Student Filmmakers - June 2008 - (Page 43) Jennifer Ehle as Laura Moores. Rahul Bose as T. K. Neelan. Nandita Das (as Sajani), Jennifer Ehle (as Laura Moores) and Leopold Benedict (as Peter). Linus Roache as Henry Moores. the three main characters – the only scene where the camera is had-held – Sivan shared, “I tried to get into a frame and positioning where the audience is also amongst these three faces in the midst of the whole scene.” The transitions between scenes further supported the strong visuals of the film. Sivan admits, “For me the visual language is primary. I have made films in different languages, but what uniformly runs thought them all is the visual language. Before we approach a scene, we always make sure that the actors understand the continuity of the scenes before and after. The same thing with the shots. You look back at the previous scene and see the last shot and then figure out how to gracefully come into the next scene. Even if you have not shot it yet, it’s always best to think about how you are going to do it. Once a clear decision is made, we approach the scene and without fail, I think you will end up with interesting transitions that will have subtlety.” Sivan was going for a conventional, not contemporary, look to the film. “I wanted to subtly give the period feel without actually trying to alter the visual with a sepia color or anything like that, but at the same time to give a sense of the period without overpowering everything else,” he shared. “Lighting-wise, it was about using a golden light clashing with the cold blue of the dawn and night. I tried to find a contrast between the light in terms of its color temperature as well as the light and shade, and also purely in terms of its softness. I tried to film during these moments when the light was sleeping, when it was going through a transition between night to day or day to night…those kinds of moments. I always think that time is the most beautiful because things are not quite revealed.” The top-notch international cast came from England, Hollywood, Mumbai, and included known local actors. They brought different styles of working to the production. The fact that Sivan was also the camera operator added an unusual challenge for some of the actors. “Everything was an experience. I think when you are on the edge, new things come out,” shared Sivan. He was pleased with all the performances and had special praise for Jennifer Ehle who June 2008 studentfilmmakers
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