Today we’d like to introduce you to Niraj Pancholi
Hi Niraj, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
When you don’t have a friend or a mentor or a connection in the film industry, the hardest thing to do is to get started. Should you be making a short film? Or should you be making a feature? How much does a short film cost? How would you find the cast and the crew? Will this be a SAG film or a non-union?—There are a gazillion questions like these, and there are no real answers for them. If you have a friend or a mentor, they could guide you. But if you don’t, which in my case I didn’t, then you just have to get started into doing something and figure things out along the way.
I started with writing a feature script first. When I finished it, I looked at my resources and researched what it would take to make that film. Ultimately, I realized I didn’t have enough resources to make that feature. Could I have figured it out before writing the screenplay? No. Not with the knowledge I had at that time. Because a feature can be made on a low budget or on a high budget. And the budget is based on your screenplay requirements.
So then, I wrote a short script. Did I know how to make a sci-fi short film with 44 VFX shots with visual concepts that aren’t in any other film? No. Not with the knowledge I had at that time.
I had to take a leap of faith. And that faith was in me. I knew if I put my mind to it, I would eventually figure it out. And I did.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road was how roads usually are. At times, it was rough. At times, it was smooth. At times, the bend was long and time-consuming. And at times, the bend was sharp and quick. The shape and condition of the road were not in my hand. So I focused on what was in my hand: How I rode the road.
Finding the right crew, finding the right actors, finding the right location—these were some of the major challenges. When you don’t have the right connections or the right knowledge, it takes time to overcome such roadblocks. But ultimately, one overcomes them as long as one keeps at it.
For example, to find the right location, I drove all the way to Lancaster in the north and went beyond Dana Point in the south. I traveled through the Topanga Canyon in the west and went past Riverside in the east. If I saw a property that I liked, I knocked on the door to see if I could get it for my film. I did this during the harsh summer months in Los Angeles. Sweat, fatigue, and the music were my only companions. But I enjoyed every bit of it.
I told myself that someday when the movie is made, and the audience sees it, it will all be worth it. That vision was clear in my mind. I could visualize myself sitting in the theater with the audience and watching my movie. Movie that was not made yet.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m a writer/director/author/poet. I specialize in sci-fi, fantasy, action, adventure, thriller, drama, and romance. I love blending multiple genres and creating something new.
I have written/directed/produced a sci-fi short film called Cosmic Light, for which I won numerous awards, including the Gold Remi at the WorldFest Houston International Film Festival. It was an honor to receive such awards and get recognition for them. I am most grateful!
I have recently completed a collection of love poems, and I am working towards getting it published! I’ve written pop poetry. They’re meant to entertain the readers and make them feel something in their hearts. I’m very proud of this collection and hope to bring it out soon!
I also have a sci-fi-action-romance feature screenplay for which I was a finalist at the Toronto International Nollywood Film Festival (TINFF). Apart from writing the screenplay, I have also developed nine high-quality concept art pieces by working with three different concept artists. These are original works and not AI designs. So, I am pitching this project as well.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
In my success, I would say self-belief was the most important characteristic. The road to success was a foggy road. I couldn’t fully see how it would all come together. But I had a self-belief that eventually, I would figure it out.
The fact is, unless you’re working on a studio film where all the logistic steps are taken care of for you, it is just not possible to see how it will all come together. Not if you’re working independently. Not if you don’t have the right connections.
Sometimes, I would come to a fork in the road, and both the roads ahead were foggy. So, I would make a judgment call and take one of the paths. Sometimes, I had to backtrack and take the other road. And it felt like I was starting all over again.
But that was okay because it was not something in my hand. In situations where you can’t see much further ahead, you need self-belief to keep on going.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.nirajpancholi.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nirajpancholifilms
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nirajpancholifilms
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/niraj-pancholi
- Twitter: https://x.com/niraj_pancholi
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@nirajpancholi9197
