Meet Nilanjan Bhowmik

Priyanka Roy of  'HELLO KOLKATA' has recently met Nilanjan Bhowmik.

Excerpts of the interview:-

  

PR- 'Hello Kolkata' has started a section in which we interview men who are involved in desirable passionate jobs and ask them about the reality of their work and for advice on how men can live their dream.

  Speaking of living one’s dream, Nilanjan Bhowmik has what many men who consider the dream job. He was born and brought up in Jalpaiguri near the bank of river Teesta. Apart from serving his duty as an MBA, Marketing Official in Public Sector at Kolkata metro city, he is a passionate film maker, a writer, photographer and a serious music lover.

'Hello Kolkata' appreciates Nilanjan taking some time away from negotiating his course of duty to give us a glimpse.

 Please tell us a little about yourself. Where are you from? Where did you go to school?

NB- I’m originally from Jalpaiguri but I now live in South Kolkata. I’m a Public sector employee by profession but a movie writer/director by soul. Being a back bencher in Jalpaiguri Zilla School,  I went to Scottish Church College and later to T.A.Pai Management Institute, Manipal to earn MBA degree in marketing management

PR- Describe your job and how long you’ve been at it.

NB- Basically, the Director is the artistic head of a movie.

There are three main phases to the job of directing a movie:-

1. Pre-Production- In many ways, this is the most important part of the process. It’s where the ideas of a film are translated into a kind of game plan, both from an artistic angle (casting, shot selection, style, color schemes, etc.) and a practical (scheduling, locations, etc). In many ways a movie is made or broken in pre-production.

2. Production-  This is probably the phase most people associate with directing. Being on set, calling “action” and giving notes on performance and shots. This phase often feels like trying to paint a picture with a hundred people standing behind you screaming, “hurry up!” It’s very stressful and very exciting. Some days are truly soul crushing and some days you just feel electric.

3. Post-production-  Often the longest phase of making a movie, and in many ways the most gratifying. This is where you assemble all the parts into something that feels like a movie. The director sits with the editor as the movie is put together and finessed to hide all the ridiculous mistakes the director made on set. Then sound effects are added and mixed, the color is corrected and visual effects are laid in. The director oversees all of these.

PR- Why did you want to be a movie director? When did you know it was what you wanted to do?

NB-  I actually wanted to be a writer first. Growing up in Jalpaiguri, I never knew any directors or even really thought about that as a possible job. When I was 14, I started writing a lot. By the time I graduated high school, I was writing all the time.

I find the process of filmmaking a truly magical one. The way shots fit together to create the illusion of things happening that never did. Sculpting time and space to tell cinematic lies. It’s thrilling.

PR -  If a man wants to become a movie director, how should he best prepare? Do you recommend going to film school?

NB-  Film school is a great way to jump start a sense of film language. Making shorts and then showing them to people is invaluable in that sense. But I don’t think film school is necessary. I know a lot of very talented directors who learned by just doing it.   

   I do think it’s important to learn to write, though. Having a good sense of story is invaluable. I believe nothing is more important than that.

PR- How do most filmmakers go about getting attention for their work?

NB- Film festivals are a great way. In many ways, those are the gate keepers to the industry. Screenwriting contests are good. I think just doing it. Making films and making more films. I remember being terrified before a premiere and my wife Shilpi told me, “It doesn’t really matter if it goes well or not, because tomorrow you’re going to get up and you’re going to keep doing it.” And she was right. The attention will come in time if you just keep doing the work. I believe that.

PR-  What are the chances of a filmmaker being able to earn a decent living at their craft?

NB- It’s tough. There’s an adage, “It’s hard until it’s easy.” I think that’s pretty much it. It’s extremely difficult to get anyone to pay you anything, but once anyone does, someone else will probably pay you too.

PR-  What is the best part of the job?

NB- I love that the job changes constantly. Pre-pro, production, post. They’re such incredibly different jobs with different crews, different temperaments, different paces and skill sets. The only real constant is the project itself. And that looks incredibly different from one week to the next. It’s a job that never stays the same.

PR-  What is the worst part of the job?

NB- The drive home from set where I realize, in retrospect, all the things I could have done better. Some of the politics can be frustrating. Bad reviews.

PR-  What is the biggest misconception people have about the job?

NB- I think people sometimes overestimate the role of the director. (Even directors!) I think directors sometimes get too much credit for both the good ideas as well as the problems. It’s such a collaborative art. A film is never “by” one person. It’s made from a lot of work and skill and suffering by literally hundreds of people.

12. What is the work /family/life balance like?

It can be a bit rough. It’s important to have a very understanding life partner and other family members. I find I’m either home a lot or not at all. As a director you are like a photo stand. Without family support you can’t stand.

PR- Any other advice you’d like to share?

NB- My best piece of advice if you’re looking to get into directing, is to not get good at anything else. The people who seem to stick with it are the ones who have no other marketable skills. Practicing film making is the only way for skill development.