Saturday, January 12, 2013

Chintan Parekh, Writer



From Mumbai, India, Chintan is an actor, philosopher, writer and director. 

Welcome Chintan!

Tell me about your writing and directing...

Well to start of, stories were always developing in my mind since childhood, but never realized it as a career option. I did not have any clear idea about how to go on with life. It was just that I was fascinated by movies in childhood, that I was acting & imitating actors. This was spotted by my uncle who suggested my parents to send me to an acting workshop. 

It was a few months after I completed my acting workshop, I was approached by a local theater producer for a good role as a child actor. This was how I stepped in the industry, with still no plans to enter the industry and doing it as just a mere hobby.

After few years I took a break for studies and never thought of returning to acting, because by the time I was 16 and was helping my dad in the creative field of designing.
One day, while I was watching cartoon on TV ( yes I loved Tom & Jerry & Popeye, then and even now) I heard my mother talking about one of her friend's son making cartoon films. This was when it struck in mind to do animation and choosing my career. I did animation course for 2 1/2 yrs but was then struggling a bit that I had made a wrong choice. 

As I always wanted to make a movie and many movies left me incomplete. I used to say to myself that I could have made a better movie than this on the same concept. When finally after getting into animation , I realized what I really wanted to do. So instead of doing further specialization in animation stream, I started attending filmmaking workshops, which I enjoyed to the fullest.

I have not attended any film school and also will not suggest anyone to go, instead attend the number of workshops, search the internet & practice on your own...Which is what matters the most. Its all about searching my style and making the film that I like, rather than some producer hiring me to write " what sells". I am still on the initial developing stage of my career. I have got the path which I was searching a whole while but still searching how to go about.

As far as genre is concerned, I would like write in social, comedy, mystery & adventure. It can also be a combination of any two, three or all. I believe A film makes a deep impact on a human mind if the story/concept is depicted in the right way. So I would like to write & direct a film which has a great sense of social values and leaves a big impact on minds. It will not only give another perspective to look at society but also it will give me a great opportunity to grow as, not just writer and director but also as a person. 

I have written, edited and directed two no budget videos. It was a great, challenging experience directing both the videos as I was working all alone with the help and support of 3-4 friends during the shoot. First video itself has taught me a lot that my 2nd no budget video was quite at ease, comparatively.
 Now I am looking to shoot a short film which I have already written and soon would expect some beautiful challenges to come across me and make me more powerful & confident about my work & my potential.

Where do you like to write?

Currently I write at my home on my laptop, but soon I'll be finding other ways of writing, like sitting on a beach or a naturalistic place. What I realized by sitting 3 months in home, writing came at a drastically slow paced as I am at home with the same routine. In fact when I travel, even just to grocery stores nearby, a thought strikes by observing and passively hearing random people. The whole world is an inspiration and I am trying my new ways. Hopefully I may figure out something for my thought process which will work at a pace I want.

How do you maintain thoughts and ideas?

Its a really good question and one of the most important questions for all the writers, I think. I first used to write it down just a tagline or a short concept which would strike at that moment itself. I have to leave everything I am doing otherwise I forget. Its then we can develop the thought afterwards with some good in-depth research work.

Now I use Evernote, which I coincidentally found while surfing. Its is a very good mobile application which can maintain our thoughts and concept as we make a note. Also we can attach some reference image, recording video to the note if we want to. It also synchronizes with my laptop automatically once I downloaded and created an account. So it’s a great app to maintain thought and ideas which come suddenly.

When did you know you wanted to become a writer?

But I never really intend to become a writer. I would love to Direct & Edit and writing is what I consider as a last option. But I am polishing my skills to become a writer as well because I want to make movies of the subject which I choose and which compel me to run for it and take challenges. Though I would love to do copy-writing for TVC's. It’s actually what I found out lately and have also written many concepts for any suitable product, I feel, it will relate to.

Do you have a favorite author?

I don't have a favorite author as reading was what I used to leave to last. This is since few months I have started taking writing seriously, I have been reading whatever article or a short story I like. Though a novel, for me, is a bit far. If you ask for a director I would say Christopher Nolan, Raj Kumar Hirani, Hrishikesh Mukherjee, Aamir Khan, Ang lee, Rakesh Roshan, are my favorite directors as the film made by them is totally unique, it always has a freshness and most importantly they consider the story as the heart of the film, and that's what matters for any good film. I aspire to meet all of them & personally compliment them for every film they have made.

What are you currently writing?

I am currently writing a number of projects, which are all my own. I am planning a web based series, a short film on 'No Smoking', and 2 feature film concepts. Let’s see how I move about, as I have a lot to do and at the same time concentrate on every project giving equal importance and good amount of time as all of them involve a great amount of research work.

Follow Chintan

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