The much-awaited Wild Karnataka , a film made in 4K ultra high definition resolution, by wildlife filmmakers Kalyan Varma, Amoghavarsha JS, their team of camera artists in collaboration with naturalist Sarath Champathi, presented by Karnataka Forest Department, will be screened at PVR Theatres on January 17. Over 400 hours of footage was shot and it took four years for the film to be put together. The voice over is by the legend, Sir David Attenborough and the original score has been composed by Grammy-awardee Ricky Kej. The film is on the grandeur of Karnataka’s stunning forests and wild life. The trailer gives a glimpse into the advanced technology used to make the film. MetroPlus caught up with Amoghavarsha on the filmmaking process. Excerpts:
A journey into the wild A still from Wild Karnataka
We see filmmakers turning to old school techniques and putting a new spin on it. Did you experiment with familiar technology to do something new?
We used a lot of new technology, such as gimbals, stabilisers and new-generation drones. But with an idea to get more intimate with the subject and to showcase a new perspective.
As filmmakers, what are some of the risks you go through, because the equipment you use is expensive...
Risk is unavoidable on field. However, with years of experience, we know the common issues or risks like weather. Also we take safety quite seriously in the field.
What did you do for the sound? While a film can be immersive with intense visuals, how did you match the sound of the film? Did you use anything new with that?
Sound is tricky. You cannot always record on field. So you have to go back at times. We used high fidelity mics and recorders
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We used drones only in forest areas and under supervision of officers and field staff.
We have been in touch constantly not just with international filming teams but also broadcasters and camera companies to make our 4k future proof.
