2 Tamil Short Film: Metaphors and more

After loads of thoughts and further, toiling many weekends in last few months, I (with help of my friends) finally managed to release my second short film, 2. This time, I rather focused on experimenting new stuffs instead of spending money or follow the conventions. 

This short film, 2 was shot on Nikkon D7000 (200 mm Mark II lens). I just used the DSLR that was lying down in my room for ages. The only few bucks I spent are over the audio part as it’s too expensive in Singapore to spend for dubbing or music. Editing… Well, I just used the available software with some basic learning from youtube videos.

Please do watch the film once here before you read further : )

I am writing this blog post right the next day after I released the film in youtube. Primarily for 2 reasons

   -    Few thinks that I didn't focused enough on script and just went with whatever I thought

   -   To further share the hidden intentions on what few tagged as poor execution

To the cream of my circle, thanks for cracking some of the metaphors. Honestly, I don't expect a short film audience to imagine the film may carry hidden messages. Hence, i have decided to share them here.

I never really tried this before but to make a film satisfying for the creator, I believe it’s important to place the metaphors in the screenplay that gives the uniqueness for the writer-director. Here are few that I have attempted in 2. Some would have conveyed, some didn't, and some were mess-ups... I have only drafted the metaphors and the intentions behind it.

- The opening shot: 2 leaves stamped in the first shot... Later, 2 kids die in the film and the reason is negligence. Rings a bell?

- The Unnatural park conversation in the first 3 minutes:  Ajay and George (2 fathers) are actually schizophrenic.They were talking to empty spaces and not to each other (you would have realized this in those 2 shots after accidents where they look at empty spaces or during Doctor’s voice over). Hence, the conversation shots and dialogues (in first 3 minutes) placed in such an obscured manner and i partly expected that one might feel this as poor execution.

- Double act: Why same actor played both father roles why not different actors?  If you notice, most of the attributes between them is in contrast in this film. Rich and middle class dad... Introvert and extrovert... One had son and other had daughter... however, there was something common between them ... Love and Ignorance... The similar looking dad carries this message with 2 portrayals.


- Are these Dads careless? Hell no... Observe before accident, one consciously locks the seat belt and also, the other holds hand of the boy even while walking in pavement.. They are loving and equally caring.. The subject focus is sheer ignorance at wrong time.

-Father and Son Camera angles before accident: While the Father and son walks to the signal (just before accident), there are 2 suggestion shots of each. This is an attempt to show how different the other world looks to both of them.

- Doll and crocs shots after accident: I just thought you don’t need blood or body to justify a successful accident.
- Female and Doctor's voice over: There was no indication if the female is wife of George or Ajay. Well, it’s basically a representative of both wives and the doctors’ advice is also for both patients. They both (2 fathers) had same trauma and that shocked their mind (Schizo)
- Schizophrenia : Guilty of killing 2 kids and both thinks they are the sole reason. Further, the love for own kid and the way they can imagine the condition of other kid’s family turned them Schizophrenic. Note, we haven't mentioned this medical term intentionally.

- Mom’s missing in the film: A hand wave in pre-climax is the only point were moms needed...

- Lyrics: ~~Marupiravi ullathendral unn madiye~~ strategically placed in both instances in the film to convey both happy n sad moods

- The title 2: lots and lots of reasons.. At subconscious level, you can shed out better than me

 Apart from the above, I tried to answer few questions as well here…

- Why lengthy montages? : Why will u tear jerk in the climax (at least, feel the impact) when u don’t have good character and love establishment in the initial few minutes.
- Were both fathers in same place during the accident? : Audiences' choice and imagination. Doesn't matter actually. The point is, both of them think his ignorance is the cause of 2 deaths.

- Did the 2 fathers ever met? : Irrelevant

- Are both Dads real characters? : Yes, both dads are real and both of them lost their kids for real and both went in to schizo due to the impact. Now don't ask the smart question how come both got same mental issues at the same time. The point is the impact not the Schizophrenia

In summary, this film is an experiment to see how well the metaphors works in a short film and the purpose of the post is to request the viewers to watch the film again to appreciate the thought process behind it. Here is the link again to relate better : )

My view of film making is when you cannot even satisfy even 50% of your target audience, the fault is on the product and not the viewers. However, even if its 1% of your viewers, if they recognize you in the product, you shall be proud : )

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Yennai Arinthal : Not again !!!

The purpose of this post is to vent out my frustrations on Gowtham Menon as a writer and director. However, let me quickly finish my review of this latest epic.

The movie is not entirely 100% crap and there fore I can confidently list out few positives to begin with

Arun Vijay : This man is sure an underdog all the time and now this layed him good launch pad for his next few years career. He did worked hard and shed out everything he could to come out successful. Sadly, he wasn't still used enough to justify his character I would say.

Ajith’s charm : Ajith’s cute smile is always a charm and garning attention of huge mass with just this factor is amazing. However, well, later…

Vivek : Short and neat role for him. He still sticks to his signature gestures and dialogue delivery. Evokes laughter in the otherwise bleak “Everything”

Gripping 20 minutes post interval : Though marred by logical issues, the screenplay was still decent and I would say “Wasn't boring”

I was never a big fan of gowtham but I love to watch Kaaka Kaaka anytime for pure reason that it was fresh and the entire package was a new glam for Tamil audience. In Vettayadu Vilayadu, the Kamal and Music factor helped for movie’s success and definetly not Gowtham

Here are few irritating stuffs I noticed in Yennai Arinthal and this is predominant in many of Gowtham menon’s movies. I am assuming GM is a classic film maker who thinks hez making movies like John Wick or 500 days of Summer in Indian style. So, here we go…

Ajith’s outlook : Salt n pepper is ok, his charm is fine but what about atleast a basic fitness n shape. If not building macho muscles like Arun Vijay, how about some 30-45 mins basic ab work outs for 3-4 months that would have did some justification for a tough cop role ? The first variation from Kaaka Kaaka.

Poor but Rich : Be it Varanam Aayiram or YA, the hero born and brought up in rather lower middle class background. However, the life style is not justified for the house hold income. For eg., in VA, I had no idea how the family gets their bread but all on a sudden, this punk heads to USA jus like that to find his love. In YA, our hones Satyadev sir who lives only with mere Govt. paid income, resigned from job and tours around India just like that working as a village school teacher where ever he goes and besides, travels to Boston to safeguard a stranger. Don’t say this is irrelevant logic. I bet, even a software engineer who earns 2 lakhs a month cannot afford such cool life style.

Second world : What in the world the characters in GM films thinks ? The conversation of female leads specially, is sooo artificial and their still expressions. It will stay classic if this happens just in one movie (say, kaaka kaaka) assuming its directors one off imagination but watching same sequence of again and again is too cheesy

Handsome Ajith : Why does Anushka keeps lauding Ajith’s charm over and over ? to please ajith fans ? Ofcourse he is charming but the in-plane sequence is more like mocking him than praising him

Other logical stupidity that shouldn't be happening in a supposedly classic :

The villain knows the kid is surrounded by armed police. The hero knows the villain is madly behind to get the kid. Whaada father who still sends the kid to school and inspite of that villain mocks the armed and trained police officers to get the kid.

When hero’s friend mentioned about his daughter’s kidnap. The hero straight away go to this particular person and asks for kidnaper’s identity and this guy gives address (he could have given email, facebook id too) and then he will catch that Y. Whaata cake walk ? if my rationale thinking is right, a corrupt officer should know the whereabouts of such criminals better than honest officers.

Its getting lengthy already ;)

On a closing note, here is my request to big directors I once admired

Bala – Enough of Paradesis please

Hari – stop doing Poojais

Lingusamy – get rid of Anjaans bro

KSR – you know it

GVM – I am pretty sure you won’t change, DOT