali masala-mix genre with expensive stars and expensive fights and song and dance routines, then the margin of difference in cost may not be exceptional so as to make video a truly low-budget and affordable medium. But even then, the advantage offered by video is outstanding. Even if the end product costs the same as celluloid, there are infinite advantages in shooting. The low cost of videotape allows more footage to be shot with the actors ensuring better acting; monitoring while shooting allows better composition and movement; lowlight threshold video cameras allow better lighting possibilities; digital post-production allows integration of special effects and picture and sound manipulation. All of these contribute towards better, or at least diverse, films by allowing thefilmmaker to experiment and try out innovative styles.

What can be done ?

Due to the rudimentary stage of independent or alternative films in Nepal, it is recommended that we address the root causes of the problem rather than just seek for superficial solutions. The root causes can be identified as follows:

Lack of schooling in the art of filmmaking.
Lack of standards in the film industry.
Lack of film education among the audience.
Lack of funding and support for novel themes.
Lack of market for alternative films.

The conceivable solutions are as follows:

PRODUCTION SUPPORT »

Script Development Fund:A Script Development Fund can be established to support writers with deserving story ideas. If he/she passes the criterion of quality, a modest stipend can be made available to research the story. This kind of support will promote and encourage film storylines that are culturally based, thus expanding variety of settings, characters and events.

Finishing Guarantee:A Finishing Guarantee can be established to support independent filmmakers with deserving projects. If the project passes the criterion of quality, a Finishing Fund can be made available to finish the film. Usually, this revolves around post-production but sometimes there may be a demand for finishing at the production stage (shooting). This kind of support will assist in making films that would otherwise be canned available to the audience.

TRAINING: A sound education or training in filmmaking is crucial for the cinema environment to improve. There is no film school in Nepal and there are very few qualified training institutions that can offer film courses with full conceptual and technical capacity. Bleak as the scenario may be, nevertheless, it is important to devise a good training program in partnership with the best of the training institutions. Regular courses (not less than a year) should be offered in which students can familiarize themselves with all the aspects and components of filmmaking. The students should also be able to specialize in Writing, Direction, Acting, Camera, Sound and Editing. Special short-term courses need to be designed for practicing film personnel to upgrade and hone their skills.

Curriculum:A good well-rounded curriculum is most crucial to training. The curriculum can be adapted to the Nepali film scenario, which would be more useful than importing curriculi from India or elsewhere. One standard curriculum should be set. Once set, this standard curriculum can be made available to all training institutions so that there is uniformity in the education.

Scholarship:A Scholarship Fund should be set up to assist students with financial constraints. Based on the validity of the need and additionally judged by performance and potential, scholarships can be provided to the best students who cannot afford to complete their education or training. This Fund can be the central fund to which both students in training or students in film school (when it is established) can apply.

Practical classes: Internships:It should be made possible for students to conduct their internships on deputation by being assigned to real, ongoing productions. This has a double advantage. The students learn on-the-job and professional filmmakers acquire interns who work for free and can give a hand during production and/or post-production.

Grading:The Certificate of Training should be granted validity by the film community's unions, associations and other organisations. Accreditization by all film organisations and associations would attach value to this Certificate. A standard Grading system should be established based on which the level of skills of new entrants into the film industry can be judged. Based on the Grades attained by the students, their eligibility to funding and support from the Film Board can be determined as per a criterion that promotes funding and support to top-level students.

FILM SCHOOL:A proper film school with degree-level academia needs to be established in the near future. Kathmandu University would be best suited to initiate a Department for Film within its Arts and Humanities Faculty where students can study film as a major or minor subject. The advantage of University education is academic qualifications, which can in the future determine the level of education in film among future practitioners.

All other considerations for the Film School: Scholarship, Practical Classes and Internships are the same as for Training Institutes. Except for the Curriculum, which would be provided by the affiliate foreign University, preferably American or European.

FILM EDUCATION:

School program:A Film Education project should be initiated to teach film appreciation to school students.
This would be in the form of a regular program that includes screening of good films and discussions on the Content and Form and other aspects of filmmaking hosted by a regular team of film trainers and consulting practitioners. This educational package can be offered to the schools as a supplementary extra-curricular activity within the arts and social sciences faculty. If young minds grow up appreciating the artistry and beauty of good films and are inspired creatively, it is then possible to expect a new generation of good filmmakers. This can provide a head start to future aspirants, thus providing the industry with a constant supply of new, fresh hands.

Media Program:Other forms of mass media can also be utilised to promote film education among the general public. There are innumerable shows on TV and radio on and about film. Numerous film magazines make films their mainstay. But due to the lack of a coordinated and consistent strategy of information, at present, the industry suffers misinterpretation and misinformation. Random access information about film in the media by reporters unschooled in the language and form of film sometimes does more harm than good. Without a well-planned and well-executed strategy to disseminate information and education about film in the proper way, the industry becomes the subject of spectacle and cheap entertainment, feeding ground for opportunists who report uncommittedly and laxly. The burning issues that face the industry today will not be done justice to if left unattended by the custodians of the industry itself. But if a good strategy to promote film education and appreciation is devised, the very same media can be utilised to promote the standards that the industry wants to maintain.

Workshops, Seminars, Courses:Peer education and inspiration through interaction is a component that film requires and thrives on. Healthy competition should be promoted and a system of commending good effort and unbiased analysis of each other's work should be fostered. One way to do this is to arrange regular film appreciation courses and workshops and seminars amongst film practitioners. This is a must to develop the industry collectively and to make it mutually beneficial to all involved.

FILM FESIVALS »

Film festivals for independent, alternative films must be organised regularly to allow filmmakers to showcase their work. In the national context, since it is difficult for independent films to garner a mainstream market at the outset, these festivals would facilitate reporting on these films, thus making them available critically to the audience.

A non-competitive film festival should be organised annually just before the competitive festival. From this festival, the best works can be selected for entry into the competition categories of both the Alternative and Mainstream film festivals.

A competitive national film festival of alternative films should be organised annually. The festival should be organised by the National Film Secretariat so as to give the awards due value and merit.

National Film Secretariat should also organise an international film festival of independent, alternative films once every two years.

The two key areas of work to be addressed in this workshop are:

Setting the Criteria for a support system to filmmakers
Creating the Market for Independent, Alternative films

This will be the exercise for group work at the second session of the workshop.


(This concept paper was presented by Mr. Dipendra Gauchan in Alternative Filmmaking Seminar - 2058 Poush 9)