Today we’d like to introduce you to Subhro Das.
Hi Subhro, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I come from a town in South India called Bangalore. My parents did not have any connections to the film or television industry, so when I decided to pursue the art form professionally, I knew I would have to forge my own path. I had no formal training until my undergraduate studies, but making films was the only thing I had ever truly been passionate about. I made my first feature film at the age of 22 in London, England. It was a massive challenge and a daunting undertaking to make a 90 minute film with no external funding. My team and I managed to pull it off and that led me to my acceptance at USC’s prestigious School of Cinematic Arts. Living and taking the first steps into the world of filmmaking in Los Angeles- the home of Hollywood, the holy grail of any filmmaker who wants to make films seen the world over, has been an incredible, diverse and rewarding experience thus far. I have worked my entire life to be able to tell stories that have an eclectic point of view, I am a global citizen, I have lived all over the world and my stories reflect that diverse perspective. With the changing landscape of the industry, I feel right at home.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
The film business is all about managing your expectations- if you expect to have a smooth ride from the moment you start your journey and end up at a Hollywood studio where they write you a big blank cheque to make your movie, then unfortunately you’re in for a disappointing ride. I have faced my fair share of rejections be it from financiers, festivals or even my peers when it comes to my work, but the key is to learn from those rejections and incorporate those learnings into the next thing you make. I know it sounds cliche but it’s the truth. I can actually chart the progression and growth in my work from my very first film to my latest both from a technical as well as an artistic standpoint. As a person of color, getting your foot in the door at a historically white boy’s club has always been a challenge. If it’s not who you are then it is who you know. That is the name of the game and although things are gradually changing for the better, it is still always an uphill battle for someone who is both a person of color and not American to tell their stories here without facing some form of appropriation and censorship from the powers that be.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a writer-director. I have been writing short stories since I was about ten. I wanted to be an author when I was younger but that morphed into wanting to see my writing be realized, so I moved into film. I have made short films that have played at film festivals across the US as well as a feature film called The Innocent, a 90 minute mystery thriller that I made in the United Kingdom. I have always been a purist when it comes to filmmaking, I believe that making movies takes time and should take time, be it the development of the story or actually physically making the thing. We live in a world now where digital photography gives people the notion that making films is as simple as coming up with a concept and hitting record. We are often encouraged by people to just make things and while the sentiment behind that advice has merit, the actual execution needs serious context. I have always believed that yes, making films is important but it is just as important to think about if the film you are making is actually worth the time that goes into making it well. Do you really have something to say? I ask myself that question before I start any project. I am also a firm believer in preserving film photography when it comes to making movies. Young filmmakers should be encouraged to shoot on film because it has a look like no other and imbues a discipline to your craft that digital photography could never give you.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
Artistic fulfillment makes me the happiest. Knowing I have been able to create a piece of work as I had envisioned it as an auteur gives me true joy. It happens very rarely, in fact most days you feel like you are chasing something that can never be found but on that rare day when you are on set watching a perfect take or sitting in the editing room watching a sequence work perfectly as you imagined, you think to yourself – this was worth it. The brief moment is pure elation and there is no other feeling like it to me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.whitejacketproductions.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/subhrodas123/
