When the cheap digital camcorders came into the market, everyone claimed that now anyone could make a movie. The medium became cheap, accessible, opening the creative possibilities for anyone with an imaginative eye. Even Samira Makhmalbaff, the acclaimed young Iranian filmmaker, came out with a piece saying that digital filmmaking has democratized the process of making cinema. Shekhar Kapoor came out with an annual digital film festival in Delhi, only to flounder two years later.
So, was it true-the digital democracy in terms of creating works of cinematic value?
I often wondered. I was searching for an answer for a long time. Even after the coming of digital filmmaking gadgets, digital cinema had not flourished as promised. More so, the outputs, from wherever they were, were not very encouraging.
At last, I found the answer from the Master himself. Gordard has commented on this process in a recent interview in these words:
"What's bad is that students think that because they've got a little camera, they can film something. The manufacturers, even the critics, say: 'It's great! Everyone can make cinema!' No, not everyone can make cinema. Everyone can think they're making cinema, or say, 'I make cinema.' But if you give someone a pencil it doesn't mean they're going to draw like Raphael or Rembrandt."
Isn't it true? Not everyone with a key board can write a stirring story or a valuable novel.
Godard has come out with a new film, Notre Musique. It is on Sarajevo. Read his interview here.
"The world is what it is; men who are nothing, who allow themselves to become nothing, have no place in it." ― V.S. Naipaul, A Bend in the River
I don't think Zafar that anyone who can write, can write a book of an infinite high quality. Of course, anyone at all can write a book. Which to go off tangent a little is also to say, rules and mechanics are there for everyone to be taught. But at the end of the day, the studied writer and the inborn one; I can in many cases anyway, tell the difference.
ReplyDelete*regards*
Am so happy to see you back and thanks for the interesting articles you have linked to. Particularly enjoyed the piece on Kaufman ... Adaptation is such a brilliant film about the creative process.
ReplyDeleteI agree Susan. That is the point I was trying to make. There are writers who write but not everything is finally valuable, worth treasuring.
ReplyDeleteThanks Sharon. I loved Adaptation. I did not like much the new movie, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. And I am yet to see Being John Malkovich. Have you seen it?
ReplyDeleteOf course, Zafar. And I was very happy to reconfirm that point for you.*cheers*
ReplyDelete