I love movies, this love started in childhood and still going on strong. Movies were the only entertainment that was available for free. India's national TV channel, Doordarshan, the only TV channel back then, used to telecast three movies per week, one in Hindi, one in Marathi (because we lived in Maharashtra where most people speak Marathi), and one in any other regional language. I tried to watch all three, even though we did not have our own TV set until my teenage years. I watch all kinds of movies, thanks to Doordarshan days as we could not select which movie to watch whatever was telecasted was a movie of our choice and we enjoyed it.
However, I never got a chance to visit a movie set to see how actual movies are shot. I always wondered why there is a long list of people in the end credits and why moviemaking needs to involve so many people. My dream was fulfilled and most questions were answered this month. On May 23, I got to participate as an extra on the sets of a movie called ReEntry. My daughter, Sara, is working in the production unit of this movie and she told me that they needed some extras for a scene, I gladly volunteered and I am glad that I did. It was such an amazing and unforgettable experience to see the process and hard work that goes into moviemaking from such close quarters. We got to interact with the writer, assistant directors, production assistants, and other extras. Even though moviemaking is a group effort, movies are the director's medium. The director controls shots on the set, of course, there is a team to support the director, but the director is the captain of the team. There are so many things going on on the sets starting from arranging chairs to managing expensive camera units, food also has to be arranged for all people working on the set, it is amazing to see how all this works and how there is some system in what looks like chaos from the outside. Without passion and love, apart from actors I don't think people can work longer in the moviemaking profession. There is too much hassle and mental and physical work, without all the fame and love that only actors and a few others like really successful directors, producers, and writers get. Most people who do all the hard work are mentioned in the end credits the audience hardly cares to watch, but now I know that their contribution is equally important and many times is the reason why the movie looks so great. These are the people who make errands to get the mint that actors need before their intimate scene, they make sure that the lead actor's demands are fulfilled so that they are focused on giving a great shot, and they make sure extras are there on the set and are ready whenever a shot is ready, they make sure retakes are taken without any problem or boredom. A film set is an amusement park in itself, where many things happen and one can feel like being in a wonderland. My experience of witnessing filmmaking was great. This experience has made me appreciate the movies even more. Now, even after watching a bad movie, I can appreciate the efforts behind making it. Now, I feel that every movie deserves applause just for all the hard work the entire film crew puts in to make that movie and bring it to the audience.
Thank you for reading and please share your views on this topic.
©Vinay Thakur, Vinay can be reached at thevinay2022@gmail.com
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