DFW

Course Overview:

This documentary filmmaking workshop is anchored in the principles of deep ecology, and environmental philosophy that understands self as deeply connected with and as part of nature, not disassociated with it. Deep ecology critiques anthropocentrism and posits a biocentric worldview, whereby the human entity is not above or below any other natural entity, it is inherently equal to every other entity.
This deep ecology perspective is interesting for documentary filmmaking, particularly of ethnographic nature, as it concurs with the worldview of most aboriginal cultures and close-knit indigenous communities – like in the case of Phyang, Leh-Ladakh – the field area of our workshop.
Drawing inspiration from a biocentric worldview, the workshop is designed in the exploration of 3S: Self -Surrounding-Story, wherein we begin with introspection, and look around in response to inner curiosities and concerns. We are looking forward to building up narratives that spring from an authentic interaction of the self with the surrounding. The emerging stories we hope will have a personal touch and social value.
We will put on the table challenging questions like the purpose of filmmaking or the position of the filmmaker, for instance, being an insider or an outsider. The perks of the position, the point of entry or the line of inquiry, the field of access, the sensitivity or the dynamism while approaching the subject. The workshop will take a philosophical approach while working out and demonstrating practical processes of filmmaking.
Cinematographically, the light and the landscape of Ladakh will be explored. The landscape itself is extraordinary, and it transforms with light. The sunlight on the mountains and the valleys with picturesque farmlands, hamlets, markets, and monasteries will be explored. Moonland will be explored in Lamayuru mountains, nicknamed the ‘moonland’.
In terms of sound, there is great scope for recording ambiance in villages/roads/marketplaces/monasteries, etc. Additionally, recording of folktales and folksongs will be encouraged for those who are interested in sound specifically.
Intensive or specialized editing or sound mixing input may be difficult in the given framework, however basic orientation and mentorship enough for the team to be able to finalize their films’ edits will be given.
Basically, workshop participants will be divided into groups, and the groups will be mentored to make their own films – through a guided plan – starting from self-awareness, interaction, exploration of the land, and observation of daily life patterns of the local people – to arrive at ideas for films. The groups will have to pitch their proposal through pitching sessions. Production plans for all films will be drawn by the supervisors. Participants will then have to shoot and edit their own films.
This is a production-oriented workshop, and the films produced as a part of the workshop will have a public screening at the end of the workshop, followed by a Q&A session with the filmmakers.

4 days- Introduction and General Orientation
2 days- Academic conference – Understanding the socio-culture and geopolitics of Ladakh
3 days- Landscape tour to experience 1st hand the ground realities and special spots
4 days- Neighbourhood exploration in Phyang- the field area of our workshop
5 days- Conceptual and Technical Inputs / Exercises for Documentary filmmaking
5 days- Pre-production and Pitching Sessions
4 days- Production
6 days- Post-Production
1 day- Public Screening of all films produced during the workshop, sharing circle & closing ceremony.

Additionally 3 days prior to the workshop are recommended for acclimatization and 3 days after the workshop to keep in hand as a buffer to cover up any pending exercises or workshop deliverables.
Thus in total, the workshop promises 40 days of experiential learning program – with films as the main tangible deliverable, along with other mini media objects and an archive of footage.
A detailed curriculum and day-wise schedule of the workshop can be provided upon request.

WHO IS IT FOR:

For aspiring, early career or mid career filmmakers, film technicians, artists, social scientists, anthropologists, ethnographers, journalists, media professionals, photographers, travel and tourism professionals, architects, ecologists, conservationists interested in the medium of film, creative writers, storytellers, and explorers of all kinds.
It is an intermediate-level workshop – open to participants from all over India and abroad.
A minimum of 20 participants is necessary for the workshop.
Additionally, 2 seats are reserved for participants from HIAL and 2 seats are reserved for participants from Auroville and the bioregion.

SELECTION PROCESS:

Please fill out the application form and write the statement of purpose thoughtfully. Selection will be an on strength of application, i.e. on the basis of merit and motivation to join the workshop. Applications will be processed within 3 days of receipt. Selected participants will be notified by the 4th day after receiving an application. Fee payment is expected within 4 days of selection. Participation will be confirmed upon verification of payment.

EQUIPMENT DETAILS :

We believe the equipment you have is the best equipment to make your film with. As you are familiar with your own equipment and you can learn to utilize it better for your own film. However, it is not mandatory to have your own equipment to participate in this workshop.
If you do have any piece, like a camera or a tripod or any grips or an editing laptop or any recorders, we encourage you to bring it along. Participants will be making films in groups, so your equipment will be utilized for your own group. We hope the groups to be self-sufficient in terms of basic equipment like a camera, a tripod, and a recorder.
From our side, we will try to provide for what is missing in each group.

FACULTY PROFILE:

Richa Hushing & Rrivu Laha are documentary filmmakers, both alumni of Film and Television Institute of India, Pune. Richa specialized in TV Direction (2005) while Rrivu’s specialization was Cinematography (2007).
Their films are often character portraits; and portraits of indigenous communities in liminal states.
‘Nicobar, a long way…’ a documentary observing Nicobarese identity and resilience in wake of Tsunami – is one of their latest works, winning Special Mention at the Millennium Film Festival, Belgium in 2017, among other laurels in anthropological, environmental, and human rights film festivals such as – Pêcheurs du monde, Lorient, France, 2018; Film South Asia, Kathmandu, Nepal, 2017; Viscult – The festival of Visual Culture, Joensuu, Finland, 2017; World Film Festival, Tartu, Estonia, 2017; Royal Anthropological Film Festival, Bristol, 2017; Ethnografilm Festival, Paris, 2017; Smaragdni Eco Film Festival, Hrvatska Kostajnica, Croatia, 2017 and International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala, India, 2016.
Their previous works have also won international accolades like – Rrivu’s debut film ‘Amchi Kasauti (2005) won the best documentary at Jeevika film festival of livelihoods; best documentary at IBDA Dubai; selected in Mumbai International film festival; Tehran International Film Festival. His film Vasudev -the singing minstrels of Maharashtra won special jury mention at Youth New Wave Film Festival, Sri Lanka, 2008. Richa’s debut film, ‘Love Song…’ (2008) was selected at the International documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala, Bangalore Queer Film Festival; Her 2013 film ‘Devrai’ on the sacred groves of Maharashtra won the best documentary award at the Maharastra State Film Awards. Rrivu’s short documentary ‘Dhananjay Kulkarni ‘Chandragupt’ (2009) and Richa’s ‘Director Painter Shri Baburao Laad’ both were selected to be a part of Retrospective of Indian Documentaries at Iran International Film Festival in 2013, among other selections.
After a decade-long practice based in Mumbai, in 2017, Richa and Rrivu moved to Auroville, a universal township dedicated to the ideals of human unity, free progress, and transformation of consciousness. In Auroville, they began with the Auroville Timelines, a media pedagogy, and video arts unit, curating recorded memories of Auroville. This work has evolved into an Auroville Archives’ project of developing a participatory community archive.
In 2019, Richa and Rrivu co-founded the ‘Auroville Film Institute’ dedicated to the ideal of cinema education, integrating world cinema and world citizenship, and experimenting with new pedagogy. Richa and Rrivu work as co-directors and curriculum designers – offering short-term filmmaking courses and production-oriented Masterclasses. Since lockdown in March 2020, they began with their online filmmaking workshops, mentoring over 400 participants online, many of them debut filmmakers. 4 films produced through their filmmaking workshops were selected for a film festival in Switzerland affiliated with the University of Lausanne in November 2020.
Richa and Rrivu have been course directors at the Film and Television Institute of India’s online basic film orientation and documentary filmmaking courses.
Currently, they are preparing to extend institutional collaborations and develop student exchange programs and long-term cinema-centric learning journeys. They continue to work independently as filmmakers and producers of educational media.

SPECIAL LECTURERS: :

Gitanjali J B, Social Entrepreneur & Educationist; Dean, HIAL;
Sonam Wangchuk, Engineer, Innovator, and Education Reformist;
Abdul Ghani Sheikh, Academician, and Historian;
Mipham Otsal, Theatre Activist and Performance Artist;
Exposure to the growing of cash crops and fruits and vegetables in mountain regions and how to do it responsibly.
Morup Namgyal, Folk Musician;
Stanzin Dorjai, Filmmaker;
Sandeep Boghadi, earth architect and restoration expert;
Tsewang Namgyal, Director, Snow Leopard Conservancy, Ladakh;
Chewang Motup Goba, Tourism Entrepreneur
Chewang Norphel & Sonam Wangchuk, Ice Stupa Pioneers
Disket, Environmental Activist and Advocate

CERTIFICATE :

Certificate of participation will be issued jointly by the Auroville Film Institute and Himalayan Institute of Alternatives, Ladakh. 90% attendance is compulsory to get a certificate.

SPECIAL NOTE :

The workshop is part of the Auroville-Ladakh bi-annual student exchange program, facilitating cinema-centric learning journeys that can emerge from and lead to a more comprehensive cultural confluence and knowledge sharing. The corresponding Auroville Phase of the exchange program titled “Auroville Praxis–experimental art, imagination and innovation” workshop will be open in Auroville.
*Please note that fees once paid will not be refunded – unless the workshop itself has to be canceled due to COVID-related emergencies and lockdown. In case the workshop is canceled, a refund will be organized, otherwise, not. For queries or further information, write to us at: [email protected]

DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKING WORKSHOP