I catch up with Vanshaj Kapur, winner of the Reelshow Online Student Film Competition December 2011, to ask him a bit about himself, the making of his film Toffee and his future as a filmmaker in India.
Hi Vanshaj, tell me a little bit about your background. What got you into filmmaking, and who do you draw your inspiration from?
As a child I was always fascinated by the Television and films. Especially in India, with the glamour of Bollywood, almost every child grows to have a favourite hero/heroine. To be a part of this industry has been a childhood dream.It always gave me an impression of being free from the monotonous lives people lead. I watched the making of many films and envied the people present who worked so close with projects that everyone saw. Although I’ve liked a lot of films and works, my biggest influences are my experiences in life. I can’t really say that a film or director has inspired my work.
Where did you get the idea for your film?
3 years ago,when I started making films in school with digicams and had no idea about film language or technique, ‘Toffee’ came to my mind. Since then it’s lingered, but I never mustered up the courage to actually make it for fear of ruining it with my lack of knowledge. A couple of years into college and upon completing a small film assignment I knew it was time to execute the dream of ‘Toffee’.
Tell me about the casting process, did you use just professional artists or friends as well?
The casting story of this film is rather funny. Initially I cast a small girl for the role, after having spoken to her parents and scheduling with them we finally began shoot. Halfway through the shoot, the girl refused to act, the heat bothered her and she refused to open her eyes every time I used the reflector! Just then, a little school boy happened to walk by and he seemed perfect for the role! I approached him and after much persuasion, he agreed to be my hero. However, in all the excitement, we forgot to ask him what his name was! The beggar was played by a friend of mine, he wasn’t much trouble at all.
What did you shoot the film on, and with which particular equipment?
This film was shot with a Canon EOS 550D, all the shots were handheld.
How long was your shoot?
Although the preparation for this film took me about 2 days, we successfully finished shooting in 3 hours.
Where was it shot, and were there any issues with locations? Did you use college or University facilities for shooting or post production?
We shot this in Pune, Its a road close to where I live. During the course of the shoot,the heat and curious onlookers made it very hard to shoot! The equipment we shot with belonged to a friend, but our college does issue out cameras and lights. But what is really interesting is how we made music for it. A friend of mine in the United States composed it over skype, we’ve been working together on film for a really long time now and the distance hasn’t affected us at all. We both started as film/music enthusiasts and are now doing well for ourselves. He directs an a capella band there in his university.
What did you edit the film on?
It was edited on my mac with Final Cut Pro.
You graduate from Symbiosis Institute of Design, Pune, India in 2013. Can you tell us a bit about your school and the course you are doing and if you think going to film school ( or studying media studies) is essential for your career path.
My college is actually a design college, but it does offer a major in film and video design which I’m pursuing. In India it hardly helps to get into the industry with a degree, a higher degree of importance is given to your work. I’ve been able to work on many projects apart from college with just recommendations. I recently interned in the direction team of a star-studded Bollywood film “The Dirty Picture”. So work here really depends on you and not where you are from.
What is your ambition and what are you working on now? What aspect of the industry do you aspire to be involved in?
I would someday like to direct full length feature film, as of now I aim at working with the feature film industry as much as I can and make short films for festivals. I hope for a big break someday! But that’s just a thought, experience has taught me that nothing can substitute hard work.
What are the opportunities in India now for young filmmakers? The film industry in India has exploded in the last few years this must have made a difference?
The Indian audience had opened up to new cinema, many new films with different genres have come in. Young film makers are now accepted to break the monotony of the industry and bring in fresh ideas.There is immense scope in this dynamic and evolving industry.
How are you finding things since winning the ReelShow competition?
Winning the competition was a great achievement for me. It would be my first international award. Compliments have been pouring in from family and friends. It has certainly boosted my confidence and morale.
Who is your favourite filmmaker?..and why
I don’t really have a favourite, but to name a few I love the work of Mira Nair and Deepa Mehta. Both quite different in their approach to cinema, but yet so close to their characters and surroundings. Mira nair’s ‘Monsoon Wedding’ was an eye opener as to how close one can get to an actual Punjabi wedding, and all this with films. It makes me believe that we can hit the core of a subject with films.
Finally, what’s the last film that you saw and the best film that you have seen in the last twelve months?
The last film I saw “The Dirty Picture”, it’s a film that recently released and also the one I’ve been closely involved with for a long time this year. As far as the best film is concerned, I would have to say that ‘The Adventures of Tintin’ stole my heart. I was so scared of this legend becoming a film, but the masters handled it with excellence.
Thanks Vanshaj, we wish all the best.
Vanshaj’s film Toffee is entered into The Reelshow All Winners Festival 2011
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