Today, by posting this shot, I am ending the story that I have been getting to you since the last two days. This is a shot of none other than Chooha (Veerappa, as his real name stands). He got damn thrilled when he held the camera. I managed to teach him the zoom effects and the importance of a lens. Hope he remembers them.
By now, you guys are pretty much well versed with Appa, Timesh, and Veerappa. Now, I'll tell you how and why I met them. When the
"I am the CHANGE" Film Project got launched, despite being one of the organizers, the filmmaker within me, probably, just stood up and said "Go! Shoot!" and there I was deciding with my standard editor, Akash, to shoot a short film in 101 hours! The film will not be a part of the competition but we did it just for the kick of it. We randomly chose a topic which turned out to be a social issue - child labor!
So that is how we got in touch with Veerappa. We filmed him on Friday. We spoke to his Dad on Saturday morning asking him if we could take Veerappa out on Sunday for half a day and interact with him on the camera. He pleasantly agreed, asking for some money, but later in the evening, he turned out to be funny and began cutting our calls and refusing to send Veerappa anywhere. We tracked down the address and reached where Veerappa stays, at 7am this morning. Luckily, we saw Veerappa and Appa walk towards their workplace in the morning so we requested Appa if we could film Veerappa just for about an hour later in the day and he agreed. As, we began conversing with Veerappa later in the day, we got to know that his father was drunk last night and thus was funny. Veerappa spent the night at the temple, near his house, last night. We had a great conversation with him and I was happy that the film would turn out to be brilliant. But, I really wonder if it is nature who wants things to remain this way or it is some completely unknown force that demands the lives of certain souls like Veerappa to pause where it is now. The recordings of his interview didn't turn out to be good due to some technical problem. Thus, I had to re-think a completely new concept and re-edit using only texts now! Hope, it works!
Despite the film, the concepts, the creativity, the thought, the intention, I am unable to forget a simple line that Veerappa said to me -
"I want to go to school"
For Veerappa...
By now, you guys are pretty much well versed with Appa, Timesh, and Veerappa. Now, I'll tell you how and why I met them. When the
"I am the CHANGE" Film Project got launched, despite being one of the organizers, the filmmaker within me, probably, just stood up and said "Go! Shoot!" and there I was deciding with my standard editor, Akash, to shoot a short film in 101 hours! The film will not be a part of the competition but we did it just for the kick of it. We randomly chose a topic which turned out to be a social issue - child labor!
So that is how we got in touch with Veerappa. We filmed him on Friday. We spoke to his Dad on Saturday morning asking him if we could take Veerappa out on Sunday for half a day and interact with him on the camera. He pleasantly agreed, asking for some money, but later in the evening, he turned out to be funny and began cutting our calls and refusing to send Veerappa anywhere. We tracked down the address and reached where Veerappa stays, at 7am this morning. Luckily, we saw Veerappa and Appa walk towards their workplace in the morning so we requested Appa if we could film Veerappa just for about an hour later in the day and he agreed. As, we began conversing with Veerappa later in the day, we got to know that his father was drunk last night and thus was funny. Veerappa spent the night at the temple, near his house, last night. We had a great conversation with him and I was happy that the film would turn out to be brilliant. But, I really wonder if it is nature who wants things to remain this way or it is some completely unknown force that demands the lives of certain souls like Veerappa to pause where it is now. The recordings of his interview didn't turn out to be good due to some technical problem. Thus, I had to re-think a completely new concept and re-edit using only texts now! Hope, it works!
Despite the film, the concepts, the creativity, the thought, the intention, I am unable to forget a simple line that Veerappa said to me -
"I want to go to school"
For Veerappa...
3 comments:
Rahul -- I believe that if you can impart this kind of passion and heart in your films, then you CAN bring about change for Veerappa and other kids like him. I know you're hoping so, and I'm hoping with you.
Alexa, I feel the same way and I am so glad Rahul brought Veerappa to our attention. You know he will never forget his interaction with you, Rahul. With you he was able to be what he is: a child filled with imagination and curiousity and the wonder of life. You not only have touched his life but mine and Alexa's (if I may speak for you)as well.
Thanks Alexa and From Cali!
I truly believe that kids should be allowed to just live life the way they want to...even if they are wrong, let them learn by their mistakes!
There were times during the shoot, when Appa asked us not to film Veerappa while working...although, we did secretively as it is important to tell the world about such kids. It was strange how all the 4 sons of Appa were studying but Veerappa isn't!
How I wish all in this space would just live as one family...nothing thinking about just yourself but thinking of the whole community...thinking of humanity. This place would be such a better place automatically without any efforts, in that case!
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