Unexpected Visual Experience of Film Creation

Rocket Science owned by Rajesh Thomas and Vidya Thomas takes us through the creative process involved in its diverse film-making, and introduces us to the changing trends and their impacts in today's times.

CG. What determines the kind of projects you'll take?

RS. We take up projects that carry a challenge or scope to come up with something new. It gets a bit boring to repeat stuff that we have already explored before.

CG. What is the most important thing you'll try to achieve across the films you make?

RS. An unexpected visual or experience that hooks you to a film is what we try to achieve across the films we do. We try out various renditions of telling a story. We explore various techniques that can bring about a story in an all-new perspective. Be it live action, animation or mixed media, there is always a new way to use it – that is what takes the film to another level and makes it interesting to watch.

CG. For commercial animations, how do you meet or manifest the client's expectations, or how do you instead convince them of what you've created?

RS. It's got a little easier these days to convince the clients to take up a non-traditional route to achieve something unique as they are going through tough competition, and all of them want to stand out and look different in the crowd. We go about a very detailed treatment presentation that elaborates almost every aspect of the outcome so that the client is in a loop with the end results that may come with it. There are still some surprises in store for the client as stop-motion and mixed media cannot be elaborated to its exact outcome. However, it has mostly been pleasant surprises.

CG. How do you guys decide the direction of the film, in terms of colours, script, screenplay and other such fundamentals?

RS. We really work hard and put a lot of our energies in how to make the film stand out in the treatment stage. There is this gut feeling that lets us narrow down on the route we would like to take. Once we are happy with a certain route, we elaborate on the execution in detail. The route, in most cases, sets itself to the colour code and mood for the film. Almost nothing is left to chance, as far as pre-production is concerned. Though most of our works are experimental in nature, we go in for very detailed pre-production to anticipate all the challenges that may arise during the shoot and post, and try and solve it beforehand.

CG. What kinds of results and processes feel most satisfying in the overall practice of creating an animation film?

RS. Every stage of animation is a really interesting process. We have the character in mind, which then slowly begins to take shape and come alive. Once everything is put together, and that idea in mind starts playing out in reality, it is a surreal experience.

CG. What are your views about the current animation scenario, and in which direction do you feel it is heading?

RS. We are still loaded with a chunk of overly emotional stories playing-out in safe live-action formats, but there is a change taking place, slowly but surely. Clients and agencies are on a lookout for directors and production houses that can take their story to the next level of execution. Animation and mix media alongside emerging technologies will play a huge role in the upcoming years.

CG. How important you see short-films has become for everyone in the times of Youtube and Facebook? And where do you see the trend taking us?

RS. The current trend on social media is completely content-driven. Though no one comments on the execution, but behind-the-scenes videos have as many, or sometimes more, views than the commercial itself. People want to know where the thought process began, and the technology used to make the film. This means that they are opening up to experimentations, and are enjoying films – that is radical in approach. It is an encouraging trend and great times for filmmakers.

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