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Quick notes by Indian Cinematographer / Dop Rajeev Jain on Cinematography and aspiring Indian Cinematographers: 

A quick “filler post” while I try to get something actually substantial written: 

The most hits I get for my blog are from people searching keywords like “Indian Cinematographers” “cinematography career path” and “how to be a great Cinematographer.” I can really only offer my own personal experience.

Farhan Fauus talks to award winning Indian Cinematographer Rajeev Jain ICS Wica about “Quick notes on Cinematography and aspiring Indian Cinematographers” during the making of Bollywood Feature “Kalpvriksh – The Wish Tree – Your Dreams Are Just a Touch Away’’, and the journey to Blu-ray.

Rajeev on advice for young, aspiring cinematographers:

An advice for all cinematographers is to be very aware of the digital era that ìs right on top of us, but still stay true to film at this stage and maybe experiment with both. We’re at the crossroads of film into digital. I’ve just had some tests with film compared to digital and film is still better. Film still holds more information than digital cameras do even though they’re getting better all the time. But the way to go now that’s very smart filmmaking is to shoot on film whether it be 35 mm or super 16 and do digital intermediate and put it together on film at the end. I’ve done it with my last three or four films and I’ll be doing that again with my next one. It ìs really smart filmmaking to be able to use the digital technology to manipulate images. (In regards to helping me make decisions on the day of shoot), I saved shooting Kalpvriksh Öon average about 10 minutes a day by making decisions like:

There ìs a flare coming off a window; send the grips up to get rid of it. We hadn’t got time. I can fix it digitally. It ìs very easy later on.

There ìs hot light coming off the top of the Muscos light ñ big flares. We cant get rid of the flares at the top edge of the frame. Don’t worry about it. If you’re going to have to set giant flags, it ìs going to take 20 minutes for us to do it. Forget it. I know I can fix it digitally.

Every now and then I make decisions like that knowing that I could make corrections at a digital intermediate. That ìs a very smart way to go. It is more expensive than conventional timing but it ìs getting cheaper all the time. It ìs just going to be the norm very shortly.

I think (it ìs good) for young cinematographers to embrace that (and) to visit the digital houses (which) are more than happy to show people around (and) to show them the tricks of the trade. It ìs truly a unique experience. Once anyone has done it, they’ll never look back.

I haven’t done commercials for a long time and I just tend to go from feature to feature. (But) most cinematographers who shoot commercials if they follow them through certainly get to see the digital technology work if they’re going through the television process.

Now on to the master of the camera, Rajeev Jain:

My favourite Indian Cinematographer’s are:

Ashok Mehta (36 Chowringhee Lane, Moksha, Bandit queen)

Binod Pradhan (Parinda, Devdas)

K K Mahajan (Chorus, Maya Darpan, Uski Roti, Sara Akash)

Santosh Sivan (Dil Se, Iruvar, Kalapani, Perumthachan)

AND

Subrata Mitra (Pather Panchali, New Delhi Times)

You should definitely check them out. I’ve written about a couple of them.

As for a career path, I am still figuring that out myself. I remember listening to Cinematographer Ashok Mehta about how he got to the point of finally shooting features. He worked as assistant camera and camera op for a while until he got a steady gig shooting those commercials. He eventually worked his way up to Cinematographer, and has shot quite a number of films, including 36 Chowringhee Lane and Bandit Queen. It took him around 10 + 30 years to get to the level he is at currently. And that’s the big number I learned as well. It will take you about 10 years on average to become “successful” (in big Bollywood terms) in your field.

All I can advise is get onto set. Get on a camera crew, whether it is PA, assistant camera, camera op, or the person who cleans dirt off the camera cases. Watch the Cinematographer. Listen to the Cinematographer. Ask questions of the Cinematographer and camera crew. Whatever you’re doing, even if it’s the most inane and boring job on set, do it spectacularly and be incredibly happy to do it. People will notice your attitude. Make friends, but especially with the camera crew, not just the Cinematographer. (Also make buddies with the assistant director. They can give great recommendations.) Learn everything you can. Get a camera (still SLR or camcorder) and explore your own style. Try something new every day.

As for how to be a great Cinematographer:

Remember you are telling a story. And serve that story with humility, loyalty, creativity, passion, and open eyes.

And either make sure you know what you’re doing, or get really good at winging’ it. (Another post on “knowing [sort of] what you’re doing” is in mid-write, as well as some reflections on being a Indian Cinematographer thus far in my journey. Should be interesting.)

For cinematographers who are just making films, they may not have had that opportunity but I’d strongly recommend going to a digital house. I’ve done all my work through Prasad. They have the resources of all the greatest optical engineers and designers, (as well as) electronic experts from Panavision. Prasad is truly wonderful Öbeen a huge help to me shooting to know that I have a good lab and great cameras.

I think that aspiring cinematographers have to be aware of both formats ódigital and filmó, but I tend to be (Pause) not ignoring the digital cameras, but I’m putting it off as long as I can. (Laughs) I’m a little bit guilty of not really following up on the latest technology as far as digital (high definition) cameras are concerned, but I have done tests on them. I’m still a film man. I love film.