#RaguThaththa #Yamini #KeerthySuresh #PCSreeram #DOPYamini #FilmiBeatTamil
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00:00Even if they finish in a single take, we have to balance it equally between them.
00:14I need to thank Selvaraghavan sir and Keerthi ma'am.
00:16They were kind and also they understood very extremely how a technician will take a shot with so much involvement and effort.
00:26Selvaraghavan sir, did he say anything about your work?
00:30Last day, he spoke a lot. He was happy with the work. He has been observing, he observes a lot.
00:37You have shown the current Raghu Thatha in a very beautiful frame.
00:43What you missed there, you can show here.
00:46Even if you look at Shani Kagidham's costume, Raghu Thatha's costume, she carries it well.
00:51Their self-confidence, an artist's self-confidence, if it's so good, it's an asset for the technicians and the crew.
01:04How is your friendship with them? How do you talk on set?
01:07Ma'am is very professional and also she is kind. Over the years, she has become a good friend.
01:14Generally, if the cinematographers see a place and say, this place is beautiful, we will definitely keep a frame here, what do you think?
01:23Definitely, in any landscape, we will have to use this landscape in this angle, in this time period, either during sunrise or sunset.
01:35Halitha, Arun Matheswaran, now Suman Kumar. How do you address all three of them?
01:45Let it be Arun Matheswaran, Halitha ma'am or Suman Kumar, they will have in their mind, my film should be like this, it should look like this.
01:55They will ask, what do you think? Then I can give my inputs.
02:05Hello to all the viewers of One India Tamil, I am Ranjith Kannan.
02:09Our special guest today is DOP Yamini. She has directed three films, Silu Karuppatti, Shanika Aitham, and Raghu Thatha.
02:21Hello Yamini. How are you?
02:23I'm fine, thank you.
02:25Silu Karuppatti is your first film, but you are known to everyone through Shanika Aitham.
02:31Arun Matheswaran, what impressed you and what did you like about the film?
02:39I have to ask him which work gave me the opportunity. But before that, Silu Karuppatti is one of the projects, the first feature film, along with four other cinematographers.
02:51But before that, I did a web series with Mr. Bijoy Nambiar. It's called Flip. So, I did that too. He might have given me the opportunity.
03:03Were you confident when he approached you? Because it's a raw, violent film.
03:11Were you confident?
03:13When I got the opportunity, I was very kicked about it. I was happy and eager. But I felt responsible. I had to do it properly. I was preparing myself for that.
03:29We heard that the film is all about handling. In Tamil cinema, it's the male cinematographers who handle it.
03:39We heard that it's not so for females. Did you prepare for it?
03:43I didn't prepare for it. Yes, it's true. There are a lot of production units for hiring.
03:53They don't have a camera rig for females.
04:03I just had to purchase it. At that time, it was difficult to source the rig.
04:13Was it a challenging frame for you?
04:17Just the first day was a challenge for me. When we do something for the first time, it's difficult for the first two days.
04:27Only then do we know the scope of work, stamina and how to prepare.
04:37We shot a single shot for four minutes on the first day.
04:47I was very tired on the first day. That's when I knew it was going to be like this.
04:57It's like the first day of workout. The next day, you know you have to do it.
05:07It's like a support system. I don't feel heavy.
05:17There are big artists doing it. Did you feel nervous about balancing it out?
05:27Of course. When the artists are performing...
05:37A technician takes a shot with a lot of involvement and effort.
05:47During the shot, I only give the first mark. I can't be fully responsible for the timing.
05:59They were very kind. They'd give me a starting mark and I'd adjust according to the focal length.
06:09We had a discussion and they were very kind. It was easy for me to move along with them.
06:17Did Selva sir say anything to you?
06:21He spoke to me only on the last day. He was happy with the work.
06:31I didn't get a chance to talk to him. We were all busy with our own tasks.
06:41He expressed that he was happy and that he would like to work again.
06:51Kirti's look in the film was a bit weird. But you showed it in a beautiful frame.
07:01She's beautiful in her own way.
07:06Even in Shani Kagidham's costume and Raghu Tatha's costume, she carries it well.
07:16An artist's self-confidence is an asset to the crew.
07:26She pulls off every character very easily. I just need to frame it properly.
07:34You did two films with Raghu Tatha. How was your friendship with her?
07:40She's very professional. She's also kind. Over the years, she's become a good friend.
07:48In Raghu Tatha, this is a period film. We've seen a lot of period films with this kind of color tone.
07:56But in this film, you've added a cool gradient. Is this your idea or the director's?
08:03The director's input is first for any visual you see.
08:13He explained two things to me. There will definitely be a social message in this.
08:20But it shouldn't be too obvious. Visually, it should be the same way.
08:27Next, it's about the landscape. It should look colorful.
08:34Fortunately, both of us are fans of true colors.
08:41We didn't have the thought of going for black and white.
08:46After that, I added a few more inputs to it.
08:51If you've seen old films, greens are saturated and pigmented.
08:56There will be a film look. There will be a blue in the shadows and a light blue in the greens.
09:06You can make it more pigmented.
09:21You can use the source as filaments and tungsten.
09:26Whatever was there at that time, you can take it as true colors.
09:31There was a lot of his contribution, including the set work.
09:36And my colorist, Balaji Gopal.
09:41Whatever we see in the frame today...
09:46He curated film looks accordingly.
09:51I have a small doubt.
09:56Do you feel that you haven't done enough in the edit?
10:06We have to do pre-production.
10:11The frame looks have nothing to do with the edit.
10:16We do pre-production and create a 3D LUT.
10:21We also did a test shoot with Keerthi ma'am and the stylist.
10:28We did a small look test.
10:31If we have a rough footage, we can create a 3D look.
10:3580% of what you want to achieve, if you show it in the monitor itself, that will be better.
10:42I made it a habit to show it to the director, the producer and the artist.
10:49To see how it will look.
10:52With the help of the colorist, we have a lot of tools now.
10:55If we take a grab from yesterday's shoot, you can use it and show it.
11:02We'll work on the D.I. final.
11:05But we'll show a basic 3D LUT.
11:08We all can be on the same page.
11:11We'll know exactly what we're shooting and what's coming.
11:14Where are you shooting this film?
11:18Nagarkovil, Tenkasi.
11:20And the house portions will be done in Pondicherry.
11:24If the cinematographers see a place, they'll think it's great.
11:29Do you have any thoughts on that?
11:32In any landscape, we have to use it in this time period.
11:44We'll have to talk and collaborate with the director and see what scene we can use there.
11:50We'll always have an eye for beautiful things around us.
11:55Even when we watch a series or a film, there will be one element where you want to implement it in your work.
12:03We have to remember everything.
12:13Nagarkovil and Tenkasi are beautiful landscapes.
12:18You've worked with three directors in Tamil Nadu.
12:23How do you adapt to all three?
12:28How do you adapt to each film?
12:33The medium is the script.
12:38As a technician, we don't create from scratch.
12:43Everything comes from the director's input.
12:46It doesn't matter who the director is.
12:51They'll have it in their mind.
12:56Then I can give my inputs.
13:01My work is only a contribution of their thought.
13:06I can take the necessary equipment and finish it in time.
13:11I don't have three directors now.
13:24What difference can we make in the next film?
13:32Suman Kumar sir's film Raghu Thaatha is a different film language.
13:41We need to be open-minded and adapt.
13:51Do you prefer the camera or lens as in the film?
13:54There's no standard.
13:57It's not like that. It's like the film.
14:02Whatever the script demands, we need to do it.
14:06In many films, the audience can only see the emotional scene when it's close-up.
14:13Is that true?
14:16Capturing faces is pure emotions.
14:19It depends on a lot of factors.
14:24In my opinion, there is not one particular answer for any question.
14:29If a person is crying, is she surrounded by people?
14:34How long is she going to cry?
14:39My personal take is to keep it as simple as possible.
14:44Be it the framing or the lighting...
14:49If the script is going to rely on the artist's performance...
14:54The rest of the department should settle down.
14:57Whether it's production design or camera...
15:00If it's about cinematography or production design...
15:03I personally wouldn't prefer that.
15:06Value the emotions and stay along with the character.
15:09Whether it's a close-up or a wide shot...
15:12Or a one-shot med-and-travel...
15:15Stay with the artist.
15:18Don't deviate.
15:21If two people perform well, how do you choose?
15:26Do you want to show it wide or close-up?
15:29You can show it in one shot.
15:32It's all about staging.
15:35If two people are talking while walking...
15:38If I'm staying on character A...
15:41I can merge that moment with the camera movement.
15:46I don't know if the camera will move alone.
15:49I can be on B from the camera's over-shoulder.
15:52I don't know if the camera is moving.
16:02If the camera doesn't move...
16:10Nature's element is best.
16:13If there's wind or movement...
16:18Use that for the camera movement.
16:26Did you learn all this from P.C. Sir?
16:29I didn't go to film school.
16:37You'll learn a lot from his work.
16:40He's a film school himself.
16:47Of course.
16:50You must ask him.
16:53One thing you learned from him...
16:56What would you say if you were to follow him?
16:59Discipline.
17:02Has he seen your work and spoken to you?
17:05Yes, he has.
17:08He'll see me a little late sometimes.
17:11He hasn't seen Raghuthatha yet.
17:14Film is a male-dominated society.
17:17As a woman, how much of a challenge do you face in cinematography?
17:27I think it's better to speak in a generalized way.
17:32It's not particularly for cinematography alone.
17:37Without sugarcoating...
17:41There's discrimination of gender.
17:44It's not just in media.
18:03As a disclaimer...
18:10I worked so hard in giving me the privilege to sit and talk here.
18:15This doesn't give me equality.
18:18I get an opportunity to come and talk to you like this.
18:21This wouldn't have existed a few years ago.
18:24It's definitely moving towards improvement.
18:27It's going to improve even further.
18:30It's going to be a bright and equal space for all genders in the society.
18:35But we haven't reached there yet.
18:38It's going to take a lot of time.
18:41It'll go on for decades.
18:44I might be wrong, but this is what I feel.
18:47It's going to be there for even more decades.
18:52All women in all other professions...
19:03There will be new challenges.
19:06It's going to be one extra for us.
19:22Workout and brain have a good connection.
19:29If there's a shoot or an opportunity...
19:32If there's an exam...
19:40We have to practice it religiously.
19:43There are many puzzles towards work.
19:49We need to love what we do.
19:52No matter how many times we fail, which we will eventually...
19:56Every person fails.
19:59It happens, it's a process.
20:02When you fail, to restart...
20:05You will need that love for perseverance.
20:08Only if you love something, you'll be able to stand up again.
20:12There will be challenges.
20:15You have to overcome them effortlessly.
20:25Many people want to enter the film industry.
20:28Many women are interested in cinematography.
20:31Many people can see it in the media.
20:34Do you have any advice for them?
20:37I don't have any advice.
20:40This is what I want to remind them.
20:43You have to take care of your physical and mental well-being.
20:46Love your work.
20:49If you like it, do it.
20:52If you love something so much...
20:55There will be self-learning, perseverance to restart.
21:01But we women can do it effortlessly.
21:10Love your work.
21:13What other projects are you working on?
21:16Everything is in the scripting session.
21:19We were able to learn a lot about cinematography.
21:22Congratulations to the team.