Bardsongs Part 3: The Beginning

Note: This is the Third Part of a Dutch Feature Film – Bardsongs. This part is called the ‘Father, Daughter & Dzo’. The First Part was shot in Africa and the Second Part was shot in Jodhpur – Bardsongs, ‘The Plastic Collector.’ We were the part of the Indian Crew for the Second Part as well.

It’s almost been 2 weeks in Leh. We have the first version of the schedule, a location report and the cast in place. We start shoot on the 10th of August. We were scheduled o shoot on the 9th of August but had to push it by a day as the Dalai Lama is visiting the city then.

It has been the most visually exciting 2 weeks of my life. Within a few miles you get to see a vast variety of landscape. One moment you have yellow desert like landscape and in the other you have the green-yellow farm lands with maroon mountains set as the backdrop. You have purple rocks capped with white snow. Mountains decorated as if a giant zebra is lying on its belly. Rocks projecting as if lost township is hidden under it. Crystal clear blue water bodies as if only Gods were allowed to touch it. The feeling is overwhelming and there aren’t words to describe it.

My grandmother once did tell me – “You must travel India first and then the world.” – now I understand her.

Kawal and I decided to travel to Leh by car, thinking that it would help to acclimatize. We took it easy and took 4 days to reach Leh. Aditya, the musician for the film also accompanied us. The first night we stayed in Manali. All went well – everything normal.

The second night we stayed in Jispa. Some of us did start feeling the lack of oxygen but stayed calm without complaining. We were suppose to travel 320 Km the next day for Leh, crossing Taglangla, the second highest pass in the world (17582 feet above sea level), but we got a call from Karin (Line Producer) who warned us about the drive and suggested to break our journey and spend a night in a camp. Thanks to Karin’s warning we reached Leh acclimatized. [ Karin, herself had to pay a price for her 2 day roadtrip. She is still recovering, though she is much better now ]. The 3rd night wasn’t easy. We spent the night in a camp in Tsokar, 16000 feet above sea level. All of us including our driver felt dizzy. Some threw up and some needed oxygen. Luckily, we did carry 3 cans of oxygen with us. The next day we left for Leh, passing Taglangla on our way. Sander Francken (Director), Joost (PA to Director), Karin S.de Boer (Line Producer), Dechean & Stanzin (Local Fixers) awaited our arrival. We were in Leh for lunch.

It is a bit difficult to work here and things take time to get processed. I haven’t read a newspaper in days. The newspaper comes after 3 days. You can’t find a printer cartridge. Printing a 4×6 inches picture costs Rs.20 when it costs Rs.4 in Delhi – there are no digital printing machines. Everything here is double the MRP, but that’s what happens when you live for 6 months in a year. You have to pay the price for the scenic beauty and the hospitality of the people which lives in isolation from the rest of the world.

A week and a half has been spent on finding actors and locations. This is the first time that I enjoyed location recce. We went West of Leh, East of Leh as well as North of Leh and voila we have all the locations for the film. Now its time for Dechean and Stanzin to get permissions for the locations. Hope its not as complicated and confusing as it was in Jodhpur for Bardsongs – ‘The Plastic Collector’.

Today we had a meeting on the schedule. The director is still working on the shooting script and has agreed to adapt the prepared schedule. We have a few issues with the script though:

1. we need to change the script in order to get an approval from the Hemis Monastery. We cannot suggest that a girl stays in a monastery. We’ll change the script for them.
2. we need to work out a way, how we can attach a cart to a Dzo. Never in the history of Leh, has a cart been attached to a Dzo.
3. we also changed the title of this part of the film from ‘Father, Daughter & Yak’ to ‘Father, Daughter & Dzo’ as we realised that Dzos are more timid and humble than Yaks. A Dzo is a cross between a Yak and a Cow.

There have been some heated arguments between the Line Producer & the Director / Producer regarding the payment schedule and the budget, but everything seems calm today. Hope they have sorted out their issues and the production goes on fine.

Communication Barrier

We set out for a recce this morning. Kawal and I showed the director all the places that we had shortlisted. They were according to the brief and the script that was sent to us. But, the director was looking for something more urban. He liked farm houses better than the punjabi village. He liked plantation by the riverside better than the green fields of Punjab. We landed up changing all the locations.

While we were looking for locations, we met a person who would be a potential cast. He was asked to do a line. While I was about to explain to him what he was suppose to do, the producer and the location help jumped in and took over. Later I was told that I was incompetent. I was told by one of the associates of the producer that I am useless as I can’t speak punjabi and am incapable of handling things in Punjab. I took offense and slashed back at them by saying that I don’t like people interfering in my work and telling me how to run my show. I also told them that I handled Rajasthani actors despite the fact that I did not even understand what they spoke.

We reached back to the hotel. A new commotion awaited. Kawal was asked to send back his assistant Ayub. The poor guy did not even last two days. It wasn’t that Ayub was incompetent, it was just that there was no budget for him.

So now Kawal was handling substantial amount of things all by himself.

Heart Land: The First Day

This is the first time that I am so apprehensive about a film shoot. Not that I am nervous about my job or the shoot but more because of the people I am dealing with. First, the money is not good. Second, it’s a film by a first time producer. He has wealthy relatives who have invested in the film. They don’t trust us and they treat film making as any other production meeting, due to which there have been delays. This is going to be my first day with them.

Kawal has already reached Ludhiana, he is working on various production logistics. He is there with a production assistant Ayub. Too much work and too less people.

I was suppose to meet the American crew at 12:00 PM in Gurgaon at a Guest House. I received a call at 10:30 AM saying that the meeting has been called forward to 11:30 AM. How am I expected to reach on time? At 11:30 AM, I get a call from the producer demanding an explanation on why I haven’t reached. Well the answer was quite simple – Next time, please inform us on time. I reached there at 12:00 PM. The Costume Designer and the Art Director followed me shortly. We were introduced to the American Crew and Cast. In comparison to our Indian crew they are old and more experienced. The Director, Fred Holmes,  the line producer, Cathy King and the 1st AD, Paul have over 20 years of experience. There is so much I can learn from them. Now, I am kicked about the project.

There was a 20 min. meeting between the American line producer and us. Some of the American Costumes and Props were handed over to the respective departments. They were assigned some work to be carried out on urgent basis. Soon after the meeting I left for Ludhiana on a Tempo Traveller with the American cast and crew. The Producer left for Ludhiana with his uncle in an Innova. The Americans could not understand the Indian Traffic and the Indian way of driving till I explained them that driving in india is like playing a video game with one life.

Overloaded bus

Buffalo Attack!

Traffic Disaster!

Then we came across a nude boy on the street. The boy got excited seeing foreigners on a bus. Seeing us, he started dancing – flaunting his assets. I guess he must have heard of Slum Dog Millionaire.

What I liked about my new friends was their thought of treating everyone as equals. They are uncomfortable if the drivers don’t eat food or if there are people picking up their equipment. They are so used to doing work by themselves. Moreover they treat each profession with respect. They took offense when the driver of our tempo traveler did not get his lunch. They could not understand the system. I did try to give a vague explanation but they could not get it.

We were suppose to take 5 hours to reach Ludhiana, but we took 8 hours because the tempo traveler would not go above the speed of 60 Km/h. The Americans got really pissed because the producer had told them that it would take only 3 to 4 hours. I guess this is what happens on a low budget film.

We had scheduled a recce because we had expected to reach by 4pm but we reached at 11pm. That was it. A great messed up beginning.