India Film Project discourses 3C’s of Content – Creating, Collaborating and Celebrating!

Season 8 to be paneled by R S Prassana, Sudhir Mishra, and Milan Luthria; festival expands horizons in Literature, Music and Content Creatio

Filmmakers! It’s the perfect time to gear up as India Film Project deemed as the largest creative collaborative activity across the globe is here with mind-blowing themes and hair-raising challenges. With the flagship 50-hour filmmaking challenge slated to be held from September 28, 2018, 8 pm to September 30, 2018, till 10 pm, the grand event of India Film Project for 2018 will be held on October 13-14, from 10 am to 9 pm, across six stages, at NSC, Worli in Mumbai. 

Every year, a common theme for all participants is announced, and within the duration of 50-hours, each team has the liberty to create a short film based on the said theme, with zero restrictions on choice of locations, equipment and actors. The team in a spell of two days and two hours writes a script, shoots the film as well as edits it. A panel of judges then picks the winner who is adequately awarded.

For the current year, the fest will center its attention on two formats, one is the well-regarded 50-Hour Filmmaking Challenge which is expected to have over 35,000 filmmakers and a fabulous 10,000 minutes of short story content generation; the second format is the India Film Project Festival which includes pondering over 3C’s of content creation that is Creating, Collaborating and Celebrating.

The 8th season of India Film Project is certainly about filmmaking but with an added enthusiasm of literature, music and content creation. A community for likeminded folks, passionate about content generation through creative art forms of writing, designing and storytelling, India Film Project allows assorted filmmakers to converse and collaborate; learns and grow.

The jury at India Film Project 2018 has been set and it includes the likes of renowned Film Directors R S Prassana, Sudhir Mishra, and Milan Luthria, who have the taxing job of picking out the best short film from the wonderful creations by several thousand participants. RS Prassana, who directed films like Kalyana Samayal Saadham (2013) and Shubh Mangal Saavdhan (2017), feels that the mantra of ‘Just Shoot’, always works. He believes that the best stories emerge under pressure, that deadlines are real and while the whiners whine about no budget, bad light, bad equipment, poor resources, the doer has already shot the film and is onto his second draft of the sound mix!

On the other hand, Sudhir Mishra who has biggies like Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron (1983), Chameli (2003), Traffic Signal (2007), Yeh Saali Zindagi (2011) and Daas Dev (2018) to name a few, under his kitty, says, “You will never be in that ideal situation you are looking for. You will only get better with each film you make, so don’t wait for the correct timing, correct project or correct circumstances, just make a film.” He is eager and excited to see what these new generations of budding filmmakers have to offer.

Milan Luthria who directed movies like Kachche Dhaage (1999), Chori Chori (2003), Deewaar (2004), Taxi No. 9211 (2006), Hattrick (2007), Once Upon a Time in Mumbai (2010), The Dirty Picture (2011), Once Upon a Time in Mumbai Dobara (2013) and Baadshaho (2017), is expecting a participation at a feverish pitch owing to the incredible social media reach. He comments, “The deserving talent just needs an opportunity. In the age of internet and smart phones, the world has changed and become a smaller place for aspiring filmmakers to showcase their work. But with cut throat competition, he affirms that opportunities like India Film Project aren’t the ones to be wasted but something that one should make the most of.”

The festival this year will see some of the prominent figures from the film, music and content industry such as Bhuvan Bam, India’s popular YouTuber; Ashwin Sanghi, eminent Author; Vikramaditya Motwane, talented Filmmaker; Rajeev Masand, witty Film Critic; Raghu Dixit, gifted Musician, Juhi Chaturvedi award-winning Screenplay Writer and Aseem Chhabra, a popular columnist.

Nikhil Taneja, Creative Festival Director, India Film Project, comments, “I have witnessed the event unfold twice before and assure you that this festival sustains those who share its infinite passion towards content creation; and it partners with those who believe that good content can come from anyone, anywhere, and at any time. I have also admired its ability to become a one-stop festival for anyone on the lookout for like-minded, passionate collaborators. For the first time ever, it is presenting the three stages as the 3Cs of Content Creation – Create, Collaborate and Celebrate. I truly hope this kind of tailored programming will bring in even more participants this year.”