Days 15, 16, 17 & 18: Productions & Page 3

Welcome Folks!

Get ready to hear all about another wheely good week in India, but before I go any further... fasten your seatbelts, pull on your crash helmets and join us on the Delhi roads of rage...

Okay, so you're probably wondering what all the fuss is about? But trust me, what you've just seen is the Delhi Daredrivers on the very best behaviour (although you can hear the frequent blowing of horns in the background!). The above clip was filmed on Day 18 (Thursday) but before hearing more about the old town shoot, lets transport ourselves back a few days...

This week, like last week, has been very busy and almost routine-like in structure (although there isn't really such thing as a routine day in Delhi). Monday to Wednesday was set aside for shooting for our collaborative film projects with the Indian students. All three groups were able to finish principal photography on schedule within these days, so we will hopefully have three entertaining films after post-production. However, the main intention of the projects was, of course, to gain experience through working together with students from different countries and to sharpen our technical abilities.

As with most filmmaking endeavours, there were both good times and bad times along the way, but the negatives can be turned into positives by learning from them and not making the same mistakes in the future. Personally, it's been fascinating to see students from a film school in another continent at work, and to get a feel for how they operate. Here's a selection of behind-the-scenes snaps from 'Snapshot' (the film my group was working on)...

Filming had taken place during the day so we still had time to enjoy in the evenings. This was mostly spent relaxing at our accommodation having been out in the (almost intolerable) heat all day. However, amidst the relaxation, we also found time for production meetings (in order to prepare for upcoming filming for the Preston/Delhi project) and walks/rickshaw rides to the local market. The little market actually came up trumps on Tuesday as I was able to successfully hunt down a bar of chilled Dairy Milk (it remained chilled for the first bite at least...).

Thursday was much less conventional than the other three. The members of the group who had been bestowed with the important task of editing our group films departed for the post-production suite's first thing in the morning. The rest of us attended a 'Print Media' seminar at the film school which featured a panel of industry professionals (and some insightful international input from our very own Chris Leonard). The seminar was reasonably interesting and we soon learnt that 'page 3' (something that was frequently talked of with high regard by the Indian speakers) was nothing to do with the sort of content typically associated with 'page 3' in UK tabloids. In fact, 'page 3' in India refers to a popular entertainment supplement that appears in most papers.

As soon as the seminar was done, we quickly got ourselves organised to film two scenes for our Preston/Delhi film. The first involved taking some brief 'filler/back-up' shots near to our hotel. The second, as mentioned in the video blog, was set in the Old Town region of Delhi; one of the most unique places I've ever had the pleasure of visiting. Centered around the famous Chandi Chowk road, the web of streets in this area of the city are some of the most vibrant and busy in the world. It wasa an ideal setting for the scene we were filming and will add some splendid variety to the film. Practically, the only option was to film from the rooftop and balcony of a local contact - otherwise, we would have received a lot of hassle and curious enquirers down on the street (and perhaps some trouble).

Now then, whilst on the subject of Delhi Old Town, I come onto the latest 'Commenters Challenge' (which takes the form of more of a game this time). Fans of 'Where's Wally?' and 'Where's Stig?' rejoice as I invite you to play 'Where's John? - Delhi Old Town Special Edition'. The objective is simple; try and find the curly haired Brit (me) amongst the crowds in these two photos... (NOTE: Click images to enlarge them)

Photograph 1 (Difficulty Level: Novice)

Photograph 2 (Difficulty Level: Guru)

Thursday evening was spent with a well-earned wind-down at, believe it or not, the local TGI Friday's. Chilled cocktails and western music went down a treat and a great night was had by all. Following Friday's we returned to the hotel where we danced and sang along to classic Disney tracks (led by the hidden Disney-musical phenomenom that is Joe Johnson).

It seems strange that we only have 4 days remaining now (lets hope that volcanic ash cloud clears before next week!)

All the best,

John

x

PS. Here's a great group shot from last weeks visit to the Taj Mahal...

Days 13 & 14: Taj MaHOT

Namaste Readers!

To kick off, I'd like to treat you all to the very first (and possibly last) video blog from India...



I hope that has wet your appetites to read all about our fantajstic trip to Agra. After starting the tradition of video blogging from famous landmarks whilst on top of the Empire State Building in 2008, it only felt right to record this latest snippet. Regular J&J blog readers may recall the video blog recorded by The Other J last year whilst visitng another one of the World's 7 Wonders... the Statue of Christ in Rio: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogmH68-L37w

In response to the commenters:
Great to hear from everyone - special shout outs go to first-time commenters Chris & Alwyn, Edd, and Greg Mac. Congrats to PC Plod for getting straight in there with the correct answer to the challenge - it is indeed a Dvarapala (a 10th century one in fact!). I'm excited to hear that the Dvarapala & I might be appearing in a Harris exhibition... although I won't get my hopes too much after missing out on the job at Bangla Fusion. Hmm, perhaps we could have an India themed Panto next year Mum - featuring a Dvarapala of course - with 'How much is that dolly...' as the opening number? And a Longton rendition of 'My Free Spirit' would fit in perfectly! I hope the McCrave's Chicken Korma turned out well... they don't even offer Korma's as an option out here - far too bland. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't craving a bit of spice-free blandness though! Sandeep has indeed been knocking around at the Studios - he's the head of the AAFT and ASMS so we were welcomed by him at the start of our trip - an inspirational fellow! Lastly, I'd like to say that The Other J's suggestion of a richshaw ride into town with Dad sounded jolly good to me... perhaps you could convert Dave Mann's bike into a rickshaw Dad? Then you can enjoy the journey from the backseat as he pedals from coast to coast.

Right, back to Days 13 & 14 folks... there'll be much more about the Taj Mahal & Agra later, but first I'll give you the rundown of our 13th day (Saturday) in the land of India...

We began with an early(ish) start ready to shoot another scene for our Preston/Delhi short film project. Despite pleas from fans across the globe, we are still under strict secrecy agreements when it comes to publically announcing the content/locations of certain scenes. However, I can happily report that the shoot was yet another succesful one. As with previous posts, here's a couple of ambiguous behind-the-scenes snaps to get the groupies guessing...



The remainder of Saturday was spent chillaxing at the hotel in order to get some much-needed rest ahead of what we knew would be a long day in Agra on Sunday. During this time we received a visit from a very pleasant young lady from the local area called Taru. She is from Delhi (just 5 mins from our hostel in fact) and recently completed her masters degree in Preston (small world eh?!). She spent time advising us on places to visit in our remaining time which was extremely useful. Also, to make her visit even more sweet (or should I say 'spicy'), she brought along what she describes as "the best Samosa's in Delhi!". And, quite frankly, I'm inclined to believe her as they were simply samazing (to describe them as delhicious would be an understatement).

After a (kind of) early night we awoke at 5:30am on Sunday morning in order to depart for the historical fort-town of Agra. Despite the painfull prospect of 8 hours travelling in one day (that's 4 hours each way if you're struggling with the Maths), the group was buzzing with excitement. Upon arriving in Agra, you are immediately greeted by some of the spectacular tombs that are spread across the town. These are, of course, surrounded by the hectic hustle and bustle of any Indian town but they add an interesting dynamic to the place.

First on the list was, naturally, the main reason most people go to Agra... the Taj Mahal. The process of actually getting from the minibus to the Taj was a mini adventure in itself. The first factor to take into account is the heat - a whopping 43 degrees C - it was easily the hottest weather we've experienced on the trip so far (and for some of us, the hottest we've ever experienced in our lives). We then had to board a battery-powered 'golf buggy style' vehicle that took us 1km down the road (polluting vehicles are not allowed within a certain distance of the Taj). And, following that, we had to walk a further 500m to the entrance gate.

However, it was all worth it! The Taj Mahal really is an incredible sight... it's almost too symmetrical and beautiful to be true! Constructed over a 22 year period in the early 17th Century it's an unbelievable achievement, especially given the tools that would have been available at the time. Every minor detail of the marble masterpiece was carefully crafted by the most talented craftsmen of the age, and the result is mindblowing. We were led round the site by our tour guide for the day (a man named Rohit, I think) and learnt all about it's fascinating history (I'd recommend researching the story behind it's construction) , whilst admiring it from the outside and also getting the opportunity to go inside.




After the best part of 2 hours at the Taj Mahal in the midday heat, none of us were feeling 100%. Although it had been a once-in-a-lifetime experience, we all needed drinks desperately so were relieved to find numerous chilled drinks stands outside the gate. In the subsequent 15 minutes, I drank over 2 litres of water and a can of coke (I was really wishing they served Guarana in India!).

Following a delightful lunch in an air-conditioned hotel (the air-con was all that mattered), we visited Agra's other main landmark... the Agra Fort. This magnificent structure was built about 50/60 years before the Taj Mahal (in the late 16th Century) and was the home of several Mughal Emperor's of the age. It's very different from the Taj Mahal, but the fort is equally impressive in it's own way. It spreads over a large area and contains a vast variety of architectural styles and techniques. We enjoyed a leisurely couple of hours at the fort but could easily have spent much longer admiring it's many wonders.





The day ended with, of course, some more secretive shooting (don't worry, nothing violent!). You can't send 9 filmmakers to Agra and expect them to return having shot no film footage.

It was then time for a sleepy 4 hour journey back to Delhi.

Best Wishes.

John
x

Days 8, 9, 10, 11 & 12: Delhiwood

First of all, I apologise for cramming 5 days of action in to one blog post. It's been a hectic (but brilliant) week and the internet at our hotel is continuing to operate at 20th century dial-up speed (with regular power cuts becoming a further blogging hazard).

As ever, thanks to everyone for the comments on the last blog; they never fail to bring a smile to my face. I've also been delighted to hear from my fellow traveller's that many of their families/friends are following the blogs. I'd always hoped they would be accessible to anyone with an interest in our trip so it's great to hear you're enjoying them too (Do drop a comment if you get a chance! See the last blog for instructions if you're unsure how it's done).

Well done to Mark, David and The Other J for correctly answering the last Commenter's Challenge question. The panel are still in deep debate as to whether or not The Other J should be awarded bonus points for his inclusion of the Hindi translation. In hindsight, that challenge was slightly on the easy side so I've decided to make the next one considerably more taxing (see below).

This week we've settled into a bit of a routine. Each day has begun with the Lorshya Hotel's infamous buttered toast and sweet coffee combo. Most mornings have been taken up with production meetings for our collaborative projects with the India students. This week we've been working on the pre-production elements of the project (scripting, storyboards, casting, set desgin, schedules, equipment requirements, and the list goes on...). It's been a fantastic experience to work with students from a totally different background and lifestyle. We've learnt a lot from each other and have picked up some useful life skills along the way. Simply learning to work with new people and negotiate a language barrier, especially in a creative situation, is very valuable life experience and will help us to grow as people. We're all looking forward to continuing the collaborations as we head into production next week.



Substantial progress has also been made on our Preston/Delhi project. Further to the secretive shooting in Jaipur last weekend, we've filmed two more scenes this week, both in Delhi. Again, I'd hate to ruin the surprise by giving away the exact content of the scenes, so I've uploaded a few behing the scenes shots that give very little away...





The two shoots each lasted between 2 and 3 hours and ran very smoothly (despite some ambitious cinematography). We're very satisfied with what we've got so far and are looking forward to further filming this weekend.

This weeks schedule has also included lectures from UCLAN's very own Chris Leonard and AAFT tutor Deepti Pant. Deepti's class was 'An Introduction to Indian Cinema' and was extremely interesting. We assessed some of the main issues tackled by Bollywood cinema over the years and identified the defining characteristics of Indian cinema. The lecture was given with numerous film clips to reinforce the points made (including some snippets from the classic 'Mother India' which I'm now very keen to see... it also happens to be Deepti's all-time favourite film!). Chris' lecture was the reverse of Deepti's (ie. 'An Intro to British Cinema) and was, of course, spellbinding!

On Friday morning, as a break from our film-related antics, everyone (minus the sleepy trio of Nicole, Becky and little Craig) visited the National Museum of India in the centre of Delhi. India's rich history is immensely varied and the museum managed to capture a snapshot of some of the key era's and cultural trends. It was jam-packed with informative illustrations, religious relics and ancient artifacts (some of which are 5000 years old!). After a fascinating two hour stroll, our cultural batteries were fully recharged so we returned to our patient driver outside (via the gift shop).
Commenters Challenge: What is the name of the type of 'guard statue' I am posing with in the photo below? (Clue: They are often found at the entrances to important places in India)






Our evenings have usually started with team meetings to iron out plans for the following day, before relaxing together as a group. Another local beer (Meakin's 10000) has been on the menu, and the food has ranged from a spicy but delhicious Butter Chicken Curry to a delivery from the local Pizza Hut.

Whilst returning from the market one evening, myself and big Craig travelled in a rickshaw (see image below). It wasn't quite an elephant but was still a cool experience... for some reason, I felt like James Bond!



Until next time,

John
x

PS. I can't conclude without mentioning that the Frisbee made it's first appearance from my suitcase this week. We had a very brief (and very hot) throw around on the campus lawn during lunch break at the film school (naturally, some Freestyling took place).

Days 6 & 7: Jai Ho Jaipur!

[Commenting Instructions:
I've heard reports that a few people are struggling to navigate the commenting function. It's not obvious, so here's the layman's low down on how to do it...
- Click the link at the bottom of each post that shows the number of comments (eg. '0 comments' or '5 comments' etc.).
- Scroll to the bottom of the comments and there will be a box to enter your comment.
- Where it says 'Comment as:', select your profile as Name/URL.
- A small window will pop up. Enter your name (ignore the URL box).
- Click 'Post Comment' and hey presto, you're done!]


Before telling you all about what has been a sensational weekend, I'll respond to the comments from the last blog...

Thanks, as usual, for writing guys! The Other J: The mud slice is indeed chocolate - it's from 'Takeo's' (a local Patisserie & Chocolaterie)... an amazing little place tucked away in the local market. If its of any interest, the Greek word Takeo's means 'God'. I'll see what I can do about the Royal Challenge! Glad to hear everyone likes the outfit (not so glad to hear the United result) - hopefully I'll get the job at Bangla Fusion! I wil endeavour to find out the recipe for the mud slice Dad as I'm sure Old Wizard could improve it and turn out something truly delicious! And finally, just for Rose, here's a shot of my room (my bed is the tidy one on the left):


Saturday (Day 6) began with a very early as we left the hostel at 6am for Jaipur. The group was in good spirits as we set out for what we were sure would be a cracking weekend in one of India's most historic cities.

The miniubus journey turned out to be an experience in itself; a 5 and a half hour journey through Indian towns, villages, and across desert-like countryside. Along the way, we stared in disbelief at some of the insane manouevers we witnessed on the road (I'm still along way from getting used to the 'organised chaos'), and looked out at the unfamiliar landscapes.

We arrived in Jaipur shortly before noon and were amazed at what greeted our eyes; this was traditional India just as you'd imagine it. The pale sand-coloured buildings with their roof terraces is like a scene from Aladdin. There was an endless flow of elephants and camels simply strolling down the roadsides (accompanied every now and then by a monkey, wart hog, goat or cow). The elephants generated particular excitement amongst the group; most people, myself included, were seeing them for the first time (outside a Zoo!). They really are magnificent creatures... but not as funny as camels.



After settling into the very plush Ramada hotel, we set out for a sight seeing tour of Jaipur accompanied by local man Koonal. The tour was extremely interesting, featuring numerous architectural treats and visual feasts for the hungry traveller's eye. As with our tour of Delhi, I could spoon heapfuls of information on to your plates but, for now, I'll provide a brief summary of the main courses...

- Jal Mahal (means Water Palace). Located in the middle of Man Sagar Lake in Jaipur...


- Hawa Mahal (means Palace of the Winds). It was built in 1799 and is part of Jaipur's distinctive Pink City in which all buildings are constructed from a pink stone.

Commenter's Challenge: The Hawa Mahal is designed in the shape if who's crown?


The two Mahal's (as you may have guessed, Mahal means Palace), were the highlights of this particular tour. However, it also featured several other structural snacks as we drove leisurely around the city in the minibus.


On Saturday evening we set out for a traditional Indian village resort; the amazing'ness of which is difficult to put into words. The outdoor resort is a celebration of Indian desert culture and is layed out with food houses, live music, live dancing (which members of the public are free to join in with), camel rides, bars and numerous other tasters of old Indian life. The design of the resort is immensely cool and every aspect of it was brilliant. However, the highlight for me was the traditional Indian eating experience we enjoyed at the end of the night. The food was tremendous (and spicy), the ambience was terrific, and the turban was trendy. Here's a selection of photos from the evening...





We arose bright and early on Sunday morning at the Ramada (or should I say not so bright - we were up before sunrise for the 2nd day running). The reason for such senseless behaviour is that we were shooting scenes for our film 'Dreaming of Delhi' (Sadly, I can't reveal the locations right now - our worldwide distributors Warner Brothers have demanded that all those involved keep such things a secret).

At 8am, fully nourished with a full English breakfast (the antidote to Saturday night's spice spectacular), we left the Ramada for our final Jaipur destination... the Amber Fort. Now, this landmark is without doubt one of the most incredible sights my eyes have ever seen. It's almost like a real-life version of Minas Tirith but with an infusion of Indian imagination (NOTE: the picture at the top of the post show the fort in all its glory - the very top of the fort can just be seen in the distance towards the top left). It's the ancient citadel of the ruling Kachhawa clan of Amber and was constructed in 1592. Then, the thing that made the Amber experience even more unbelievable was the way in which we climbed our way up the winding cobbled streets... we didn't go on foot, we didn't go by minibus, we didn't go by cable car, we didn't even go by camel... we went by elephant! Riding up to that fort on the back of an elephant is a journey I will never forget as long as I live. It was an unbelievable experience and the views were simply staggering. My only complainy is that I was occasionally showered with water from my elephant's trunk (but I think I'll let him off!).





At the top, we enjoyed chilled drinks and spent time looking round the Amber Fort. Not even the temperature (40 degrees celcius) could bother us whilst still on a high from the elephant ride.

At one o'clock it was time to pack our trunks and say goodbye to Jaipur. The journey back was reasonably uneventful - we were back in Delhi by 7pm. The evening was spent relaxing and having a production meeting as we prepared for what is going to be an extremely busy week at the film school.

Over and Out.

John
x

PS. Apologies for the recurring food metaphors earlier on. A 'large portion' of this blog was penned on the bus ride home from Jaipur and we hadn't eaten since breakfast! Safe to say, food was on the mind.

Days 3,4 & 5: Delhi is where the Haat is...

Good day readers, and welcome to the 2nd update from delightful Delhi. Three wonderful days have passed since the last post so I'll try to give you as much of a flavour of the experience as possible (without waffling on too long).

But before all that, I'll deal with the commenter's challenge... 'The other J' came closest to the mark in identifying the eight-point star as the khatim in Islamic art. The significance here is that by looking through the star (from the inside of Humayun's Tomb), you are looking directly towards Mecca. Well done to all those who gave their suggestions (although I expect more effort than a google search in future Mark...). Also, if you fancy making your own khatim, see The other J's comment... but children, please get an adult to assist you when using scissors.

We're now beginning to feel at home in our hotel in the Noida district of New Delhi. The staff are welcoming and friendly, despite the limited English skills. Rose, you will be pleased to hear the rooms are clean, well air conditioned and have en-suite facilites!



In terms of location, we are a brief bus journey from the film campus where we are spending most of our time, but we are always provided with private minibus transport.


A small market area with shops and food stalls is a leisurely 15 minute walk away. It should be noted that the push and shove technique witnessed continuously on the roads is also transfered to the shopping scene (The concept of queueing at a counter is not one that most people seem familiar with... especially when the trouble maker in front is a confused Brit who is likely to cause a delay). The pedestrian also soon learns that listening out for the "I'm about to run you over" horn is a vital survival skill.


For those few who have been up early enough, every day has begun with sweet coffee (they mix it with a concoction of hot milk and sugar here, as apose to the more mundane hot water), buttered toast and flicking through The Times of India.

The mornings/early afternoons this week have been spent down at the AAFT (Asian Academy of Film & Television) campus. It is also the home of the ASMS (Asian School of Media Studies) and Marwah Studios. Our welcome on Tuesday morning was fantastic - everyone was extremely friendly and happy to see us. The warm 'welcome ceremony' included speeches from creater/head of school Sandeep Marwah, AAFT lecturer Deepti Pant, the Dean of the AAFT, and our very own Chris Leonard (who was also presented with a beautiful bunch of blooming flowers). We also had the opportunity to spend time with and get friendly with the 15 (ish) AAFT students who we'll be working closely with.




The rest of our time at the campus this week has been sent carrying out production meetings for the collaborative film projects we will be producing together (we're splitting into groups of 8 and making 3 short films). These have gone very smoothly and I'm confident that working together over the next few weeks is going to be extremely enjoyable/rewarding.




We've also held daily meetings in the hotel 'lounge reception' area (that we have acquired as our front room) for our own group project that is to be shot in Delhi & Preston. We have some brilliant locations in mind for filming and have been putting together a schedule and utilising our contacts at the AAFT to get the ball (or should I say, reel) rolling.

In other spare spots of time we've paid a visit to 'The Great India Place'; a shopping mall of epic proportions, not too disimliar to shopping centre's you would find back home (for me personally, the contrast of elaborate, expensive structures and very run down scenes has been a hard-hitting/difficult aspect of experiencing Delhi so far - wealth and poverty literally lie side by side). At the mall, we picked up a fetching outfit for me to wear in our film (see image below).




Today, we have been to 'Dilli Haat'; an outdoor traditional Indian market that sells a vast array of crafts, food and fabrics. The atmosphere was fantastic...


The latter parts of our evenings at the hotel have been spent enjoying some bottles of Royal Challenge (a local beer), and numerous games of Uno (I'm sure the Coxhead/McCrave family's will be chuffed to hear this news). Last night, I also tucked into a freshly made 'Mississippi Mud Slice' that I purchased at local bakery (a magnificent find...).

This weekend we're off on a excursion to the historical town of Jaipur, so I'll be reporting back about that early next week.

Happy Easter to all for Sunday!

John
x