In the earlier years of Indian Film Industry, where every part of the film was shot in a studio, an Art director was as important and necessary as the director and actors of a film. Right from designing the sets to the designing of a character's look, the art director created the ambiance against which the film was to be shot. Today with a lot of film makers taking to out door shoots, the art director's job has been modified to choosing the right locations. In a small chat with Ragalahari, Art director Chinna talks about Art Direction and his latest hit project Pokiri.
Q: You are no doubt feeling good with the success of ‘Pokiri’?
A: Yes. I am feeling very happy. Because of all the films I have worked on, I had to do a lot of hard work for this film. Whether it was all the locations we had to shoot at or in general. There was a lot of traveling that I had to do.
Q: You had to use a lot of sets for this movie?
A: We had to do it according to the storyline. Because the story had a mafia backdrop we used a lot of sets.
Q: What were the sets you used?
A: One was for the song “Dole Dole” and for another song. One was a market set. And this has a Mafia backdrop right. So we had to design sets accordingly as in how their properties look like, you know, their hangout places and their place at the city outskirts. All these had to be created. Also one Old library set was specially done up.
Q: Does Puri Jagannadh suggest has to how the sets are supposed to look? Or is it completely your idea?
A: Normally I only design the sets according to the storyline but the sets are built only after he (Puri Jagannadh) finalizes them.
Q: Which of your sets do you think is the highlight of the movie?
A: The Market set that I designed? that I think turned out really well. It took only one day to do build that set. But when I saw it on screen, it looked very good and natural. They did not allow us to use chickens in that scene. Otherwise it would have looked even better. And the other was a farm set. I took bit of risk for that because I used a white backdrop for it.
Q: Which sets are more costly? The ones used for songs or for other scenes like fights etc?
A: Songs sets are more costly. Because to erect an entire structure on an empty floor we have to use a lot of material. So the production cost is more for a song sequence. But in case of a fight or action sequence we have to only add additional props to an already existing structure. Like for example the Golconda fort where we only need to add a couple of stones here and there or erect just a wall in some places, in which case the cost of production is less as compared to a song’s set.
Q: Earlier there were a lot of set songs in our films. Then the trend of shooting in foreign locales started. Now again film makers are back to set songs. Can you comment on that?
A: See when you are shooting at foreign locales there are a lot of things that are not in our hands. Mainly lighting. Once the natural light fades off and the shot was not Okayed we will have to wait till the next day to shoot the same sequence. That means a loss of a day’s worth of production cost. When shooting at foreign locales it all depends on luck. So that fear is right now growing. But if it is a set then we have light continuously and we can complete the song in as less call sheets as we want. That is the advantage of sets. And we are trying our maximum to reduce the cost of production. We are trying to build new structures with less material of high quality. That is why many people are returning to the use of sets.
Q: But why did the craze for shooting songs in foreign locales begun in the first place?
A: Firstly that was because of the quality. There is less pollution there. Because there is comparatively more pollution in India, you know, there is a quite bit of dust pollution here. But in foreign countries you get a lot of clarity. And only a minimum group of people go to those places i.e. the hero, heroine, director, cameraman and dance director and a minimum group of people required for the shoot. Somewhere around 15 to 20 people. But if it is in India, means automatically a larger group.
Q: Normally what colors do you prefer to use for a backdrop. For songs and other scenes?
A: Because songs add to the film’s glamour. I try to use colors that look glamorous and those that stand out, like bright colors. In fight scenes the camera is not stable it moves at a fast pace. That is why we concentrate on colors for song sequences rather than for fight sequences.
Q: But won’t bright colors for songs dominate the hero and heroine’s presence in that song?
A: No no. we coordinate the colors of the costumes and that of the sets. Before I create a set, I discuss with the cameraman and the director and tell them that I am using this and this color for the sets so you need to go for an opposite color for the costumes for the hero, heroine and the dancers.
Q: You have been an Art director for how many years?
A: Seven years. I have been into Art direction for the past seven years now.
Q: Which movie gave you that recognition as an Art director?
A: It was Usha Kiran movies banner through which I got the recognition.
Q: What are your future projects?
A: Next movies…? We started one with V.V. Vinayak and Prabhas produced by Ravindranath Reddy, Kadapa Mayor. Then there is one starting with Puri Jagannadh. Bunny is the hero in that movie.
Q: Is there a lot to learn about Art direction?
A: There is a lot to art direction. Nowadays because a lot of directors are shooting in public locations there is not much importance there. But if the scenes are to be shot in studios, there is a lot of creativity involved in that. If we compare with old movies, if there is no Art direction there is almost no movie. Like for example earlier when they had to show how Indrudu looked they had to create an image for him. Likewise for characters like Sri Krishna and Lord Rama. The onscreen image of these characters had to be created by art directors. Be it there costumes, jewellery .Even weapons had to be created by art directors.
Q: Are Art directors who design costumes, jewellary etc different from those who design sets ?
A: Now they have been separated. Previously the art director would decide that the character would look like this and that he would wear this kind of costumes and jewellery. Then he would hand over those specifications and designs to the costume department. Then slowly that department got diverted.
Q: What is the important thing that an art director should remember?
A: What he should remember…it will be very helpful for the film if the art director is present on location during the film shoot. Not just design the sets and leave it at that. I am almost always present on location. Because if I understand the story properly, I can do my work accordingly.
Q: You design only sets or do you also supervise the selection of outdoor locations?
A: That also we need to do. Because we need to chose a location according to the scene. Whether it requires greenery or a dry location things like that. We need to picture the background for each scene, in our mind, when the director is narrating the story itself. Then we search out for various location and shortlist the suitable ones. That much of work is done from our side.
