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Photo: M. Periasamy

Neat adaptation An astrologer’s day

And, if the masters are a friendly lot, who love the thought of sharing their craft with eager minds, their life is made.

That’s how the students of the Department of Communication of PSG College of Arts and Science would have felt when two stars from the field of cinema – director Karu Palaniappan and cinematographer M S Prabhu – sat through their works, analysed them, and happily shared trade secrets.

The two, who collaborated on Pirivom Sandhipom, that ode to the joint family, were in full flow as they spoke about what a lot of work went into the making of a single shot. Some movies were also screened in parts. Such as Ramana and Thavamai Thavamirindhu.

Prabhu, who cranked the camera for both, spoke about how they achieved certain effects, and handled students’ queries with aplomb. When someone asked him why in Thavamai… the flashback was in colour, while the present was shown in black-and-white, he said: “Memories are always colourful. And, the film was about the hero’s cherished memories. At some stage, all of us enjoy the past, and not the present.” That helped the audience see the film in an altogether new light.

And, the tips were aplenty. “When you go in for a zoom shot, you should have good editing sense. Try this. While editing, cut out the beginning of the zoom shot. Your shot will look interesting,” Prabhu told an audience that was now fast turning into a fan club of sorts.

“Why do songs look brighter?” asked an eager beaver. “That’s because people take extra care. They want a richer look; so everything is better, including the clothes and jewellery. If people take the same care for a movie, the movie will also look good,” he quipped.

Once Karu Palaniappan joined Prabhu, it was time to see the short films and documentaries shot by the students.

The first was a beauty – an adaptation of R K Narayan’s by-now immortal story, An Astrologer’s Day, by Sharath Kumar. The film was mostly shot in the dark, because the story demanded it.

Karu Palaniappan was effusive in his praise. “I don’t know if I would have shot such a film ten years ago,” he told a beaming Sharath.

And, then came the suggestions. “Focus on the audio. And, improve the lighting. There are limitations everywhere. If you have to shoot on a budget of Rs. 1,000, I have to shoot within Rs. 10 lakh. And, while you need to be faithful to the original, you can make changes while translating it on screen.”

“A book can just say an old lady frying vadais sitting under a tree. Your imagination will fill in the gaps. But, on screen, you need to construct your scene better. Ask questions like ‘What tree?’, ‘How old is the lady?’, ‘Is she married?’, ‘What vadai is she making?’” explained the director.

Another film screened was a winding documentary on the Nilgiri Mountain Railway by Archana. “A shot need not be as lengthy as the train. Shorten it as much as possible,” advised Prabhu.

A documentary on elephants by Prasanth started off pleasantly enough, but ended in a gory dance of death by an elephant in musth. And, every detail was captured. “Was it necessary to show it all?” asked Karu Palaniappan.

“And, while you were at it, you could talk about why elephants turn this way, and discuss possible solutions,” he advised.

Bala’s short film on a boy going on a pilgrimage to Sabarimala and his volte-face on his return was effective. “But, why do you have to run a scroll saying ‘After his return…?’” asked the director. “Construct the shot in such a way that it is self-explanatory.”

At the end of it all, if the students had listened enough, they would have taken back enough gyaan to keep them going for a long time.

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