The last day of "Lilkee"

For the last couple of months I've been finishing off work on "Lilkee" very reluctantly.

How often I have thought, what is this madness that prompts you to make a film? I'm never going to even want to make a film again.

It's hard, when you are working with very little money, because you have to do most of everything on your own, even all the not-so-fun stuff, like couriering letters, filling up forms, photo-copying scripts and more tedious stuff like that.

But yesterday, when I went to the lab, to make my final payment, waiting outside near the car, for the negatives of the film to be delivered, I felt a rush of nostalgia already for the fun we'd had for the last year.

The truth was it was hardly ever any fun, while we were doing it, we were all working so hard, and exhausted most of the time. But, but... already the stories came back to my mind, and I started saying to Vivek, remember when .. remember when...

And when I came back home, the Mac had behaved impeccably well, and encoded a good DVD (it's harder than it sounds) and so, I felt finally, all's well that ends well.

And by evening, Vivek and I were sitting down and pontificating about how we'd do better the next time we are making a film. And already I'm thinking, what next, what next?

Space Bar said...

congrats! and i'm so glad you're already planning the next one. waiting to watch lilkee.

9:09 AM

Parul Gahlot said...

hey congratulations! so glad that it's done, you must be like phew!
All the best for the next one. would love to see Lilkee...

2:51 PM

surabhi said...

CONGRATULATIONS BATUL! waiting to see the film-please let me know when you screen the film...

9:53 PM

Rough cut

Vivek and Noorbhai at Rudraprayag, Garhwal.

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The crew at Korlai beach, near Alibagh.














Hemanti has finished the rough cut. It's bliss to edit at home. After ages, my MAC behaved perfectly. Found out that all the trouble had been caused by a corrupt hard disc. And so many people had been going around in circles, trying to find the problem, loading and reloading again. Anyway.

After having given the DVDs to CFSI, there is a lull. Oh, these lulls. I hate not working, I really don't enjoy the emptiness of waking up, with nothing to do, the way Vivek seems to. I'd love more than anything else to be tearing around, stressed out, trying to manage a hundred things, and failing miserably. Instead, I have the calm of a not too busy director around me.

Satish has uploaded some photos from our shoot on Yahoo.

posted by Batul at 10:45 PM on Feb 14 2006

Jyothi Kapur Das said...

Batul, all the very best to you and hope your film generates another and another and another !!!! :)

It's great to hear of the experiences of a sister-filmmaker, a sister-mother, a sister-social animal.

Cheers.

1:01 PM

david raphael israel said...

Batul,

ah things like harddrive problems can be too unnerving: happy when solved. You mention photos on Yahoo but I don't see a link.
So the edit is completed now? Ah, "rough cut." (So more editing ahead...) Shot e.g. in film, DVCAM or what, btw?

Thanks for note. Will be interested to see what-all-more you write here.
cheers, d.i.

1:28 PM

Jacks, all of us

Suresh at Rudraprayag, with his head in the continuity book

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Manoj at Forest Castle, Pune with his head in the costume trunk













Working on a low budget film, or rather, ultra low budget film has it's own postpartum glamor. On "Lilkee" most of us were working overtime, managing more than 2-3 departments. Manoj not only played seven cameo roles, but also helped me to write the script, rehearse with the children, and take care of their costumes on the shoot. Suresh was not only playing the main lead, but also taking care of continuity and background action. Vipin took care of sound and frayed tempers. Satish did the stills, and helped me with accounts, and production work. I discovered that my sister, Farida and sister-in-law, Farzana were excellent costume directors apart from being caretakers for the children. Vivek had to be the art director along with being the cinematographer. Aiman not only played her role to perfection, amidst conditions of extreme stress, but helped with choreography and make-up. And me, what did I do, amongst all this? It seems to me that my biggest strength has been the people around me, and my ability to pick their brains, their talent, and their hard work.

Sleeping beauties

Looks like we are all working very hard indeed. But what better than a cat-nap to compensate for late nights, and all too early mornings?

Noorbhai, the camera attendant has handed over his duties to Raees.

Anjibabu, the make-up man, asleep for the day.

"Rhea", played by my neice Anushka, has finished shooting for the day, but must wait for all of us to pack-up to go back to the hotel.

farrukh said...

Hi Batul,

Found you at Caferati. Nice blog. And pictures.

What's the movie about, may I ask?

farrukh

11:00 AM

surabhi said...

thrilled to see that you visited my blog!
looking forward to your film...

7:50 PM

Jyothi Kapur Das said...

When will i do this....? I am so happy that YOU have! :)

12:29 AM

John said...

Hi Batul,

Thank god I discovered your blog. I can learn a lot about the fascinating world of film-making.

Keep writing!

j

10:38 AM

Batul said...

Dear John,

Thanks. Wish my world was more fascinating. ie. I was making more films. But one day soon. I'm loving your blog too.

Regards.

1:13 PM

Frantic location hunting

25 Sep 05

Still struggling to find a location. When I wrote the script, I thought I was being smart, fitting my story into an apartment complex where I lived. I knew CFSI budgets were miniscule, and I wanted to make a film, which could be well-executed within the budget.

But the film took more than a year to happen, the apartment politics changed, and I am stranded without a location. And what was to be the easiest part of the shoot, right now seems to be the most difficult.

All my decisions, including secondary actors' casting, props, assistant directors, apart from the more mundane issues of hotels, food and transport are swinging around because of this uncertainty.

When I had my baby 12 years ago, what went forever was the arrogance of my youth. I learnt that one could not be anti-social if one wanted the best for one's baby. I learnt to be patient with all kinds of people, nurture relationships, selfishly for my kid. And it's the same with making a film. Once again, it's all about finding different languages to deal with different people.

posted by Batul @ 12:44:00 PM

music and lyrics

29 September 05

The last two days have suddenly been turning points. Three days ago, Vivek gave me a long lecture on music and lyrics, and how I needed to put in more work. As usual, I defended myself by saying that my work process was internal, and that, one day I would be ready. He knows that, but does get exasperated by how vague I can be at times, and thus perhaps give the wrong impression to people who don't know me.

Perhaps it was the effect of his scolding, but I woke up in the morning, with part of the lyrics for the letter-writing song, written in my sleep. And once you have a springboard, it does not take long to launch off into space. We drove off to Revdanda beach for a recce, looking for a lighthouse. We found it a few kilometers ahead of Revdanda at Korle village. It is spectacular, an old fort, the sea, hills, a old world fishing village. At the base of the fort, while I waited for Vivek to finish taking his stills, I wrote the beach song, as well. I could not believe I had done it, as for a year, I had been proclaiming that I would need a professional lyrics writer, and I could not do it myself.

That's made me believe how powerful the mind is. Once I had done that, I could talk to my music director too very clearly about what I wanted, and what I hated. Now I feel sure that I'll get what I want, and not just accept what he thinks will be nice.

Parul Gahlot said...

Damn good for you! Forge ahead

9:10 PM