Project Bhule Bisre Kalakar With Vasant Valley School
Date 29.9.2004 – Tara Basic Script Idea From Tara
Date 29.9.2004 – Report on Anand Foundation Meeting. From Karishma
Date 21.9.2004 – Feed Back. From Tara Bedi
Date 21.9.2004 – Shooting Outline. From Pavee Raheja
Date 16.9.2004 – Out Reach-Anand Foundation Group. From Karishma
Date 16.9.2004 – Report. From Karishma
Tara Basic Script Idea
29.9.2004
This film is about the making of a puppeteer. It helps discover and understand the various factors that motivate a person to pursue the art of puppetry. It talks about the life of this man/boy living in an urban slum with people socio-economic backgrounds similar to his own. It is about his daily life and the various performances he has put up for a variety of audiences and about his dreams and aspirations for the future.
Basic Script Idea – Puppeteer
Why are you a puppeteer (by choice, family tradition etc.)
Do you enjoy being a puppeteer (if you had an option would you do
something else and if so what else)
What is your training process (who taught you, for how long, daily routine)
What are your performances based on (are they folk stories, stories passed
on by your elders, stories from your own imagination or based on instances
of your daily life)
Where and how are the puppets made (make them yourself, family or other
people (possibly craftsmen) make them for you)
How often do you perform and who is your main audience
Is puppetry your main source of income (does it suffice, other sources of
income)
Do you like performing on stage (for big audiences or do they scare you,
prefer smaller audiences, do you like interacting with you audience etc)
Do you perform only in your locality or do you travel all over India to perform
Have you ever traveled abroad for your performances (what was the
experience like, did you interact with the audience, what was their reaction,
your reaction to another country etc)
Do you work alone or with someone else (from your family or not)
Do you incorporate puppetry with any other traditional art forms of your
area
Will you train your children to be puppeteers or will you give them the option
to pursue something else
What are your hopes and aspirations for the future
Section 1.
Background
Introduction to the puppeteer, his life and family. Who he is, where he’s from and where he is now.
Audio
About his family
Why his a puppeteer
How he became one
Does he enjoy being a puppeteer
What his training process was
Where and how are the puppets made
If he works alone or with someone else
Video
Shots of the conversation (interspersed with the following)
Shots of his family and surroundings
Shots of him fooling around with his puppets
Shots of the puppets in their unfinished form, their finished form, the people
making them
Shots of him and his partner (if he has one)
Section 2.
Life
Daily Life
Audio
What his day is like
Does he practice everyday
Who helps him out
What sort of income does he get
Is there any other source of income
Video
Shots of the conversation
Shots of the slum and his home
Shots of him practicing his art and maybe being told how to do things by his
father/family if that is the case
Section 3
Work
His Performances
Audio
What are your performances based on
Do you incorporate puppetry with any other traditional art forms of your
area
How often do you perform and who is your main audience
Are there specific costumes for his act
Do you like performing on stage
Do you perform only in your locality or do you travel all over India
Have you ever traveled abroad for any of your performances
Video
Shots of the conversation
Shots of him performing for us (if possible)
Shots (footage if possible otherwise pictures) of his prior performances both
in and out of India
Section 4.
Hopes and Aspirations for the future
Audio
Does he hope to start o school type system and teach other people with
similar socio – economic backgrounds the art of puppetry
Are there any particular places he would like to travel and perform in
Are there any people (mentor types, people he admires) who he would like
to perform with
Will he train his children in puppetry or will he give them the option to pursue
what they want
If he had a chance to reinvent his life what would he do – how would it be
different?
Video
Shots of the conversation
Shots of his performances
Shots of him and his family/ loved ones
Report on Anand Foundation Meeting
29.9.2004
Held on 21st September, 2004
With: Vivek, Vikram, Simrat, Simran, Pavee, Tara, Krishma, Deepti and Anju.
Subject: Discussion on Film-making
There was a meeting held with the Anand Foundation members and Mr. Vikram who would help us in film-making. Following points were discussed in the meeting.
1. The shooting will be done for two VCDs. One would be the trailor of the move and the other would be the film itself. It would include the film of the puppeteer, artist and the magician.
2. Type of production
The movie can be displayed in three ways:
a) Film
b) Multimedia
c) Film and Multimedia
If we would be doing multimedia, it would be done on Flash, Macromedia or Director.
3. Time Frame
The time limit for complete the production of the movie is 1 ½ months. The whole film needs to be submitted by the end of the October.
4. Target
The movie will be sent to ISRO-channel.
5. Length of the film
The length of the film can either be
a) 12 minutes- Short Film
b) 27 minutes- Episodic Film
6. Division in groups
The respective 3 groups needs to be further divided into a scripting, technical, creative and post production group.
7. During the film, certain facts needs to be taken into consideration
a) Background music
The background movie should preferably go with the theme of the music.
b) The movie should not only confine to the artist, puppeteer and magician.
It might even include the periods with which the following form of arts are related.
c) Place for Shooting
The place to shoot must also go with the period or mood of the movie. E.g. one can shoot the artist next to Qutub Minar.
d) Audience
Which audience are you catering to and what impact do you want to leave upon them?
8. Movie will be shot on Mini-DV, DV cameras provided by the school. The final format would be on VCD, and master copy on DVD. Digital editing would be done and movie will be converted into mpeg. Software will be based on requirements.
Feed Back
21.9.2004
Name: Tara Bedi
E-mail:bedi_tara@hotmail.com
Phone Number: 011-24697120; Mobile No. 9818759933
1.Please share your experience and views of your visit to the Katputli Colony, Shaadipur Depot on the 28th August 2004.
My first impression of Shaddipur Depot was not exactly the most compassionate one. I was uncomfortable with the smell and the flies. But once I started walking around, through the narrow windy lanes of the colony, I was amazed by what I saw, so many people all laughing and smiling, busy with their work, chatting away merrily. Then it occurred to me that people actually live here and work here-suddenly it didn’t seem to smell anymore. The flies on my arm didn’t bother me either. The people were really friendly and they didn’t look at us like we were aliens. They made an effort to greet us and welcome us to their homes. Some spoke in broken English and that was really sweet. I thought that it was an overwhelmingly great experience and I look forward to going there many more times.
2.Explain in detail, how you plan to go about making this documentary? E.g. Is it going to be a 1st person narrative, 3rd person narrative? What is the story-line of your script? The number of days you require for the shooting? The location? Choose one day of the week that is most suited to you for the required field visits. Etc.
The film will talk about the making of a puppeteer. What factors motivate and influence a person to be a puppeteer. Our documentary will be a first person narrative- not exactly a formal Q & A session but more like a conversation manipulated such that it answers the few questions we have in mind.
The film will basically show the puppeteer talking about his life, interspersed with shots of his family, surroundings, his paraphernalia, the people who help his and of course of him performing. Ideally we should have 2-3 days to shoot footage and basically follow him around in his daily life. But if there is very little time-then 1 day will do. The location will have to be the Shaddipur Depot and no other. If possible, in his home. Any day from Monday to Friday will do, but it should be the whole day.
3.What is the technical support that you require? The mics, the lighting, the location? Etc
Camera (Video)
Mics
Lighting
Location
Tapes
4.Keeping in mind all the details, script-writing, shooting, editing etc, give me a deadline for this project?
The minimum time needed (assuming that we cannot work everyday) is 1 month & possibly even more.
Shooting Outline
21.9.2004
SCENE 1
(The surroundings are dim and the back light is focused on the artist. A journalist looking character with a mic approaches the artist.)
Journalist:
Since when have you been in this business?
Artist;
Journalist
How did you master the art?
Artist;
Journalist
How much do you earn per month?
Artist;
–
Journalist
How many countries have you travelled to?
Artist;
Journalist
Do you want ur children to get involved in this trade?
Artist;
–
(If not why)
Journalist
Thank you
INT WORK SHOP DAY
INTERVEIW TWO 7.5 MIN
EXT STAGE PUPPET SHOW5 MIN
-Pavee Raheja
Out Reach-Anand Foundation Group.
S.No. Name Group Email Phone No.
1. Tara Bedi PUPPETEER bedi_tara@hotmail.com 9818759933
2. Tara Brara PUPPETEER tara_whassup@hotmail.com 26895968/ 26896076
3. Sheena Sehgal MAGICIAN 9899327990/ 26863524
4. Prerna Sharma PAINTER prerna_sharma21@hotmail.com 9818962540
5. Nitya Vaishnavi Singh PAINTER nitya_nitya@hotmail.com 9811760940
6. Shagun SanghaWill report weekly on the progress. PAINTER shagun_89@hotmail.com 51630823
7. Ishan Gupta MAGICIAN
8. Rachit Khanna MAGICIAN bigpimping@hotmail.com 51627641/ 9810174817
9. Brahm Dev Phouggat MAGICIAN
10. Arnav Sharma PAINTER cool_arnav@hotmail.com 9899583498
11. Manohar Vanga Data Collection manohar.vanga@gmail.com 26894173
12. Pavee RahejaWill handle the Camera MAGICIAN pg.raheja@gmail.com 26132723
13. Rishab Sareen PAINTER rishab89@gmail.com 9811352670
14. Pooja Bakshi Data Collection poojabakshi@hotmail.com 95124-5016345-46
15. Rhea Maini PAINTER rheamaini@hotmail.com 9818843328
16. Ashish Aggrawal Data Collection ashish_7788@hotmail.com 9818654222
17. Nitya Singh Data Collection nityasingh@hotmail.com 9818264401
18. Aditya Mukerjee Data Collection
19. Praneet Sahni PUPPEETER pranitsahni@hotmail.com 26146931/ 26102735
20. Rishma Lath Data Collection rishmalath@hotmail.com 9891191154
21. Isaani Uppal PAINTER ishani_uppal@hotmail.com 9810249702
22. Simran SadhanaWill handle the Camera PUPPEETER simransadana@hotmail.com 22750364
23. Simrat DuggalWill handle the Camera PAINTER simrat_dugal@yahoo.com 95124-5014522
24. Sharan AlvaWill report weekly on the progress. MAGICIAN 5h4r4n.4@gmail.com
Report
16.9.2004
The students have been divided into their respective groups. The group working with the magician and the puppeteer visited the Katputli colony on the 28th August 2004. The students who went for this visit were:
1. Tara Bedi
2. Tara Brara
3. Sheena Sehgal
4. Nitya Vaishnavi Singh
5. Brahm Dev Phouggat
6. Pavee Raheja
7. Rishabh Sareen
8. Rhea Maini
9. Nitya Singh
10. Praneet Sahni
11. Kritivas Dalmia
The students had a chance to interact with the a few families and they short-listed 4 families. They are going to have to choose only 2 families, one magician and one puppeteer.
The families short-listed are:
1. Hameed- K-272, Katputli Colony- Magician
2. Rahul- K-377, Katputli Colony- Puppeteer
3. Ranjit- K- 255, Katputli Colony- Puppeteer
4. Kasim- K-290, Katputli Colony- Magician
The following week a worksheet was given to them, with the following questions:
1. Please share your experience and views of your visit to the Katputli Colony, Shaadipur Depot on the 28th August 2004.
2. Explain in detail, how you plan to go about making this documentary? E.g. Is it going to be a 1st person narrative, 3rd person narrative? What is the story-line of your script? The number of days you require for the shooting? The location? Choose one day of the week that is most suited to you for the required field visits. Etc.
3. What is the technical support that you require? The mics, the lighting, the location? Etc
4. Keeping in mind all the details, script-writing, shooting, editing etc, give me a deadline for this project?
On 14th September 2004, four students, Issani Uppal, Rishabh Sareen, Prerna Sharma, & Shagun Sangha accompanied by Mr. Vikram Anand, Ms. Handa & two students from School of Planning and Architecture paid a visit to the home of Mr. Firoz-ud-din at Zakir Nagar.
This was the first interaction of the group with Mr. Firoz-ud-din. They got a feel of his work from the painting that adorned the walls. His painting are so beautifully detailed, one really has to marvel at the amount of time and effort that has gone into each and every one of them. Every painting has a bit of history coming out. He went on to show some of his self-portraits and give us all a lesson on history. Before we knew it 1 hour was up we had to leave. The students are working on their impressions and script and will have a rough draft ready by tomorrow.
The next step is now to discuss these scripts with Ms. Charu Rekha and then get these students to meet with a film-maker who will answer any queries they might have. Looking at 24th of September as the deadline for all their paper work to be completed. So we can move into the next phase, shooting the documentary.
