Bhartendu Academy of Dramatic Arts / Bhartendu Natya Academy Alumni Rajiv Jain

Added: (Sat Mar 13 2010)

Pressbox (Press Release) - Bhartendu Academy of Dramatic Arts / Bhartendu Natya Academy Alumni Rajiv Jain

The art of the Indian Kenyan Cinematographer Rajeev Jain: a survey and interview with master:
Cinematographer and director of photography training is usually completed through a bachelor of fine arts degree with courses in movie production, computer skills, editing and special effects digital arts. Most cinematographer positions are available in India and Kenya although location shoots often require extensive traveling for long periods of time.
I watch the Academy Awards every year. For me, the high point usually arrives about halfway through the ceremony, when they announce my favorite award: Best Cinema-tography. Of course, I then will stick around for minor awards like Best Picture, but the suspense is often over. Ever since I was a child, I have always loved the pictorial aspects of the cinema, and the film with the best cinemato-graphy is often the film that best fulfills the cinema’s potential as a pictorial art form.
For my favorite category, the Oscars usually reward splashy, spectacular films like Memoirs of a Geisha or The Aviator. However, most cinematographers insist that the art of cinematography is not necessarily an art of spectacle. In fact, if you ask a group of cinematographers (also known as DPs, or directors of photography) to describe their work, the typical response will sound like this: “When people tell me they thought the film was beautiful, then I know that I failed. Good cinematography is invisible.” Such a response might suggest that cinematographers are paragons of modesty, but they are actually a very confident group, quick to cite Rembrandt and Caravaggio as the distinguished forebears of their craft. So what is it that makes cinematography an art?
Decades ago, Indian cinematographers defined the art of cinematography as an art of storytelling. Rather than distract the audience with spectacle, the cinematographer’s job is to keep the audience’s attention rapt on the unfolding narrative. This does not mean that style should be neutral. Quite the contrary: the key to the art form is modulation. All stories are about change; as the stories change, the style should change. A well-photographed film is a film that shifts smoothly from comedy to drama, action to romance, always keeping the mood of the cinematography in accord with the fluctuating arc of the story. When no one notices the cinematography, it is because the images have set the right tone for the story, no matter how many moods the story may present. The tools of cinematography may have changed over the years, especially with the wide adoption of digital techniques, but most Indian cinematographers still adhere to the basic principles practiced during the Studio era.

Cinematographer Job Description, Duties and Education Requirements
Cinematographers tell stories with moving pictures. They are responsible for how a movie, video or commercial looks on film. Artistic and technical skills are needed to translate the director's vision into a finished product.
Overview
Cinematographers are visual storytellers. They understand the complexities of cameras, optics, lighting, composition, special effects, movement and human nature. Using their technical and artistic expertise, cinematographers create the film director's vision of the film.
Job Duties
The duties of a cinematographer are determined by the size and scope of the project and his or her relationship to the director. On small projects he may be the grip, camera operator, editor and safety officer. Typically the cinematographer's duties include planning the shots and camera angles, deciding what cameras and lenses to use, creating lighting effects and composing each scene.
Larger projects such as feature films or documentaries may require the cinematographer to visit shooting locations prior to filming, preparing budgets and attending preproduction meetings. During production he or she may need to attend production meetings and supervise the work of assistants, lighting crews and camera operators.
Salary Information
The majorities of cinematographers are self-employed and work on a contract per project basis. Camera operators earn between $27,710 and $79,440 per year. Cinematographers on large budget projects and some television series can earn a million dollars or more per year, however this is the exception.
Career Options
Self-employed cinematographers usually work for production companies, television studios, advertising agencies and independent film companies. A cinematographer's career options are dependent on his previous work.
In the early stages of a working career, cinematographers typically work as film and video editors, assistant cameramen, cameramen and grips. Usually they start out working on smaller projects such as corporate and training videos, television commercials and independent film projects.
A small percentage of cinematographers work for government agencies and large corporations that have in-house media departments. Typically cinematographers in these types of positions create training and promotional videos.
As a cinematographer works more and creates a portfolio of film clips he may move on to larger projects such as feature films, television series, documentaries and music videos. Working on larger projects may lead to receiving the job title of director of photography. Cinematographers whose work is very well respected in the industry may receive invitations to join the Indian Society of Cinematographers and the initials ISC will appear after their names on film credits.
In addition to working as a cinematographer in the industry some may choose to teach at film schools, colleges and universities. They may work full-or-part time as professors, adjunct faculty or artists-in-residence. In these positions they may teach a wide variety of courses from basic camera and editing skills and screenwriting to advising students of thesis film projects.
Responsibilities
The cinematographer is ultimately responsible for how the movie looks. Responsibilities may vary with every project but typically include meeting with the director and perhaps the scriptwriter to assimilate the vision and feeling of the story. They are also responsible for locating and securing archival footage for the project and communicating with the director how he or she sees the project.
Skills
Artistic vision is a key quality needed by cinematographers. They also need to know how to operate cameras, lenses, lighting and editing equipment. The ability to create unique visual effects to tell a story is an important skill. Collaboration and good communication skills are required to successfully work with directors, producers, actors and production crews.
Employment Outlook
Non-paying work for cinematographers or those willing to work on a deferred payment basis is often advertised on industry websites. Competition for paying cinematography jobs is very intense. The job market to grow about 11% in the 2008 to 2018 decade (www.bls.gov). The best job outlook is for cinematographers who have excellent computer, HD, digital, photography and editing skills. As an individual creates a body of work that appeals to the film industry the more likely that individual is to find paying work.
The Art of Artificial Light... A Strobists Journey
I'm Rajeev Jain and I specialize in Artificial light. I enjoy how it is available at anytime and can be shot in any direction from wherever you wish. Nothing is more liberating than shooting anywhere at any time. Don't get me wrong I enjoy Ambient light just as well but not as much as artificial light. Join me in a journey of exploration in artificial light and we will both learn and get better together. Welcome to my exploration into artificial light.
Natural light is the nicest of course but when is it available?

- In the golden hours, Early Morning and Late Afternoon, you can get away with shooting at high noon but you have to find certain circumstances for it.

Where should I use Artificial light?

- At night, indoors, and outside of the Golden Hours. In short everywhere else!!

Studying Artificial light will make you a much better photographer PERIOD!! Learning how to sculpt light and shadow will add depth and beauty to all your shots. It is what you need as a photographer to go to the next level of photography. Join me in my studies of Artificial light and let’s get better together.
Cinematographers Style Lighting. More food for thought in your photography.
Cinematographers have been a part of our lives since we were children. They are exactly the same as Photographers in that they are always finding new and innovative ways to sculpt and play with light. In this instalment of our education in light, we will watch an interview of some of the best cinematographers in the business. We will see their thought processes and how they look at light. In the process you may learn something very valuable to you in your own photography. I know i have.

When ever you watch anything on TV or the Movies, keep your mind open on the lighting. What does it make you feel? Why did they choose to light in such a way? Why did they light with the colours that they do?

Asking these questions will help you in your quest for you own style. Something that has always been inside you and is dying to get out. Keep learning and keep you mind and imagination wide open. One of these days, your own style will come and when that day comes you will welcome it with open arms. I have not found mine as well; let us discover what we like together.

So you know the basics of digital cinematography: medium shots, wide shots, close-ups and even extreme close-ups. But why do your videos still lack that special zing?
Next time you're watching your favourite TV show or movie, take a look at the camera angles the Director of Photography is using; they're a lot more varied than you probably think. Let's take a look at a few ways better digital cinematography can get your productions out of the doldrums.
1. Get up High
Shoot from a ladder, a balcony, a window, or even from on top of a chair. This bird's-eye view is a one we're not used to seeing - things look different and exciting - it grabs the viewer's attention. Cooking shows often use shots that look straight down on the action, so that viewers can see over the edge of the cooking pans. It's also a very handy shot for looking at something like a pool game. But why not try an aerial shot of the birthday party or family reunion as well?
2. Get down Low
To get the camera in a new spot nobody had tried before, wunderkind Orson Welles famously chopped a hole in the floor to fit a camera and tripod at shoelace level. Today's modern video cameras don't require anything so drastic to peer through a mouse hole.
This doesn't just mean lying on the floor and photographing up people's noses. Consider videotaping what a child or pet might see or what goes on under the dinner table. What can you tell about people from their shoes and socks? What's under the sofa? How about putting a camera inside a dresser drawer as someone opens it and puts clothes away? Putting the camera somewhere other than eye level makes you look at the world in a new way.
3. Get Rid of Your Bubble Level
The 1960's vintage Batman TV show and 2000's Battlefield Earth were both famous for having extremely canted horizons and bad acting. While many directors spend a lot of time making sure that their camera is perfectly level, there's no rule that says your horizon can't slope drastically to one side or the other. It can add drama and a sense of for boding in tense scenes and can add interest in action shots during sporting events.
4. Mount It, Move It
Rajeev is famous for mounting a camera on the door of the car, about wheel height, to get viewers six inches off the ground in a car chase. Add screeching tire sound effects, and even a twenty-mile-per-hour car chase looks like a scene from Army. You don't have to mount your camera to a car, but how about a skateboard? Or the door of the fridge? Today's tiny camcorders don't require the huge supports of yesterday's huge video cameras; take advantage of this.
5. Steady as She Goes!
Steadicam are brand-name stabilizer devices with counterweights which make handheld camera movements smooth. The originals weighed a lot and had to be mounted to the operator with a brace, and the operator had to be trained and licensed in its use. New consumer versions weigh only a few pounds, and you can carry them with one hand. Try a stabilizer shot moving through dancers at a wedding or following the running dog at a park.
6. Spin It Around
Who says a camera has to look in one direction all the time? Try putting your camera on a rotating device like a lazy Susan to pan back and forth between two characters in a dinner scene. Just don't go crazy and make your viewer nauseous!
7. Use a Crane!
Crane shots add a whole new level of sophistication to your shoots. They can cost thousands of dollars, but there are also low-cost alternatives. Cranes like the Cobra Crane start at just a few hundred dollars and use your existing tripod as a fulcrum. You could also use a camera strapped tightly to a monopod, or try making your own crane out of a sling securely fastened to the end of a long pole.
8. Point of View
We sometimes call a point-of-view shot a "first-person shot" or abbreviate it as "POV." It is the camera shot we see very often in home videos, where the camera operator is holding the camera at eye level and walking about. But you can also effectively use POV shots to show what the Sasquatch sees as it creeps through the quiet camp at night.
Steven Spielberg used POV shots effectively in Jaws to show us what the shark was seeing. This added an element of excitement, as the audience wondered which of those tasty swimmers would be eaten. It also allowed him to show that the shark was in the scene without actually showing it, which he didn't want to do, not only for budgetary reasons, but also to keep the viewers in suspense.
9. Put Your Camera inside Something
"Hidden camera" shots by undercover journalists often use cameras placed inside purses or boxes to catch people unaware. Allen Funt made a career with Candid Camera by hiding cameras in plants or in coat closets and playing practical jokes on people.
YouTube and a spate of new reality TV shows have taken this a step further (very often taking an unabashed leap from the realm of questionable to complete bad taste). Spying on people while putting them into increasingly unbelievable situations has become de rigueur at this point. But you can also put your camera in a paper bag and rattle it for a first-hand account of the last thing a mouse sees as your cat charges across the floor to attack.
Conclusion
Break yourself of the habit of putting the camera at eye level. Your eyes are stuck at the top of your body, but your camera isn't. Today's lightweight and inexpensive camcorders can go places that cameras of only a few years ago couldn't go without very expensive equipment and oftentimes large crews of people.
By considering a scene from many angles when you first see it and thinking of innovative and unusual ways to show things to your audience, you'll engage and entertain them while telling your story.
Keywords: Bhartendu, Natya, Academy, Dramatic, Arts, Rajeev, Rajiv, Jain