Dr. Brian Mendonca in conversation with Naveen Gupta, media controllor, IGNCA, New Delhi here in Goa to conduct a course on screenplay writing.
What made you turn to screenplay?
I was restless at 34, after being bestowed with the AIR annual award as
best recipient of Producer Best Drama in 2005. I had become the youngest of AIR
drama producers to have achieved the distinction. A chance meeting with late
Ravi Baswani arranged by my great friend and actor Banwari Taneja saw me apply
to Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune for the first batch of the
screenwriting course initiated under Mr. Tripurari Sharan (IAS) as Director, FTII.
Who were your mentors?
I was mentored and taught by Anjum Rajabali, the celebrated screenwriter
and Mr. Ashwini Malik, filmmaker and writer. I was fortunate to be inducted as
faculty of FTII after 3 months of my completing the course.
What was your take-away from FTII?
A film is about narrative, with twists and turns. You watch the film to
learn about human nature and yourself. FTII taught me that the magical art of
screenwriting must be shared with one and all! This is what I intend to do at
Carmel College, Goa, between 14-16th November 2019.
Why Goa?
Goa is a unique melting pot. It has so many stories to be told and
developed not only for Indian audiences but for the global stage as well.
Screenplay writing (SPW) is a sunrise industry.
The talent of telling a story through a screenplay finds you plying your
trade not only in Bollywood, but regional cinema, as well.
Why Screenplay Writing?
There is a dearth of writers for Web, TV, digital
film-making, documentary film- making and even in the world of creative writing.
Screenplay writing in totality as an academic and professional course is taught
at only a few centres of excellence like FTII, Satyajit Ray Film and Television
Institute (SRFTI), Kolkata and certain private institutions. However, the
number of seats are miniscule considering the number of applicants. My alma mater, FTII offers only 12 seats
for something like 5000 applicants!
What role does Carmel College have to play in all this?
Institutions of higher education need to be in sync with market needs to
leverage employability. Reputed institutions like Carmel College can fill in
the gap between demand and supply and fine-tune budding writers!
What are you working on at present?
I have been commissioned
to write a historical, critical and anecdotal account of 101 greatest films of
Bollywood according to the box-office and accolades earned from 1913 till
present.
What is your advice to budding screenplay writers?
Watch films in their totality to learn to write screenplays. Start
toying with the idea of a story. Write a synopsis of your story in 20-40 lines.
Only then will you be able to see moving pictures in your head.
----------------------------------------------------------------------This article was published in Gomantak Times Weekender, Goa on Sunday, 24 November 2019. Pix of Dr. Brian Mendonca interviewing Naveen K. Gupta, Media Controller, IGNCA, New Delhi on screen play writing at the studios of AIR, Panaji on 12th November 2019. Pix courtesy Celine Andrews, AIR Panaji.
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