Neha, a 25 year old woman who learnt smartphone filmmaking under me wanted to make a film on toxic work atmosphere in the corporate world. She told me “madam I have loads and loads of information on this topic. I have also personally experienced bullying in the work. But I do not know how to begin the story”. Neha is not the only one who experiences the starting trouble. Many people experience the Writers Block, when they want to start writing. You may also be one of them. So let me share with you one magical formula with which you can start any movie script. DRAMATICALLY INTRODUCE ONE OF YOUR KEY CHARACTER IN THE BEGINING : This is one of the most powerful way of starting a cinema story. Not clear what I mean? Then go to You Tube and watch the opening scene of two films- -one is Padmaavat and the other is the old suspense thriller Who Kaun Thi. Watch them and within two minutes and you will understand this point clearly. In Padmaavat, the film begins on the backdrop of Afghanistan where Alaudin Khilji ( Ranveer Singh) makes his entry with an ostrich into the durbar of a sultan. There is something about Alaudin’s demeanour and body language which gives you creepy feeling. Then lustily looking at the Sultan’s daughter he says “Allah ki banai hur nayab cheez par kewal Alauddin ka haq hai,” in the beginning of Padmaavat. This opening , sets the tone of the movie as it dramatically introduces Alaudin Khilji to the audience as one of the most cruel, deceitful, manipulative and narcissist who could stoop to any extent to get what he wants. Now shift your focus to the opening scene of the 1964 mystery thriller Who Kaun Thi? What do you see in the opening scene? Dr Anand ( Manoj Kuar) is driving his car at night. He sees a woman ( Sadhana) standing on the road and he gives her a lift. She introduces herself as No One. As soon as she steps inside the car, the wiper stop functioning. He is spooked because she is able to guide him on the road even though there is hardly any visibility. She then makes him stop near the cemetery and then vanishes. You as an audience are gripped by nail biting suspense wondering who the woman is- -- a human or a ghost? So irrespective of on what topic you are making the film, whether college life, school life, work life or any other topic. You could dramatically introduce one of your key character in the beginning. Chandran M Iyer Ajinkya Kulkarni #cinema #films #cinematography #videoediting #jamesbond #soundeffects #preproduction #postproduction #smartphonefilmmaking (I am a television journalist and smartphone filmmaking coach. For interesting information on smartphone filmmaking, please follow me on Linkedin, )
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