Online, May 11th – May 17th, 2020
Online, April 27th – May 3rd, 2020 (completed successfully)
Workshop Overview
This course will familiarise the participants with the basics of media and audiovisual storytelling – to build capacity whereby the participants can produce their own stories within the confines of their own spaces; using handy equipment like personal computers, cell phones or any other cameras/ gadgets readily available at home.
Along with the elementary technicalities of filmmaking, the workshop will facilitate understanding of media – its sources, roles, functions, forms and effects. How to assimilate the range of media, particularly during times of the pandemic? How to observe media’s effects on one’s own personal psyche and larger social sphere? And subsequently, if one wants to express oneself in relation to his/her surroundings, how to acquire a language, a possible form of expression.
The workshop will be in 3 stages – Stage 1: Lecture Based – About Media Environment; Stage 2: Interactive and discussing based – Observing and sharing media’s effects on oneself – personally and politically; Stage 3: Practical Exercise Based – where participants will be encouraged to express themselves and mentored to articulate their personal state and social surroundings in the form of short films.
Through this workshop we would like to inspire autobiographical stories and stories on lockdown.
Participants will be encouraged to critically examine their media environment; delve deep within oneself and freely articulate what one thinks/ feels about oneself, one’s families, societies, communities, country, the world in general and this could range from climate change, nature’s wrath, globalization, capitalism, consumerism, safety to surveillance amongst other things.
Type: Online Documentary Film-making Workshop reflecting on Self, Surrounding and Stories.
Duration: 7 Days
Medium of Instruction: English
Participant Profile: Proactive citizens of the country – interested in Media, Social Media, Journalism, Art, Film-making, Story Telling, Politics, Environment and Ecology – who are willing to articulate their reflections in the film form within the given constraints.
Curriculum and Board Schedule:
Day1:
15:00 to 15:30 Introduction to the Workshop and the Facilitators by Richa Hushing
15:30 to 16:30 Introduction to the Workshop Participants – participants will introduce themselves and share briefly their lockdown situation.
16:30 to 17:30 Lecture – Basics of Media by Aloke Thakore
17:30 to 18:15 Interaction with Aloke Thakore
18:15 to 18:30 Briefing about the exercise for the day by Richa Hushing
Exercise: Select at least 3 stories that touched you, pained you, inspired or provoked deep thought in you in some way – stories from the print or electronic or social media or internet. Upload on shared drive.
Day2:
15:00 to 16:00 Sharing Circle on effects of Media on personal psyche and society in general. Moderated by Aloke Thakore
16:00 to 16:30 Lecture on ‘A Reflection on filmmaking and film form today’
A Documentary Filmmaker and Cinematographer’s Perspective by Rrivu Laha
16:30 to 17:00 Interaction with Rrivu Laha and Richa Hushing
17:00 to 17:30 Introduction to ‘Actuality’
Briefing on Exercise for the day.
Exercise: Observe an ‘actuality’ within the confines of the home space / extended society – and write an incident report. Also, reflect on concerns / issues / fears / triumphs and related stories – one deeply feels about and would like to express.
Day3:
15:00 to 15:45 Lecture on ‘Types of Documentaries’ by Rrivu Laha / Richa Hushing
15:45 to 16:15 Interaction with Rrivu Laha / Richa Hushing
16:15 to 17:00 Lecture on ‘Basics of Cinema Language’
(What is a shot, scene, sequence; basics of narrative development; essential components – Audio and Video) by Richa Hushing
17:00 to 17:30 Interaction with Richa Hushing
17:30 to 18:15 Lecture on ‘Basics of Sound’ & Tips of Recording Sound on Smart Phone.
18:15 to 18:30 Briefing on Exercise for the day.
Exercise: Record a Soundscape / Interview / Monologue
Day4:
15:00 to 15:45 Lecture on ‘Idea to Film’ by Rrivu Laha / Richa Hushing
15:45 to 17:45 Presentation and discussion by participants on their incident reports and related ideas for production with Rrivu Laha, Richa Hushing and Aloke Thakore
17:45 to 18:15 Lecture on ‘Using Secondary Footage’ – What are the rules and risks of using images / videos / sounds / texts from the internet / social media / archives by Aloke Thakore
18:15 to 18:30 Briefing Exercise for the day.
Continuation of presentations of the participants – if required.
Exercise: Drafting of scripts for short films the participant would like to shoot.
Day5:
11:00 to 12:00 Tips on shooting with a smart phone –basic cinematography guidelines by Rrivu Laha
One-on-one interactions with participants for feedback and guidance for shooting – throughout the day.
Participants will begin shooting their own films
Day6:
11:00 to 12:00 Tips on editing the film on smartphone / personal computer
by Richa Hushing
One-on-one interactions with participants for feedback and guidance for editing – throughout the day.
Participants will begin editing their own films
Day7:
Participants will continue editing to finalise their films.
Mentors will be available online throughout the day for feedback and guidance.
16:00 Publishing of all films produced on Auroville Film Institute webpage.
18:00 Live on Youtube – Participants interaction and closing circle.
—***—-
Method of Training and Interaction:
The online course will be conducted on ‘GoogleMeet’. Details will be shared with each participant.
The course will be a combination of pre-recorded lectures, followed by live interactions, facilitated Q&A; and mentored practical exercises towards production of short films by the participants – within the confines of their home space and extended society – with whatever gadgets readily available at home – without defying any norms of the lockdown.
Course Facilitators:
Richa Hushing & Rrivu Laha
Guest Faculty: Aloke Thakore
Facilitators’ & Guest Faculty Profile:
Richa Hushing & Rrivu Laha are documentary filmmakers, both alumni of Film and Television Institute of India, Pune. Richa specializes in Direction and Editing, while Rrivu’s specialization is Direction and Cinematography. Their films are often character portraits; and portraits of indigenous cultures in face of conflict and at the threshold of change. Cinema verité style is their strength.
‘Nicobar, a long way…’ a documentary observing Nicobarese identity and resilience in wake of state sponsored relief and rehabilitation post Tsunami – is one of their latest works, winning ‘Special Mention’ award at the Millennium Film Festival, Belgium, 2017. Some of the other festivals where it won accolades was Pêcheurs du monde, Lorient, France, 2018; Film South Asia, Nepal, 2017; Viscult, the festival of Visual Culture, Finland, 2017; World Film Festival, Estonia, 2017; Festival Film Library of the Royal Anthropological Institute, Bristol 2017; Ethnografilm Festival, Paris, 2017; Smaragdni Eco Film Festival, Croatia, 2017; International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala, India, 2016. Their prior works too have been recognised internationally.
After a decade-long practice based in Mumbai, in 2017 Richa and Rrivu moved to Auroville, an intentional international township dedicated to the ideals of human unity, free progress and transformation of consciousness. In Auroville, they’ve found Auroville Timelines, a media pedagogy and video arts unit, researching and curating recorded memories of Auroville, creating mnemonics of the dream.
Richa and Rrivu have also co-founded ‘Auroville Film Institute’ dedicated to the ideal of cinema education, integrating world cinema and world citizenship, experimenting with a new pedagogy, encouraging new practices of conscious cinema. Auroville Film Institute has begun to offer short term courses; and is preparing for long term plans, individualised mentorship, student exchange programmes and cinema-centric learning journeys.
Aloke Thakore is a journalist, researcher and teacher. He has worked in print and television. He has been a newsroom coach for The Times of India (Chennai and Kochi), Hindustan Times, People (magazine), Bangalore Mirror, and Mumbai Mirror; and a management and editorial consultant for The Emirates Evening Post (Dubai).
Having started his career with The Statesman in Calcutta, Thakore worked as a Producer with ABNI and its merged avatar of CNBC, and was responsible for the channel output from Mumbai. He used to write a media watch column for The Hoot (thehoot.org) called ‘Hammer and Tongs’, and has also conducted, and consulted on, media research and training initiatives of the Media Foundation, Panos South Asia, and PUKAR (Partners for Urban Knowledge, Action & Research), Mumbai.
A Media Leadership Fellow of the Poynter Institute for Media Studies, Thakore has a Ph.D. in Journalism & Mass Communication from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, an AM in International Relations from the University of Chicago, and an MS in Journalism from the University of Kansas. He has a bachelor’s degree in English from Calcutta University. Thakore is the Honorary Director of the JM Foundation for Excellence in Journalism. He serves as a trustee of the Informed Voter project (MumbaiVotes.com).
Expected Contribution:
We are launching this course on the principles of gift economy and therefore we have a voluntary payment scheme. There are no specific fees. Participants may contribute whatever amount they feel right, whatever they can. Amount of contribution is not a criterion for selection. We welcome participants irrespective of any contribution – provided there is interest and willingness to participate proactively.
You may transfer your voluntary contribution to:
Bank Name: STATE BANK OF INDIA
Account Name: AV ART SERVICE
Account Number: 37357794312
Branch: AUROVILLE INTERNATIONAL TOWNSHIP
IFS Code: SBIN0003160
MICR Code: 605002007
Please fill up the transaction ID generated and the date of transaction in the application form linked below.
Selection Criteria:
Selection will be on a first-come-first-served basis. However, we will scrutinize applications on the basis of the applicant’s statement of purpose and general interest.
Certificates: Those who wish for certificates will be given digital certificates of participation.
Completion of production is mandatory to receive certificates.
Queries:
For queries, if any, please write to:
filminstitute@auroville.org.in or call / message on +91 9969879319.
filminstitute.auroville.org 