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Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Selective Memories: The Road of Dreams (part 1)

The kettle whistled hard, its lid already dancing in a threat to set everything aflame or at the very worst, drenched and scalded till a pale hand reaches out and turns off the gas. The kettle composed itself and returned to its former docile self and allowed the hand to pour the water into a cup which already had the dregs of tea from its overuse.

There are some things that he’d have liked never to see again, but every time he closed his eyes, it kept staring back at him. There is that blast like that of a musket tearing the darkness, a woman against the sunlight where the colors dancing in her hair sparkled far more vividly than the spectrum in the rays of the light itself. Her eyes were on a vase which held a bouquet of violets, and her pale squared fingertips were going through a sheaf of letters. The last thing he saw was the vase as her hand nudged it and it tumbled over the edge of the table top, and he could see every turn it took in the air till it smacked the floor hard and broke into a burst sending sharp bits flying everywhere.

Andy hugged his knees harder, staring out of the window into the distance and he kept reminding himself that “it was just a dream and nothing more”, even though there wasn’t much sense to see in it, he remembered it as if it was already a part of his life.

Looking at the clock, he learnt that it was about 5 in the morn and he’d slept about for only a few hours. He pulled down the curtains and reclined back, with his fingers knotting through his hair and he closed his eyes till his thoughts eventually picked up and carried him back into the dark emptiness of his mind.
“WAKE UP! WAKE UP! WAKE UP, YOU GIT!!!” a loud voice ranted from somewhere nudging him for sometime now.

He opened his eyes for a moment and saw a black and red botchy face with metal glinting on it, strangely the sight vaguely reminded him of an old friend, but his focus was lost before the recognition. Lethargy prevailed! He yawned and turned to the other side and mumbled, “just another 5 minutes…”

“ANDY! ITS ALREADY QUARTER PAST 8!!!”

And in that very instant, the sheets went flying as the youth sprang out of the bed and rushed towards the shower one hand tearing at his night clothes and the other reaching for his tooth brush. Before he realized, he was already drenched and soaked through his clothes as he looked haplessly with the brush sticking out at one side of his face. His mate had left the shower running and in his haste he’d slipped right into it.

He looked up to the mirror and took a long glance at himself. Staring right back at him was a man, whose hair was longer, a flat temple falling short to eyes red and doused heavy with sleep and a five o clock shadow that must have lasted for ages. He took whatever that came into his hand, wore them without a thought and walked outside. There was already a migraine threatening to creep up on him and he muttered “just another long long day”.

After sleep walking for the next two hours, where time doubled its pace as the world remained beyond his comprehension as voices turned to exaggerated phonetics worthy of chipmunks, he now found himself on a beach with a few friends from school and caught a half burnt cigarette between his lips. He took out the packet from his pocket and noted that he was already short of a few. Strange -

The sickly sweet smell of the sea stung his nose along with the stench of the fish boats and the gutted remains of their surplus from one side of the beach, he caught his brows twitching. Next to them were vendors trying to sell their colorful wares of sweetmeats and licking ice, while constantly harassed by the flies which probably dissuaded most of their potential customers as he noted in the reactions of his friends.

On the other side he noted a stray line of couples in an attempt to catch a moment with each other against the boundary wall. He noticed that they were almost on the verge of inventing a new Olympic sport which strangely involved their tongues and their hips, and out of the corner of the eye he noted one of his batch mates recording them with a small handi-cam. On a second glance, he noticed that there was a curious kid, no more than 13 years of age, with his torso hanging over the wall trying to catch a glimpse at the scene of obscenity below. It was nauseating and he almost retched. His batch mate was more engrossed in trying to capture the entire spectacle in a still, a grin frozen on his face already picturing the finished image in his mind and how many tags he’d make off the social networks on the internet.

He took off his shoes and knotted the strings together and he slung it around the neck and folded the ends of his trousers till his knees. Within the first few steps, it was as if the warm sand underneath his feet had already clambered on and claimed him. His feet had almost disappeared into it and the moist grains dotted all over his ankles till his knees glinting like mirrors in the light. He walked till the end of the beach, until he reached a board that said forbidden zone. He took a look around and noticed that most of the populous was on the other end of the beach, only a small fence and the board was keeping him from the unexplored terrain, and a few shadows hovering in the distance against the horizon.

As he tried to sneak his way over the fence, a loud noise came from the west and he noted a tall life guard waving his fist and smacking his hand yelling something. He took no further notice, turned and made a run for it.

By this time, he’d noted that across the waters, there were a few islands stretched in the distance shadowed by an imposing figure of a monastery whose golden dome seemed as if kissed by the very sun itself. His eyes attached to the monastery, he made his way towards the group.

“What a dump!” exclaimed Andy, as he closed in on his friends; Manish looked at him with a quizzical stare and Andy smiled coy. “Dirty clumped sand, no sea shells in sight, murky waters that brings back the pollutants of civilization (points to a polythene bag wading in the waters), not to mention the stench.

“Shall we make it to the monastery?”

“We’d have to take the ferry. It’s about 35 bucks…”
Fishing around in his pockets, he caught hold of a few notes and counted it to be around double the amount necessary for the fare.

“See who all wants to come and let’s go for it…”

He turned and walked towards a cigarette shop. He took out a note and handed it to the burly dark man and asked for “gold flakes” as the man smiled back at him showing his stained teeth. Taking the change and muttering a thanks, he returned to his friends who were now in a small group buying the tickets. He grabbed one from Manish and walked with him to the ferry.
While climbing on the rickety iron plank, it was as if the sand was almost pulling him back to the shore warning him of the cruelty of the sea. In defiance, he made his way to the boat bobbing with glee in the water trying to set itself free from the anchor.

The boat was already half full, and he noted that there were a few red plastic tires hung on the grating, obviously not enough for all them if the boat had to drown. There were already too many people for all of them, counting the group of college students at the back where a huge man-woman was trying to top the banter in defense of her shy friend next to her against the two loud men. There were two couples next to them who were discussing their past travels, a youth and two women across where the youth was actively interested in the one next to him where the other was trying to put herself back in the conversation. The girl caught him looking at her and she stared back, where Andy went red and quickly looked to the other side.

Suddenly, there was a roar amongst the men in uniform as they clamored on aboard and the boat jerked to a start. And almost every one hurrahed in delight, and he heard a few of his mates clap each other on the back. As the boat started making its way towards the destination, Andy stared out in the waters. It was murky and there was a foul smell that lingered about it, and as the boat cut through it, he could see the snake like ripples chasing it till it disappeared in the waters.

As he blinked, the sea disappeared in a haze of smoke. And suddenly he saw that sepia sunlight caressing her hair again. Only this time she wasn’t distracted by the vase or the letters, she was looking at him and smiling. He smiled back, till he realized the monastery was dead ahead, the waters were clear and there was a man walking on it (obviously on a platform) cleaning with a long handled net. He looked towards his hand and saw the ring and thought again of the promised day.

That night, he was with his friends and it was the same setting as last night replaying itself. It was the same seedy bar they’d crawled out, another half full pitcher of beer, his friend Bones (with the comical grin, the broken nose and the eye brow piercing), laughing to a girl from somewhere who must have made another sadistic remark zinging him (something he’d been ignoring for past few weeks), and Dushu looking at him in a mock disapproval marking her victory in the banter.

“Oy, where you lost?” was the last thing he heard before he poured himself another drink.

Sweet Nothings: A Rogue Production

Scene 1: A day on the terrace
Location: The terrace

The setting is somewhere around dusk, where there is the silhouette of a boy and a girl sitting at the edge of a 4-5 storey terrace set against the horizon. From the focus, it is evidently noticeable that the boy has long brown hair and is sitting in a contemplative position looking at the sea crashing against the shores, throwing a shy glance at the girl every now and then. The girl has short red hair, tattoo on her back, and multiple piercings on the ear as the metal glints in the setting sun. She is dressed in a casual attire of tank tops and shorts, and there is a bubbly aura about her. The camera moves towards them and sets the closure, when it suddenly pans forward and shows both of them from an overhead angle. The boy’s converse shoes are shown tilted towards each other, whereas the girl is wearing home slippers, her toe nails painted in an off beat color and the heels of her feet bouncing off the wall every now and then. Moreover, it is easily noticeable that there is a pavement below their feet with a flow of people making their way by foot and an occasional car passing the curb.

Scene 2: The Conversation
Location: The terrace

The camera focuses on the lovely profile of the girl, and it is noticeable that there is laughter in her face and she is obviously swaying from one shoulder to the other expressing the joy in her heart. The boy’s side profile is noticeable from the angle, and it is evident that his piercing eyes are set on the horizon.

Girl: So, what now? We have the world at our feet…

Boy: What if they don’t exist?

Girl: (laughs) Lets find out...

And the camera pans in an overhead shot which shows their feet and the pavement again as the boy turns towards the girl.

Boy: How?

Here she looks down and a shingles single slippers off her feet and its drops to the flow of the pavement below. It almost misses the trunk of a man, who is walking and attending a phone call at the same time and hits the pavement with a smack. Nobody notices the slipper and they keep walking on. The next shot is that of the boy and girl looking and laughing with all their hearts.


Scene 3: What’s the difference?
Location: The terrace

Alternative 1

The camera is set on their backs and as the sun is setting, they huddle closer to each other till the girl kisses him on the cheek and rests her head on the shoulder looking down at the people making their way beneath her feet.

Alternative 2

The camera is set on their backs and it circles them both. The boy still looking at the horizon with piercing depth, and there is a grit resolute on the girls face. As the camera reaches their back, it is noticed that the girl is holding on the ledge with all her strength. Suddenly she let goes. In the next angle, she is shown flying towards the ground with a smile on her face till she reaches flat on the road and the blood drips from the orifices of the face.

At the hospital, the girl is shown lying on the bed with a cast on her leg staring out at the world beyond the window. The guy strolls towards her and with a shrug hands her the flowers and smiles as he notes the delight on her face.

Boy: You know, there is nothing much to matter in the world out there. But for us, my world resides in you as yours resides in me…

And the camera closes in on the girls face as the emotions cloud her eyes with his form obvious on her pupil.

Icarus Rising: A Rogue Production

Scene 1:
Location: Whistling Woods
Scope: Black and White, low frame rate

The focus is set in black and white (with distortions giving a vintage effect) on the luminous sight of the sky and the clouds hovering by and gradually moves on to the institute building with the students and faculty piling in and guests lolling about. The engagement of the human activity is shown through a slight jerky and archaic footage with major distortions (white spots and lines) till the camera deliberately pans right and focuses on a single individual who is mopping the floor.

Transition is shown through a deliberate err in editing where the screen blacks out for a second or half till the next scene


Scene 2:
Location: A & D Wing
Scope: Black and White, mediocre frame rate

The camera focuses on the man mopping the floor with a dull look on his face till a waltz number begins and his face perks up. He listens to the music with intent and then looks at the mop and bucket and continues with his work. Only this time he slowly starts dancing with the mop while indulging with the work. His little number becomes more and more romantic, as if the mop were an imaginary woman till he tips it and comes back with only one hand on the mop and the other in the air. He turns and slips, the mop drops and clatters to the floor.


Scene 3:
Location: A & D wing
Scope: Black and White, Increased frame rate

The man comes into the frame in an attempt to catch his balance. As soon as he does he notices the sudden change in his environment and he takes a look at himself. He finds himself dressed in waist high trousers, suspenders and hat and says something but is barely audible. He tries again till he says something obviously silly and then laughs as he realizes he can speak but there is no sound coming from his lips, instead he gives up and claps his hand to initiate a burst of sound in polka/ clarinet instrumental and does a silly jig. He tries to spin around and this time he finds a small red rose in the backdrop, whose red sparkles against the black and white back drop and he picks it up with a shy look in his eye.






Scene 4
Location: A & D Wing to Recreation Room
Scope: Technicolor

The footage shudders and the man thinks he is in and earthquake till he finds ground and balance and he sees himself without a warning in a Technicolor frame and looks at himself with an audible “aha!” He looks around at his surrounding and hears a small romantic tune playing in the distance.

Alternative 1:
See’s a woman in the distance wearing white/ blue and attempts a romantic interlude by handing her the red rose. They hold each other and he looks her in the eye, till she turns and in a dramatic mood throws her face in her hand and with the other pushes him away. He turns dejected and notices a door with the quote “Exit” and walks through it.

Alternative 2:
Hears the tune and follows it till he reaches a door (recreation room) and knocks on it with a romantic look in the eye. Instead of the door opening, there is another knock on the other side. He knocks again to hear another knock in reply. He knocks musically, to get another musical reply… till he bursts through the door.


Scene 5:
Location: Recreation Room
Scope: Eastman Chrome tone

He finds himself at the billiards table with the sound of jazz, and the footage mostly continues with shots of cigarette in hand, smoke twirling in the air, the clink of whisky tumblers and the activity of the billiards with emphasized focus on the pocket balls flying helter and skelter with a cue break, and the obvious passing of the gave with a few frames devoted to the roll of the red ball towards the pocket and the cue ball hitting the 8.

Scene 6:
Location: A & D Wing
Scope: Eastman Color.

Coming out of the room, the man walks back down with a simple smile as he forgets about his earlier activity and the wet floor, till he slips and falls hard to the floor.

Scene 7
Location: A & D Wing
Scope: True Resolution

Finding himself on the floor, the man is shown rising to the sound of inspirational music and finds himself rising back in his overalls and reaches the mop to look around at the true resolution. He goes back to work, the camera focuses on him and slowly focuses out spanning in a few seconds as the credits start rolling.

Film Name: Icarus Rising

Duration : 3 minutes

Basic Concept
The cinema is a basic compilation of random footage with a slight sync in the storyline constituting the life of cinema and the men behind it. The cinema starts with old format analog countdown timer which fades into blackness and the first footage is shown in black and white of the material depth in life through the focus on the institute building till it comes across a single man with limited means and destitute looks mopping the floor (in a very low frame per second rate) and a sound which suspiciously sounds like marching behind. This is shown through the old school thought of video reminiscent of the late 1900’s

The second scene chances on the imagination where the man picks up his mop and dances with it at the sound of a waltz number (Mozart/ Wagner) as he continues mopping the floor. This is shown in the same archaic footage as the start till the mop drops and he slips on the floor and gathers his balance.

In the third scene the man finds himself in the next frame into the depth of his imagination and way deep into in his logistic schools of humour (still in his conscious mind) which is represented through his costume of waist high trousers, suspenders, tie and complete with a bowler/ fedora hat. He looks back where he dropped his mop and finds a cane instead which he picks up. The footage is comparatively a lot more improved than the former with a slightly increased frame rate, the sound of a whirr against the soothing essence of a clarinet playing and reminiscent of the time of Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton in a blend (reference: limelight).

The progress of the concept carries on giving scope of the various shades in cinema right from the romanticism of the Technicolor in the 60’s with romantic music calling for a lover, to the bohemian and beatnik 80’s with Eastman Chrome Tones and the setting of the present times in true resolution. .

Film Name: Icarus Rising

Duration : 3 minutes

Basic Concept
The cinema is a basic compilation of random footage with a slight sync in the storyline constituting the life of cinema and the men behind it. The cinema starts with old format analog countdown timer which fades into blackness and the first footage is shown in black and white of the material depth in life through the focus on the institute building till it comes across a single man with limited means and destitute looks mopping the floor (in a very low frame per second rate) and a sound which suspiciously sounds like marching behind. This is shown through the old school thought of video reminiscent of the late 1900’s

The second scene chances on the imagination where the man picks up his mop and dances with it at the sound of a waltz number (Mozart/ Wagner) as he continues mopping the floor. This is shown in the same archaic footage as the start till the mop drops and he slips on the floor and gathers his balance.

In the third scene the man finds himself in the next frame into the depth of his imagination and way deep into in his logistic schools of humour (still in his conscious mind) which is represented through his costume of waist high trousers, suspenders, tie and complete with a bowler/ fedora hat. He looks back where he dropped his mop and finds a cane instead which he picks up. The footage is comparatively a lot more improved than the former with a slightly increased frame rate, the sound of a whirr against the soothing essence of a clarinet playing and reminiscent of the time of Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton in a blend (reference: limelight).

The progress of the concept carries on giving scope of the various shades in cinema right from the romanticism of the Technicolor in the 60’s with romantic music calling for a lover, to the bohemian and beatnik 80’s with Eastman Chrome Tones and the setting of the present times in true resolution. .