Editing With Apoorva Sankar
Filmmaking is a laborious job, so what keeps you motivated?
I think filmmaking is more about your passion and interest in movies. And I always believe that if you really enjoy your work, nothing seems like a task. I was awed by the simplicity and technical balance that an editor contributes to a film. The beauty of carving a movie in post-production made me realize that this was my way of weaving a story for an audience. I started volunteering with NGOs and helped them with short films. I worked on my friend’s projects and refined the short films that they made. I loved the process of finding themes, music, effects, and a rhythm for my work. I was still a new bee in this world, and I began watching independent films to broaden my knowledge about movies. I started applying to various film schools hoping that this dream of mine can come true and I got selected for the Film Production program with Editing Emphasis at Dodge College of Media Arts. My vision opened to an entirely new level. I began my creative journey as an editor and collaborated on several projects with my peers. I understood the dynamics of different creative minds coming together to make a film. I got to edit contemporary work and documentaries. The art of Filmmaking has changed over the past few years, and technology has had the biggest impact on this medium. From visual effects to graphic design to animations…the list of technology-based innovations in filmmaking is endless. However, I believe that technology is just an enabler to tell the story in non-traditional ways. It is still the way you tell the story that makes the audience enchanted.
How much patience is required in this field and do you consider yourself a patient person?
Let me tell you a story to substantiate that. Last year I was part of the post-production team for the film “Birds without Wings,” a documentary that tells the story of an NGO’s journey to educate children in the slums of North India. The editing process for this film was a different experience as I realized that the art of storytelling is more important than the techniques I use in the editing room. I analyzed 40 hours of footage to develop a 20-minute story from it. I struggled to figure out what would work for the story and how I would fix the puzzle together. Then I realized that I was focussing on the quality of the technology and cuts that I’m making and missing the story. I spoke to many people in that organization about the central message of the film and the story they want to be told. Then I could edit it in such a way that the message comes through loud and clear. I realized that keeping the message simple is the surest way to edit an impactful film. There is no substitute for a good story. This approach helped me to construct the “Birds without Wings” in a way that it became the finalist for the Student Academy Awards in 2020 and also won recognition in many festivals. It played at Goa Short Film Festival 2020, Pune Film Short festival 2020, Jaipur International Film Festival 2021, the 10th Mumbai Shorts International Festival 2021, and the 12th Dada Saheb Phalke Film Festival in 2021. I also won best editing awards at New York International Film Awards 2021 and Global Film Festival in Los Angeles 2021.
How do you choose the films you work on?
I’m a character-driven person, and I enjoy working with stories that have a lot of character development and enjoy the journey of a character in a movie. I relate the most to personal stories and enjoy working on narrative and documentary
What advice would you like to give to aspiring filmmakers?
The comfort television platforms have been a different experience of viewing cinema. In this pandemic, I can see how viewers have invested more time viewing films they would have never watched in the movie theatre. I don’t know if this is good or bad? But it shows how this industry manages to keep its viewers engaged. Digitalization in films has finally become a new trend. I see this industry focusing more on visual effects and large-scale productions to make the audience believe in the unreal. As an editor, I have realized that I must be aware of these new techniques that I must incorporate into my work. The viewers have become more open to contemporary cinema, and I’m awed by how cinema has progressed over these years. As the years go by, I’m sure there will be so many more advances in technology, but the film industry won’t stop finding innovative ways of reaching their audiences. That is the beauty of this industry; you’re always on the go and constantly finding a balance as the generation progresses.
Please tell us about your upcoming projects.
Currently, I am working at a trailer house called Mocean LA where I work with a client base such as Disney, Marvel, Hulu, and Netflix. I also work on short documentaries with the Musco Art Center at Chapman University.
