<p>What does it take to be the first woman cinematographer in the Kannada film industry?<br />Five years of diploma in fine arts from Ken School of Arts, two years of animation from the University of Bedfordshire in the UK, a lot of motivation and hard work, and a dash of luck are what it took for Veena Narasasetty. <br /><br />Veena started out as a part-time event manager during her fine arts course so as to gain confidence in herself and the job she was training for. Her parents did not approve of her choice of career. “During this time, the Principal of Ken School of Arts, J M S Mani, encouraged and supported us in whatever we wanted to do. He was the force behind us. We learnt a lot of other arts which has helped me in my career,” Veena says.<br />She won a State award for the sculpture she made during her final year. She wanted to pursue her master’s in sculpture in the UK University, but her well-wishers prompted her to try for an animation course, and so she did. <br /><br />No formal training<br />Veena never was trained in any film institute; instead she attended five-day workshops conducted by G S Bhaskar and Sunny Joseph. “They were so inspiring that the workshop was no less than any institute course. I experimented a lot with a still camera I had bought a long time ago. And now that I think of it, all my education has been put to good use. It has been an all-round experience.”<br /><br />Her first foray into Sandalwood is with Agni Sridhar’s ‘Tamassu’. “I am well acquainted with Agni Sridhar sir and also the Director of Photography (DoP) for the movie. So, they let me handle the camera for a brief while. Working as a first timer, I would not have got a chance to handle the camera, but for the absence of the associate cameraman that day,” she says with a smile. <br /><br />“Agni Sridhar gives me confidence in my work and encourages me a lot when experimenting,” she says.<br /><br />Suhasini Mani Ratnam is another person she looks upto. When she went seeking advice on the career she was going to choose, everybody directed her towards Suhasini. <br />Veena feels that women technicians all over India are as capable as the male technicians in the film industry. <br /><br />“People say that they are like mercury, very swift and efficient. I haven’t met any woman cinematographer till now. But I sure would like to mention Ghousia, who is the assistant camerawoman to PC Sreeram. I have heard a lot about her passion and determination towards her work,” she says. <br /><br />Usually, the assistant cameraperson has to shout out commands given by the DoP to the light boys or the actors. “When the need arises, I will shout. But for now, I go near the person and politely ask him to change the filter or change the angle, etc. They wonder what I am upto”, she laughs, recollecting these instances. “While shooting for ‘Tamassu’ in Mangalore in an enclosed space with heavy lighting, a lot of people including the actors were present. We were sweating a lot. When it was time for the outdoor shot, I complained about the sun and didn’t want to work at that moment. It was not the amount of work that brought me down, but the relentless heat,” she says.<br /><br />‘Give us our due’ <br />She feels that the technicians need to be given more credit as they are the the backbone of the movie-making process. “The actors enjoy the limelight at the end of the day. For the technicians, it is as good as any other labour job. Finish your work, take the payment and leave,” she sighs. <br /><br />Good cinematography makes the movie look beautiful. She liked Gauri Shankar’s movie ‘Om’ for not only the script and how the movie was shot, but because of the advanced level of cinematography. “I don’t know if it was colour grading, colour correction or digital intermediating. Digital intermediating technology was not introduced then. But the tint in every frame and the whole effect of the movie was just brilliant,” she exclaims. <br />The industry always has space for young talent, according to Veena. Those who show genuine interest in being cinematographers must be very passionate and patient towards the job. How good they are comes second. “People on the film sets ask me which institute I am from. When I reply in the negative, they understand and try to help me even more,” she says. <br /><br />Veena has many projects lined up with Agni Sridhar’s production house. But she sure would like to explore the world of cinema. She is also working with Yograj Bhat on his next movie ‘Pancharangi’.<br /> <br />Dream on, girl<br />She wants to merge art cinema and commercial cinema to derive a new genre. She would love to work in an art film but she thinks that commercial movie-making is more challenging as it requires many more shots, which means more work for her. She wants to establish her name as a cinematographer before she ventures into other fields of film-making. “I’d love to direct a movie some day. But my heart and soul are in cinematography. I have been patient. I am sure it will pay off,” she says.</p>
<p>What does it take to be the first woman cinematographer in the Kannada film industry?<br />Five years of diploma in fine arts from Ken School of Arts, two years of animation from the University of Bedfordshire in the UK, a lot of motivation and hard work, and a dash of luck are what it took for Veena Narasasetty. <br /><br />Veena started out as a part-time event manager during her fine arts course so as to gain confidence in herself and the job she was training for. Her parents did not approve of her choice of career. “During this time, the Principal of Ken School of Arts, J M S Mani, encouraged and supported us in whatever we wanted to do. He was the force behind us. We learnt a lot of other arts which has helped me in my career,” Veena says.<br />She won a State award for the sculpture she made during her final year. She wanted to pursue her master’s in sculpture in the UK University, but her well-wishers prompted her to try for an animation course, and so she did. <br /><br />No formal training<br />Veena never was trained in any film institute; instead she attended five-day workshops conducted by G S Bhaskar and Sunny Joseph. “They were so inspiring that the workshop was no less than any institute course. I experimented a lot with a still camera I had bought a long time ago. And now that I think of it, all my education has been put to good use. It has been an all-round experience.”<br /><br />Her first foray into Sandalwood is with Agni Sridhar’s ‘Tamassu’. “I am well acquainted with Agni Sridhar sir and also the Director of Photography (DoP) for the movie. So, they let me handle the camera for a brief while. Working as a first timer, I would not have got a chance to handle the camera, but for the absence of the associate cameraman that day,” she says with a smile. <br /><br />“Agni Sridhar gives me confidence in my work and encourages me a lot when experimenting,” she says.<br /><br />Suhasini Mani Ratnam is another person she looks upto. When she went seeking advice on the career she was going to choose, everybody directed her towards Suhasini. <br />Veena feels that women technicians all over India are as capable as the male technicians in the film industry. <br /><br />“People say that they are like mercury, very swift and efficient. I haven’t met any woman cinematographer till now. But I sure would like to mention Ghousia, who is the assistant camerawoman to PC Sreeram. I have heard a lot about her passion and determination towards her work,” she says. <br /><br />Usually, the assistant cameraperson has to shout out commands given by the DoP to the light boys or the actors. “When the need arises, I will shout. But for now, I go near the person and politely ask him to change the filter or change the angle, etc. They wonder what I am upto”, she laughs, recollecting these instances. “While shooting for ‘Tamassu’ in Mangalore in an enclosed space with heavy lighting, a lot of people including the actors were present. We were sweating a lot. When it was time for the outdoor shot, I complained about the sun and didn’t want to work at that moment. It was not the amount of work that brought me down, but the relentless heat,” she says.<br /><br />‘Give us our due’ <br />She feels that the technicians need to be given more credit as they are the the backbone of the movie-making process. “The actors enjoy the limelight at the end of the day. For the technicians, it is as good as any other labour job. Finish your work, take the payment and leave,” she sighs. <br /><br />Good cinematography makes the movie look beautiful. She liked Gauri Shankar’s movie ‘Om’ for not only the script and how the movie was shot, but because of the advanced level of cinematography. “I don’t know if it was colour grading, colour correction or digital intermediating. Digital intermediating technology was not introduced then. But the tint in every frame and the whole effect of the movie was just brilliant,” she exclaims. <br />The industry always has space for young talent, according to Veena. Those who show genuine interest in being cinematographers must be very passionate and patient towards the job. How good they are comes second. “People on the film sets ask me which institute I am from. When I reply in the negative, they understand and try to help me even more,” she says. <br /><br />Veena has many projects lined up with Agni Sridhar’s production house. But she sure would like to explore the world of cinema. She is also working with Yograj Bhat on his next movie ‘Pancharangi’.<br /> <br />Dream on, girl<br />She wants to merge art cinema and commercial cinema to derive a new genre. She would love to work in an art film but she thinks that commercial movie-making is more challenging as it requires many more shots, which means more work for her. She wants to establish her name as a cinematographer before she ventures into other fields of film-making. “I’d love to direct a movie some day. But my heart and soul are in cinematography. I have been patient. I am sure it will pay off,” she says.</p>
