My Journey into Filmmaking: An Interactive Movie Experience

During my post-graduation, I had the opportunity to participate in various creative events, including our university’s annual cultural festival. One of the most memorable events was a short film-making contest. The challenges of the contest pushed me to create an interactive movie experience that would challenge my creativity and technical skills.

The Challenge and Theme

The annual cultural festival was a huge on-campus event that involved several smaller events including a short film-making contest. This contest posed a unique challenge, as participants were given only a theme and a week to complete a five-minute film, judged on originality, production values, and adherence to the theme and time constraints.

For the 2012 event, we received the theme of Irony. Inspired by the film Inception, I envisioned a movie where two talking characters would engage in a dialogue to reveal the crux of their characters. The intelligent student with memory issues became a subtle introduction to irony. This concept was further developed into a script that incorporated the theme of irony.

The Production Process

The production process began with scriptwriting and casting. Given the short timeline, we relied on friends to act in the film. Coercing them into participating, we managed to cast the two lead roles within a day. The choice of filming equipment was critical, and I settled on my roommate’s Samsung Galaxy S II, a smartphone capable of 1080p video recording.

The filming took place in two nights, with small dialogue scenes shot to accommodate the difficulty of memorizing the lines. Despite challenges like cake smears and a long commute, we successfully captured the essence of the story within the constraints.

The Post-Production

Post-production was the most technically demanding phase. I had no prior experience with video editing software, so I had to learn quickly. Cyberlink PowerDirector, with its 30-day trial, helped me lay down the rough edits. Additional audio recording and mixing tasks required the cooperation of the actors, who dubbed their lines.

The final touches were the soundtrack and the opening titles. A combination of Inception and other Hollywood OSTs set the tone for the movie. With the movie complete, the submission deadline required a successful upload, which happened at the main campus library due to a slow internet connection elsewhere.

The Results and Legacy

While we didn’t win the contest, the experience was immensely enjoyable despite the limited recognition. The movie was released around the Indian festival of Diwali and received mixed reviews for its complexity and plot. However, people appreciated the concept and the absence of a boy-girl love story.

Despite the setback, the experience ignited my passion for editing videos, leading to a range of creative projects in the future, including music videos, animations, and fan trailers. Some of my works can be found in the answer provided.

The interactive movie experience in filmmaking taught me the importance of creativity, collaboration, and technical skills in the production process. It also culminated in a personal journey of growth and exploration in the world of video content creation.