Around 4th of August!
Finally, about 17 months from the date I started writing for the screen, a screenplay I wrote will start shooting. The actors have been signed, the camera has been hired. Once the music album--which is being written/composed--is finished, the project reaches the point of no-return. And, on or around August 4, with a small puja to bless the endeavor, shooting will commence.
Come December, it is quite likely that there will be two movies out with my name in the credits. If the OCP movie finishes by then, that will be three, although, in strict honesty, the writer for the OCP movie should be credited to Alan Smithee. Whatever. I am in it for the money. I am taking the path of least resistence through the project now.
For those of you in Kathmandu--I am supposed to speak on Sushma Joshi's "End of the World" at Martin Chautari on the 21st of June. So, come, with a few rotting vegetables in your sleeves. If I look really bored, or if it becomes really apparent that I no longer care, pelt me. You'll be doing me a favor.
Back to blogging :)
ReplyDeleteWhat's OCP?
See u then.
OCP is acronym for Oral Contraceptive Pills.
ReplyDeleteI am trying to read Sushma's book, and maybe it is the time of the day, but I keep falling asleep. Sorry, Sushma, if you ever chance upon this blog, this comment.
Now I am terrified that I won't have anything worthwhile to say.
What's OCP movie? still not clear...It seems as an adjective....
ReplyDeleteDid you sign a non-disclosure agreement with your producer? If not give us a snippet of what is in store.. :D
ReplyDeletethe book; that good, eh?
Utsav-- about the book, you should come, it is on a Sunday, and I'll make lots of eye contact with you because it'll be easier for me to talk looking into those hypnotic eyes of yours.
ReplyDeleteRegarding the movie--no, actually, I haven't signed anything whatsoever. I guess, strictly speaking, I am "employed" by "A Creative Group [of filmmakers] Pvt. Ltd." The money, however, is US-AID [From the American People], which makes me feel a little bit guilty taking it, seeing how much they need it more than I do, and by now, since my original, hard-worked story draft has been rejected, I have taken the path of least resistance, which involves agreeing a lot and quietly smiling instead of disagreeing. I just want it over with.
The idea is to have 12 different stories, by [in theory] 12 different filmmakers be strung together into one coherent movie. That was a real bitch, especially because one story spanned 5 years, while another effectively finished in 20 minutes real time. All stories were supposed to be between 8 and 12 minutes.
I tried to make sense of it, go classical on its ass, try to change the stories in order to have a unity of character, space and time. That didn't work out. So, now I am basically Alan Smithee-ing it, working as the glorified typist, translating dialogues as needed.
Having said that, there are two segments that I have written: one entirely my pitch and screenplay, and another Prachanda Shrestha's pitch, my screenplay. Both will be directed by some other people.
It is about family planning. A whole movie about family planning. "By the American people." I know a bunch of friends who would be pissed to know that their tax dollars are being used to pay me.
Exact location and time for the Martin Chautari thing plz....
ReplyDeletewell... i don't know exactly where Martin Chautari is located. This stems from a willful ignorance: I don't care much for intellectuals, especially social scientists. Even less do i care for people who want to criticize a book.
ReplyDeleteMartin Chautari is somewhere in Thapathali. [ 27 Jeet Jung Marg, Thapathali ] http://www.martinchautari.org.np/about_us.html
and it makes me very uneasy when i am asked to talk about other people's writing.
And--Sushma, dude, I am disappointed with the book. But I don't want to say things you'd hurt to hear when you aren't around. I'd rather say these things to your face.
Hey..what time is the prorgam at Martin Chautari on the 21st?
ReplyDeletehey man, il be there too..not tht im so important a person...but i wouldnt mind a long red carpet. hehe. wats the time?
ReplyDeleteThe program is scheduled for 1PM, Sunday, 21st June.
ReplyDeletePrachanda Man Shrestha, filmmaker/writer, and I will be talking about Sushma's book, then answering questions.