Amateurs shine at 'Video Marathon'

As people from four States including Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal exercise their franchise, students of Sri Jayachamarajendra College of Engineering (SJCE) found it apt to organise ‘Video Marathon 2011’ with the theme ‘Why do we vote?’ recently. 

The event aimed at sensitising youngsters about the importance of voting had 35 teams from the city as well as participants from Mumbai and Bangalore.

Aspiring film makers were given 24 hours to create a three minute short film based on the theme. While 23 teams completed the arduous task, seven of the better short films were shortlisted for the final screening, held at the seminar hall of the JSS Centre for Management Studies here.

With a jam-packed audience watching the shortlisted films, theatre director Basavalingaiah, who was one of the jury members, was extremely pleased at the quality, even thought they were made by amateurs.

Taking a dig at the quality of film movies, he said, “Recently 300 Kannada movies were screened, so that they could be given subsidy. I was extremely disappointed at the quality of films. But here, the youngsters have showed a sense of mind and created wonderful movies. Instead of three minutes, these film makers should be given an opportunity to make a 15 minute short film from next year.”

Of the seven short films screened, a film made by a group of students from RNSIT including Sri Hari, Vivek and Veena emerged as the champions. The movie depicted a youngster thinking about the reason to vote. With the clock ticking towards the end of voting time, the youngster runs through the streets of the city to cast his vote, while at the same time thinking about the changes that are needed, to make the society better. During his run to the polling booth, he sees demolished houses of the poor, children working as labourers and dreams of changing the society by casting his vote.

The runners-up were a team from SJCE comprising Daanish Suhail, Abhinandan, Sarthak Sarthi, Arpit Singh and Spoorthi G K. Their movie started with an artist drawing the past face of India. A boy getting ready to go to school, while his sister stays at home to perform the daily chores. Another aspect shows eve teasing taking place in the college campuses and the problems of unemployment faced by the youngsters.

The hope of voting is shown by the film makers, when the artist in the movie flips the page and shows that by making the right choice, with both girl and boy going to school and youngsters receiving placement opportunities.

While directors of the seven films were given an opportunity to express their thoughts about the process of film making, an aspiring director said, earlier he had thought that voting was a waste. However, participating in the video marathon made him reconsider the importance of voting.

A quote by sixth American President John Quincy Adams nearly two centuries ago sums up the importance of voting. He said, “Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost.” The event was organised by Tilak Ranga, Mohammad Faraz, Vaibhav Prakash, Vikas K and Shivananda.