— Vinod Bharathan

just a fun project

I can take my procrastination habits to extremes. I should be editing my film “Karma Currency“, but instead i find easy to do more exciting things and get away with a great alibi. I’m a storyteller, telling lies to myself !

I’m on paternal leave for four months to take care of my 7 month old baby girl, and i’m loving my new job. But, this weekend, both mom and daughter is off to their side of the family tree, to spend a small winter vacation. Just enough time for me to make a new short film (or edit the ones waiting).

After all those weekend projects, finding a plot has become as easy as lying. They always start from what lengths i want to push my luck with regards to the material requirement i would need to make that film. I have done the extreme minimal, one actor, one place, one plot bit - LIMBO. So, maybe not that stingy after all, my next project shall be. Two actors and a place  - thats where building of the plot begins this time. 2 hours later, i have a plot, a good plot structure. Now before i get to the next phase of development of the plot, i need to find if the people that are required to tell/act the story/plot have the time to do so. So, i start meeting my casts, and do more – lying.

“its more of a fun project” i say, and thats my alibi for covering up the suspicion behind the “film to be shot tomorrow / if possible“. I often find myself trying to explaining the casts on how i would find the material (props and locations) in this short time, but i much rather they ask me more about the character they are given and surprise me at the rehearsals.

4 years into filmmaking, and several awards and nominations later, i ain’t got time to make “just another fun project”. Every detail is meticulously planned, so i get the maximum out of the ‘zero’ dollar we will be spending, and the maximum of the “talent time” being used. ‘Zero’ dollar?, what about the bills at the café while making meetings and pre-production plans, the expensive ‘anti drip’ makeup? NO, its never ZERO BUDGET. But quoting “ZERO BUDGET” on the credits makes a non-filmmaker (90% of the audience) go “WOW !!”

That said, i have 2 more days on my hand to complete my “fun project“. Wish me luck.. No, FOOK IT, i’ll do it any way !