In order to encourage budding filmmakers during lockdown and to keep their creativity flowing, director duo Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK, said they will mentor and back the new format of micro-storytelling. The duo already has two micro-series in the pipeline. The country is under the lockdown, which was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to contain the spread of coronavirus in India.
Raj and DK, who have directed films such as “Shor in the City”, "Go Goa Gone”, have started a new initiative under which they will either mentor or present or produce micro-series and films that will be shot indoors, via their banner D2R Films.
The first project mentored by Raj and DK is “The Family Man” actor Shreya Dhanwanthary’s directorial debut micro-series titled “A Viral Wedding: Made In Lockdown”.
“We’ve started this initiative especially to encourage a new format of micro-storytelling. It’s called D2R Indie, which will mentor, produce, present innovative works of new and aspiring filmmakers - mostly in micro-storytelling, and sometimes even longer formats,” Raj told PTI.
“The idea is to encourage filmmakers to use this opportunity to make the most of what they have under the current circumstances. It is actually for anyone who wants to beat the blues, and find innovative ways of creating something from home or under restrictive circumstances,” he added.
The duo has three projects in this space – two micro-series and one indie film.
“The micro-series is in pre-production stage while the indie film is being shot currently. The one micro-series is a wacky take on relationships, another one is a homebound adventure and the indie film is a comedy about filmmaking.
“The ‘Viral Wedding.. ’ has lockdown, the relationship micro-series is about two unlikely people stuck together in the lockdown. Right now the theme might be about that because it is unique, it is history defining moment,” Raj said, adding, he too is toying with an idea of making something unique.
The director said even when the lockdown will be lifted they will continue to encourage filmmakers to explore this format of making bite sized creative expressions.
“We all are filmmakers and at the end of the day you can’t put a filmmaker at home but you can’t keep them away from making films.
Necessity is the mother of invention. Instead of waiting for the good days to come this is an effort to try and do the best we can with what we have in hand.