The art of filmmaking has undergone a sea change and is constantly evolving. What was not possible until a decade ago, now is part and parcel of the magical process. Amongst many latest revolutions, VFX (visual effects) holds the prime spot for been the most popular and most wanted tool in realising the stories of many a filmmaker!
VFX plays a huge part in today’s cinema and is an integral aspect of film-making. Visual effects technology has advanced at a frenetic pace and taken the movie-going experience with it. Worlds and characters that were never before possible to bring to the big screen are suddenly coming to life. VFX has played a major role in the success of nearly every one of the top-grossing films across the world.
Students here at Annapurna College, as part of their curriculum, got to learn about the finer features of what goes on before, during and the process of a scene, wherein VFX is used. The scene selected, was a fight sequence and ace action master A. Jashuva taught students how to shoot a fight sequence in the workshop conducted.
Speaking about the workshop Jashuva said that “This is a nice opportunity and a gift that the Annapurna College has provided for the students. This will benefit them because they get to see a film setting and atmosphere in person and in its natural surroundings, be it fights, dance or any part of the story while interacting with the industry fight masters, dance masters or choreographers. In other film schools, this opportunity is not available. Such opportunities will help the students decide which aspect they want to specialise in later on.”
Talking about the scene in particular, he said, “today we are teaching how to shoot a fight sequence, the fight concept, number of shots required, editing, shooting, how to use the trolley etc. They also need to have a good editing sense for fight sequences, decide what needs to be taken and what not; the students are learning that also here.”
About his experience of teaching and working with students after working with the most experienced people in the Telugu film industry, he says with a smile, “here since everybody is a student and are learning, I also have to teach and work like a student.”
Students enjoyed the workshop and felt that it was a learning experience, in many aspects. Supreet, a MA student, said, “The workshop is good, it is a new experience for us with the rope work involved. This is the first time I have been in a VFX shoot. We learnt about the green mat, how to multiple the crowd, how to recreate the background, how to remove the wiring, the fights. The VFX part was very good,” and added that “the main experience was working with the industry people who are already experienced (these action masters who worked on Bahubali), it definitely adds value to the learning and teaches us how the industry works with assistants etc.”
Rachna, a MA student, said that the workshop has also taught them how to interact and deal with the people from the industry like the light men, assistants and other people involved and on the whole was a learning experience.
