PRASHANT RAI cinematographer

A memorable trip to Barrandov studio in the winters organised by Michael Gahut, my cinematography instructor. A state of the art film production facility, Barrandov is Europe’s biggest studio lot. If you are filming here you don’t need to step out anywhere else.

Of all the facilities what fascinated me the most was the hygiene of the film processing lab. Thermo sensors reading to hundredth of decimal in the tanks to maintain the accuracy of processing.

Casino Royale was being filmed at Barrandov those days. The Block behind me was where they had erected sets for interior shots. Ki Nan, self, and Teddy had a great day.

The walk back to the nearest tram station was memorable. Unfortunately, I can’t produce those jokes and songs for fear of lawsuit -My Name is ……I am no electrician!

Kinan and Teddy must have got it. Cheers guys.

Last year Jan I shot a 9 minute short called Bus for a New York Director, Pranav Vora. His concept was unique – there will be no cuts in the film. So, the whole film unfolds for 9 minutes without any cuts.

The film opened at MIAAC film festival last Nov. and was screened at Tribeca cinemas and Musuem for Arts and Design.  Hope it goes for more festivals.

…The crowd seems to have taken a softer line. I was back and we were taking random shots.  This success filming continued till we ran into a fresh lot of people who shared the same language and expression of speech-making as the previous one…

Cont. on Filmmaking – ‘11 Weeks’ – the film shoot. Part-2

A mother walks with her baby past hutments along a narrow road that leads to the Candolim Beach.

The photograph was taken in the month of March, towards the end. The skies are very hot and clear. surprisingly, as a local development, it rained in the afternoon. when the clouds finally cleared around sunset – what I saw was a crimson red sky. It was quite an unusual sight in Goa for the month of March.

httpv://in.youtube.com/watch?v=g4iaVEZYet0

trying to get through a really slow connection to upload pictures of Kashmir.

refer ‘photography’ page

Srinagar greeted with a dry autumn and deserted streets. The tourists who thronged the markets and shikaras a few months back were missing. As a photographer I felt like the streets, the landscape too was barren, with a veneer of gritty yellowy dust all over compared to the lush greens three months back.

to read more click on the page – ‘11 Weeks’ – the film shoot. Part-1

is it too much work or just bad planning  that I can’t get 20 min. in a day to update my blog. that’s wierd. Because now I have a huge back log to finish. phew!

Divinity divided

I am waiting for a divine intervention for an end to all the problems in J&K that has been raging on and off for last 60 years. Just two months back when I was on location reccee with my Director, things seemed hunky dory. There were so many tourists in the Valley that we had to wait for our turn at the famous Vaishnav dhaba near the Dal Lake. Pahalgam and Gulmarg were teeming with tourists queuing up at the ropeway to reach the snow clad mountains.  There was something festive this summer. Now, there is chaos abundant.

I am unable to shoot a film which promotes harmony and peace. What irony! I feel sad as a DoP; the director feels worse.  

Like mortal human beings we are just waiting for the people to get tired with their anger so that peace gets a chance again. Just wait.