Directed by Rajan Khosla, and produced by Children’s Film Society, India. “Gattu” which released Friday 20 July has begun to make its mark. The film has already bagged “Special Mention Award” – Berlin International Film Festival 2012. “Audience Award for the Best Feature” & “Honorable Mention Award of the Jury” – Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles 2012 and also the “Best Film” and “Best Young Actor” – New York Indian Film Festival 2012.
While the film which revolves around a kid and a kite is gaining altitude across the horizon of world cinema, the High flying kite sequences in the film have utilized some good CGI Animation and VFX done by VFX supervisor Ashoke Chowdhury.
Interestingly, Ashoke Chowdhury is already a pro in bringing kites alive through CGI having worked on Aparna Sen’s Japanese Wife. Rajan Khosla had seen the movie and reached out to Ashoke roping him in as the VFX supervisor for the kite fighting sequences in his film.
“Roorke is a small town where amongst other inhabitant’s on land, there is Kite called Kali that’s mostly in the sky. Kali flies high and high and no one can cut Kali down from the sky. Gattu a street kid took this challenge to bring down kali to ground on its nose by his own skill of flying and fighting kites. One fine morning from the roof top of his school, Gattu cut the arrogant long blazing thread of Kali and became the Champion of Roorke.” Ashoke shares the brief synopsis, as Rajan had narrated to him when they first met.
The story and sequences enticed both of them to plan for a solid production line up to design the thrilling Kite fighting sequences.
It was a necessity to take aerial shots with fly cam or from helicopter. To keep the budget in limits, Mr. Khosla suggested taking shots from a para glider. They took shot plates from gliders to give a realistic background to the fighting kites in sky.
With CG Ashoke gave life to the Kites once again and married them with the backgrounds that were shot from the gliders. The entire sequence has ultimately become the heart of the movie.
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We had taken only a static camera movement shot and a aerial shot from paraglide. Matte painting for the extension of environment and stitch both the shots to give room for camera movement.
We designed the camera movement from a straight angle in which the boy lifting the kite and the kite is flying in the sky.
The camera follows the kite and moves into top angle where we see the aerial view with the kite.
Flattering of the Kite and threads tension varies with the pulls and releases was a big challenge.
To match the CG kite with the background, lighting was an important aspect for this VFX production.
The bending and twisting of the kite due to wind pressure had to be precisely shown as the kite trapped in blowing wind.
Two kites are engaged in fighting – the friction on the thread with the tension of pulling, it’s a very difficult part to animate.
Subsequently the releasing of tension on the thread, when the kite is cut, was hard to achieve.
Mr.Ashoke Chowdhury said – “It’s a wonderful experience to work with Mr.Rajan Khosa’. ‘Gattu’ will be a memory to cherish for me”
Links for some shots of the movie:-
http://youtu.be/n3nYRRjHim8
http://youtu.be/ZqGgNwtkxgw
http://youtu.be/LozQG_KuBY8
http://youtu.be/IlhkqHX6_BE
http://youtu.be/GTyjygl2y34
http://youtu.be/iirThO6jO0A
http://youtu.be/znxflnM-Lxo
http://youtu.be/nxaGcPazdog
http://youtu.be/U3Su-LJ6mIs
http://youtu.be/CZ2y56WoEB8
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