Keywords Poetry Tribal culture Santhal language Woman |
I have been writing poems for many years and always wanted to make a film based on poetry to understand and share how it can be transformed into visuals and the problems that arise during the process of visualization.
My diploma film is based on a poem I wrote before I joined NID. It’s a beautiful poem that shows the plight of a lonely woman who ‘hides her pain’ and serves her family. The image came to my mind when I realized how hard life has been for my mother. She bears all the difficulties that come her way without complaining. Naayo in Santali (my tribal language) means a woman or a mother. The film is based on a Santal woman and her tragic journey, but ends with her celebrating her life.
I started drawing visuals according to the lines/words in the poem. Since my initial storyboard had not worked out well, I watched several films to understand the poetic language of cinema and the theme of metamorphosis. The feedback I received from my guide and batchmates helped me realize the importance of arranging content in a chronological way and so I created a visual balance through narration. Folk music was recorded to make the film more authentic to the region it is set in. In order to prevent monotony from setting in, ink was used to display the flow of emotions. I also tried an unconventional method of animation by drawing frames spontaneously one after another on the same paper and compositing them later to create a fluid motion.
The film helped me understand a woman’s psychology. I also appreciate the richness of my tribal culture and filmmaking has brought me closer to it. |