Sattwik Mohanty the Film Director has found a great liking to the web space with his very first experience as Director with the ALTBalaji series Dark 7 White.
Sattwik who has been part of the direction team of films My Friend Pinto, Meeruthiya Gangsters, Ranchi Diaries talks of his amazing experience directing the successful series dark 7 White.
Excerpts:
How did you feel the migration from movies to the web as Director?
Web shows are vey advanced medium of entertainment because of its unique structure. As a filmmaker, I had to reprogram my skills as per the taste palate and attention span of the audience, watching it on their phones at their convenience. 10 episodes of a web-series are like 10 films in its own way. Each episode has its beginning, middle and end like every film. My migration from film to web platform was not that difficult because, in my head I was making a film.
How has the experience been directing Dark 7 White?
Directing Dark 7 White was a roller coaster ride because we were among the 1st few ones to go on floor post lockdown. We had a very small window of 3 months to release it. So we were in a tight spot to execute the pre production, shoot and finish post production in 3 months.
Did you require doing anything different as Director on the web space?
I was directing it along with Preya Hirji. So the acting workshop was taken care of by her and I was handling the rest of the pre production stuff. It was better planned and executed, making our lives easier.
The entire cast of Dark 7 White has been spot on. What were the challenges overcome?
Sumeet Vyas has a very clean image in the web world which was a major challenge apart from his looks which has been consistent since ages. He was very flexible and jumped in for the makeover that distinguished CM Yudhveer Singh from the college brat Yudi. Jatin Sarna too, had a paradigm shift while playing ACP Abhimanyu. Rest all the actors were bang on because of their splendid auditions which showed us their characters with such clarity. I was lucky to have a set of very good actors and a talented team of creatives.
How do you like the web space now?
The web space is here to sustain and rule the entertainment industry. It’s a boom for new-age filmmakers like me who are being allowed to tell their stories.
What do you think are pros and cons of the digital medium?
Web space gives a lot of freedom to the filmmakers. There are many advantages of the web space like the good content, accessibility, portability, affordability etc. But there are few disadvantages as well like no quality control in many web spaces.
How challenging was it to shoot amid the pandemic scare?
It was very challenging to shoot during the pandemic as availability of most of our required stuff was extremely tough. Arranging junior artists for the crowd shots were too difficult. Intimate scenes were very difficult as well during the pandemic. But thankfully, with good precautions, the actors cooperated on doing those scenes without being hesitant.
As Director what do you think are your attributes at work?
I treat every project as my first and last. This gives me the excitement and focus of a first timer and the sincerity & dedication of an experienced one. My first concern is if we’re following the story or not. If the story is followed, then the rest would fall in place.
What’s next for you?
I’ve few projects lined up. Currently I’m shooting another crime drama called LSD, which is about medical interns played by a bunch of super talented newcomers (fairly) and is helmed around a whodunit murder mystery in their hospital. I’m planning for my next feature film as well, somewhere around October next year.