FILMING THE WAY OUT...

         Cinema – one medium that we all relate to, follow and oblige with great devotion and fervour. With the current trend inclining positively towards the independent filmmakers with no absolute background but with bubbling, out-of-the-world thoughts and ideas, I had an opportunity to chat with one such Tamil short-film maker based in Singapore – Thoufiq Ahamed, the owner of DTB Productions. With daring notions and innovative screenplay, his short films have particularly changed my perspective with regards to the making of a movie and the behind-the-scenes-hardwork the crew puts in to bring the output in a pleasing way to the audience.

He has already worked in short films like Watch Out, Theeyavan and Yogi. With his upcoming production Heartbeat releasing on 29^th August, he spoke about all his previous experiences of acting, directing, composing and producing short films with absolutely no funding from outside. (Note: During the course of our conversation, he asked me to publish this in Whimsicality To The Core and I was amazed as to how he really believed this could have a massive reach).

Excerpts:

1)   How do you see the prospect of independent filmmaking in the near future?

     Well, there was a time when those who were passionate about becoming a film maker or actor had to meet a film director or producer to get a chance to act or be their assistant. But now, they have got adequate platforms through social media to showcase their talents and passion by doing short films. I’m very sure that, in the near future, there will be many independent successful film makers, making quality films pertaining to various genres.

2)   In the current scenario, there are many crowdfunded films being released in many languages. What’s your take on this?

     It's really good. Movies are a reflection of our culture and traditions, and people are generally ready to donate funds - monetarily or otherwise – to something that would do something for the society. Nowaday, if people are bored or tired, they don’t have to depend on television and theatres alone. They can just go to Youtube or Facebook and watch short films of different genres from different languages. Moreover, crowdfunding develops social contacts and it’s a mutual give-and-take for both the filmmaker and the people who fund the film.

3)   Can you shed some light on your personal journey from ‘Watch Out’ to ‘Heartbeat’?

      It has been wonderful, like really. I have discovered myself as a          completely different person from what I thought I was sometime back.          I am still in the process of learning and would like to improve with                each of my films.

4)   Seeing the posters of ‘Heartbeat’, it looks like a romantic plot is on the cards, completely different from the earlier ones. Do you forcefully involve yourself in different genres, or is it something that naturally comes to you?

    (Laughs) As far as ‘Heartbeat’ is concerned, I can’t comment on it before it has officially been released. Frankly speaking, I want to try out all types of genres and bring it down to the target audience at the right time with the right proportions. Nothing comes naturally to me; I think and contemplate, and zero down on a plot.

5)   How did you people (the crew) mingle as a group?

     We are all like-minded people with a common passion – filmmaking. It has never been really difficult for us to stay together. Rather, I would say that we all mingled just like that in a natural way. This creates a possibility of exploring and brainstorming different ideas, and each one gets to learn a new thing, that he/she had no idea about, previously.

6)   I am sure each of you in the group must have got his/her share of work also. How do you tend to balance that?

     First of all, it is important that each and every technician and cast imbibes the thought process of a director and work accordingly. But, this doesn’t necessarily mean that the Director is the King and others work under him. Once a particular situation is given, human beings tend to improvise on it and come out with a transcended output.

     Since we know each other personally, we do understand the others’ personal responsibilities, and it is not that difficult for us to fill in another person’s shoes, if the need arises.

7)   A few words on the ‘Heartbeat’ crew...

     In Heartbeat, the cinematography has been done by Kevin William. He is the one who did posters for the film and take care of the distribution also. He has done a strong supporting role, too. Composing, rerecording, editing and most of the post production works were taken care of by Stanley Vincent - a very talented person. The heroine of the film is Aisha Alina, who is a very funny person to be with. She has also worked on the make-up for the film. My two good friends, Abraham and Barathan, have done a small supporting role in the film. Overall, it was fun working with each other. Each outing teaches us a lot.

8)   You mentioned that some of your shortfilms get funded sometimes from other production houses also, while some others are funded from your own pocket. How do you view this sense of harmony among the different production houses?

     Short film industry is not a big industry yet. Most of the short-filmmakers don't earn any income from their films, including myself. So in that case, one production house helps another production house. This sense of harmony is really healthy.

9)   You are releasing short films at a steady pace. Does this imply that you want to become a big screen movie director or actor?

     (Blushes) Yes definitely; that's my dream. That is why we are slowly learning the art of film making by doing short films.

10) Some of the scenes in 'Watch Out' and 'Theeyavan; show the amateurish acting skills of the people involved such that the mood of the situation doesn't get conveyed to the audience completely. What’s your opinion on this?

     Well, some of us imagine the visual and flow of a particular scene to be in our way while it changes totally opposite when we see it from the director's view. Sometimes, we accept it & sometimes we don't. After all, we are still toddlers in the field off cinema and it’s a matter of time before we learn and catch up with the nuances.

11) Do you conduct trial sessions for selection? Or choose people just like that?

     For my films, I will choose people who are close to me and those who share the same dream as mine. Sometimes, there is preference for those who have previous experience in short films and plays. But, I think it's important to conduct audition before choosing the actor. Maybe, I will conduct one in my next project.

12)Any noteworthy glimpses en route to this journey?

      I would say the most exciting and unforgettable moment came when Yogi (one of the short films in which he starred), was released in the silver screen. It was a huge boost not only for me but for the crew. When something gets noticed, appreciated and rewarded, you tend to work with your heart and soul in it.

                      I would like to express my sincere gratitude for Thoufiq Ahamed, who has been kind enough to spend time off from his college and filming schedules to have a chit-chat with me. WTTC wishes best of luck to Thoufiq and DTB Productions for all the future projects.

To watch all his previous short films, visit the following links:

Watch Out

Theeyavan

Yogi