What makes BLACK an E-Cinema?

What makes BLACK an E-Cinema?
-by gasper crasto

Highly acclaimed Indian director T-Bush’s full length feature film entitled ‘BLACK’ will mark a milestone in the history of Indian Cinema. It is the first ever Konkani E–Cinema to be made and released in Kuwait. The film produced by T-Bush International Films is set for a Grand Premier on August 10, 2007 at Al Masrah, Hawally Auditorium.

It is sure to be an entertaining film and certain to capture hearts of all communities. The most essential element that will make the film an even more rewarding experience will be the audio-visual effect synchronized into a 5.1 DTS sound. The E-Cinema will be screened on a wide screen with high quality ‘E-Cinema Technology’ projection.

You may wonder why there is this huge hype about BLACK being an E-Cinema. And what exactly is E-Cinema?

The Award Winning Director of the English short film, ‘The Letter’, T-Bush will use the Digital Cinema, electronic cinema or simply e-cinema - the latest buzz words that are used to describe this art. Briefly, Digital cinema is a movie using high quality digital projectors that are brighter and higher resolution versions of video projectors. Feature films with this technology are projected from a ‘hard disk’ based playback equipment instead of the traditional ‘reel prints’.

If we look at the benefits by going Digital we learn that for a producer there are huge savings in the production costs. Whereas a prints cost huge amount of money, a set of DVD-ROMS will cost nominal amount. And what’s more…every print is a perfect copy with better color grading, electronically. As the DVD ROMS cannot be decoded outside a Digital Cinema playback unit it provides a strong safeguard against piracy.

Digital production is faster from finish to release and any number of disks can be made in a day. What’s interesting is the fact that multiple versions of a film can exist with different scenes or extra songs. Films can be edited accurately even after release - by remote control and multiple language sound tracks and multiple language sub-titles can exist at the same time.

To put it in a nutshell, E-Cinema is a relief format that allows extremely HIGH quality final output. The obvious advantage of E-cinema is better quality of images and the ability to calibrate colors.

Filmmaking, nowadays, takes place all over the world using different technologies and techniques, and is produced in a variety of economic contexts that range from government-sponsored documentary to profit-oriented movie making.

Commercial and adventure films employ a cast and crew of thousands and have complicated computer generated imagery, while a low-budget, independent film may be made with a skeleton crew, often paid very little.

Looking through the lens of a camera as actors bring to life a writer's story, the filmmaker is also peering into a world of imagination. The director, producer, actors, screenwriter, and film editor are all essential players in the journey from concept to finished film. In this remarkable process, thousands of small details and often hundreds of people come together to create a film.

T-Bush’s award winning, ‘The Letter’ that won the Best Film at the London Film Festival has all the appearances of being shot in the United States. But the truth is that the entire movie was shot at locales in Kuwait. The new film ‘BLACK’ has a storyline based on a Goan backdrop and Indian traditions but T-Bush has used all the outdoor locales for the film in Kuwait.

The filmmaking production of any movie cycle consists of Development, Pre-production, Production, Post-production, Distribution, etc. Development is the stage where an idea is fleshed out into a viable script. The producer of the movie will find a story, which may be from books, other films, true stories, original ideas, etc. Once the theme, or underlying message, has been identified, a synopsis is prepared. Films rarely make a profit from the theatrical release alone, therefore DVD sales and worldwide distribution rights need to be taken into account.

On the release of BLACK, however, T-Bush has no immediate intentions of converting the movie into home videos which he feels will degrade the originality and standard of the movie.

In Production, the movie is actually created and shot. Each ‘take’ of a shot follows a slating procedure and is marked on a clapperboard, which helps the editor keep track of the takes in post-production. The clapperboard records the scene, take, director, director of photography, date, and name of the film written on the front, and is displayed for the camera. The clapperboard also serves the necessary function of providing a marker to sync up the film and the sound take. Sound is recorded on a separate apparatus from the film and they must be synched up in post-production.

In Post-production, the film is assembled by the film editor. The first job of the film editor is to build a rough ‘cuts’ taken from sequences (or scenes) based on individual ‘takes’ (shots). The purpose of the rough cut is to select the best shots. Once approved by the director, the picture is ‘locked,’ meaning no further changes are made. After the picture is locked, the film passes out of the hands of the editor to the sound department to build-up the sound track. The voice recordings are synchronized and the final sound mix is created. The sound mix combines sound effects, background sounds, and music. Finally the film is previewed, normally by the target audience, and any feedback may result in further shooting or edits to the film.

“In the Film editing the important thing for me is timing,” says T-Bush speaking about the post-production, “because the film is really fast-moving and you have to have time to allow the audience time to make sense of what they are watching. Creatively speaking, the biggest challenge is not shooting the movie, but to make all the transitions flow into each other so that the viewers would move from scene to scene with their emotional commitment unimpaired. The time-space continuum gets taken right off its hinges without anyone really noticing -- but at the same time it is important not to lose the breathless, driving edge of the story or to allow it to appear as an end in itself.”

Life, T-Bush feels, is the biggest teacher. “What you go through in your life in terms of pain, sorrow, difficulties, etc, changes your perspective to life. Today I'm different. It's a process of growing up which reflects in your work. There was a time when a ‘masala’ film would excite me. Now I think of them as an awkward thing. Now I am more interested in finding out what makes people tick, much more interested in why people live in continuous anxiety. Now I feel stories are about people and their angst. The audience has to know the tragedy of the main characters in any movie. Otherwise you are not involving the audience in your story.”

With the introduction of hi-fi technology, the means of production have become more democratized. Filmmakers can conceivably shoot and edit a movie, create and edit the sound and music, and mix the final cut on a home computer. However, while the means of production may be democratized, financing, and marketing remain difficult. Most independent filmmakers rely on film festivals to get their films noticed and sold for distribution. However, the Internet has allowed for relatively inexpensive distribution of independent films; many filmmakers post their films online for critique and recognition. Although there is little profitability in this, a filmmaker can still gain exposure via the web.

The short film in English, ‘The Letter’ is the only movie that T-Bush has to his credit, but that seems to be enough. ‘The Letter’ turned out to be an International winner among world’s renowned directors. The film won the young director 3 awards at the London Film Festival as Best Director, Best Technical Award and Best Film from among hundreds of directors of International fame and repute. Except for the actors, Grips (helpers), Spot Boys, lyrics and music, the entire production is handled by T-Bush. He is the Writer (dialogues and screenplay), Director (art, costumes, action, cameraman, etc), Editor (sound recordist and special effects) and the Producer of the movie.

T-Bush adds, “In any film, the director's vision shapes the look and feel of a film. He is the creative force that pulls a film together, responsible for turning the words of a script into images on the screen. Actors, cinematographers, writers, and editors orbit around the director like planets around the Sun.”

No cinematographer or film editor, no matter how gifted, can turn a terrible performance into a great one. The right actor can give a screenwriter's words exciting new depth and dimensions. Actors are essential for conveying emotions to an audience, for bringing the words and ideas in a script to life. As actors, they must be able to become many different people. In order to make a character come to life, they must bring to the role those parts of themselves that are similar to the character. Memorizing lines without understanding the role is of little help to the actors. T-Bush has groped in the best Indian talent available in Kuwait to add essence to the characters and presence on the screen.

BLACK is going to be a delight for the audience – an experience for any community, any nationality to come and watch – not just as an entertainment but to see how the movie is actually devised. In a working country like Kuwait where there are few professional Indian actors available, T-Bush has gathered a crew to make a film of international recognition. During the stages of shooting, by and large, it was always the case of someone missing or some actor either out of town or on vacation. If T-Bush had to ‘wrap’ up the shoot for non-availability of artistes on the sets, the movie would never be complete. Then, how was the director able to complete the movie? That’s the area of expertise and hallmark of the T-Bush who is equipped with the latest know-how in the trade.

The young Indian director who is passionate about film making with his adept and innovative ideas is optimistic about ‘BLACK’ being an ‘extraordinary movie’ not just for its story but the way it is portrayed. He says, “The whole story has a simple plot. But for all the briskness of the plot, quite a lot happens.”

Synopsis of BLACK:

The movie revolves around a musician who is involved in trivial assignments of traditional music. Culture and music means everything to the self-born maestro who just cannot give up on his passion for music. His effort to persuade the young genre to keep the art living in the face of fading tradition runs to an emotional zenith as the movie unfolds.”

Behind the scenes and Post Production

In movies, the stars who grace the screen are the most popular faces, but what about people behind the scenes? A film is the result of the blood and toil of more than one person. Usually one only sees the people on the screen and has no ideas who all make the film happen. Right from conceptualizing the idea to transmitting it on the screen a lot of people participate in the filmmaking.

More detail on the main characters in the film and their role will be presented in these pages to keep readers engaged and fully in tune running down to the release. For more on T-Bush International films log on to http://www.t-bush.com/

:::The above article appeared in Kuwait’s Arab Times dated June 10, 2007:::

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GOAN FOOTBALL - IN GOA & KUWAIT ... V

GOAN FOOTBALL - IN GOA & KUWAIT. V

My main reason for the total support for the inception of our soccer at Sour Grounds is to see benefits for our young boys and keep them busy and occupied in something which is more beneficial. The benefits for our boys surely met with mainly in the field of jobs. Though we are not having soccer teams of commercial organizations like what we have in Goa as Dempo, Sesa, Salgaocar yet many of our Goans who are employed in their organizations and holding top positions and involved in running our teams they did help some of our boys in getting employment. For example, Peter D’Souza started his team "Salmiya Youth" and thru his power as General Manager he helped many young boys to get employment in Bosch. Even Room boys, Scavengers, Coolies who were working elsewhere in Kuwait, for them he gave decent jobs in his organization and made them dignified human beings who later on got dignified girls to get married. Another example, Willy Gomes who died recently was a top man in Tanagra Company. He was instrumental in helping the running of the famous team "Goan Sporting". Hence, he employed under him some young footballers in Tanagra and these boys not only played good football for the then mighty Goan Sporting but they also became somebody in life. Royal Agnelo from Agacaim too helped so many boys in so many ways because they were playing for his team "Royal" which won so many laurels. These are only a few examples but besides these there are so many other examples where many of our boys got jobs only because of their soccer skill, so also very many other benefits such as Financial Doles, Visas for Eployment, Visas for their Wives, Expenses for their Weddings, Honeymoon Trips for the newly Wedded Couples, Stamping of Residence Permits, Loans etc.

Before the inception of our soccer, only few Goans holding lucrative posts and those associated with Kuwait Goan and Goan Arts Circle Associations were getting limelight in society but when, once, in 1979 our soccer was initiated, many others with mediocre status and those who were earlier unknown started getting prominence and popularity in society because of their involvement in soccer either as players or as organizers. This soccer of ours has changed total outlook of Goans in Kuwait. Earlier there was too much of discriminations amongst us based on financial, job and social status. I myself for example started getting more limelight in Kuwait not only because of my writings and other activities but also because of my high caliber football playing capacity. During those days I was in top form and best in my position when in 1980 Kuwait Goan selection was calculated, I was one of the 11 effective players in that bracket. In 1983-84 season when our team G.O.A. Maroons defeated Hubara Club consisting of Europeans and Kuwaitis in the semifinal played under floodlights, Walley Tate of Hubara Club who refereed that most memorable and grueling game in the history of expatriates in Kuwait, next day wrote in Arab Times thus: “The midfield generalisimo Veronica of GOA Maroon won the match for Goans”. Though I did not score a single goal out of 3-2 yet I played daringly, intelligently, coolly and beautifully with the strong support of mighty Lucas, Agnu, Santimano and others. Our beautiful goals were scored by Tony Correia and Gilbert and besides them all others played excellently but I was selected for high praises by the soccer expert Mr. Tate because of my prowess in rowing from one end to the other tirelessly, supplying and controlling, defending and attacking.

Finally we won the final and championship and created a history for Goans which nobody will change, every Goan should be proud of it. In the final we defeated UG in the penalty shoot-out in which acrobatic Julio Cardoso brought in good saves from under the bar of G.O.A. Maroons. Highest plaudits must go to Raymond D'Sa the young President of G.O.A. for giving full encouragement for the boys, so also to his brother Assumption D'Sa, Peter D'Souza, Messias Barreto, John Felix D'Souza, Gabriel Soares, Pascoal Soares, Domnick Correia and John Gracias who all comprised the most powerful Club Committe ever had in Kuwait amongst all the past and present Goan Clubs. I too was a part of that glorious committee of as one of the initiators of G.O.A. I was a part of the history creator footballer Goans. That night for the semifinal I saw first time Goans even at 12.00 in the night waited and supported us against the Whites. It was like a war between Goans and Whites. Never I witnessed such an enthusiasm and patriotism amongst Goans in favour of their brothers. That was the rare occasion. Tony Costa from Saligao and the current referee at Sour Grounds was most vociferous in his support for us from the sidelines. Within a night, the entire team became darling of the community and gained maximum popularity which is also essential in life. Football is very essential for an unknown person to become known. Football is very essential for gaining popularity in life. Football gives to a player something which he normally does not get in life however backward attributes he may have otherwise. Football gives an identity to an unidentified person. Why football only? Any sporting activity is an added feather in one's cap. Black Negro Pele would never become world famous person if it was not for his football prowess. Instead he would remain just a Negro neglected by the society.

In Kuwait, our Sour ground soccer is administered by KIFF. But what type of administrators are we having? Do we have knowledgeable administrators to run our soccer? I doubt. Sometime back one player was suspended by KIFF for some misdemeanour. When I asked one of the committee members, say Mr. X, under what clause the player was suspended and was that suspension matching with the fault? Mr. X told me "I don’t know why our committee took such a harsh decision without valid reason for such an action but I supported their decision because everybody in the committee wanted it. Hence, I too blindly supported that decision". This is called “a blind following another blind”. What good one can expect from such people and such committees? For this reason such idotic community members are not doing anything worthwhile for the good of the community because any Ladru - Pedru without basic knowledge of soccer and its laws are pushing themselves in the committee. I feel ashamed of their cheapness. If I dont have any knowledge of the subject then I would shamelessly not join in such an organisation. And for that matter why should I when I am not interested in cheap publicity with cheap photographs in the media? I am not intellectually bankrupt like many.

Once a few years back, The General Secretary of All India Football Federation, a Goan Mr. Alberto Colaco was invited by KIFF to Kuwait as a guest of honour. During one of the preliminary meetings in Kuwait of KIFF to take stock of Colaco’s visit, I a non member of KIFF was invited officially as an observer. During the deliberations, one of the so called stalwarts asked one question thus: “Why we are inviting Colaco to Kuwait? What benefit we will get from his visit?” As an observer I had no right to speak but given a chance I would talk like this: “Shut up and dont ask such silly questions. Alberto Colaco is the history amongst Goans for being the first and only Goan to reach to this position and as such we as Goans should be proud of him. Alberto Colaco is not only admired in Kuwait by Kuwaitis but he is also adored for his excellence. Kuwaitis will be astonished to know that Alberto Colaco is a Goan and hence the status of Goans would go up in Kuwait”. And finally this was what has happened. When Alberto Colaco reached Kuwait, Kuwait Football Federation immediately took possession of him, gave him a Limousine for his moving about in Kuwait and housed him at Kuwait Sheraton Hotel like a VIP. He was treated in Kuwait with high respect like any other top Indian diplomat. So many top politicians come to Kuwait but their visits go unnoticed in the eyes of Kuwaitis. They come as cockroaches and go also as cockroaches. But Alberto Colaco brought an honour for us. Alberto Colaco brought an honour for our Kuwait foot-ball and moreover for all of us who are involved in this soccer directly or indirectly. A man of Alberto Colaco's stature coming to grace our soccer occasion in Kuwait means the display of the magnitude of our Kuwait Goan soccer. Who can understand this philosophy? Only few. The rest are idiots. And these are the people who are ruling our soccer body.

To be concluded.

A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.

The Red Light Area of Baina

Human trafficking a cause of concern

The Red Light Area of Baina
-by Armstrong Vaz - Qatar

Prostitution is illegal in India but the trade survives despite the threat of the HIV virus and the perils of the trade. The trade goes on in some of the areas that are unofficially designated as red light districts. A recent United Nations' report expresses alarming concern over HIV infections in India. With 5.7 million infections, India has become the most-afflicted HIV/AIDS nation of the world, surpassing South Africa's 5.5 million.

In the western state of Goa, one such area had been unofficially classified as a red light district until the state government demolished it in 2004. Figures collected in 2005 indicted that around 40 percent of the sex workers in the state were HIV-positive. The report revealed that Goa has the highest level of trafficking of women and children compared to other states.

Michael, his wife Shanti and their 3-year-old son Krishna enjoy the sun and surf on the beaches of Goa. They have returned after a five-year stay away. Michael and his family have come back to their roots where the offshoots of their small family sprouted.

Michael is a Belgium citizen. Shanti traces her roots to the southern state of Karnataka and was until five years ago a sex worker in the red light district of Baina in the port town of Vasco in the state of Goa. But her life took a new twist when her last customer in the course of time became her husband.

Shanti has been fortunate. Others have been less fortunate. Many of Shanti's former colleagues continue to be exploited and to lead a life of misery.

Human trafficking has been a cause of concern throughout the world. India figures among the 39 countries placed on a special watch list that demands attention from the concerned countries under a 2003 U.S. law.

Goa was one of the beneficiaries of a two-year, U.S.-government-funded program by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Similar programs took place in the states of Maharashtra, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh.

The program sensitizes the police and the other law enforcement agencies in dealing with the problem of human trafficking.

Five years earlier, Shanti used to earn anything between 100 and 500 Indian rupees a day as a commercial sex worker. She endured and wishes to reach out to some of her old friends. She was on a visit to her old place of business.

A host of changes had taken place in the city. In 2004, the state government had demolished the illegal cubicles where Shanti and her colleagues operated on Baina Beach.

Some of her colleagues had been deported back to their home states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Others have eluded the police and continue to operate in the port town. Some have even been successfully rehabilitated back into society. There are those who have died due to aids. And there are those who are carrying the HIV virus.

During her visit she met Gauri. Gauri, like many others in the trade, has no choice about whether her customer must use a condom. Numerous workshops have passed the message to the sex workers in the state, but they are in precarious situation. If they insist that the customer use a condom they run the risk of losing the business.

A 2004 behavioral surveillance survey at Baina found out that only 69 percent of the customers used condoms regularly while having sex with commercial sex workers. Educating the commercial sex workers has focused on free condom distribution and creating awareness of the dangers of having unprotected sex with customers.

They know they are at risk when a customer does not use a condom but that is a peril of the trade. Gauri's plight started when she was dedicated to the Goddess Yellama in the southern state of Karnataka; having attained puberty, she was trafficked to Baina for prostitution.

Prakash Kanekar, project director for the Goa State AIDS Control Society (GSACS) is a concerned man. With the demolition of the Baina cubicles his task has been rendered more difficult.

The commercial sex workers have moved all over the state and are not just confined to one area. He admits that the trade has gone where tourists arrive in large numbers.

"It is now extremely difficult to identify a commercial sex worker," Kanekar said.

That explains the plight of the state. Girls are constantly trafficked to meet the demand created by a flourishing tourism industry and the numerous ships that anchor in the port city of Baina.

The 2004 Goa Children's Act set up a children's court in response to an increase in child abuse. The law underwent an amendment in 2005 to categorize sexual abuses -- grave sexual assault, sexual assault and incest.

Grave sexual assault includes offenses such as making children pose for pornographic films, making children have sex with each other and deliberately causing injury to the sexual organs of a child.

Since the court was set up, the state has registered 140 cases -- 132 involved sexual abuse.

Goa first made headlines in 1991 when the first case of a pedophile racket was cracked by the police. Freddy Peats, a 71-year-old Eurasian, was arrested and subsequently sentenced for his role -- he ran a racket under the guise of a home for destitute children.