KAKINADA: “We have a good number of short film-makers everywhere after the advent of the digital technology. If we can provide them basic training in film making, most of them can do wonders by making use of the available resources,” says Telugu and Kannada feature film director B. Veera Sankar, also the founder president of the Cosmic Cine Club and Telugu Film Directors’ Association.
After conducting a daylong workshop for budding film technicians in Vijayawada last week, the club is now focussing on conducting similar programmes in the entire coastal region and the one in the city is scheduled for February 12.
“On an average, 10 Telugu short films a day are being uploaded to the YouTube every day and some of them are really good. Of late, a few technicians of the short films are proving their mettle on the big screen too. But, most of the enthusiasts lack fundamental knowledge,” observes the director, who has been to the city to oversee the arrangements.
A native of Chivatam in West Godavari district, 48-year-old Sankar spent his childhood at Gangavathi Karnataka and the film bug bit him after he watched Charlie Chaplin films during his intermediate course. After working as an associate to Kodi Ramakrishna for eight years, he wielded the megaphone with Srikanth-starrer Hello, I Love You in 1997. “Srikanth is my childhood friend and the story is basing on the novel Vennello Aadapilla penned by Yandamoori Veerendranath. The film provided me a passport to the world of cinema and an offer from Pawan Kalyan,” he recalls.
Mr. Sankar made Gudumba Shankar with Mr. Pawan Kalyan as lead. Subsequently, he entered into the Kannada cinema with Punith Rajkumar-starrer Namma Basava and made two more films there.
Major problem
Admitting that non-availability of screens remained a major problem for small-budget films for the last five years, Mr. Sankar highlights the need for improving platforms for film screening. “If need be, the film unit should take projectors to the villages and arrange temporary screens, so that the work will reach the public,” he says, while pointing out the social media providing an alternative platform for the screening.
The director believes new talent is the need of the hour for the Telugu cinema, where competition among the technicians is minimal. “We have veterans like Samudrala Raghunath to cover script related topics and Rambabu Dhanisetti to give minute details on using the camera. The details are available on our website www.cosmiccineclub.com and we are very happy if the workshops help at least a few individuals to grow as professionals,” he concludes.
